RTHK: WHO declares Omicron a 'variant of concern'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday classified the B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa as a Sars-CoV-2 "variant of concern," saying it may spread more quickly than other forms.

Preliminary evidence suggested there is an increased risk of reinfection and there had been a "detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology," it said in a statement after a closed meeting of independent experts who reviewed the data.

Infections in South Africa had risen steeply in recent weeks, coinciding with detection of the variant now designated as Omicron, WHO said.

"This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other (variants of concern)," it said.

Omicron is the fifth variant to carry such a designation.

"This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage," the WHO said.

Current PCR tests continue to successfully detect the variant, it said.

Earlier, the WHO cautioned countries against hastily imposing travel restrictions linked to the variant of Covid-19, saying they should take a "risk-based and scientific approach".

Global authorities reacted with alarm to the new variant detected in South Africa, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as scientists sought to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

"At this point, implementing travel measures is being cautioned against," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a UN briefing in Geneva. "The WHO recommends that countries continue to apply a risk-based and scientific approach when implementing travel measures."

It would take several weeks to determine the variant's transmissibility and the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics against it, he said, noting that 100 sequences of the variant have been reported so far. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-11-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Legal meeting to be held in HK

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng

The Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) will hold its Annual Session, from November 29 to December 1 in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the first time. Securing international organisations to hold decision-making meetings in Hong Kong is conducive to developing Hong Kong into a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, which is one of the major policy initiatives in the Chief Executives Policy Address this year. When explaining policy initiatives at Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice & Legal Services, I pointed out that the Department of Justice is actively pursuing the feasibility of establishing an arbitration centre in Hong Kong with international legal and dispute resolution institutions. This will greatly enhance Hong Kongs position and international image of being an international legal and dispute resolution hub.

It is our honour that Premier Li Keqiang will attend and deliver remarks at the Inaugural Session on November 29 through video link in Beijing. The AALCO is the only cooperation platform dedicated to international law spanning Asia and Africa. The 59th Annual Session of AALCO is the third annual session hosted by China whilst the Hong Kong SAR, for the first time, was designated as the venue for the meeting. It will also be the second time Premier Li Keqiang has attended the opening ceremony following the one in 2015. This fully demonstrates the importance attached by the Central Peoples Government (CPG) to AALCO and that our country is ready to work with the counterparts in Asia and Africa to jointly defend international law and promote international rule of law.

Originally constituted in 1956 as the Asian Legal Consultative Committee, AALCO has held permanent observer status at the United Nations (UN) since 1980 and maintains a permanent office at UN Headquarters. Being the only intergovernmental legal consultative organisation in the Asian and African region with 47 member states, AALCO serves as an important forum to deliberate on international legal issues. Deliberations reflecting diverse legal traditions and myriad cultures in Asian and African nations are consolidated and communicated to other institutions and international organisations, including the UN, so that Asian and African viewpoints, concerns and cultures are appropriately represented in world deliberations on international legal issues, contributing to a more inclusive and comprehensive development of international law, and the understanding and maintenance of the rule of law internationally.

The annual session is one of the major events in AALCOs calendar each year, during which delegates from member states and those attending as observers primarily participate in deliberations which examine international law matters discussed by other international organisations such as International Law Commission, and examine issues of international law that are of particular interest and relevance to AALCO member states. This reinforces the importance of multilateralism and the collaboration among countries in this area.

Further to AALCOs work plan approved in the 57th Annual Session in 2018 in relation to the setup of another arbitration centre, the AALCO and the CPG have agreed on the establishment of the centre in Hong Kong, China. An agreement was subsequently signed on 10 November this year. Since 1978, AALCO regional arbitration centres have been set up in five places. Starting from the Asian International Arbitration Centre in Kuala Lumpur to the latest Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration in 2007, the sixth of which will be established in the Hong Kong SAR this year with major support from the CPG and AALCO. The regional arbitration centre in Hong Kong will seek to integrate itself in the AALCO dispute settlement system and perform a variety of tasks, such as promoting the growth and effective functioning of arbitration and other dispute resolution services, including online dispute resolution (ODR) services, which will strengthen Hong Kongs position as an international legal, deal-making and dispute resolution hub.

In view of the growing importance of ODR, it is an opportune time for the AALCO Annual Session to further explore the way forward. A side event on Dispute Settlement - Online Dispute Resolution will be held on the second day of the annual session in which a number of legal experts and academics will share with us their views which will no doubt benefit the legal and dispute resolution sector not only in Hong Kong but also around the world in the promotion of ODR in future.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng wrote this article and posted it on her blog on November 27.

This story has been published on: 2021-11-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Thailand 'bars Frenchman it deems danger to society'

A French national who is known for mocking the Thai government was denied reentry to Thailand on Saturday for being "a danger to society," his lawyer said on Saturday.

Yan Marchal, who has lived in Thailand for nearly 20 years, arrived in Thailand on Saturday morning, but immigration handed him a notice barring him entry citing behaviour that was a danger to society, Nadthasiri Bergman said.

The notice did not give further details.

A government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

In Marchal's TikTok account, which has over 560,000 followers, he speaks Thai and satirises the government. In some videos he wears a shirt with writing that calls for the abolition of the royal insult law and reform of the monarchy.

Thailand has strict laws against insulting the monarchy, which carry a potential prison term of up to 15 years.

Thai conservatives consider the monarchy sacrosanct and view insults to King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the monarchy as a threat to society. Youth-led anti-government protests which started last year have challenged the decades-old taboos against any criticism of the king. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-11-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Rules for arrivals further tightened

The Centre for Health Protection announced today that starting November 28, Hong Kong residents arriving from eight places in southern Africa will be required to stay in the Pennys Bay Quarantine Centre for seven days.

It explained that the new rule aims to enhance the surveillance on the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

In view of the World Health Organizations latest announcement about the Omicron variant, the Government already tightened the boarding and quarantine requirements for people arriving from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Along with South Africa which is already a specified high-risk place, non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these places within 21 days will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong from November 27.

Under the new quarantine rule, the relevant people have to undergo testing every day during the seven-day period at the quarantine centre, and their health conditions will be monitored by healthcare professionals.

Upon completion of the seven-day quarantine at the quarantine centre, they will be allowed to finish the rest of the compulsory quarantine requirement at the designated quarantine hotel which they have reserved.

They are also required to undergo testing on the 9th, 12th, 16th and 19th day and another compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.

The centre said currently there is no direct passenger flight arriving in Hong Kong from the eight places in southern Africa but the Omicron variant is present in a number of places globally. Hong Kong must stay vigilant and implement the most stringent anti-epidemic measures to prevent the mutant strain from entering the local community.

This story has been published on: 2021-11-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties?

No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer.

Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties.
Many localities suspend non-essential services due to pandemic

Many localities in Vietnam have halted non-essential services and activities because of the reoccurrences of Covid-19.



Since mid-Friday, the central province of Quang Nam has temporarily closed karaoke parlous, bars, massage services and cinemas after allowing them to be resumed on November 5.





Quang Nam has suspended many non-essential services since mid-Friday



On November 24-25, Quang Nam recorded 92 new Covid-19 cases, including 47 locally-transmitted ones. The infections are related to some local restaurants and schools.



The northern province of Lang Son has also halted karaoke, massage, gymnastics, yoga and spa services since Friday. Indoor local food and drinks services are permitted to be open to 11 pm but have to conform to Covid-19 prevention regulations.



Wedding parties are encouraged to be delayed and those that are already set to take place are banned from receiving guests from other localities.



Ky Anh District in the central province of Ha Tinh has also shut non-essential services in the four communes of Ky Tien, Ky Phong, Ky Bac and Ky Giang.



Since Thursday, Thai Nguyen City has suspended activities that draw large numbers of people as well as many non-essential activities. Local schools have also been closed. Local restaurants can only offer delivery services.



On November 24, Thai Nguyen City confirmed five locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases who had close contact with many other people.



Vinh Phuc Province has shut all non-essential services in Yen Lac District since November 24. The district has to date witnessed 392 Covid-19 patients.



Besides the suspension of many non-essential activities, people in Bac Ninh Province are banned from going out from 9 pm to 4 am.
Vietnam Innovation Network debuts in Taiwan

A Vietnam Innovation Network in Chinese Taipei (VIN Taiwan) has been set up in Taiwan (China), thereby marking a new stage in the development of the Vietnamese intellectual community in the territory, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI).







Participants in Hanoi attend the VIN Taiwan launch ceremony





This network is set to directly contribute to the various innovation activities taking place both in the homeland and abroad, the Ministry said.
Communications intensified to reduce use of plastic bags, single-use plastic products

The Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Business for Environment (VB4E) Alliance, held a consultation session with retailers on stepping up the implementation of a communication plan on reducing plastic bags.









Single-use plastic products. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)



ISPONRE Deputy Director Nguyen Trung Thang said that with the aim of reducing the use of single-use plastic products at retailers, the institute and the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade called for businesses to sign a commitment to join the alliance of retailers to reduce plastic bags and single-use plastic products.



As of July, 15 retailers had agreed to join this commitment. This is an activity within the framework of the Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter project funded by the European Union and the German Government. Expertise France is the organisation that will implement this project in Vietnam.



According to Thang, Vietnam uses about 104,000 single-use plastic bags per day, or 38 million plastic bags a year. Up to 46 out of 48 supermarkets are providing plastic bags free of charge, and each supermarket consumes about 1,454 plastic bags a day on average.



Vietnam aims to use 100 percent of environmentally-friendly plastic bags and packaging at shopping malls and supermarkets by 2025, according to a project on strengthening the management of plastic waste in Vietnam approved by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on July 22.



Other goals include to collect, reuse, recycle and treat 85 percent of plastic waste; to halve the volume of plastic waste dumped to oceans; to have 100 percent of tourist complexes, hotels and other lodging facilities not use non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products by 2025.



Additionally, the project will gradually cut the production and consumption of non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products in daily life; while raising awareness among organisations, enterprises and the community about the harmful effects of single-use plastic items to the environment, ecosystem and human health, and encouraging consumers to shift away from single-use and non-biodegradable plastics to eco-friendly alternatives./.
China's surging outward investment indicates resolution to open wider

10:38, November 27, 2021 By Wang Youxin ( People's Daily

Photo shows a container terminal invested and built by Chinese enterprises at the Piraeus Port, Greece. (File photo)

In recent years, China has constantly consolidated its position as a major country in outward investment and economic cooperation, which mirrors its efforts to push forward with opening-up at a higher level.

China's outbound direct investment bucked the trend last year despite the impacts from COVID-19, with improvements made in both quantity and quality.

According to the 2020 Statistical Bulletin of China's Outward Foreign Direct Investment recently issued by China's Ministry of Commerce, National Bureau of Statistics, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the country's outbound direct investment surged 12.3 percent from a year ago to $153.71 billion last year. The volume accounted for over 20 percent of the world's total, making China rank the first place worldwide for the first time ever. The country is gaining an increasingly larger influence on the sphere of direct investment.

Chinese enterprises are building their global reach, allocating their production factors and resources, and actively joining international competition and cooperation. It fully indicates the resilience and vitality of China's new system for higher-level open economy. The country's outbound direct investment has injected huge positive energy into the global economic recovery.

By promoting international production capacity cooperation and focusing its outbound direct investment in the real economy, China has played a vital role in stabilizing international industrial and value chains.

Last year, the country's outbound direct investment covered 18 major industrial sectors, and nearly 70 percent of it went to leasing and commercial services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and finance.

China made investment in more than 80 percent of countries and regions around the world, with Belt and Road countries gradually becoming hot destinations. In 2020, Chinese investors established over 11,000 enterprises in Belt and Road countries, and the total investment added up to $22.54 billion, soaring 20.6 percent on an annual basis and accounting for 14.7 percent of the world's total investment volume during the same period.

China's outbound direct investment came from both the public and the non-public sectors. The non-public sector made non-financial foreign investment of $67.16 billion the last year, accounting for 50.1 percent of the total and growing 14.1 percent.

China's outward investment and economic cooperation, on stable and healthy development, is constantly expanding its size, optimizing its structure, and improving its benefits, delivering win-win results. It has made positive contributions to developing China's economic and trade relations with relevant countries and building an open world economy.

The Chinese economy has gone through profound globalization, and is highly connected to the industrial chains and production factor markets of many countries around the world. Chinese-funded multinationals are important carriers of the global industrial and value chains.

Pursuing opening-up on all fronts, at multiple levels and in a wide range of areas, China is opening its doors wider. Last year, both the foreign direct investment into China and the country's outward investment witnessed growth, and the Chinese and international markets and resources have become more connected.

By comprehensively improving the level of its opening-up, building a new system for higher-level open economy, opening up more sectors of the economy in a more thorough fashion, and exploring more efficient ways to connect domestic and foreign markets and share factors of production and resources, China is both absorbing energy from the world and benefiting the world with its own development.

Chinese enterprises, capital, personnel and technologies going global to dock with production factors and consumption markets worldwide will further strengthen economic globalization and the development of the world economy.

(Wang Youxin is a researcher with the Bank of China Research Institute.)

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Xi, Putin send congratulations to closing ceremony of China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation

Xinhua) 09:01, November 27, 2021

A Chinese worker and a Russian worker communicate with each other as they walk in a construction site where Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are about to be built, in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Huadong)

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin respectively sent congratulatory letters to the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation on Friday.

In his message, Xi recalled that when the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation opened in August 2020, he and President Putin respectively sent letters to express their congratulations and high expectations.

For more than a year, Xi said, China and Russia have joined their hands, overcome the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and carried out in a creative fashion more than 1,000 cooperation and exchange activities related to scientific and technological innovation.

He also noted that the two countries have actively facilitated the achievement of fruitful cooperation in such fields as pandemic prevention and control, aerospace and aviation, nuclear energy, and digital economy, while highlighting the successful launch of the China-Russia science and technology innovation fund and important cooperation progress in major strategic projects.

Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows the launch ceremony for the construction of Unit 3 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant in Huludao City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng)

It has been proved that there is a great potential, as well as a broad prospect, for the China-Russia cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, he said.

Xi stressed that China and Russia, which are each other's largest neighbors, have jointly been playing an increasingly important role in the current international political and economic arena.

The Chinese president called on the two sides to uphold the concept of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and push forward cooperation in various fields in a practical manner.

He also urged the two sides to promote bilateral relations to a higher level, higher quality and higher standards, and to inject new impetus into the forging of a new type of international relations, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

In his congratulatory letter, Putin said with joint efforts from both sides, the Russia-China Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation has been a success, which has fully demonstrated the significance of undertaking bilateral scientific and technological cooperation under the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Visitors watch plane models at Russia pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Over the past two years, Russian and Chinese scientific researchers have overcome the impact of the pandemic and carried out more than 1,000 scientific research activities, he said.

Principal results from the cooperation, he underlined, includes China's participation in the construction of the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider facility (NICA), a large-scale scientific facility, and the establishment of the Russian-China Mathematical Center by both sides.

Putin said he believes the two sides will continue to uphold the notion of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and continue to inject strong impetus into the promotion of all-round cooperation between Russia and China.

The China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation concluded on Friday.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Foreign business representatives refute lies about Xinjiang

Xinhua) 09:28, November 27, 2021

Aerial photo shows a farmer driving a tractor to transport cotton in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

URUMQI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is now thriving and all ethnic groups there live in harmony, foreign business representatives said at a video conference on Friday, adding that some Western countries should face up to Xinjiang's achievements instead of creating lies.

Adnan Akfirat, president of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association, visited Xinjiang dozens of times. "In September this year, I went to Hotan City for the second time in 10 years," he said. "I was stunned by the change."

"That old, run-down city was gone and a modern and clean Hotan has been built, which is developed but has preserved its historical authenticity," said Akfirat.

"The welfare and happiness of the people was observable to the naked eyes," he added.

Victor Cadena, vice president of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in China, was also keen to share his positive impressions of the region.

"With the knowledge of facts seen by my own eyes, I can say sincerely that Xinjiang is a land of prosperity," he said. "It is a land where people enjoy their rights, and with the rule of law."

Pierre Mirochnikoff, chairman of the Asia Silk Road Group, also attended the event.

"Nowhere did we feel any targeted oppression of Uygur or Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. Muslim citizens of all ages, men, women and children, live freely," said Mirochnikoff.

"I sincerely believe that the work done to eradicate religious extremism is bearing fruit," he said, adding that the facts are there for all to see, "and facts speak louder than anything else."

According to Mirochnikoff, of all the slanderous campaigns against Xinjiang, the worst is the hypocrisy of many politicians in the West who criticize and sanction local figures but really know nothing about them.

Commenting on China's response to extremism and terrorism, he said that leaders in the West should be inspired by this example, instead of criticizing the path chosen by China.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
We Are China

China launches Zhongxing-1D satellite

Xinhua) 10:00, November 27, 2021

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Zhongxing-1D satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 27 , 2021. (Photo by Bai Xiaofei/Xinhua)

XICHANG, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- China successfully sent a new satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province Saturday.

The satellite, Zhongxing-1D, was launched at 0:40 a.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.

This launch marked the 399th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
PLA Eastern Theater Command conducts patrol with combat readiness in Taiwan Straits as US congressional delegation visits island

Global Times) 10:03, November 27, 2021

A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force formation conducts island patrols during training on April 26, 2018. The formation was made up of fighters, early warning and surveillance aircraft, and H-6K bombers, which took off from various military airfields. The formation flew over the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel, completing an island patrol, the subject of the training.Photo:Xinhua

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command has continued organizing naval and air forces to patrol with combat readiness in the Taiwan Straits, and such actions are necessary in response to the cross-Straits situation, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said on Friday.

On the same day, a US congressional delegation is in the island of Taiwan for a visit, the second such delegation in November. The PLA Eastern Theater Command's action on Friday is apparently targeting the US' interference in the Taiwan question, analysts said. The PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted similar patrols in response to a group of US congressmen's visit to the island of Taiwan on November 9.

The island of Taiwan is part of China and to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity is the sacred mission of the PLA. Forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command would stay on high alert and take necessary measures to fight at any time against the interference of foreign forces and attempt of secessionists on the island of Taiwan, the spokesperson said.

The US and secessionists on the island of Taiwan have continued provocations. After the virtual summit between presidents of China and the US in which US President Joe Biden stressed the US does not support Taiwan secessionism, the US once again sent a congressional delegation to the island of Taiwan on Friday for a visit, the second such delegation in November.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Chinese path expands channels for developing countries to achieve modernization

10:22, November 27, 2021 By He Yin ( People's Daily

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has led the people in pioneering a uniquely Chinese path to modernization, creating a new model for human advancement, and expanding the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, pointed out the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, a landmark resolution released by the CPC recently.

This has offered a new option for countries and nations who want to accelerate development while preserving their independence, said the resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC.

The important conclusion has profoundly revealed the global significance of the CPCs leading the Chinese people in blazing the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously advancing socialist modernization.

Finding a path to national development and revitalization is the shared aspiration of all countries across the globe.

Throughout human history, no nation or country has ever become strong and prosperous by relying on external forces, indiscriminately copying the models of other countries, or blindly following in others footsteps. Those who have attempted to do so have either suffered inevitable defeat or been reduced to vassals of others.

To keep the fate of its development and progress firmly in its own hands, a country must explore a viable path that suits its national conditions and stick to the path no matter what.

The CPC has explored and followed the right path that suits Chinas realities in its century-long history.

Since the countrys reform and opening-up, the CPC has led the Chinese people unswervingly on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, significantly improving Chinas economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, comprehensive national strength as well as its international standing, raising the living standards of the Chinese people from bare subsistence to moderate prosperity in all respects, and creating a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.

Compared with the modernization of western countries, which is like a process of series connection during which industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, and informatization have taken place in sequence, Chinas modernization process is a parallel connection process, during which the country completed development processes that took developed countries several centuries in the space of mere decades, said a scholar.

Because of such significant changes and miraculous progress, todays China is considered the growth pole of global modernization and the largest lab of economic and social reform in the world.

Whether a countrys path of development works is judged, first and foremost, by whether it fits the countrys conditions; whether it follows the development trend of the times; whether it brings about economic growth, social advancement, better livelihoods, and social stability; whether it has the peoples endorsement and support; and whether it contributes to the progressive cause of humanity.

The Chinese people have full confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as they consider it a right and practicable path that conforms to Chinas national conditions and traits and is in line with the development requirements of the times.

Chinas rapid development along the path it has chosen has also shown the rest of the world convincingly that there is no fixed development model and that each country has the right to seek a development path of its own.

The world we live in is diverse and colorful. Diversity makes human civilization what it is and provides a constant source of vitality and driving force for world development.

No civilization is superior to others; every civilization is special and unique to its region. Civilizations can achieve harmony only through communication and can make progress only through harmonization.

While sticking to its own path and maintaining independence and self-reliance, China has remained open-minded and is more than willing to learn from the fine achievements of other civilizations, and has drawn on the valuable experience of other countries.

The great achievements achieved by the CPC in the past century have attracted worldwide attention, and political parties from many countries have expressed wishes to discuss with the CPC about governance and learn from its experience in achieving national development.

China has embarked on a unique development path, increasingly influencing and changing the world, said Francisco Sierra, a professor at the University of Seville, Spain.

Chinas continued and successful development has not only solved the countrys own problems, but provided inspiration for the West to get out of its predicament, noted former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

It is the historical trend of human civilization and progress that countries admire the diversity of cultures and development paths, respect and safeguard the right of people from all countries to independently choose social systems and development paths and learn from each other.

In the future, the CPC will continuously lead the Chinese people in striding along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics courageously, make unremitting efforts to turn China into a modern socialist country by the time the Peoples Republic of China celebrates its centenary in 2049 and realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and make even more outstanding contributions to human civilization.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
New COVID-19 variant confirmed in Belgium

Xinhua) 11:13, November 27, 2021

BRUSSELS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A new COVID-19 variant known as B.1.1.529 has been confirmed in Belgium, Belgian Minister of Health and Social Affairs Franck Vandenbroucke said on Friday.

Two suspect samples were being analyzed, according to Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst of the Catholic University of Louvain. One sample was confirmed as the novel B.1.1.529, the virologist twitted on Friday.

The new variant first detected in South Africa features "unusual" alterations that are concerning since they may let it to evade the immune system and become more transmissible.

Belgium decided on Friday to suspend flights from the southern African region, following a proposal from the European Commission. Belgian travelers returning from South Africa and other nearby countries must adhere to a ten-day quarantine.

Several European countries, notably the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, have already decided to close their borders to the region.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Beijing increases maternity leave for its residents

Xinhua) 11:19, November 27, 2021

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers in Beijing passed a revised regulation on Friday that extends the additional maternity leave from 30 days to 60 days, on top of 98 days as stipulated in the national law.

New mothers can now have an additional leave of one to three months with the permission of their employers.

The favorable policies have been rolled out in an effort to reduce the burden of childbirth and childcare.

The regulation stipulates that the mother and the father are each entitled to a parental leave of five days every year before their child reaches the age of three.

It also calls for favorable policies on housing and subsidies for childcare.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
China changes name of diplomatic mission in Lithuania to office of charge d'affaires

Xinhua) 11:20, November 27, 2021

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry officially sent a diplomatic note to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry on Friday, deciding to change the name of Chinese diplomatic mission in the country as the Office of Charge d'Affaires.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced the change at a daily press briefing, adding China has asked Lithuania to change the name of its diplomatic mission in China accordingly.

The spokesperson said that on Nov. 18, Lithuania, disregarding China's solemn representations, allowed the Taiwan authorities to set up a "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania."

This act openly created the false impression of "one China, one Taiwan" in the world, and China decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to the charge d'affaires level to safeguard national sovereignty and basic norms governing international relations, Zhao said.

He pointed out that China's move is a legitimate counter-measure against Lithuania's damage to China's sovereignty, and the responsibility lies entirely with the Lithuanian side.

The Chinese people can not be insulted, and China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity can not be violated, Zhao said. He added that China is firm in defending its national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and that any act that challenges China's core interests will not succeed.

"We urge Lithuania to abide by the recognized basic norms of international relations, immediately correct its mistake, and return to the correct track," he said.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Senior Chinese diplomat meets UNGA president via video link

Xinhua) 11:21, November 27, 2021

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets via video link with Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and foreign minister of the Maldives, in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday met via video link with Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and foreign minister of the Maldives.

Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said that the only way out of the complex problems the world is facing is maintaining and practicing true multilateralism, and promoting a global community with a shared future.

He said China will always be committed to the ideals of the United Nations, support multilateralism, and work with other countries to make new contributions to world peace and development.

For his part, Shahid voiced support for the Global Development Initiative proposed by China and China's hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, adding that the United Nations is ready to jointly safeguard multilateralism with China.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
China, Russia agree to enhance investment cooperation

Xinhua) 11:22, November 27, 2021

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, co-chairs the eighth meeting of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Friday co-chaired the eighth meeting of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, pledging to promote investment cooperation for new achievements.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, commended the sound momentum of investment cooperation between the two countries. Han said China stands ready to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and tap the potential of China-Russia investment cooperation to new achievements.

Han pointed out that the two sides should systematically plan new areas of investment cooperation in the next step and speed up the revision of an outline of China-Russia investment cooperation plan.

Han called on the two countries to optimize their industrial advantages, seek synergy of industrial and supply chains, and expand investment cooperation.

The two countries should actively advance bilateral cooperation on green development and create new growth areas for investment cooperation, Han said, adding that both sides should strengthen cooperation at local levels and jointly create a more stable, fair, transparent, and predictable business environment.

Belousov said Russia-China investment cooperation had made remarkable progress with smooth progress in key projects since the beginning of this year. He said Russia is willing to work with China to promote pragmatic cooperation in the investment field so as to achieve more results.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
China releases development guideline of Beijing's sub-center

Xinhua) 13:48, November 27, 2021

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows the business district along the Grand Canal in Tongzhou District of Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council has released a guideline on promoting the high-quality development of Beijing's sub-center and easing the non-capital functions of Beijing.

Oriented on innovative and green progress, the sub-center of Beijing shall see more functions and population transferred into its administrative area to relieve the city's non-capital duties, the guideline noted.

In the sub-center, technology and innovation, administration, business services, culture, and tourism would be elevated, said the document. Policies, measures, and pilot demonstration projects would also be carried out and tested in the sub-center.

Integrated and high-quality development of Beijing's sub-center in Tongzhou District and neighboring suburban counties and cities in Hebei Province would also be promoted, said the document.

The guideline urged the Beijing municipality to implement its primary responsibility in promoting the high-quality development of the sub-center and grant it more reform, opening-up, and innovative-development power.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Xi extends condolences to Putin over coal mine accident

Xinhua) 13:49, November 27, 2021

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message of condolence to Russian President Vladimir Putin over a coal mine accident in Russia that caused heavy casualties.

In his message, Xi said he is shocked to learn that a gas explosion occurred in a coal mine in Belovo, a city in the Kemerovo Region, and caused heavy casualties.

Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, as well as in his own name, expressed deep condolences to the victims and extended sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Vietnam Airlines, the country's national flag carrier, looks to dominate the Vietnam-US route as preparations have been completed for its first direct flight to the US, which is scheduled to take off on November 28, said General Director of Vietnam Airlines Le Hong Ha.

The Vietnam-US route was among one of the most in-demand pre-pandemic. There were 24,000 Vietnamese university students and a 2.2 million strong Vietnamese community in the US in 2020. Two-way trade has been on the rise in recent years reaching 90 billion USD in 2020 and projected to hit over 100 billion USD this year, making the Southeast Asian economy one of the USs top trading partners.

As a result, the airline is confident demand will quickly recover once the pandemic is put under control and mobility restrictions relaxed, Ha said.

Competition, however, is expected to be fierce as the airline must compete against lower fares of one-stop flights offered by the Republic of Korean and Japanese airlines. VietJet, another Vietnamese airline, is soon to join the competition with their direct flights to the US.

Ha said Vietnam Airlines would have to rely on superior quality services, Skytrax-certified 4-star and soon to upgraded to 5-star, to win over passengers. He said the soon-to-be-operational route had been a result of nearly two decades of preparational work. The airline had been conducting numerous market studies and building an extensive sales network over the years to find customers.

One-way tickets for the route are priced around 800 USD with taxes and fees included, according to Ha. At the beginning, tickets for US-Vietnam flights will be sold by ticket agents only due to pandemic restrictions. In the meantime, the airline will finish preparations to allow passengers to purchase tickets on its website and mobile apps in the future.

In an earlier projection, the airline said it expected to incur a loss in the amount of 30-50 million USD during the first phase of its operation with a projected scenario of seven flights per week and heavy competition.

The loss has been readjusted lower as the airline will be operating only two flights per week. While the airline will likely report a loss in the first five years, the situation should be manageable.

The first direct flight to the US by Vietnam Airlines using a wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will take off on the evening of November 28 from Ho Chi Minh City to San Francisco and arrive in 13 hours and 50 minutes. The return flight will take off on November 29 from San Francisco and arrive in Vietnam on December 1, 16 hours and 40 minutes later./.

VNA
Star actresses Song Hye-kyo, Ko Hyun-jung, Lee Bo-young and Jeon Ji-hyun are all returning to the small screen at the same time.

Song, who went on hiatus after divorcing Song Joong-ki in 2019, has already chosen her next TV series as well as a follow-up project. The last TV drama she starred in was "Encounter" on tvN two years ago. Her next project is "Now We Are Breaking Up" set to air in the second half of this year where she plays a career-driven fashion designer.

Her follow-up project is a revenge drama written by Kim Eun-sook, who penned KBS' 2016 hit "Descendants of the Sun," where she co-starred with Song Joong-ki before they tied the knot in real life.
China's military carried out "combat readiness" patrols Friday in the direction of the Taiwan Strait on Friday as a U.S. Congressional delegation made a surprise visit to Taipei, offering strong support to the Chinese-claimed, democratically governed island.

The five members of the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan Thursday night for a previously unannounced two-day trip, the second time in a month U.S. lawmakers have visited.

As with the last visit, China's military announced the patrols in the vicinity of the narrow and sensitive Taiwan Strait that separates the island from its giant neighbor.

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said Friday it "organized naval and air forces to continue combat readiness police patrols in direction of the Taiwan Strait."

"The relevant actions are necessary to deal with the current situation in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan is part of China's territory and defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity is our military's sacred mission."

It gave no details.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry, as part of its daily update of Chinese air operations near the island, said Friday eight Chinese air force aircraft, including two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, flew into Taiwan's air defense zone, though well away from mainland Taiwan and close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top of the South China Sea.


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"As city of Poughkeepsie officials continue to grapple with a rash of gun violence, and city school district leaders deal with the implications of a shooting incident outside its high school, a second gun buyback event through the Attorney General's Office in less than six months is scheduled in the city for the beginning of next month," the Poughkeepsie Journal dutifully promotes. "Letitia James' office is holding the event, in association with the city police department, Dec. 4"

There is so much denial, hypocrisy, and outright public endangerment to unpack in such events, it's difficult to know where to begin. We could start with the question gun owners have been asking for years: "How can government buy back something it never owned?"

We could find it curious, but not unexpected, that Letitia James is taking a short break from trying to forcibly steal association assets away from NRA members not responsible for the accused misdeeds of "leadership." She's just grabbing some quick publicity for herself to make it look like she's part of the solution to community violence instead of a big reason behind why the problems will only get worse under the policies she imposes.

We could also note that the Poughkeepsie Journal is "part of the USA Today Network" (a Gannett Publication), and note the media giant has never come across a gun it didn't want to help grab. So it's no surprise that, instead of presenting a complete report that covers all of the relevant considerations, it instead subjects its low-information, manipulable readership with what is essentially a publicity release and free advertising for the violence monopolists.

"Participants can trade in as many guns as they wish," they obligingly parrot. .....
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Trotter Los Ballykeelamigo and pacing mare Manhattan Night shared the spotlight on Friday night (Nov. 26), winning a pair of co-featured Preferred 3 events at The Raceway at Western Fair District.

Back in action for the first time since early September, Los Ballykeelamigo prevailed in a three-way photo finish to take the $10,000 Preferred 3 Trot for trainer Josh McKibbin.

Driven by Jason Ryan, the Ballykeel Racing homebred took the lead off the gate ahead of 4-5 favourite Charmbo Prince (Paul MacKenzie) before 2-1 second choice Lefkada (Scott Wray) tipped from third after a :30.2 quarter and rolled up alongside the leader on the way to the half in :59.4. They raced head-to-head into the backstretch with Sizzlen Hot Herbie (Natasha Day) moving second-over before rallying three-wide into contention. Despite being headed twice along the way, Los Ballykeelamigo fought back to win in 2:01 over the 'good' track, with Sizzlen Hot Herbie settling for second and Lefkada right there in third. Charmbo Prince was unable to find racing room between the top trio down the stretch and finished fourth in the compact field, which was scratched down to just five starters.

Los Ballykeelamigo returned $10.60 to win as the 4-1 third choice. The victory was the 13th lifetime and seventh from 12 seasonal starts for the four-year-old Amigo Hall-Ballykeel Majestic gelding, who has earned half of his $80,627 bankroll in 2021.

In the co-featured finale, Manhattan Night led all the way to win the $11,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 Pace contested over 1-1/16 miles.

A winner the last time she went the added distance in mid-October, the popular Anita Ouellette trainee left from post three to secure the top spot ahead of insider Randomirogeo (Jason Ryan) in the first turn. Manhattan Night carved out fractions of :28, :56.2 and 1:27 to three-quarters, and while her rivals stacked three-deep turning for home, the 3-5 favourite remained clear on top through the stretch to score in 2:04.4. Randomirogeo shook lose from the pocket to place while Laila Blue (Tyler Borth) closed for third.

A back-to-back runner-up in the one-mile Preferred 3 class earlier this month, Manhattan Night returned $3.40 to win. Owned by Luc Ouellette Inc., the homebred mare by Dali out of Manhattan Killean notched the sixth win of her five-year-old campaign from 26 starts and lifted her annual income to $55,690. A 20-time career winner, she has now banked $190,959 to date.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a statement in Sochi on November 26, Azertag has reported.

Azertag presented the text of the statement.

"We, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan I. H. Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia N. V. Pashinyan and President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin, met in Sochi on 26 November 2021 and discussed the implementation of the statement dated 9 November 2020 on a complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the statement dated 11 January 2021 on the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region.

We have reaffirmed our commitment to the further consistent implementation and strict adherence to all provisions of the statements of 9 November 2020 and 11 January 2021 in the interests of stability, security and economic development of the South Caucasus. We have agreed to intensify the joint efforts towards the earliest possible solution of the remaining tasks arising from the statements dated 9 November 2020 and 11 January 2021.

We have acknowledged the important contribution of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to the stabilization of the situation and ensuring security in the region.

We have agreed to take steps to increase the level of stability and security on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and to work towards the creation of a bilateral Commission on the delimitation of the state border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia with its subsequent demarcation with the consultative assistance of the Russian Federation at the request of the parties.

We appreciate the activities of the Trilateral Working Group established in accordance with the statement of 11 January 2021 under the joint chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation to unblock all economic and transport communications in the region. We have emphasized the need to launch, as soon as possible, specific projects in order to unlock the economic potential of the region.

The Russian Federation will continue to provide all necessary assistance in the interests of normalizing the relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, creating an atmosphere of trust between the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples, as well as building good-neighborly relations in the region."
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has welcomed the results of the trilateral meeting held on November 26 in Sochi among Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

We welcome the results of the trilateral meeting held between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on November 26, 2021 in Sochi, the ministrys press service reported on November 26.

It was added that the statement signed by the three leaders as a result of the meeting in Sochi fully reflects Azerbaijans position.

The statement stresses the speedy implementation of projects aimed at revealing the economic potential of the region, including the opening of railways and highways, the ministry said.

In the post-war period, Azerbaijan called for the full implementation of trilateral statements, the opening of all communications in the region, the start of the delimitation process between the two countries and the normalization of relations on the basis of international law, the report added.

It was emphasized that Azerbaijan will continue to take appropriate steps to implement the relevant points reflected in the November 26 statement.
By Trend

A bilateral meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin was held in Sochi on Nov. 26.

The Russian television spread footage from the meeting, which shows how warmly President Putin greets President Ilham Aliyev.




On November 26, Sochi hosted a meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian lealeaders, which focused on a number of issues, including the opening of communications, the delimitation and demarcation of borders.

The Sochi meeting is a continuation of the act of surrender signed last year, forcing Armenia to act in accordance with the conditions put forward by Azerbaijan, accepting the realities that have emerged as a result of the Azerbaijani army's victory.

The Sochi meeting is a tremendous step towards the right direction; Armenia must act quickly in order to intercept its abandoned priorities and it is in Yerevan's best interest to collaborate (and keep an open mind) in regional economic and transportation projects, Peter Tase, US expert, strategic adviser on international affairs and public diplomacy to governments, universities, and corporations in Europe and the Americas, said.

Tase noted that the trilateral Sochi meeting hosted by the Russian president is a substantial testament of the Azerbaijan's willingness to pursue a peaceful course of actions with neighboring Armenia.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has expressed once again the willingness of Baku to begin a process of dialogue and peaceful coexistence with the government of Armenia. Azerbaijan with its glorious armed forces has shown to the world that the liberation of sovereign territory by military operations was a great success; paired with impressive diplomatic actions including a vibrant foreign policy. The trilateral Sochi meeting has demonstrated a weak Armenian leadership that refuses to accept reality in the ground and is hesitant to engage in regional economic and infrastructure projects, Tase said.

In his words, Azerbaijan has historically shown an infinite propensity towards preserving dialogue, peaceful coexistence among communities of diverse ethnic backgrounds, inside its sovereign territory.

Armenia's participation in the Sochi trilateral meeting is a big step forward and the Russian government's leadership in this matter is critical, highly important; Moscow is maintaining a well balanced position towards preserving Azerbaijan's full territorial sovereignty and persuading Yerevan to accept the reality in the ground, Tase noted.

In his words, the November 26 meeting in Sochi is a great step forward as the Armenian government is adamant, hesitant to fulfill the trilateral agreement signed on November 10, 2020, and continues to incite armed provocations nearby the international border line between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Armenian leadership continues to be very weak, has lost significant popularity among its constituents and Armenian society unfortunately continues to be self isolated; these international meetings will eventually open up the mind of Pashinyan and convince him that the path of economic success for his country is the complete fulfillment of the November 10, 2020, trilateral agreement. The Zangazur corridor is a strategic territory that will alleviate the regional economic cooperation and increase the flow of goods and services in Azerbaijan's western most territory, the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan - a region of Azerbaijan that has been going through a ruthless economic blockade implemented by Armenian regime over the last 30 years, Tase noted.

He once again emphasized that Armenia must accept the new geopolitical reality in the South Caucasus and act accordingly in order for Armenia to become a shareholder of international infrastructure projects in this part of Eurasia.

The Sochi meeting is a tremendous step towards the right direction; Armenia must act quickly in order to intercept its abandoned priorities and it is in Yerevan's best interest to collaborate (and keep an open mind) in regional economic and transportation projects. Armenia has lost a great deal of time and now it must fully honor, respect the November 10, 2020 trilateral agreement, so that people living in both countries can live in peace and harmony, Tase noted.

U.S-based expert and analyst Irina Tsukerman thinks if Armenia rejects the olive branch gesture at the current junction, this may become another turning point on the international stage.

The meeting comes in light of the upcoming bilateral Brussels meeting between Pashinyan and President Aliyev. For Baku's part, Azerbaijan once again demonstrates that having liberated its territories it remains dedicated to regional integration and wishes to see success among neighbors and offers opportunities for prosperity, peace, and mutual cooperation, she said.

Asked if Armenia will accept the offer after playing a subtle double game and sending mixed messages over the past year, particularly resisting the opening of the Zangazur corridor at the center of successful trade integration between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey, she noted:

Indeed, as Armenia is set to accept imports from Turkey starting January 2022, it seems strange that it continues to resist peace overtures from its neighbor after losing the war and committing to cessation of hostilities and the idea of peace. So far it is not clear what Armenia is hoping to gain from continuing to object to common sense measures for moving forward. If it rejects the olive branch gesture at the current junction, this may become another turning point on the international stage. Will Armenia choose peace and support from the EU which may help it overcome its financial shortcomings and economic dependency on the EU? Or will it continue to depend on the populist push from the revanchists and the Armenian lobby? she said.

Tsukerman added that the delimitation and demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian borders is a process that will move forward and the Sochi meeting will help accelerate this important process.

Azerbaijan has always shown a great proclivity to preserve open dialogue and encourage interfaith coexistence in the ground - with the Armenian residents of Azerbaijan - this is a historic philosophy that rises, elevates Azerbaijan as one of the world's top countries that preserves inter-ethnic coexistence, inter-religious dialogue and fully respects the international humanitarian law, Tsukerman added.
By Trend

The trilateral meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, just like a year ago, can again be called historic, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky shared this on his Telegram page, Trend reports.

"An important step has been taken in Sochi.

According to the Russian President, by the end of the year, mechanisms on border demarcation and delimitation will be created between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Of course, this will require increased security in the border areas, and the agreements reached are yet to be implemented. However, a positive start is already given," he noted.

According to him the leaders of the three countries stressed the need to launch certain projects as soon as possible to unleash the economic potential of Karabakh.

"The signed statement following the talks once again demonstrates the role of Russia as one of the most effective mediators in the Karabakh settlement. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are our key allies and partners," he added.
By Trend

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev once again demonstrated maximum consistency and responsibility in the full implementation of trilateral agreements, the chief editor of the "Bak? x?b?r" (Baku news) newspaper, political expert Aydin Guliyev told Trend.

Russias Sochi hosted a trilateral meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on November 26. After the meeting, the leaders made a press statement. Decisions were made related to the launch of projects to open roads and railways.

Azerbaijan once again achieved its goals under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

According to Guliyev, in the post-war year, unlike the leadership of Armenia, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has always been distinguished by a constructive approach to meetings aimed at peace.

"One of the important features of the Sochi meeting is President Ilham Aliyev's high appraisal of Russia's efforts. President Ilham Aliyev, having sincerely appraised the trilateral meeting and the role of Russia, once again showed that the Armenian leader is leaning towards different formats with the intention of disrupting the negotiations and does not have full confidence in the Sochi meeting, he said.

Guliyev noted that a special place among the significant calls of President Ilham Aliyev for regional peace and development in Sochi is occupied by the recognition of the borders and sovereignty of each other by the two countries, which have not yet fully recovered from 30 years of tense relations.

"In particular, the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the opening of transport communications and repeatedly used the term "corridor" in his press statement is clear evidence of Russia's support for the Zangazur Corridor project," Guliyev stressed.

Also, according to Milli Mejlis (parliament) deputy Jeyhun Mammadov, Azerbaijan has always attached special importance to the development of mutual relations with Russia.

He noted that as a result of the successful policy pursued by the leaders of the two countries, today Azerbaijani-Russian relations are in the nature of a strategic partnership. The dynamics of the development of bilateral relations are very positive. The parties are interested in raising the level of development of relations in all areas.

"Currently, there are close economic, political and cultural ties between the two countries. The trade turnover between the two countries is growing every year, and both countries are very interested in developing economic cooperation. Seven roadmaps are being successfully implemented, covering most of the economic and humanitarian spheres between Azerbaijan and Russia. The dynamics of the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan also influenced the statement signed following the meeting," Mammadov said.

He also noted that the strategic level of Azerbaijani-Russian relations contributed to the implementation of the provisions of the statement of November 10, the reflection of the position of the President of Azerbaijan in the document without any conditions.

One of the important points in the document, of course, was that the issue of prisoners or hostages, which the Armenian side always talks about, was not touched upon. Russia once again supported the position of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev," he added.

Analytics Department of Trend News Agency
By Trend

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov took part in the 25th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) on November 27, 2021, Trend reports citing the ministry.

The meeting participants supported Azerbaijans proposal to create a Clean Energy Center of the ECO Member States and made a decision to establish this center.

Speaking at the event, Bayramov informed about Azerbaijan's ties with the ECO, the implementation and deepening of cooperation, the current situation in the South Caucasus region, the ongoing reconstruction and restoration work in Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenian occupation [in the 2020 second Karabakh war].

Moreover, he touched upon the initiatives put forward by Azerbaijan during its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in the framework of the fight against global challenges, and the work carried out in this direction.

Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan is interested in expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with the ECO. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan's joining the ranks of the organization. During this period, Azerbaijan has constructively participated in various initiatives to expand economic and trade ties in the region.

The reforms have been successfully implemented within the ECO, but it must be an ongoing process. It is important to assess the progress achieved in the implementation of the ECO Vision 2025, which will allow us to take appropriate actions to ensure the expected results. Azerbaijan, under the chairmanship of Turkmenistan, welcomes the holding of a number of ministerial meetings, including the spheres of economy, transport, energy, and health, as well as other high-level events to strengthen regional cooperation, highly appreciates the training and assistance provided by the ECO secretariat, the minister added.

He noted that cooperation in the field of trade, transport, energy are priority areas of ECO activities.

"It is important to include sustainable energy and regional electricity trade in the regional energy agenda. Azerbaijan highly appreciates the support of the ECO member states for the proposal to establish a "Clean Energy Center". The development of transport and communication projects in the ECO region is of great importance. It is known that Azerbaijan has invested heavily in the diversification and modernization of transport infrastructure and has promoted a number of transport infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening trade and logistics between Europe and Asia," he said.

Azerbaijani FM brought to the attention that the 44-day second Karabakh war changed the situation in the region and formed new realities. Azerbaijan has ensured its territorial integrity on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the right of about a million Azerbaijani IDPs to live in their native lands has been restored.

Achieving sustainable peace, development, and progress is the basis for the vision of the future of Azerbaijan. At this stage, it is very important to fully implement the trilateral statements. We expect Armenia to reciprocate the steps taken by Azerbaijan in this direction, the minister noted.

In accordance with the trilateral statements of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia, including as stated in the Statement signed by the three leaders on November 26, the restoration of communications, the opening of railways and highways in the region will lead to lasting peace and stability in our region, and will significantly increase the volume of trade and transportation through Armenia and Azerbaijan in the interests of both these countries and our partners. In this sense, the leading initiative is the Zangazur Corridor. It has the potential to improve communications in the East-West Trans-Caspian International Median Corridor, Bayramov said.

He also stressed that the government of Azerbaijan has begun large-scale work on restoration and reconstruction in the liberated territories.

General plans for the resettlement of the liberated cities and towns are being prepared. Transport and energy infrastructure projects are being implemented, in particular, the construction of several electric networks, as well as three airports. In eight months, we put into operation the Fuzuli International Airport, and the construction of two other airports continues," he noted.

Stating that ensuring lasting peace in Afghanistan remains an urgent task, the foreign minister said that as a country in the region and in connection with close historical and religious ties with the Afghan people, Azerbaijan is following the situation in Afghanistan with great concern.

Security and stability in Afghanistan are closely linked to the overall security environment in the region. It is necessary to ensure the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of the borders of Afghanistan, as well as create the necessary conditions for political transformations that will ensure the peaceful coexistence of its ethnically diverse population, he said.

Bayramov also noted Azerbaijan's active participation in global efforts to combat COVID-19.

We would like to emphasize that a resolution has been adopted related to the global initiatives put forward by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement in response to COVID-19, which received wide international recognition and support, including by organizing a summit of the Contact Group of the Non-Aligned Movement in response to coronavirus, creating a unified database on the basic humanitarian and medical needs of member states in the fight against the pandemic, convening a special session of the UN General Assembly on COVID-19, fair, acceptable, timely and universal access to UN Human Rights Council vaccines and unfair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. We believe in the coordinated support of the international community for further initiatives of Azerbaijan for post-pandemic global recovery, the FM said.

We thank the Turkmen chairmanship for its contribution to our common work, we wish the next chairman, Uzbekistan, success on this path. We would like to note that at the meeting of the ECO Council of Foreign Ministers, Azerbaijan's proposal to establish a "Clean Energy Center" by the ECO member states was supported, and in this regard, a decision was made," Bayramov added.
By Trend

Azerbaijan expects mutual steps from Armenia towards achieving peace, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said at the 25th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) on November 27, 2021, Trend reports citing the ministry.

According to Bayramov, the 2020 second Karabakh war changed the situation in the region and shaped new realities. Azerbaijan, based on the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council [which were adopted back in 1993 and demanded from Armenia to withdraw its armed forces from Azerbaijans Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts], ensured its territorial integrity, and restored the right of about a million Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to live on their lands.

"Achieving peace, development and progress is the fundament of Azerbaijan's vision of the future. At this stage, full implementation of the trilateral statements [of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia following the second Karabakh war] is necessary," he said.

"According to the trilateral statements, including the statement signed on November 26 [at the recent meeting of the three countries leaders in Sochi] the restoration of communications, the opening of railways and highways in the region will ensure peace and stability, improve trade and transport through Armenia and Azerbaijan," the minister noted.

"In this context, the Zangazur Corridor initiative [envisioning linking of Azerbaijans main territory with its exclave Nakhchivan], which has the potential to improve communication in the Trans-Caspian International Middle East-West Corridor, acquires a great importance," added Bayramov.
Industry-leading speakers, international technology and innovation providers, and world class exhibitors will take part in the Water Expo & Forum, the Smart Cities Forum and the Climate & Environment Forum in January.

To be held alongside the prestigious, energy and sustainability-focused global platform, World Future Energy Summit 2022, they will be hosted by Masdar as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a WAM report said. The three sustainable development events are being held for the benefit of project owners, government entities and investors in the Middle East region.

The World Future Energy Summit 2022, organised by RX Middle East, will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), from January 17 to 19, 2022.

Participants will share insights with the Middle East's most powerful investors, government and business stakeholders and project owners, entrepreneurs, innovators, and technology providers.

These three events provide perfect platforms for stakeholders to network and do business in person, and in turn drive clean energy and sustainable development in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The Water Exhibition will feature world-class exhibitors including Acciona, Andritz, Jinluo Water and Utico, who will showcase their latest innovations and technologies in water desalination, water networks, wastewater treatment and smart water management.

The Water Forum will host key industry speakers which will include Rami Ghandour, Managing Director, Metito Utilities; Dr Corrado Sommariva, CEO and Founder, SWPC; Bruce Smith, Director of Forecasting and Planning, Emirates Water and Electricity Company; AbdulAziz Al Obaidli, Director of UAE Assets, Generation, Taqa; Esam Al Mulla, Director of Water Department, Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority; and Fatima Al Shaygi, Vice President of Thermal and Water, Taqa.

The Water Exhibition is of significance importance to the Middle East as Arab countries are home to six per cent of the worlds population but have less than two percent of renewable water supply, according to a report by the World Bank. To increase water security, the UAE has announced three additional seawater desalination plants, which are expected to be completed by 2023, with a combined capacity of 420 million imperial gallons per day.

Julio de la Rosa, Middle East Commercial Director at Acciona, who was recently awarded the contract to finance, construct and operate three independent sewage treatment plants in Saudi Arabia, said: "As one of the leading international water and waste treatment project developers, Acciona is proud to exhibit at World Future Energy Summit 2022. We find that here, we can easily reach and connect with the key decision makers and stakeholders driving sustainability projects in the Middle East.

Mohamad Yahya, Technical Director at Jinluo Water, international experts in integrated wastewater treatment solutions, said: "We look forward to our maiden participation in the Water Expo & Forum at the Summit, and to present our patented wastewater treatment innovations to the Middle East industry. Scarcity of water resources in the region has made it amongst the driest in the world but rapid deployment of new conservation technologies offers hope."

The Smart Cities Forum will help drive the next generation of urban development and feature industry leaders including Yousef Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for the Electricity, Water & Future Energy Sector, UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure; Greg Fewer, Group Chief Financial & Sustainability Office, Aldar; and Khalid Mohamed Al Qubaisi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Energy Services Company, who is responsible for building the retrofit for energy and water efficiency in Abu Dhabi.

The Climate and Environment Forum will highlight the latest advances in climate resilience and environmental protection with well-known industry figures including Yazen Al Kodmani, Partner and Deputy General Manager, 3Y Agriculture and Emirates Bio Farm; Darin Rovere, Founder and CEO, Sustainability Excellence; and Dr Majid Sultan Al Qassimi, Partner, Soma Mater.

Grant Tuchten, Group Event Director at World Future Energy Summit, said: "The Water Expo & Forum, the Smart Cities Forum and the Climate and Environment Forum are valuable platforms to share best practice, do business and network with key industry stakeholders, driving projects and development in the region."-- TradeArabia News Service
Masdar, a leading renewable energy company and a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company, has signed an agreement with Armenia to develop a 200-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

The Ayg-1 project will be developed on a design, finance, build, own, and operate (DFBOO) basis and the project company will be 85 per cent owned by Masdar, with the Armenian National Interests Fund, (ANIF, a government owned investment vehicle) holding 15 percent.

It will be located between the Talin and Dashtadem communities of Armenia, in an area where solar radiation is high and land is unusable for agricultural purposes.

In July, the Armenia had announced that Masdar was the winning bidder for the project, having submitted a tariff of $0.0290 per per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in a competitive process.

"The gradual increase of renewable sources in our country's energy system is one of the priorities set by the Government of Armenia. We regard this cooperation with Masdar as an important step towards this goal, as well as towards endorsing Armenia's investment potential," stated Gnel Sanosyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, after signing the government support agreement with Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, at a ceremony in Yeravan.

"The Ayg-1 industrial 200 MW solar plant project is a milestone on this road. We expect the signing of this document to mark the start of a fruitful and lasting cooperation on this and for new upcoming projects," he added.

On completion, the Ayg-1 project will be the largest utility-scale solar plant for the Caucasian nation.

Ahlam Rashid Ahmed AlAbd AlSalami, Charge dAffaires of the UAE Embassy, said the agreement will strengthen the already powerful ties between the two countries.

"The UAE and Armenia are united in our commitment to take positive action against climate change, while creating greater economic opportunities and this project marks a key stage in Armenias clean energy journey and our hopes for this project to serve as an exemplary success to attract opportunities for Armenia from the UAE," he added.

Anif CEO David Papazian said: "We are glad to welcome Masdar into Armenia's journey towards the decarbonisation of the country's energy supply. Ayg-1 is an ambitious step towards the fulfillment of this goal, and Masdar's expertise and experience in the field is key to the success of the project."

"Ayg-1 is set to become a highly visible investment project, benefitting the country, its citizens and investors, while committing to highest sustainability standards in the industry," he stated.

Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said the deal marks a milestone on Armenias clean energy journey, and the development of this project will support the nations sustainable economic development.

"We look forward to working with the Armenian National Interests Fund on further opportunities in this field, and leveraging the experience we have gained as a global leader in renewable energy projects to support the diversification of Armenias energy mix," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
GAL, a leading provider of aircraft sustainment solutions within EDGE Group, has signed an agreement for Sanad, a Mubadala-owned aerospace solutions leader, to provide Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine maintenance services.



The move supports GALs Performance Based Logistics contract with UAE Air Force Air Defence (AFAD).



The agreement establishes a new foundation for the delivery of world-class MRO services for Rolls Royce Trent700 engines that power the UAEs Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet.



Through shared knowledge and a rich tradition in aviation excellence, GAL and Sanad will provide MRO support to service the engines, reducing current turnaround time and shop visit costs by eliminating the need to ship engines outside the UAE.



The announcement was made during the ongoing Dubai Air Show, which runs until 18 November at Dubai World Central.



Khalid Al Breiki, President of Mission Support at EDGE, and Managing Director of GAL, said: We look forward to working with Sanad to facilitate ongoing growth across the UAEs burgeoning aviation sector. This is a strategically important partnership between two national entities which has great significance for indigenous future technologies, supporting local talent and capabilities, and ultimately contributing to the UAE economy.



As the regions leading MRO provider, we continuously take pride in collaborations which may support the ongoing defence initiatives within AFAD and the UAE. Sanads contributions to GAL will be another key component in delivering cutting-edge maintenance capabilities within the region.



Mansoor Janahi, Deputy Group CEO of Sanad, said: As the latest milestone in Sanads long-standing MRO services journey, this agreement marks a major step in our strategic long-term collaboration with GAL and EDGE.



Having established market-leading MRO expertise by servicing leading global OEMs and airlines, Sanads extensive engine MRO infrastructure and capabilities, including the unique capabilities that we have on Trent 700 for more than 10 years driven by local knowledge sharing and underpinned by a commitment to develop national talent - will serve as the foundation for this exciting new partnership.



GAL provides aviation readiness solutions for military and civilian entities in the region and beyond. Working with the worlds largest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) service providers, the company helps its clients achieve exceptional fleet readiness through world-class maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), supply chain, engineering, training and technical augmentation solutions.



GAL is part of the Mission Support Cluster at EDGE, an advanced technology group that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.



Currently the only independent Trent 700 MRO facility worldwide, Sanad works in partnership with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation and International Aero Engines and provides a variety of engine maintenance services across multiple major aircraft platforms, including Airbus and Boeing.  TradeArabia News Service
The worlds energy ministers and policymakers braced to chart a clear path for the energy industry to align itself with the outcomes of COP26 and to shape government policy and industry behaviour at Adipec today.

Energy Ministers from Bahrain, Portugal, Senegal, and Turkey led the strategic discussion on how to bring nations together to tackle climate change in alignment with the outcomes of COP26.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) from November 15 to 18 in Abu Dhabi, the Adipec 2021 Strategic Conference provided the perfect setting for the panel of Energy Ministers.

They highlighted the growing importance of natural gas and the importance of supporting developing countries through the energy transition as critical factors fuelling the future through a new energy ecosystem underpinned by climate concerns and emission-reduction goals.

Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Envoy for Climate Affairs and Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain, said: We made our commitment [to net zero] by 2060 but we also made a pledge to ourselves that we would reduce emissions by 10% in 2025 and 20% by 2035. We are also committed to providing the most efficient and affordable state of energy mix. We need to help developing countries to grow and not put obstacles in front of their growth.

Joao Galamba, Deputy Minister and Secretary of State for Energy, Portugal, commented: Theres a virtuous relation between renewables in general and green hydrogen. We have now created the conditions under which hydrogens cannot be hype; it has to be a reality. Hydrogen solves some of the problems of renewables and renewables make hydrogen possible. Countries that are competitive in their renewable mix will be competitive in producing hydrogen. Bringing consumers on board is a critical success factor for any decarbonisation strategy.

Dr Aissatou Sophie Gladima, Minister of Petroleum and Energies, Senegal, said: Today, in Senegal, 2% of electricity comes from clean energy, from wind energy, so the aim is to increase this level. However, due to the geographical constraints, we need to electrify our remote areas and to do that we need to create green energy, and produce more power from energies like natural gas. Energy transition needs to be done in a fair manner, a transparent manner, and an increasing manner, all African countries need to work together to defence these principles.

Dr Alparslan Bayraktar, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy Natural Resources, Turkey, said: The infrastructure is there, the sources are there, all we need is political commitment and willingness, and a pragmatic and creative approach to make this happen. We believe that gas can play a major role for this transition, and we need to successfully manage this transition.

Earlier this month, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) officially announced that the UAE will host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.The UNFCCC confirmation followed unanimous endorsement by the Asia Pacific Group of nations during COP26 in Glasgow.

Also announced at COP26 was the launch of the UAE and the International Renewable Energy Agencys (Irena) $1 billion global finance platform that aims to finance 1.5 GW of new renewable energy power in developing countries by 2030. The Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) Platform secured $400 million anchor funding from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) as its first strategic partner.

Elsewhere on the Adipec 2021 Strategic Conference agenda today, Paul Polman, Former CEO Unilever and Co-Chair, Global Commission for Economy & Climate, took part in a Live Session where he shared his insights into the creation and adaptability of circularity, how it contributes to sustainable global development and the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for governments, businesses and citizens.

This was followed by a Live Session hosting His Excellency Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt, who discussed Egypts energy future, the plans and road ahead for the industry, including an overview of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum and Egypts Modernisation Project.

The afternoons Live Sessions covered topics including, Smart cities and the future of sustainability: how is the future of mobility changing?; Building an innovative and creative world; The future of energy: how geopolitics are changing the world; and Why societies and workplaces changed: managing business resilience post pandemic.

The Adipec Strategic Conference continues on November 17 under the theme Building the energy company of the future: new business models and investment flows and on November 18 under the theme Transformational technologies: unlocking the engines of change.

Adipec 2021 is supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Abu Dhabi Chamber, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and the Department of Education and Knowledge.-- TradeArabia News Service
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has commended Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air for its tremendous support to the global aviation industry during Covid crisis by continuously operating its flights in such challenging times.

Lauding its steely resolve, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said Gulf Air remained one of the few airlines that never stopped flying even during the pandemic.

He was speaking after receiving Bahrain's Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and Chairman of national carrier Gulf Air Zayed R. Alzayani at IATA's headquarters in Geneva.

The two discussed a number of aviation-related issues, and elements of this vital economic sector to various revenue-generating fields such as tourism and investment.

Al Zayani commended Walsh on IATAs efforts in supporting and developing the ever-changing aviation industry and highlighted the importance of its role in sustaining aviation, especially amidst the great impact of the recent pandemic.

Established in 1945, IATA is one of the most notable associations in the aviation industry, connecting many commercial airlines through its membership.

It is also involved in setting aviation related policies and regulations in which Gulf Air has been a member since 1981.-TradeArabia News Service
Government - Actively Monitoring COVID-19 Developments Worldwide

HM Government of Gibraltar has said it is actively and continuously monitoring the global COVID-19 situation, particularly with regards to the new Omicron variant, which has been declared a variant of concern and has been detected in the United Kingdom.

The Government moved quickly on Public Health advice to update the red list of countries for travel to Gibraltar.

The Director of Public Health is in contact with colleagues in the United Kingdom to stay constantly up to date with the situation there and globally. Gibraltar already has a plan in place, should cases of the Omicron variant be detected here.

It is not yet known how much more transmissible this new variant is, how much protection the vaccine will offer against this new variant or whether the new variant will result in more severe illness. As a precaution, the Director of Public Health has advised that if positive cases of the new variant do occur in Gibraltar, their close contacts will be required to isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status. This is a prudent measure that will be kept under review.

All of these measures are in addition to the continued requirement for testing of all arrivals at Gibraltar airport and a requirement that all persons residing in or visiting Gibraltar who arrive via any of the other regional airports around Gibraltar from red listed countries should also submit to testing.

The Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Carter, said: Gibraltar is constantly monitoring developments worldwide and already has a plan in place if the new Omicron variant is detected here. At the moment, the advice is to be vigilant. This means wearing a mask where you need to, keep to your social distance, wash your hands and call 111 to arrange a test as soon as you notice any symptoms.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: 'We all have a responsibility to follow the advice from Public Health Gibraltar to ensure that we do everything possible to keep the spread of this new variant detected in the UK and elsewhere in check, insofar as may be reasonably possible. For that reason, we must ensure that all of us wear masks in shops and public transport. We are actively considering other measures and will make such further announcements as may be necessary. We all want to see our lives return to normal, but we cannot throw caution to the wind because we are fatigued by the virus. We must continue to adhere to the rules and use our common sense now that the Omicron strain has been detected in the UK and elsewhere.'
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"I didn't say 'worth leaving,'" he said, gently, reflecting his typical insistence on precision (one reason to have the authorized version of all your lyrics under your control). "I say they are the two most important things, the two things you can leave behind after you die. Well, you can leave a wake of bitterness. But those are the things that are immortal, that can immortalize a person. One of the things that Lapine pointed out to me (in "Sunday in the Park With George") is that those are actual people in that (Georges Seurat) painting and they've been immortalized by that man. That lady there is immortal. And all she was, was his mistress. And she's never going to die. That's what art does. And that's what children do. They somehow have a part of you that's not going to die."
"Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind," one of the longest running shows in Chicago history and a fixture at the Neo-Futurarium in Andersonville, is to close Dec. 31. The comedic, sketch-style production, which has played since 1988, has reached thousands of audience members and is known for featuring 30 plays in 60 minutes. But it now appears to be the victim of a dispute between Greg Allen, who created the piece, and The Neo-Futurists, his longtime collaborators, former artistic home, and, for many years, his licensee.
Another man, 53, was wounded shortly after 4:30 a.m. in the 3900 block of West Wilcox Street in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. He was walking on the sidewalk when shots were fired, hitting him in the right arm. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in good condition, police said.
In his letter, which was posted to the court docket on Wednesday, Spann wrote that he was under the impression his that his case was over and that no one had warned him he couldnt open up about my case via video visitation and family on social media.
Tesla Inc is investing 1.2 billion yuan ($187.91 million) to optimize the production line at its Shanghai factory as China is rising as a major global export hub for the US electric carmaker.

The project is expected to start in December and finish in April 2022, according to Tesla's filing to a Shanghai government platform for local companies' environmental information disclosures.

Tesla did not specify the production capacity changes at the plant that currently makes up to 500,000 vehicles annually, but said it will add another 4,000 workers after the project is finished, which will increase the number of the plant's employees to 19,000.

The Shanghai plant, which started production in late 2019, is Tesla's first car manufacturing facility outside of the United States and China's first and only passenger car manufacturing facility wholly owned by an overseas carmaker.

The plant currently produces Model 3 and Model Y vehicles and sells them in China, other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and Europe.

The facility became Tesla's major global exporter in July. In the third quarter, the plant produced 133,200 vehicles, of which 59,579 were exported, according to the carmaker's financial statement.

In the first 10 months of this year, vehicle exports from the Shanghai plant reached almost 150,000 units, and sales in China stood at around 210,000 units, statistics from China Passenger Car Association showed.

"The investment comes as no surprise, as demand for electric cars is surging both in China, where its cars are loved, and overseas markets, so Tesla needs to quickly scale up its capacity," said Roy Lu, an independent auto analyst based in Shanghai.

China is the world's largest market for new energy vehicles, including electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

Over 2.5 million new energy vehicles were sold in the country in the first 10 months of this year, and total deliveries this year could reach 3 million, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Besides production, Tesla is also ramping up its research and development in China.

Its research facility, which was unveiled last month in Shanghai, specializes in aspects from software and electronics to materials and charging.

Tesla said the facility, its first outside the US, will gradually develop over time to be similar in size to the one in its home country.

"The goal of Tesla's team in China is to design, develop and produce new vehicle models and products with Chinese elements and sell them globally," Tesla said in an online recruitment post earlier this year.

Tesla has also built a data center in Shanghai for local data storage. In September, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said data security is becoming even more important as vehicles are becoming smart and autonomous.
Lawmakers in Beijing passed a revised regulation on Friday that extends the additional maternity leave from 30 days to 60 days, on top of 98 days as stipulated in the national law.

New mothers can now have an additional leave of one to three months with the permission of their employers.

The favorable policies have been rolled out in an effort to reduce the burden of childbirth and childcare.

The regulation stipulates that the mother and the father are each entitled to a parental leave of five days every year before their child reaches the age of three.

It also calls for favorable policies on housing and subsidies for childcare.
Mainland urges U.S. lawmakers to cease instigating "Taiwan independence" - Xinhua

A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday urged certain members of the U.S. Congress to handle the Taiwan question with caution and cease instigating or supporting "Taiwan independence" activities.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the comments in response to the recent visits of five members of the U.S. House of Representatives to Taiwan.

Zhu voiced firm opposition to any form of official exchange or military contact between the United States and China's Taiwan region.

She stressed that such visits have severely violated the one-China principle and relevant provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

Their acts that stir trouble must cease, as they will only cause further damage to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Zhu said.

She also warned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority that its attempt to seek independence by relying on the United States is doomed to fail.
Four Shanghai hospitals resumed medical service early Saturday after more than 30 hours of closed-loop management for COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control, the Shanghai government announced on Saturday.

The four medical institutions  Ruijin Hospital, Zhongshan Hospital, Tongji Hospital and the Central Hospital of Minhang District  have resumed outpatient and emergency treatment service as usual, and extra outpatient service will be provided on Sunday.

At around 7 am Saturday, the first ambulance after the hospital's closed-loop management concluded arrived at Ruijin, transporting a hemophilia patient suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding.

Shanghai reported three confirmed local COVID-19 cases on Thursday after nearly four months of zero local novel coronavirus infections in the city. No new cases were reported since Thursday.

At around 4 pm Thursday, Ruijin was the first hospital put under closed-loop management. As of the end of Friday, more than 20 hospitals, including Shanghai Cancer Center and the downtown campus of the Children's Hospital of Shanghai, had suspended medical service.

Lu Taohong, vice-director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, told People's Daily on Friday that there was no hospital infection involved.

"In response to confusion from the public about why so many medical institutions had to suspended service, it's because the three confirmed cases have more than 200 close contacts," Lu said. "Some of them had been to hospitals for medical treatment either for themselves or accompanying family members."

"According to national protocol, such hospitals must undergo a '2 plus 12' management," he said, which means the hospitals must be subject to two days of closed-loop management with all individuals inside undergoing nucleic acid test twice, 24 hours apart, and all these people must proceed with 12 days of self-health monitoring.

At least 10 medical institutions, including Renji Hospital and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, announced on Friday that they will provide outpatient service throughout this weekend to provide sufficient medical service options for residents.
 Flash





Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin respectively sent congratulatory letters to the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation on Friday.





In his message, Xi recalled that when the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation opened in August 2020, he and President Putin respectively sent letters to express their congratulations and high expectations.





For more than a year, Xi said, China and Russia have joined their hands, overcome the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and carried out in a creative fashion more than 1,000 cooperation and exchange activities related to scientific and technological innovation.





He also noted that the two countries have actively facilitated the achievement of fruitful cooperation in such fields as pandemic prevention and control, aerospace and aviation, nuclear energy, and digital economy, while highlighting the successful launch of the China-Russia science and technology innovation fund and important cooperation progress in major strategic projects.





It has been proved that there is a great potential, as well as a broad prospect, for the China-Russia cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, he said.





Xi stressed that China and Russia, which are each other's largest neighbors, have jointly been playing an increasingly important role in the current international political and economic arena.





The Chinese president called on the two sides to uphold the concept of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and push forward cooperation in various fields in a practical manner.





He also urged the two sides to promote bilateral relations to a higher level, higher quality and higher standards, and to inject new impetus into the forging of a new type of international relations, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.





In his congratulatory letter, Putin said with joint efforts from both sides, the Russia-China Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation has been a success, which has fully demonstrated the significance of undertaking bilateral scientific and technological cooperation under the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.





Over the past two years, Russian and Chinese scientific researchers have overcome the impact of the pandemic and carried out more than 1,000 scientific research activities, he said.





Principal results from the cooperation, he underlined, includes China's participation in the construction of the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider facility (NICA), a large-scale scientific facility, and the establishment of the Russian-China Mathematical Center by both sides.





Putin said he believes the two sides will continue to uphold the notion of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and continue to inject strong impetus into the promotion of all-round cooperation between Russia and China.





The China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation concluded on Friday.




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China stands ready to strengthen coordination with the United Nations to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strengthen South-South cooperation, and promote more balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in Beijing Friday.





Li made the remarks during a meeting via video link with Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nation General Assembly (UNGA).





Li said that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the largest developing country, China would, as always, adhere to multilateralism, defend the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and work with the international community to maintain world peace and promote development and prosperity.









China supports the UNGA in achieving more practical results in promoting the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, promoting development, and responding to climate change, said Li, adding that China stands ready to strengthen coordination with the United Nations to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strengthen South-South cooperation, and promote more balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development.





"It is hoped that the UNGA will adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in dealing with climate change issues, attach great importance to the concerns and demands of developing countries, and increase technical, financial and capacity support," the Chinese premier said.





For his part, Shahid expressed his appreciation for China's actions in providing vaccines to the world and actively supporting UN cooperation projects, saying that he supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by China and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China to promote the recovery of the global economy and achieve the goal of sustainable development.




The global South Africa Fast Food market was valued at $2.7 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $4.9 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2019 to 2026. Rise in rate of urbanization coupled with surge in demand for various types of convenience food products has been driving the value sales growth for the South Africa fast food market.

South African consumers have been increasingly living a busy lifestyle.

This has created a huge demand for food products such as take-away food items and readily available fast food products. Furthermore, surge in demand for convenience food products has eventually resulted in increase in number of quick-service and fast food restaurant establishments across the country.

Over the past decade, number of foodservice outlets skyrocketed in South Africa. From roughly 76,000 outlets in 2006, the number of outlets increased to 123,000 by 2016. A significant number of these outlets (70%) are in the informal sector (mainly street vendors), with the remaining 30% split equally between cafes/bars, full-service restaurants, and fast food outlets. Hence, surge in demand for convenience food products is a major factor driving the South Africa fast food market in terms of value sales.

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Fast food products are usually known for their taste, unique product offerings, and easy availability, which attract the target customers. However, regular consumption of these products has negative effects on the health of the consumers. For instance, most fast food items, including drinks and sides, are rich in carbohydrates with very less fiber content. Therefore, consumption of high amount of carbs can result in rise in blood sugar level. Thus, increasing the risk for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes as well as weight gain. These factors are expected to restrain the growth of the South Africa market.

According to Statistic South Africa, millennials account for nearly 52% of the total South African population. Rise in per capita income provides high purchasing power. They have been influential in evolving various industries in terms of product offerings and services.

When it comes to the global fast food industry, millennials have been their prime customers. The fast food operators have been continuously strategizing on evolving their product offerings that cater to varying perception and preference of the millennial segment. Thus, rise in number of millennial population in the country is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunity for the growth of the South Africa fast food market.

Some of the key companies profiled in the report include Yum Brands Inc., Famous Brands Inc., McDonalds Corporation, Nandos Group Holding Ltd., Taste Holding Ltd., Traditional Brands, King Pie Holdings, Burger King, Hungry Lion, Spur Steak Ranches, and others.

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS

 The report provides an extensive analysis of the current and emerging market trends and opportunities in the global South Africa Fast Food market.

 The report provides detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of current trends and future estimations that help evaluate the prevailing market opportunities.

 A comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restrict the growth of the market is provided.

 An extensive analysis of the market is conducted by following key product positioning and monitoring the top competitors within the market framework.

 The report provides extensive qualitative insights on the potential segments or regions exhibiting favorable growth.

Place a Direct Purchase Order @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/13299/Single

KEY MARKET SEGMENTS

By Product Type

 Processed Chicken

 Burgers

 Processed Fish

 Pizza

 Sandwich

 Others

By Age Group

 Below 18 years old

 20  35 years old

 Above 25 years old

By Distribution Channel

 On-Trade

 Online Channel

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Report Description

A recent market intelligence report that is published by Data Insights Partner on the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market makes an offering of in-depth analysis of segments and sub-segments in the regional and international Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market. The research also emphasizes on the impact of restraints, drivers, and macro indicators on the regional and global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market over the short as well as long period of time. A detailed presentation of forecast, trends, and dollar values of global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market is offered. In accordance with the report, the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market is projected to expand at a CAGR of xxx% over the period of forecast.

Market Insight, Drivers, Restraints& Opportunity of the Market:

Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) is the rights given to each individual to request information about the way companies handle their personal information. The software that is used for Data Subject Access Request typically consists of contact information and the type of request.

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With the help of Data Subject Access Request software, many companies can ensure that their company website is compliant and mitigate the risk of being sued, thereby complying with CCPA, GDPR, ISO27001 and hundreds of other privacy and security laws. They also ensure protect, secure and manage the privacy of personal data of customers, employees and third party. With advanced features like high scalability, tailorable, multi-lingual and deployment in the cloud or on premise, the demand for installation of Data Subject Access request software is increasing its demand in the forecast period. With an increase in consumer awareness of data privacy rights around the world, organizations are anticipating high increase in the number of data requests.

However, there are many challenges that are being faced by DSAR market which includes data breaches, misuse of private information, loss of consumer trust and many more. The software used for Data Subject Access Request is also complex, tedious and involves resource-intensive steps that can further hamper the growth of this market in the forecast period.

GDPR has set down a law, with regards to the timeline for responding to requests from individuals, which cant be changed. However, the Data Protection Commission acknowledged the significant impact of Covid-19 crisis which may further affect the organizations ability to action such GDPR requests. Unavoidable delays, where organization is temporarily closed or capacity to handle requests is curtailed which may act as a direct result of the impact of Covid-19.

Segment Covered:

This market intelligence report on the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market encompasses market segments based on product type, application and country/regions.

In terms of type, the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market is segregated into

Cloud Based

Web Based

By application, the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market is also classified into,

Large Enterprise

Small and Medium Enterprise

By country/region, the global Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market has been divided into

North America (the U.S., Canada),

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries),

Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Russia, and other countries),

Asia Pacific (India, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand and other countries),

Middle East and Africa (GCC, South Africa, Israel and Other countries).

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Profiling of Market Players:

This business intelligence report offers profiling of reputed companies that are operating in the market. Companies such as

Datagrail Inc.

Egnyte

SureCloud Limited

OneTrust LLC

Omniprivacy

BigID Inc.

Proteus

Clarip Inc

Col8

ComplyCloud

ContextSpace Solution Ltd

Dataguise India Pvt. Ltd

Quidgest SA and many more

Others players have been profiled into detail so as to offer a glimpse of the market leaders. Moreover, parameters such as Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software related investment & spending and developments by major players of the market are tracked in this global report.

Report Highlights:

In-depth analysis of the micro and macro indicators, market trends, and forecasts of demand is offered by this business intelligence report. Furthermore, the report offers a vivid picture of the factors that are steering and restraining the growth of this market across all geographical segments. In addition to that, Growth Matrix analysis is also provided in the report so as to share insight of the investment areas that new or existing market players can take into consideration. Various analytical tools such as DRO analysis, Porter's five forces analysis has been used in this report to present a clear picture of the market. The study focuses on the present market trends and provides market forecast from the year 2020-2028. Emerging trends that would shape the market demand in the years to come have been highlighted in this report. A competitive analysis in each of the geographical segments gives an insight into market share of the global players.

Salient Features:

 This study offers comprehensive yet detailed analysis of the Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market, size of the market (US$ Mn), and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR (%)) for the period of forecast: 2020  2028, taking into account 2019 as the base year

 It explains upcoming revenue opportunities across various market segments and attractive matrix of investment proposition for the said market

 This market intelligence report also offers pivotal insights about various market opportunities, restraints, drivers, launch of new products, competitive market strategies of leading market players, emerging market trends, and regional outlook

 Profiling of key market players in the world Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market is done by taking into account various parameters such as company strategies, distribution strategies, product portfolio, financial performance, key developments, geographical presence, and company overview

 Leading market players covered this report comprise names such as Datagrail, Egnyte, SureCloud, OneTrust, Omniprivacy, BusinessPort and many more.

 The data of this report would allow management authorities and marketers of companies alike to take informed decision when it comes to launch of products, government initiatives, marketing tactics and expansion, and technical up gradation

 The world market for Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market caters to the needs of various stakeholders pertaining to this industry, namely suppliers, manufacturers, investors, and distributors for Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market. The research also caters to the rising needs of consulting and research firms, financial analysts, and new market entrants

 Research methodologies that have been adopted for the purpose of this study have been clearly elaborated so as to facilitate better understanding of the reports

 Reports have been made based on the guidelines as mandated by General Data Protection Regulation

 Ample number of examples and case studies have been taken into consideration before coming to a conclusion

Reasons to buy:

v Identify opportunities and plan strategies by having a strong understanding of the investment opportunities in the Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market

v Identification of key factors driving investment opportunities in the Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) Software Market

v Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data

v Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential

v Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events

v Identify key partners and business development avenues

v Respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects

v Identify key strengths and weaknesses of important market participants

Full View of Report Description: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/data-subject-access-request-dsar-software-market/407
Report Description

A recent market intelligence report that is published by Data Insights Partner on the global Smart Helmet market makes an offering of in-depth analysis of segments and sub-segments in the regional and international Smart Helmet market. The research also emphasizes on the impact of restraints, drivers, and macro indicators on the regional and global Smart Helmet market over the short as well as long period of time. A detailed presentation of forecast, trends, and dollar values of global Smart Helmet market is offered. In accordance with the report, the global Smart Helmet market is projected to expand with healthy CAGR over the period of forecast.

Market Insight, Drivers, Restraints& Opportunity of the Market:

Smart helmet is one types of helmet used by cyclists, or bikers which combines the safety features as compared to conventional helmet and next generation communication technology. For instance, the Momentum EVO is the next generation smart helmet which offers comfort, style and innovative technologies such as built in FM radio, voice command control, audio multitasking etc.

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The global Smart Helmet market is primarily driven by the wide applications of Smart Helmets due to road safety regulations, and increasing personal safety. Conversely, the high manufacturing cost of the smart helmets would likely to restrain the growth of the global Smart Helmet market in the upcoming future. However, strategic alliance among key players, and technological advancements would provide the global Smart Helmet market an opportunity to propel during the forecast period. For instance, KC Wearable, an innovative smart technology company recently launched a smart helmet which is used to screen fever in public places to combat against COVID 19.

As per the recent post in South China Morning Post Police in China are now wearing smart helmets equipped with infrared cameras for temperature screening amid the coronavirus epidemic.

Segment Covered:

This market intelligence report on the global Smart Helmet Market encompasses market segments based on type, component, end user, and country.

Based on type the global Smart Helmet market is classified into:

Full face

Half Face

Hard Hat

In terms of component, the Global Smart Helmet market is classified into:

Communication System

HD Cameras

In terms of In terms of end user, the global Smart Helmet Market can be classified into

Automotive

o Motorcyclists

o Bikers

Construction Workers

Manufacturing and Industrial Workers

Others

By country/region, the global Smart Helmet Market has been divided into:

North America (the U.S., Canada)

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Russia, and other countries)

Asia Pacific (India, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand and other countries)

Middle East and Africa (GCC, South Africa, Israel and Other countries)

Get Request for Table of Contents: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/smart-helmet-market/368#content

Profiling of Market Players:

This business intelligence report offers profiling of reputed companies that are operating in the market. Companies such as:

Nand Logic Corp

Lifebeam Technologies Ltd.

Forcite Helmet System Pvt. Ltd.

Fusar Technologies Inc.

360fly Inc

Daqri LLC

Jarvish Inc.

Sena Technologies Inc.

Babaali

Jager HelmX Smart Helmets

KC Wearable

Other companies are profiled into detail so as to offer a glimpse of the market leaders. Moreover, parameters such as Smart Helmet related investment & spending and developments by major players of the market are tracked in this global report.

Report Highlights:

In-depth analysis of the micro and macro indicators, market trends, and forecasts of demand is offered by this business intelligence report. Furthermore, the report offers a vivid picture of the factors that are steering and restraining the growth of this market across all geographical segments. In addition to that, Growth Matrix analysis is also provided in the report so as to share insight of the investment areas that new or existing market players can take into consideration. Various analytical tools such as DRO analysis, Porter's five forces analysis has been used in this report to present a clear picture of the market. The study focuses on the present market trends and provides market forecast from the year 2020-2028. Emerging trends that would shape the market demand in the years to come have been highlighted in this report. A competitive analysis in each of the geographical segments gives an insight into market share of the global players.

Salient Features:

 This study offers comprehensive yet detailed analysis of the Smart Helmet market, size of the market (US$ Mn), and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR (%)) for the period of forecast: 2020  2028, taking into account 2019 as the base year

 It explains upcoming revenue opportunities across various market segments and attractive matrix of investment proposition for the said market

 This market intelligence report also offers pivotal insights about various market opportunities, restraints, drivers, launch of new types, competitive market strategies of leading market players, emerging market trends, and regional outlook

 Profiling of key market players in the world Smart Helmet market is done by taking into account various parameters such as company strategies, distribution strategies, services portfolio, financial performance, key developments, geographical presence, and company overview

 The data of this report would allow management authorities and marketers of companies alike to take informed decision when it comes to launch of services, government initiatives, marketing tactics and expansion, and technical up gradation

 The world market for Smart Helmet caters to the needs of various stakeholders pertaining to this industry, namely suppliers, manufacturers, investors, and distributors for Smart Helmet market. The research also caters to the rising needs of consulting and research firms, financial analysts, and new market entrants

 Research methodologies that have been adopted for the purpose of this study have been clearly elaborated so as to facilitate better understanding of the reports

 Reports have been made based on the guidelines as mandated by General Data Protection Regulation

 Ample number of examples and case studies have been taken into consideration before coming to a conclusion

Reasons to buy:

v Identify opportunities and plan strategies by having a strong understanding of the investment opportunities in the Smart Helmet market

v Identification of key factors driving investment opportunities in the Smart Helmet market

v Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data

v Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential

v Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events

v Identify key partners and business development avenues

v Respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects

v Identify key strengths and weaknesses of important market participants

Full View of Report Description: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/smart-helmet-market/368
Patient monitoring devices market information, by Product type (Central monitoring stations, Portable bedside monitors, Electrocardiogram (ECG) Devices, Hemodynamic Monitoring Devices, Fetal and neonatal monitors, Respiratory Monitors, Weight management monitors, Temperature monitoring devices) - Forecast to 2027

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Patient Monitoring Devices Market  Segments

MRFR has segmented the analysis into three key dynamics; for better understanding: 

By Product type : Central monitoring stations, Portable bedside monitors, Electrocardiogram (ECG) Devices, Hemodynamic Monitoring Devices, Fetal and Neonatal Monitors, Respiratory Monitors, Weight Management Monitors, and Temperature Monitoring Devices, among others.

By End-users : Hospitals and clinics, Ambulatory care centers, and Homecare among others.

By Regions : North America, Europe, APAC and Rest-of-the-World.

Key Players:

Fervent players driving the market for the patient monitoring devices include Roche Diagnostics, GE Healthcare, BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG, Siemens Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, Philips Healthcare, Spacelabs Healthcare, CAS Medical Systems, Inc., Honeywell International, Inc., and Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co.

The North American region is estimated to lead the global patient monitoring devices market with a significant market share. Factors such as the growing prevalence of chronic diseases, patients suffering from different lifestyle diseases, and the increase in the geriatric population are contributing to the growth of the regional market. Huge uptake of continuous monitoring technology alongside the rise in the adoption rate of remote patient monitoring devices is fostering the market growth in the region.

The European region is another lucrative market for patient monitoring devices. Augmenting demand to move to a more wireless and streamlined operation in major health facilities as well as in the homecare settings is predominantly driving the market growth.

Tremendous advancements in medical technologies is a key driving force pushing up the regional market. Countries such as Germany and the U.K. backed by their well-developed medical devices markets which are led by enormous investments account for the major contributors to the growth in the regional market.

The Asia Pacific region is rapidly emerging as a promising market for patient monitoring devices due to the technological growth in India and China. AI-based remote patient monitoring solutions have become a trend in India, changing the dynamics of healthcare. Foreign investors are getting attracted to India, investing rapidly with aggressive plans of leading Indian healthcare into the digital age. They are designing remote patient monitoring solutions that can provide high resolution, ICU-grade monitoring to all areas of the hospital, throughout the patient care pathway.

Patient Monitoring Devices Market  Competitive Landscape

The highly competitive market appears to be diversified with the presence of giant manufacturers of the device, playing on the global level. These players are heavily investing in R&D, global expansion, advanced technologies, and product Launch to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Industry/Innovation/Related News:

November 14, 2018  ivWatch LLC (US), a leading global provider of continuous patient monitoring devices announced the partnership with New Medical (Australia), a supplier of medical consumables, devices, and patient monitoring accessories in Australia and New Zealand to manage distribution to support market expansion outside of the United States.

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At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services
Overview

Cloud ERP uses cloud technology and platforms for providing ERP software. The use of cloud offers greater flexibility and transforms business processes. The Indian cloud ERP market is comparatively less mature than other markets in the world but expected to grow in the future due to increasing demand from SMEs. The intense competition and globalisation are key motivators for SMEs to deploy ERP on the cloud to minimise their infrastructural cost. Factors such as low IT manpower, low operational costs, data backup and recovery and ubiquitous access are encouraging SMEs to migrate ERP to the cloud.

Market Analysis

The overall ERP market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.4% during the forecast period 20152020. The market in the future will be driven by cloud ERP adoption among enterprises of all sizes. Cost advantages and flexibility that it offers, fosters the Cloud ERP market growth.

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The SME segment is expected to drive cloud ERP market more than the large enterprises. The cloud ERP adoption in SME segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23.9% during the forecast period 20152020. However, security issues related to cloud technology and rising regulatory compliances will restrain the market.

Government and the larger enterprises are investing heavily in cloud technology which creates business opportunities for vendors in the market. For instance, the Indian government has initiated Make in India project to assist companies in adopting new technologies and upgrading their existing technologies.

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Segmentation by Deployment Modes

The Cloud ERP Market in India is segmented and analyzed by the following deployment modes  Public, Private and Hybrid.

Segmentation by Implementation Modes

The Cloud ERP Market in India is segmented by two implementation modes- Direct Implementation and Implementation through Partners.

Segmentation by Enterprise Type

The Cloud ERP Market in India is segmented by SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and Larger Enterprises.

Segmentation by Application Verticals

The market is segmented by the following key verticals- Aviation, Aerospace & Defense, Manufacturing (Discrete & Process), Facility Management, Public Sector & Government, Infrastructure & Real Estate, Engineering Procurement & Construction, Retail, Transportation and Logistics, Healthcare, Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI), Energy & Utilities and Others.

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Key Vendors

Some of the major players in the market are Oracle, Ramco, SAP, and Wipro. The report also considers some of the watch list companies such as IFS, MYOB and Workday.

Competitive Analysis

Competitive benchmarking is done for the leading vendors based on key metrics- financial health, business units, business priorities, business strategy, strategic alliances and SWOT analysis etc.

Benefits

The report gives information related to the latest industry and market trends, market landscape, growth drivers, Porters Five Forces analysis, key stakeholders and competitive analysis of the key vendors.
Wearable devices have become increasingly popular in the recent years mainly due to their consumer-focused offerings and a wide range of device connectivity. These devices carry massive amounts of user data ranging from user demographics and electronic health record (EHR). These may open the scope for possible security vulnerabilities, such as data exfiltration, proximity based vulnerabilities, account harvesting intercepting data while using a Pairing App or Bluetooth to connect with other IoT gear, point-to-point networking, new Wi-Fi networks and others. Often, it could lead to remote code execution, poodle attack, covert account takeover, obtaining an IMEI, location spoofing and others.

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Most of the wearable devices that are being used today can prevent unauthorized access with device encryption; however, some of them have been found to be vulnerable to security threats while transferring data to cloud or paired with a personal device. Hence, security solutions developers are devising a two-factor authentication, and password-free web security to eliminate the security vulnerability, by implementing blockchain based security solutions to improve the level of device safety. The value chain players, such as device integrators, mobile app makers, enterprises, wearable device OEMs, and security companies are likely to enter into collaborative partnerships to bring advanced device security intelligence strategies for both consumers and enterprises.

According to Infoholic Research, the Wearable Devices Cybersecurity Market market is expected to become a $702.6 million market, by growing at a CAGR of 16.4% during the forecast period 20172023.

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Market analysis:

Wearable devices are segmented into Smartwatch, Head-mounted display, Body-worn camera and Others. The smartwatch segment includes, wrist bands, fitness bands and smart watches. The head mounted display segment includes, AR/VR devices and smart glasses. Smart watches are the dominating sub-segment which is expected to account for more than 69% of the segments revenues, followed by head mounted displays. The devices that are needed for cybersecurity accounts for less than 10% of the total wearables that are in use today. However, this segment is currently driven by increasing cyber vulnerabilities. Increasing information storage in the wearables would lead to a trend, cybersecurity as a commodity.

The Security Types include, Cloud Security, Application Security, Network Security and others. Currently, cloud security and application security solutions are quite popular among cybersecurity vendors and consumers, owing to their vital range of security capabilities. The network security is expected to continue grabbing attention from the vendors and wearable device OEMs owing to the increasing network level authentication vulnerabilities and data breaches.

The industries include, Healthcare, Corporate & IT, Manufacturing, Retail, Automotive, BFSI, Government and Others. The healthcare industry is the leading adopter of wearable device cyber security as the devices comprises huge volumes of customer data including, users health, demographic details, biometric passwords and others. The vital use cases of wearables have led to the need for cyber security across the industries.

Regions:

The Americas, and Europe are most likely to hold a larger share in the wearable security solutions market and Asia is expected to become an emerging adopter of wearable device security solutions by 2023. The market growth in Asia will be largely due to the increasing demand from China, Japan, and the Southeast Asian countries. The Middle East and Africa are expected to contribute to the innovation in wearable device security solutions mainly due to Israeli cybersecurity start-ups.

Vendors:

The report provides details about the Worldwide Wearable Device Security market. The report also contains an in-depth analysis of vendor profiles, which include financial health, business units, key business priorities, SWOT, strategies, and views; and competitive landscape. The companies included in the report are Apple Inc., Google, IBM, Microsoft Corporation, Argus Cyber Security, Arilou Cyber Security, ESCRYPT  Embedded Security, Karamba Security, and Secunet Security Networks AG.

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By Device Type:

Smartwatch

Head-mounted display

Body-worn camera

Others devices

By Security Type

Application security

Network security

Cloud security

By Industry
Global Scleritis Market Research Report: Information by Type (Anterior and Posterior), Diagnostic Test & Treatment (Ultrasonography, Prednisolone, Ibuprofen, Methotrexate and Mycophenolate), End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Diagnostic Centres) and Region (Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa) - Forecast till 2025

The global scleritis market is showing the significant growth; mainly due to increase in the patient population and also companies are showing much interest toward the scleritis market, as they feel there are huge opportunities and gaps between the market demand and supply of effective treatments.

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Thus, companies are showing more interest in research and development activities for introducing best treatment that meets the requirement of market. These inventions help companies to meet the requirement of the market and maximize the profit share across the globe. Moreover, they have focused on developing countries such as India, China, Malaysia, and Brazil. Government of these regions is more focus to adopt better treatment for their citizen. There has been a growing awareness within the region that improving population health will lead the development of a society. Most of the countries are reforming the health care system with a special focus on the poor or disadvantaged groups, who face financial barriers to have access to health care services and are exposed to financial risk due to illness.





Thus, government trying to introduce cheapest treatment or a way out to reimburse the cost of treatment. Most of the reforms appeal to social health insurance as the main approach to improve health care systems so as to protect the poor. In both scenarios it is the profitable situation for the Market players.

ALSO READ https://www.medgadget.com/2020/10/global-scleritis-market-will-soar-in-analysis-period-post-covid-19-impact-by-type-diagnostic-test-treatment-and-region-forecast-till-2025.html



Key Finding



The European market is expected to reach $XX billion by 2022.

Diffuse anterior scleritis holds the largest share of XX% of the Scleritis market.

North America holds the largest market share of XX% of Scleritis and is expected to reach $XX billion by the end of forecast period.

Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market at a CAGR of XX%



Segments:



Scleritis market has been segmented on the basis of types which comprises of diffuse anterior scleritis, nodular anterior scleritis, necrotizing anterior scleritis, necrotizing anterior scleritis, Posterior scleritis and others. On the basis of treatment types the market is segmented into non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Oral glucocorticoids, Immunosuppressive drugs and others



Competitive Landscape



Pfizer Inc. (U. S.), Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (U. S.), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Mumbai), Bayer AG (Germany) and Shasun are some of the leading players at the cutting edge of the competition in the market of scleritis, globally.





Regional Analysis



The market of scleritis is much higher in the Americas region. There are several factors for tremendous growth of the scleritis market in this region such as growing patient population, presence of major market players, and increasing awareness about scleritis. The government has more focus towards research and development for introducing the best treatment for their population.



Europe is also considering the huge market for scleritis players, owing to present of huge population affected by the disease. Government is more focused to educate their public in order to minimize the patient population about scleritis.



The market of scleritis is growing rapidly in Asia Pacific region, owing to unhealthy life balance, disturb immune system. These are the factor which leads the scleritis affected patient population in this region. Japan is a well-developed country and have well established healthcare system and technology, whereas developing countries are still focusing on better technology for the treatment, this gap between the developed and developing countries will present significant growth opportunities for the scleritis market players in the next few years.



There are huge opportunities and challenges for improving health systems in the Middle East and Africa region. Countries of Africa region are seeking to address simultaneously a range of infectious diseases.

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Infusion System Market Share, Growth And Trends Analysis By Product Type (Iv Disposable, Infusion Pump, Others); By Application (Chemotherapy, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Pediatrics, And Others); By End User (Hospitals, Specialty Oncology Wards, Homecare) - Forecast To 2027

Infusion System Market Highlights

The steady growth of the Global Infusion System Market has been explored in a research report published by Market Research Future (MRFR) that estimates expansion for this market with 5% CAGR between 2017 and 2023. In terms of cash, the market is likely to rise to the US $ 9.7 bn during the forecast period.

The key factors that influence the growth of global infusion system market include high demand of the infusion systems in the military medical units, increased use of infusion pumps for the delivery of drugs and other fluids, rising prevalence of chronic and fatal diseases, and technological advancements from the leading market players. However, some factors that can obstruct the growth of this market include patient safety concerns, the risk of improper infusion leading to the severe consequences, and unmet medical needs in the low-income countries.

The global infusion system market has been segmented on the basis of application, end user, type, and lastly, region. As per the application, this market has been segmented into chemotherapy, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, pediatrics, and others. Based on the end user, the market has been segmented into ambulatory surgical centers, home care, and hospitals. By type, the market has been segmented into the ambulatory pump, syringe pump, and volumetric pump. According to the report, the volumetric pump holds the largest share of 37.1% of the market.

The regional segmentation of the global infusion system market segments the market into regional markets known as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Among all markets, North America is the largest market for infusion pumps. During the forecast period, it is expected to continue to hold this spot in the global infusion system market. By the end of 2023, North America market is expected to reach the US $ 3.49 bn. In North America, especially in the United States of America (USA), advanced technologies are continuously rising, creating a market for infusion pumps. The other important country-specific market in North America is Canada.

Europe is the second largest market, and during the forecast period, it is expected to reach nearly $3.11 bn. Western Europe is a bigger market than Eastern Europe due to advanced technology and medical facilities. Most countries with strong economies are also located in Western Europe which makes it the bigger market. In Western Europe, the most important country-specific markets are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK), followed by the rest of Western Europe.

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The Asia Pacific is a market that has lots of potential for the growth of the infusion system market because many continuously growing economies exist in this region. During the forecast period, it is expected to emerge as the fastest growing regional market with 5.4% CAGR. The recent developments in healthcare, improving economies, rising per capita income are leading to the growth of the market in this region. The maximum revenue of this market comes from Australia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea, followed by the rest of the Asia Pacific region.

The Middle East and Africa have less economic developments most countries in the MEA region have extremely low income. Therefore, the MEA region has the smallest market share. However, during the forecast period, the market in this region is likely to grow due to better infusion treatment in this region. The reasons for the low market in this region include lack of awareness, lack of education, lack of hygiene, lack of technological development, political instability, poor healthcare, and healthcare not considered a priority by most governments.

Key Players

The key players in the global infusion system market include 3M (USA), Asante (USA), Baxter International, Inc. (the USA), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Becton Dickinson & Company (USA), Biomedical Solutions (USA), CareFusion Corporation (USA), Flowonix Medical Inc (USA), Fresenius Kabi (Germany), Hospira, Inc (USA), ICU Medical, Inc. (USA), Johnson & Johnson (USA), Medtronic plc (Ireland), Micromed (UK), Mircel Medical Device (Greece), Moog Inc (USA), Pfizer, Inc. (USA), Q-Core (Israel), Roche Diagnostics (Switzerland), Smiths Medical (U.K.), Stryker (USA), and Terumo Medical Corporation (Japan).

Latest Industry News

Aiming to reinvent the infusion process, Eli Probst and Todd Metlen have teamed up to design and develop the Infuzi Brio, the world's first ultrasonic infuser. The Infuzi Brio uses ultrasonic technology to infuse the flavor of fruit, herbs, nuts, and spices into liquor in a matter of hours, instead of days or weeks. 14 SEP 2018

Amgen has announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has granted marketing approval for BLINCYTO (blinatumomab) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The dosage of BLINCYTO via infusion treats ALL. 25 SEP 2018.

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President Ram Nath Kovind with Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana during the valedictory ceremony of the 'Constitution Day' celebrations, organised by the Supreme Court, in New Delhi, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Referring to the issue of judicial appointments, the President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday favoured creating an All-India Judicial Service for the recruitment and appointment of judges at all levels of judiciary, saying that the idea is in voyage for the last five decades but has not been tested.

Reiterating that the independence of judiciary is non-negotiable, and without diluting it to the slightest degree, Can a better way be found to select judges for the higher judiciary?

For instance, there can be an All-India Judicial Service which can select, nurture and promote the right talent, right from the lower levels to the higher levels. President Kovind added that there could be other, better suggestions for reforming the system. Ultimately, the President said, that the aim should be to strengthen the justice delivery mechanism.

The President batting for AIJS assumes significance as on October 16, 2015, a five-judge Constitution bench of top court had struck-down the Constitutions 99 amendment that had paved way for the creation of National Judicial Appointment Commission replacing the existing collegium system of appointing judges to the high courts and the top court. The National Judicial Appointment Commission had fingerprints of the Central government on it.

In his valedictory address on the conclusion of two-days' deliberation on the 72nd Constitution Day, President Kovind addressed a number of issues including judges making observations, in the course of the hearing of the matters, discomforting the government, pendency of cases, the judiciary, the legislature and the executive working harmoniously and in in unison.

Pointing to the high bar that the top court judges have set for themselves, President said, hence, It is also incumbent upon the judges to exercise utmost discretion in their utterances in the courtrooms. Indiscreet remarks, even if made with good intention, give space for dubious interpretations to run down the judiciary.

To buttress his point, the President referred to a profound observation by US Supreme Court judge Justice Frankfurter who had in a judgment said, Courts are not representative bodies. They are not designed to be a good reflex of a democratic society. Their essential quality is detachment, founded on independence. History teaches that the independence of the judiciary is jeopardised when courts become embroiled in the passions of the day, and assume primary responsibility in choosing between competing political, economic and

social pressure.

In the recent months, the top court had made some critical observations in the Pegasus matter, handling of investigation in Lakhimpur Kheri in which farmers were mowed down, handling Delhi air pollution and the Centre dragging its feet in judicial appointments.

Removing the smog over the misconception that courts make laws and are responsible for liberal acquittals and adjournments, Chief Justice of India, Justice N.V. Ramana, took a dig at the investigating agencies asserting that the courts could not be blamed for acquittals due to faulty investigations. On frequent adjournments, CJI said that the public prosecutors, lawyers and the investigating agencies have to co-operate in the trial of cases.

CJI Ramana said that attorney general K.K. Venugopals suggestion on restructuring the judicial system and altering the hierarchy of the courts to address the issue of huge pendency needs to be considered by the government. He said that since Independence, there has been no serious study to consider what exactly should be the structural hierarchy of the judiciary in India.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden announced additional travel restrictions for countries in Southern Africa, joining attempts by other countries to stop the spread of a potentially lethal new COVID-19 variant that has roiled global markets.

According to top government officials, travel from South Africa and seven other nations would be restricted beginning Monday. In a statement, Biden described the move as a "precautionary action until [they] gather more knowledge," as per Bloomberg via MSN.

Besides Africa, the other nations that are also affected are Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. According to administration officials, the regulation does not apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents though they must still test negative before traveling to the United States.

Countries impose travel restrictions for Southern Africa

The restriction might exacerbate fears about the variant, which sparked a market sell-off as investors analyzed new information about its strength and distribution. Biden told reporters that the new variant is of considerable alarm since it appears to spread rapidly, but that investors selling shares were anticipated - they usually do when COVID-19 increases.

As an increasing list of countries pushed to prohibit travel from the region, the World Health Organization designated the mutated virus, now known as Omicron, as a "variant of concern." Earlier in the day, countries across Europe, as well as Canada, suspended aviation traffic from southern Africa.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical advisor, told CNN on Friday morning that news of COVID-19 spreading throughout Africa, now known as Omnicron by the World Health Organization (WHO), was raising a "red flag that this may be a problem we don't know" and that testing was necessary.

It's unclear what further evidence, if any, drove the administration's decision on Friday to impose travel restrictions on eight nations. Biden stated that he reached the decision after meeting with Fauci.

Per Fox News, similar travel restrictions will be implemented in almost a dozen additional nations, including the United Kingdom. Citizens and legitimate permanent residents of the United States will be exempted from the travel restrictions, but all overseas passengers must test negative before traveling.

Read Also: Joe Biden Has Potentially Pre-Cancerous Polyp Removed During Routine Colonoscopy; Health Fears Grow for Confused POTUS

Biden vows again to vaccinate Americans

Biden also reaffirmed his proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to remove patent protections for COVID-19 vaccinations, a position that is opposed by pharmaceutical corporations, which stand to benefit billions from the vaccines. As requests for measures to make the vaccine more accessible in impoverished nations rose, he originally approved the notion early this year.

The Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has more mutations than previous COVID-19 virus variants, and scientists have yet to determine whether it is more transmissible though the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern about whether the Omicron variant poses a higher risk of reinfection.

This increased chance of reinfection is concerning because many people who survive COVID-19 experience long-term adverse effects like loss of taste and smell, as well as some respiratory problems. As a second and more deadly illness, this might leave people severely disabled or possibly dead.

On Friday, the United States was not the only country to take action. Following the United Kingdom's decision on Thursday, just over a quarter of the European Union's member states opted to impose travel restrictions as well.

Later, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he and his family were spending Thanksgiving, Biden answered questions from reporters about the matter. During a brief press conference, the president stated that he is not concerned about a stock market decline as a result of the development of a new variant as this has happened in the past, The Independent reported.

Related Article: Scientists Discover Alarming COVID-19 Super Variant; Virus Could be More Jab-Resistant, Transmissible Than Any Version

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Households that welcomed a new family member in 2021 may be eligible for an additional stimulus payment the following year. In the aftermath of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the government is still striving to offer assistance to a chosen set of Americans.

There might be another stimulus check that awaits parents and guardians who are expected to have a kid before the end of the year. The American Rescue Plan provided compensation to parents for dependents, which amounted to $1,400 per kid.

Who are eligible for 1,400 stimulus checks in 2022?

When the Plan was executed, however, some couples had not yet welcomed their infant. Those parents will be able to claim benefits for their new dependents after filing their taxes in 2021. It's worth noting that there's no limit to the number of additional dependents that may be claimed so parents who have more than one child will be eligible for several payments.

In 2020, there were over 3.6 million births, and the figure is likely to be similar this year, according to The Sun. Even if you had a new baby in 2021, you must meet certain standards to qualify for further aid. It is necessary to file taxes for the year 2021. The current deadline is April 15, 2022; but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was extended in both 2020 and 2021.

In terms of income, married couples earning up to $150,000 and individuals earning up to $75,000 are both eligible. Once their 2021 tax returns have been finalized, families will get the stimulus check payment. There were over 3.6 million births in 2020, and the number is expected to be similar this year. Even if you had a new baby in 2021, you must fulfill specific criteria to receive more assistance. Tax returns for the year 2021 must be filed.

Married couples earning up to $150,000 and individuals earning up to $75,000 are both eligible for the program. Families will get the stimulus check payment after their 2021 tax forms have been processed, as per The Motley Fool via MSN.

Because the Child Tax Credit increase was only in force for a year, families may get their final payment on December 15. The Build Back Better Act, sponsored by Democrats in the House of Representatives, was just enacted. Payments would be extended for another year under this bill.

Originally, Democrats hoped to extend the credit until 2025, but this proved to be too costly when they negotiated the bill. Many families who have grown to rely on monthly installments will be relieved by the one-year extension. There is still a long way to go with the legislation. It will have to cross via the United States. Democrats have only 50 votes in the Senate, with the vice president acting as a tie-breaker.

Some of the more conservative Democratic senators, such as West Virginia's Joe Manchin, have expressed reservations about adopting further large-government legislation in light of growing prices. If the Senate makes any modifications, the bill will have to return to the House for a second vote before reaching the president's desk.

Read Also: Surprise Stimulus Check After Thanksgiving For Eligible Americans: Who's Getting More Payments?

Build Back Better would provide fresh stimulus payments

Per Digital Market News, Americans have been clamoring for a Stimulus Check for a long time. The IRS delivered the third stimulus payment a long time ago. People have already depleted the funds and are requesting more. The global impact of the pandemic has been enormous. The citizens of the United States are no exception. During the closure, a large portion of the populace lost their jobs.

People have tried everything they could to urge the administration to change its mind. They've started petitions that have amassed a huge number of signatures. One online petition demanded $2000 in monthly payments. Regrettably, the government remained unconvinced. As a result, the stimulus check in most states has been constructed.

People are afraid to go out despite the fact that local businesses have been forced to reopen. As a result, many families are unable to make ends meet. The first round of stimulus checks totaled $3200. This money was quickly depleted. Due to unemployment, the majority of the families were in debt. As a result, the first thing they did was settle their bills. The majority of the funds were depleted as a result, and residents were forced to look for money once more.

Related Article: Many Americans Will Receive $1,800 Stimulus Check Before Christmas Along with Monthly Payments Waiting in 2022

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Former United States President Donald Trump suggested that the country's top general, Mark Milley, should be "tried for treason" after the military official allegedly acted behind the Republican businessman's back during his presidency to prevent war with China.

In a statement, the former U.S. president criticized the contents of the book titled "Peril" that Bob Woodward and Robert Costa wrote. Trump also called Milley "one of the dumber generals in the military."

Tried for Treason

Trump argued that he was not planning on going to war with China during his time as the United States president, arguing that if Milley did call Chinese officials, he should be tried for treason. The Republican businessman said the idea of going to war with the Asian nation never crossed his mind, saying the only place he was fighting and winning against China was on Trade.

In their book, Woodward and Costa wrote that the top U.S. general called two times and spoke with Chinese Gen. Li Zuocheng. One of the calls was made on Oct. 30, 2020 while the other was made on Jan. 8, 2021, shortly after the unprecedented Capitol Hill riot, Business Insider reported.

Read Also: Joe Biden Unveils New Travel Ban from South Africa, 7 Other Countries due to New COVID-19 Super Variant

In September, Milley admitted to talking with his Chinese counterpart that he would warn the Chinese government if Trump gave any orders that suggested the U.S. was planning to attack China. Testifying on Capitol Hill, Milley assured Li that the United States was not going to attack the Asian country.

On Milley's October 2020 call with Li, the military general said that if the U.S. federal government did decide to attack China, he would warn them so that it was not a surprise. Milley's January 2021 call followed the Capitol Hill riot and resulted in United States President Joe Biden expressing his confidence in the military general.

Controversy With Taiwan

The Democrat said that the top U.S. military general was regularly communicating with Chiefs of Defense personnel worldwide, including from China and Russia. "His calls with the Chinese and others in October and January were in keeping with these duties and responsibilities conveying reassurance in order to maintain strategic stability. All calls from the Chairman to his counterparts, including those reported, are staffed, coordinated, and communicated with the Department of Defense and the interagency," said Milley's office, the New York Post reported.

The situation comes as tensions between the United States and China continue to worsen over the controversy with Taiwan's sovereignty. Recently, China is believed to have distributed massive investments to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that suggests Beijing could be preparing for a possible war with the United States over the international issue.

The United States might need to quickly build up its forces deployed in the Pacific, strengthen military alliances in the region and expedite deliveries of military equipment to Taiwan. The island nation is a crucial political ally of the United States, and its growing democracy gives it one of the freest societies worldwide. Additionally, Taiwan is the center for advanced semiconductor production, The Hill reported.



Related Article: Younger Citizens Resist China's New Plan To Encourage Children To Live With Parents as Ageing Population Becomes a Long-Term Reality

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Queen Elizabeth, the beloved British monarch, has been ailing and was sent to hospital earlier this week. The monarch, who is frequently insulted and assumed to be immortal, has been ill, and worries about her ability to perform her various royal responsibilities have been raised several times.

According to sources, Prince Charles is being pressed to gradually take over more of Queen Elizabeth's responsibilities in order for her to relax. The queen, who had not visited a hospital in over eight years, was suffering from a sprained back and needed to be sent to a hospital.

Queen Elizabeth's recent health scare

The queen was unable to attend Remembrance Sunday because of her injury. Recent images of the queen also show purple-tinged hands and a pale, tired countenance.

While there is no official explanation or justification for the queen's purple hands in the photographs, there are multiple theories circulating regarding various ailments or reasons that may be causing her pain. Prince Charles has been questioned about her health on several occasions, and he has always provided reassuring responses, as per MASALA.

Queen Elizabeth II is recovering well after a recent health scare. The 95-year-old said she was feeling "much better" and was "looking forward" to her Sandringham estate's traditional Christmas celebration.

On or around December 17, the world's oldest reigning monarch is set to pay a visit to her country home in Norfolk, England. According to royal sources, the Queen would most likely go by helicopter though she might also travel by train.

Read Also: Princess Diana's Former Body Guard Insists She First Cheated With One of His Co-Worker in Doomed Marriage to Prince Charles

Royals fans remain concerned about Queen Elizabeth's health

Per PINKVILLA via MSN, concerns over the monarch's health have recently intensified after she canceled a series of events, including skipping Remembrance Sunday for the first time in 22 years owing to a back problem. Buckingham Palace said she made the decision not to attend the London Cenotaph service "with deep sadness" and was "disappointed" to miss the event.

Queen Elizabeth's latest health problems have sparked debate over the monarch's future. Despite palace officials confirming that the 95-year-old is in good health, royal fans remain certain that they are lying. Because her health appears to be worsening, some have speculated that the queen may retire or quit. Worse, some believe the queen is nearing the end of her life.

In its December 6 edition, the National Enquirer said that even Queen Elizabeth is aware that her days are numbered. As a result, she intends to go all out for next month's Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. After all, she is well aware that this may be her final act.

The queen has no intentions to retire or abdicate, according to an unnamed source. In fact, she wants to make certain that all of the royal family's ongoing problems are resolved before she passes away. Although it is evident that the monarch cannot anticipate when she would die, the unidentified insider emphasized that she had a plan.

Related Article: Queen Elizabeth Fresh Health Scare: Monarch Pulls Out of Remembrance Day Event at the Last Minute; Royal Author Doubts if Palace Divulges Full Story

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Samsung Wi-Fi not turning on is a common problem that Samsung Galaxy users face.

However, Samsung Wi-Fi connectivity can easily be fixed.

Samsung Galaxy Wi-Fi Problems

Samsung Galaxy devices have a great look and a lot of useful functions.

The South Korean smartphone brand has always enticed its fans, from the elegant and ultra-premium Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra flagships of 2020 to the stylish and ultra-premium Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone.

On the other hand, customers cannot deny that the Wi-Fi connection issue is one of the most prevalent problems that they have.

It is possible that users' Wi-Fi will not switch on, will turn off on its own, or that Galaxy smartphone owners will be unable to find a Wi-Fi network.

Users simply cannot ignore this prevalent issue, especially when the device is being used to watch a favorite Netflix series or play some super-exciting online games on an Android device.

If Samsung Wi-Fi isn't turning on, follow the instructions below to make it accessible again, as recommended by Samsung.

Examine the gadget

Any third-party cases or accessories should be removed.

Move the gadget to a location free of sources of interference, such as microwaves. Changing your hand position or which hand is holding the device can also help.

Restart the mobile phone

With a Power key on a phone or tablet:

Keep the Power key pressed and held. To confirm, tap Power off and then Power off again. Allow 30 seconds for your device to shut down fully. To turn on the device, press and hold the Power key.

On devices that don't have a power button:

To access the Quick settings panel, swipe down from the top of the screen using two fingers. Then tap the Power icon, then Restart. Restart by tapping the Restart button once more.

This approach appears to be self-evident, and it is the first thing that every user thinks of when something goes wrong with their gadgets.

Android devices, like your Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets, are prone to becoming buggy if they aren't reset on a regular basis. And, thankfully, this easy approach can assist you in resolving issues such as power drain and Wi-Fi connectivity troubles.

Read Also: Samsung One UI 4.0 Upgrade: Complete List of Devices, Rollout Date

Check to see if Samsung Wi-Fi is turned on

To access Wi-Fi, go to Settings, Connections, and then Wi-Fi.

If Wi-Fi is enabled, your mobile device will display a list of available Wi-Fi networks. If necessary, tap the switch to activate Wi-Fi.

If your Wi-Fi network shows, click it to pick it. If the network is password-protected, enter the password and then press Connect.

Check the settings on your Access Point or Router if your Wi-Fi network does not appear or if no networks appear at all. Reset your wireless access point or router. Remove the power cable for 30 seconds if it does not have a power switch. Check to see if the AP or Router is broadcasting the network SSID, or manually install a network if it isn't.



Start your Router again

According to Techietech, if users are unable to connect any device to the Wi-Fi network, it means there's a problem with the router.

Before phoning an Internet Service Provider, users can try several basic solutions on their own.

Users should first restart the router, as well as any other networking equipment that is linked to it.

For at least 15 seconds, unplug the router and other equipment from the power supply. This will clean up all of the network's flaws and give the router a fresh start. In many circumstances, this is a successful way of resolving Wi-Fi difficulties on all devices.

Re-connect to the network

Check if users can connect to the network again. If the network is hidden or requires particular settings, users may need to manually add it.

Related Article: Is Your Samsung S21 Freezing, Crashing After Update? 3 Steps to Fix Major Issue
Want a fourth stimulus check? Selected states are giving away $500 to $2,000 payments to eligible residents. Families who apply for the programs now might receive the money before Christmas.

Even after a year, many Americans are still struggling against the pandemic. Research studies from Capital One Insights Center emphasized that a fourth stimulus check is critical to families earning under $100,000 annually.

Recently, experts also discussed about the most expensive Thanksgiving celebration in American history. This is because consumer prices are on a record high, especially for turkey, groceries, and gas.

Fortunately, government officials seem aware of the issue. They are reportedly doing what they can to provide financial aid for desperate Americans. A few of them launched their own version of stimulus checks, which will be distributed locally to residents.

Fourth Stimulus Check Tracker: The American Rescue Plan

For reference, the Joe Biden Administration allocated $1.9 trillion in a program called American Rescue Plan. This program supported various financial aid plans like unemployment benefits, stimulus checks and Child Tax Credit. The plan also provided funds for individual states based on their population.

The American Rescue Plan emphasized that the budget would be used for programs that can help residents overcome the pandemic. Note, however, that each state will be responsible for its own finances. The local government will be solely responsible for creating its financial aid program, implementing the eligibility requirements, and distributing it to recipients.

Read Also: T-Mobile 911 Outage Leads to Massive Failure of 23,000 Emergency Calls; Costs $19.5 Million

Fourth Stimulus Check Update: How to Apply

It is worth noting that some of the programs are already underway. An earlier report about this topic listed 10 states with ongoing stimulus checks. Readers who do not find their state in the linked article can continue reading below on the eight new states that recently announced their financial relief program.

According to The Sun, some of these payments served as thanksgiving bonus or surprise stimulus checks for local residents.

Arizona: Out-of-work residents can take advantage of the ongoing back-to-work program. This means residents who work part-time are eligible for $1,000, and those on full-time could get $2,000.

Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont announces a "Back to Work" program starting May 30 until December 31 this year. Eligible recipients can get up to $1,000 stimulus checks

Idaho: More than half a million residents might be eligible for a one-time income tax rebate program of $248.

Maryland: Residents who filed their earned income tax credit last August can receive their state-wide stimulus check of $300. Also, note that those with children get an additional $500.

New Hampshire: Families without income can get a $1,086 stimulus check.

Ohio: A support grant for students in Ohio allocated $46 million for their budget. The situation is still progressing, so residents are recommended to wait for an update.

Oklahoma: A total of $13 million was allocated to pay teachers as a hazard bonus.

Vermont: The state is offering to cover up to $7,500 on moving expenses for new residents relocating to the area.



Related Article: Child Tax Credit 2021 Deadline: Last Chance to Opt Out of CTC Payments Now, 3 Reasons Why You Should
IKEA is experiencing a cyberattack, with criminals utilizing stolen company emails to target staff through internal phishing attempts.

IKEA Email Gets Hacked!

Cyberattackers have stolen authentic company emails and are now responding with links attached to a malicious document. Once the recipient clicks on the attached link, it installs malware on the receiver's devices in a reply-chain email attack, per Bleeping Computer.

Since the reply-chain emails appear to be authentic corporate emails and are frequently sent from hacked email accounts and internal servers, users are more likely to trust the sender and open the infected documents.

In an internal email circulating online, IKEA is notifying its staff about an ongoing reply-chain phishing cyber-attack targeting internal mailboxes. Moreover, the company's other organizations, as well as business partners, are also affected by the IKEA email hack.

"There is an ongoing cyber-attack that is targeting Inter IKEA mailboxes. Other IKEA organizations, suppliers, and business partners are compromised by the same attack and are further spreading malicious emails to persons in Inter IKEA," as noted in the the internal email acquired by Bleeping Computer.

In addition to the IKEA cyberattack, the internal email explained to everyone that the assault may come in the form of an email from a coworker, an external organization, or a response to an existing dialogue. As a result, it is difficult to identify. With that being stated, the company requested every employee to exercise additional caution.

Furthermore, IKEA IT staff informed the employee that the reply-chain emails contain URLs that end in seven numbers. Employees were also instructed not to open the emails, regardless of who sent them and to report them to the IT department as soon as possible.

Read Also: 'Squid Game' in Real Life: 456 People Compete for $456,000 in MrBeast's Viral Video

How Does the IKEA Email Hack Work?

In order to launch phishing attacks, cyberattackers started utilizing the ProxyShell and ProxyLogin vulnerabilities to access internal Microsoft Exchange servers.

To give much clarity, Huntress stated that cybercriminals use ProxyShell to act as an absolute administrator account, in which they have access to remote code execution, giving them the power to run any commands and choose any programs.

Meanwhile, cyberattackers use ProxyLogin to remotely execute code on the target server from anywhere in the globe with an internet connection.

After hackers acquire access to a server, they utilize internal Microsoft Exchange servers to launch reply-chain attacks against employees using stolen company emails.

Since these emails are being sent from within hacked systems and existing email chains, there is a higher level of trust that the emails are not infected.

There is also a possibility that receivers would unintentionally release the harmful phishing emails from spam folders, in which they think that these were trapped in filters by accident. As a result, employees will not be able to send or receive emails until the incident is fixed.

"Our email filters can identify some of the malicious emails and quarantine them. Due to that, the email could be a reply to an ongoing conversation, it's easy to think that the email filter made a mistake and release the email from quarantine. We are therefore until further notice disabling the possibility for everyone to release emails from quarantine," IKEA informed its employees.

IKEA is considering this security issue as a severe cyberattack, which might possibly lead to a considerably more destructive attack, since it penetrated their Microsoft Exchange servers.

Related Article: Holiday Shopping Scams: Do Not Fall for These 4 Info, Money-Stealing Attacks




By Kwak Yeon-soo







Lee Kwang-soo and AOA's Seolhyun will star in tvN's new series, "The Murderer's Shopping List," a humorous murder mystery about hunting for a killer after a body is found near an apartment complex.







Based on the novel of the same title, the series will involve different characters tracking down the suspected killer based on the grocery receipts that the deceased left behind.







It will be directed by Lee Eon-hee, who previously worked on the films, "The Accidental Detective 2: In Action" and "Missing." The script was written by Han Ji-wan, who also wrote the dramas, "Wanted" and "The Ghost Detective."







In the upcoming series, Lee will portray Ahn Dae-sung, a silly but lovable son of supermarket owner Jung Myung-sook (Jin Hee-kyung). Ahn was once a smart kid, but a mysterious incident at the supermarket turned his life upside down and he is now studying for the third-consecutive year to become a public servant.







AOA's Seolhyun will play the role of Ahn's girlfriend, Do Ah-hee, a passionate police officer. When the dead body is discovered near the apartment complex, she makes use of her full capabilities to investigate the case.







"The Murderer's Shopping List" will air in the first half of next year.






By Jun Ji-hye







The National Police Agency will carry out special training for more than 10,000 first-year and second-year officers across the country amid growing public distrust toward police following a recent attempted murder incident in Incheon.







The agency said the 16-hour training will be conducted from Monday until Jan. 31, focusing on nurturing new officers' capability of better responding to crime scenes.







The training will include handcuffs and taser use. A taser is an electroshock weapon used to temporarily incapacitate targets.







Police have recently become the target of public criticism after a woman in her 40s was stabbed in the neck by a neighbor due to their dispute over noise in a small apartment building in Incheon's Namdong District, Nov. 15.







When the victim was stabbed, a rookie officer who was present ran to the first floor, instead of separating the attacker from the victim, "to request assistance," leaving the victim and her daughter alone at the scene. This resulted in the daughter also suffering injuries to her face and hands after being assaulted by the neighbor.







The victim who was stabbed in the neck, underwent emergency surgery, but has not yet regained consciousness.







It was later known that the officer had not received proper training at a police school due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.






The wife of the late former President Chun Doo-hwan, widely criticized for the bloody crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju, issued an apology Saturday for the "pains and scars" inflicted during his presidency.







Lee Soon-ja made the apology in the first such move by Chun's family, as the bereaved family was preparing to carry his coffin out of a hospital and move it to a burial site. Chun died Tuesday at age 90 from chronic ailments.







"On behalf of my husband, I would like to deeply apologize, especially to those who suffered pains and scars during his time in office," Lee said at Yonsei University Severance Hospital in central Seoul.







Lee also recalled that Chun used to say, "All things were due to my fault and my lack of virtue."







Chun told his family to hold a small funeral service, to never erect a tomb for him, and to cremate him and spread his ashes in areas overlooking North Korea, Lee said.







Chun, an ex-Army general, served as president from 1980-1988 after seizing power through a military coup in 1979. (Yonhap)


A postcard of the Seven Star Gate at Pyongyang in 1909 sent by Mary Armstrong to a friend Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



For many Americans, the holiday season has begun. Millions of people  despite the pandemic  will travel throughout the United States to celebrate the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas with their families and friends. Considering this is the 400th article of this series and the start of the holiday season, I thought it would be nice to look at postcards sent by Americans in Korea to families back home.



It is amazing how similar postcards from the past resemble postcards of the present (well, at least before the internet). In October 1921, a visitor to Seoul named Ruth jotted a quick note to her family in Fukuoka, Japan:



"Dear Family, Wish you were here to go sightseeing with me. This is a pretty city, more American-like than Fukuoka. Enjoyed a trip uptown this p.m. found several things to take home. Beautiful linen suited for curtains, scarfs, etc. Cheap, if you want some I'll bring you a bolt."





A postcard of Mokpo in the 1900s Robert Neff Collection



One can imagine a present-day Ruth (prior to the pandemic) wandering through the markets of Insa-dong or Myeong-dong searching for the perfect souvenirs to send home.





Aunt Omie's postcard of Korean women in June 1909 Robert Neff Collection Burke Lawton's postcard of Korean laborers with A-frames on their backs in 1909. Where are the wooden shoes? Robert Neff Collection

The bitter coldness of Korean winters was also a popular subject for letters, so this postcard from an American named Willie to his "Doc" in the Philippines may seem somewhat familiar. He wrote in a very short note that he was in Mokpo and was "going to Seoul via boat visiting Chemulpo, Dalny and Port Arthur. If it gets much colder [I] will come back in cold storage to keep warm."



It would be easy to empathize with him except the postcard was dated Sept. 25, 1913, and even in winter Mokpo is fairly warm when compared to other places on the peninsula.



Sometimes visitors provided explanations of the images. In June 1909, "Aunt Omie"  who was staying at the Astor House (Hotel) in Seoul  described the women on the postcard to her nephew: "The women on this postal are of the middle class. The lower class dress in white." Unsurprisingly, she also felt inclined to mention the weather. "We have had nice cool rainy days lately. We return to Japan tomorrow. We will not be hot and dusty on the train as it was coming here." She was probably unaware that she was leaving at a perfect time  just before the hottest and wettest part of the year.



In November 1909, Burke Lawton  who seems to have been engaged in some sort of business in Seoul  sent a postcard home in which he wrote:



"I am hoping that somewhere near Christmas time you will receive the Korean wooden shoes which I am sending you. These shoes are worn during muddy weather and are well adapted to keep the feet dry."



In her "Christmas Greetings" postcard of 1911, Susan Doty Miller, a missionary in Cheongju, kept her message short and sweet; she merely described the objects that were clearly visible in the image: "Knives, spoons, padlocks, iron frames for brasiers which are much used for cooking and for warming the houses. Also horse-shoes etc." Almost as an afterthought  or perhaps as an excuse for a lackluster communication  she added that her health was improving but she was still unable to resume her regular work.



Miners were a great source of postcards and interesting tidbits. In 1916, Henry W. Hayden, a miner at the Seoul Mining Company in northern Korea, wrote:



"I have just been to Ping Yang [Pyongyang] with the bullion party. It is a most enjoyable trip by motor cars and horses  110 miles. The hunting is fine here. Deer, boars, ducks + pheasants, and keeps us all pretty busy in our spare time. I like the country fine."





Susan Doty Miller's 1911 "Christmas greeting" showing a Korean blacksmith shop Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection



What makes his note interesting  at least to me  is that he minimalizes his trip with the bullion party. The various mining camps transported their gold by horses, mules and cars to Pyongyang, escorted by well-armed guards, and would return to the camp with the payroll  this was known as a bullion party. Just the previous month, the bullion party of the Oriental Consolidated Mining Company (OCMC) was ambushed by at least nine bandits on its return trip from Pyongyang. Fortunately, the guards were able to fend off the robbers and the payroll (about $75,000) was saved but several of the bullion party were wounded and a couple died.



In the spring of 1911, Azalea Wood (the wife of an American miner at one of the OCMC's smaller mining camps) informed her mother  by postcard  she had just given birth to a boy. Unlike Miller's card, Wood went into some detail (in small cramped lettering) describing the difficulty of her six and a half hours of labor and having no doctor in the vicinity. According to her, by the time the doctor arrived from the main camp, the baby boy had already been born and there was nothing left for him to do.



Picture-postcards of family members were very popular  especially during the holiday season. In 1915, Jesse W. Hirst, a doctor at Severance Hospital in Seoul, sent a picture of his children home as a form of Christmas/New Year card  on the back he only gave a holiday greeting. Apparently he was too busy to write much.





A postcard of the Pyongyang area sent by Hayden in 1916 Robert Neff Collection



Sometimes Americans sent postcards of the city where they lived in Korea. As they often described their residence and neighbors in their long letters to their families, they apparently did not see the need to write much on the back of the card  fortunately, many did take the time to note on the card their home's exact location.



There were, though, some exceptions. In 1909, Mary R. Armstrong exchanged picture-postcards with a friend in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and on the back of her card she wrote:



"This one is a bit of the wall and one gate of the city of Pyengyang [Pyongyang], Korea, near which I spent five years  1902-1907  as teacher of a little American school for the sons and daughters of the missionaries at Pyengyang."





A group of OCMC miners and their families enjoy some free time at the mines circa 1913. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection



The Morris family, missionaries in Wonju, sent not only pictures of the city but also very frank descriptions. Mrs. Morris sent a series of cards to her mother in January 1918 and one of them shows the main street of Wonju. She wrote:



"This picture must have been taken on a holiday so that all the doors are closed. They are usually all wide open so that it looks quite different. This is our Main Street. Looks as if it had been taken on a muddy, rainy day. There is this one two story brick building and all the rest are thatched Korean houses. That is most of them are. There are some tiled buildings. Will try to find a picture of this same street on a Fair Day. Will look quite different, for they have a large market here."





A picture-postcard of Dr. Jesse Hirst's family in 1915 Robert Neff Collection

The description seems rather benign except when she added:



"It's bright and sunshiny today [Jan. 20] but very cold  a penetrating cold. The daily paper is full of the suffering from the cold. The churches and Salvation Army are doing all they can to help out and are reaching lots of people already near death. Many have died in spite of them."



Was it merely the cold weather killing the population or was it something else? Two months later the Spanish Influenza began and there were very few places on this planet safe from it  Korea did not escape its deadly touch.



It is a shame that technology has pretty much rendered postcards and "snail mail" as relics of the past. Will our emails and Facebook posts still be accessible to our future generations or will this part of history cease to exist?



I would like to thank Diane Nars for providing me with so much valuable assistance and the use of her collection. I would also like to thank Jan Downing for her assistance and collection as well as Jihoon Suk, Hyunuk Park, Nate Kornegay and Dale Quarrington for their assistance. And, of course, I would like to thank you  the reader  for helping this series reach its 400th article.





A postcard of Gongju from a missionary family in 1911 shows the location of their house in the small foreign community. Robert Neff Collection





A postcard of Wonju sent by the Morris family in 1918 Courtesy of Jan Downing


By Scott Shepherd





Last week saw Korea's yearly university admissions exam take place, accompanied as usual by an autumnal flurry of headlines. Given the world's current obsession with Korea, it's hardly a surprise that the test made international headlines. The test's English name is the College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT, but it is known more commonly as the "Suneung." The news often highlights the fact that planes are diverted to avoid distraction during the English Listening segment, or that police are on standby to help any students unfortunate enough to run late on the big day.







Underlying it all there's often a sense of implicit mirth at how over the top the whole thing is. And of course, comedy is sometimes the best response, an idea that Josh "the Korean Englishman" tapped into when he filmed native English speakers being flummoxed by its English reading component. It's fun and funny, and it also makes something pretty clear: the "Suneung" doesn't do a great job of measuring a person's true ability to communicate in English. Adding to the absurdity is the fact that most of the test-takers will go on to study degrees taught in Korean, not English.







The test is obviously in urgent need of reform.





First is the more specific question of English that Josh touches on in his videos. I'm hardly the first to argue that the English section is unrelated to most of the English that will be encountered in real life, so I don't want to dwell on it. However, I want to consider the counter-argument in favor of the English component as it currently stands. The Korea Times published

a few years ago in which Robert Kluender, professor of linguistics at the University of California San Diego, defended the test. The issue with Kluender's argument is that he seems to misunderstand the purpose of the "Suneung."







The exam is not assessing whether the students will be able to cope with studying university-level English linguistics at an American college. Rather, the government forces students to study English for the "Suneung" in the hope that they will go on to graduate and work in roles where they can communicate with others internationally in English. The test is utterly inept at measuring this.







It is true that my relative incompetence in Korean and, to a greater extent, Mathematics, means that I'm not really qualified to comment on other sections of the test in detail. But aside from the well-documented problems with the English section, there are more fundamental flaws with the wider test and indeed the system underlying it.







For one, the test takes place only once a year and it last eight hours. With the kind of pressure that society places on test-takers, the whole thing becomes a measure of endurance and resilience at least as much as of academic aptitude. Of course, those former qualities are both great assets which we should strive to encourage in our students, but they are hardly the only things that count.







Moreover, there's no scope whatsoever for any expression of creativity or imagination  qualities which are so vital in our world. The test has no space for a sense of beauty, a touch of poetry. Sure, the test foregrounds the next generation of administrators and civil servants, but all the artists and dreamers and creators are ground down by the system. How well would Mozart or Shakespeare have done taking the "Suneung"?







From an administrative point of view, I can understand why the test's current set-up is so popular: the multiple choice questions mean that tests can be marked quickly and accurately (and cheaply) by a machine, reducing fears of human error, corruption or the inevitably unbalanced marking that naturally results from humans making choices.







After all, anyone who's ever participated in formal marking for exam boards knows that marking written responses at scale is a nightmare. If you give a group of experts the same rubric to grade the same essay, they will not all give you the same mark.







And with a test that's seen as so important, any kind of human intervention is certainly going to lead to serious issues, not to mention the possibility of corruption. To be honest, though I imagine there is already enough abuse going on unreported. The College Admissions Scandal in the US makes it clear enough that some rich people will unfairly game the system if they think they can get away with it.







When I consider all the obscene lengths people go to when they (or more often their children) are taking the "Suneung," I feel a sense of pity. Because tests don't matter, not really. Of course it's important to have a fulfilling career, but there's so much more to life than graduating from a prestigious university or hoarding wealth or boasting about whatever it is that people see as material success. Likewise, there are plenty of people who ace all the exams and attend the top universities who still go on to thoroughly ruin their lives.







That's not to say I'm some kind of anti-exam hippy. I have worked and continue to work for exam boards, and I use tests in my own teaching. Used properly, they're a great educational tool as well as a way to assess progress. There's clearly a place for them in school and in life. But that place cannot be at the very center.







In many ways Korea's high regard for education is one of its greatest strengths. It has stood the country in great stead for many years. Indeed, Korea's transformation over the past few decades can be attributed to the way it prizes education. But it has become warped into a harmful obsession, a competition that is as much to do with power, pride and status as anything else. It harms the physical and mental health both of young people and their parents.







It is the moral and political duty of Korea's next president to reform this test. To be sure, it will take a long time to implement, and there are other pressing matters to deal with. Nonetheless, it should be a priority for whoever wins next year. Crucially, however, it's not just up to the head of state  and in fact, without public support the president will never be able to implement reforms. University admissions teams, teachers, tutors, parents and others all have a responsibility to shift their focus away from this climactic annual test which causes so much pain and suffering. Change is possible.







Frankly, the obsession with education is an indication that in Korea  as in many countries  status, power and wealth have become the culture's idols. But on these altars we must not offer our children as sacrifices.











Dr. Scott Shepherd is a British-American academic. He has taught in universities in the U.K. and Korea, and is currently assistant professor of English at Chongshin University in Seoul. The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.


Passengers wait to board flights, amid the spread of the new coronavirus variant, at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 27. Reuters-Yonhap



South Africa complained Saturday that it is being "punished" for detecting a new Covid-19 variant Omicron which the World Health Organization has termed a "variant of concern" and is more transmissible than the dominant Delta strain.



The decision by a number of countries around the world to ban flights from southern Africa following the discovery of the variant "is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker," the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.



"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished," it said.



The ministry pointed out that new variants had been discovered in other parts of the world.






Following the emergence of the B.1.1.529 Covid variant and following the decisions announced by many Governments worldwide, the Republic of Mauritius will suspend all flights from the listed countries with effect from Monday 29th November till Friday 31st December 2021.

All passengers landing in Mauritius from these countries over the coming weekend will be subject to a mandatory PCR test which will be performed at the airport. In addition, they will have to undergo PCR tests on day 7 and day 14 which will be conducted by MOHW. This decision is deemed necessary to protect the safety and security of our citizens, residents and visitors.

Mauritius Covid response has been widely recognised as one of the most effective globally, and a key part of its strategy has been to exercise caution when setting travel policy.

Arvind Bundhun, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, said:

It is with regret that the Government of Mauritius has today taken the decision that all flights from these countries will be suspended from next Monday, 29th November till Friday 31st December 2021. Since the onset of the pandemic, Mauritius has imposed one of the most efficient pandemic responses. Maintaining this approach necessitates that we continue to follow a strict, public health-first approach in our Covid policies, including caution on inbound travel. The Government of Mauritius looks forward to welcoming visitors from these countries as soon as the public health situation improves.

Mauritius remains accessible from all other markets around the world. Since reopening its borders to international travellers on 1st October, after 18 months of closure, the nation has welcomed over 100,000 visitors.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-26 05:00:48|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows facilities of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

by Lyu Tianran, Zhang Gaiping, Li Hualing, Bedah Mengo

CAPE TOWN/KAMPALA/NAIROBI, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- As the world is grappling with climate change in consensus to move to green energy, China-Africa's renewable energy cooperation is bearing fruits. In various parts of Africa, China-Africa cooperation brings in clean electricity to boost power supply.

WIND FARMS UNINTERRUPTEDLY PROVIDE ELECTRICITY

In De Aar, central South Africa, long and white blades on high towers were rotating like fans on top of the mountain.

Companies formed by China's Longyuan Power through its South African subsidiary Longyuan South Africa Renewables (Longyuan SA), which holds 60 percent of shares, and its South African partners including South African renewable energy developer Mulilo Group, a community trust, Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) company installed 163 wind turbines in two phases of the De Aar wind power project, converting wind energy into power. The total investment of the projects stands at 500,000 South African rands (about 31,440 U.S. dollars).

The installed capacity of the project is 244.5 megawatts (MW), which can stably supply clean power of about 760 gigawatt hour (GWh) annually, equivalent to saving more than 200,000 metric tons of standard coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions of 700,000 metric tons.

Since its operation in 2017, the project has been running in good condition and hasn't experienced any interruption, said Sheng Bin, manager of Safety Production and Technology Department of Longyuan SA, who attributed the good operation to Chinese technology and a team of technicians.

The wind turbines manufactured by China Guodian Group use higher configuration among similar types of equipment and Chinese technology for improvement in line with the local conditions of South Africa. The technicians working on the project have been strictly selected to ensure quick resolution of problems, according to Sheng.

Longyuan SA won the tender in 2013 in the Bid Window 3 of Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) Program, which was established by the South African Department of Energy in conjunction with the National Treasury and the Development Bank of Southern Africa at the end of 2010 as one of South African government's urgent interventions to enhance the country's power generation capacity.

Its main objective is to secure private sector investment for the development of new electricity generation capacity, diversifying South Africa's energy mix. It is also designed to contribute to broader national developmental objectives such as job creation and economic transformation primarily through the broadening of economic ownership.

According to Zhao Mingming, director of Longyuan SA, Longyuan actively responds to the South African government's plan of developing renewable energy through bidding for the projects, practically providing South Africa with clean energy and extra electricity capacity.

"I'm really proud of working with the company that is basically in the direction of renewable energy. I see there is a need for it," the project's site manager Regardt van Tonder told Xinhua on the phase one site, stressing that it is necessary to improve on methods of electricity generation.

The 30-year-old also said such project promotes the relationship between the countries, creates jobs and enhances understanding of each other's culture. "There are a lot of positives we can take from this," he said.

Longyuan SA is also praised by different levels of the South African governments for fulfilling social responsibility in South Africa not only in De Aar but also in other parts of the country.

HYDROPOWER PLANT ADDS MEGA CAPACITY WITH GREEN DESIGN

In the midwestern district of Kiryandongo, Uganda, workers from Sinohydro Corporation were busily completing the final stage work of Karuma Hydro Power Plant, along the Nile River.

Karuma Hydro Power Plant, with 85 percent financed by the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) of China, including soft loan, and 15 percent financed by the Ugandan government, will be the largest power-generating installation in the east African country when completed with the capacity of 600 MW.

The plant is expected to generate 4 billion Kilowatt hours of electricity annually and provide over 200 million dollars in revenue to the government, which is close to 1 percent of Uganda's current gross domestic product.

When compared with other conventional energy, hydropower is low-cost and easier to shift peak load, which is conducive to promoting utilization of water resources as well as social and economic benefits, said Li Ji, deputy general manager of the project.

Due to the stable water resources provided by Nile River, the power plant will be able to have a continuous and stable ability of generating and supplying electricity, he said.

Generating and using clean energy is a key area of Uganda's sustainable development and the country is pushing for increased uptake of renewable energy, said Mary Goretti Kitutu, former minister of energy and mineral development. Uganda heavily relies on hydropower generation, and its total generation capacity would reach 2,000 MW once the Karuma Hydropower Plant comes online, according to her.

The 1.7-billion-dollar project had the environment protection fully considered from the design to the actual construction, as it is constructed in an environmentally-sensitive area, the Murchison Falls National Park, which has rich flora and fauna.

A bigger part of the power plant was built underground to limit the footprints on the surface and the structures on the surface have also been designed and constructed in a way to conserve the environment.

The dam includes channels for fish, which allows them to migrate, said Li, adding that the project is fenced to avoid hurting animals during construction while preserving the passage for hippos to find food.

"We hope to promote the development of Uganda, while at the same time protecting the environment of Uganda as much as possible," he said.

KENYA'S PARTNER IN REALIZING POTENTIAL for SOLAR POWER

Official figures showed that the installed capacity of solar power in Kenya is more than 100 MW, while China-financed Garissa Solar accounts for 50 MW.

Located in northern Kenya's Garissa County, it is the largest grid-connected solar power plant in East and Central Africa. The power plant, designed and built by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Co-operation (CJIC) in conjunction with Kenya's Rural Energy Authority (REA), was launched in 2019 and has been connected to the national grid.

According to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Garissa solar plant puts Kenya on the path of achieving green energy sufficiency and adds to Kenya's rich profile as the center of green energy generation in Africa. It is part of a broad government renewable energy strategy to harvest 400 MW of electricity from the country's vast solar resources, he said.

Kenya is rich in solar energy and has a wide prospect of solar energy development.

It is a prudent decision to tap into the region's high solar intensity to support the national grid by constructing the solar plant, said Hannington Gochi, a renewable energy technician at REA.

"With steady power and low cost of electricity, Garissa can invest in industries and businesses," said Gochi. He noted that more households and businesses have connected to the grid in the region, boosting artisans like those with welding workshops.

"I am so proud the project was successfully completed and has state-of-art equipment. We are hopeful it will serve Kenya for the next 25 years," said Zhang Jian, country representative of CJIC in Kenya.

"China has been the leading partner in the continent's desire to switch to solar and wind energy," Kenya-based international relations scholar Cavince Adhere wrote in a commentary earlier this month.

According to Adhere, the forthcoming Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, provides a platform to explore innovative ways, where the long-standing partners can reinvigorate the climate fight. Enditem

Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 13, 2019 shows a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2020 shows a view of the Karuma hydropower project under construction in Kiryandongo district of Uganda. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

Aerial photo taken on July 11, 2020 shows the Karuma hydropower project under construction along the River Nile in Kiryandongo.district of Uganda. (Photo by Jia Junwei/Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 13, 2019 shows a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (C) attends the launching ceremony of a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya, Dec. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Han)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-26 23:42:50|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the construction site of the Headquarters Building Phase I Project of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday marked structural completion of the main building of the China-aided future headquarters of the Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday marked structural completion of the main building of the China-aided future headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Senior officials from the AU Commission and the Africa CDC, representatives of African countries, diplomats from the Chinese mission to the AU and other dignitaries were present at the topping-out ceremony of Africa CDC Headquarters Building Phase I Project in the southern suburb of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.

Amira Elfadil, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, dubbed the landmark project the latest manifestation of the ever-blossoming and long-standing China-Africa ties.

"While celebrating our success in reaching 45 percent of the total project completion within an impressive record of 348 days, the African Union would like to express its sincere appreciation to the government of People's Republic of China for funding of the whole project," the AU Commissioner said. "Special thanks to the Chinese teams and local workers who devoted days and night to crafting this magnificent structure."

The project, featuring modern offices, high-end laboratories and accessories, is being constructed on nine hectares of land with a total building area of 23,570 square meters and is expected to be completed within 25 months.

Liu Yuxi, head of the Chinese Mission to the AU, said the close coordination between Chinese and the AU Commission teams enabled the project to enter into the fast lane of basic construction and only several months to achieve the topping-out of the main structure with high standards.

"The smooth progress of the project perfectly illustrates the friendly and cooperative spirit of brotherhood between China and Africa and will make great contributions to strengthening pandemic prevention and control in Africa," Liu said.

Noting that the Africa CDC future HQ is a vivid manifestation of beneficial and practical work for the African people, Liu stressed that China will proceed to try its utmost to assist African countries in responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and restoring economic and social development.

"China and Africa are close friends, reliable partners and good brothers. As we speak, the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc across the globe. However, it cannot prevent China-Africa cooperation from growing in depth and substance," he added.

The multi-building facility, which is under construction by the Chinese construction giant -- China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) -- is said to be an essential part of the health care initiative adopted at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit, representing an important step toward a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future.

Benjamin Djoudalbaye, head of Policy and Health Diplomacy at the Africa CDC, told Xinhua that the project, which came on the backdrop of the China-aided AU headquarters, will be another landmark embodying the China-Africa partnership.

Africa, which has long been suffering from various infectious diseases, particularly the recurrent Ebola outbreaks and the raging COVID-19 pandemic, is in urgent need to improve its disease control system, in which the timely completion of the future Africa CDC project is expected to inject much-needed momentum.

According to Djoudalbaye, on completion, the facility will enable the AU's specialized healthcare agency to better play its role of coordination, mobilization and emergency management in public health, eventually helping realize Africa's new public health order, with better healthcare delivery across the continent. Enditem

Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the construction site of the Headquarters Building Phase I Project of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday marked structural completion of the main building of the China-aided future headquarters of the Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 01:48:27|Editor: huaxia

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A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Zhongxing-1D satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 27, 2021. The satellite, Zhongxing-1D, was launched at 0:40 a.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Bai Xiaofei/Xinhua)

XICHANG, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- China successfully sent a new satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province Saturday.

The satellite, Zhongxing-1D, was launched at 0:40 a.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.

This launch marked the 399th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets. Enditem

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Zhongxing-1D satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 27, 2021. The satellite, Zhongxing-1D, was launched at 0:40 a.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Bai Xiaofei/Xinhua)

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Zhongxing-1D satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 27, 2021. The satellite, Zhongxing-1D, was launched at 0:40 a.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Bai Xiaofei/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 03:17:36|Editor: huaxia

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (2nd R, front) talks with refugees near the Bruzgi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border, Nov. 26, 2021. (Belta news agency via Xinhua)

MINSK, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Belarus wants to help people in trouble, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday while talking with refugees near the Bruzgi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border.

According to Belta news agency, Lukashenko noted that many refugees have mobile phones and people receive information about what is happening from the internet.

"There are many different signals on your phones. Half of them are fair and honest. And half are not true. And you need, while being here, learn to distinguish between truth and falsehood," the president said.

About 2,000 refugees, mainly from the Middle East, tried to cross the border between Belarus and Poland and enter the European Union in early November. Poland sent troops to the border and prevented refugees from entering its territory. Hundreds of people remain at the border, hoping to enter the European Union and seek asylum. Enditem

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (C) talks with refugees near the Bruzgi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border, Nov. 26, 2021. (Belta news agency via Xinhua)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko talks with refugees near the Bruzgi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border, Nov. 26, 2021. (Belta news agency via Xinhua)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (R, front) talks with refugees near the Bruzgi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border, Nov. 26, 2021. (Belta news agency via Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 05:33:23|Editor: huaxia

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Pedestrians walk by a holiday installation on a street in New York, the United States, Nov. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Global health leaders are urging caution as the holiday season is underway in Western countries, pointing to a 23 percent spike in coronavirus cases across the Americas in the past week, a surge that follows spikes in Europe, which officials warn could be a "window into the future for the Americas," media reported.

NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. health regulators are expected to make public on Friday a staff review about the COVID-19 pill molnupiravir from Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, with an analysis of clinical-trial data for the drug included, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The companies said that the pill reduces the risk of hospitalization and dying in people at high risk of severe COVID-19 infections. The report may also provide the staff's opinion about whether health authorities should clear the drug for use. Britain cleared molnupiravir for use earlier this month.

Molnupiravir, together with another experimental antiviral from Pfizer Inc. which is also under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), promises to fill a big gap in COVID-19 treatment for a pill that people could easily take at home to keep them out of the hospital, according to the report.

CASES UP, INOCULATIONS DOWN

"Coronavirus cases are on the rise nationally, an unwelcome trend after leveling off earlier this fall," reported The Washington Post (WP) on Thursday. On Monday, the White House reported a seven-day daily average of just under 93,000 cases, an 18 percent jump from a week earlier. Hospitalizations rose 6 percent to 5,600 per day.

At least two dozen states have seen cases rise at least 5 percent in the past two weeks, with Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Hampshire and North Dakota each recording per capita jumps of more than 60 percent. Some highly vaccinated states, including Vermont and Massachusetts, were also seeing steep rises in cases.

People wait for COVID-19 tests on Times Square in New York, the United States, Nov. 23, 2021.(Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"The growing caseload across the country has raised the specter of another surge this winter -- what would be the nation's fifth," said the report. Expert opinions vary, but Amber D'Souza, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, was quoted as saying that a surge seems imminent.

Following the initial peak of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among healthcare personnel (HCP) in the U.S. hospital system in early 2021, rates quickly decreased in the second half of the year -- currently, as much as 30 percent of HCP remain unvaccinated, reported Medical News Today, a web-based outlet for medical information and news.

"Data analysis from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Unified Hospital Data Surveillance System from January-September 2021, collected from over 3.3 million HCP across 2,086 hospitals, found that as many as 30 percent of workers were unvaccinated," said the report.

HCP working in children's hospitals had the highest vaccination rates at 77 percent. Critical access hospitals had vaccination rates of 64 percent. Hospitals in metropolitan counties had the highest vaccination rate of 71 percent for HCP, followed by rural counties (65.1 percent), and non-metropolitan rural counties (63.3 percent).

FUTURE WINDOW, IMMINENT MENACE

Global health leaders are urging caution as the holiday season is underway in Western countries, pointing to a 23 percent spike in coronavirus cases across the Americas in the past week, a surge that follows spikes in Europe, which officials warn could be a "window into the future for the Americas," reported WP on Thursday.

Travelers are seen at LaGuardia Airport in New York, the United States, Nov. 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"Time and again, we've seen how the infection dynamics in Europe are mirrored here several weeks later," Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization, said during a Wednesday briefing. "The future is unfolding before us, and it must be a wake-up call for our region because we are even more vulnerable."

On the same day, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about a "false sense of security that vaccines have ended the pandemic and that people who are vaccinated do not need to take any other precautions." "No country or region is out of the woods," he said.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of countries, including Britain, France, Israel, Italy and Singapore, were moving on Friday to restrict travel from South Africa and other countries in the region, a day after South African authorities identified a concerning new coronavirus variant with mutations that one scientist said marked a "big jump in evolution."

"In the past, governments have taken days, weeks or months to issue travel restrictions in response to new variants. This time, restrictions came within hours of South Africa's announcement, and hours before health officials from the country began discussing the variant with the WHO," reported The New York Times on Friday.

The governments of Croatia, Malta, the Netherlands and Japan also announced on Friday that they would impose similar restrictions. Markets were down in Japan in response to the variant's discovery, and officials in Australia and New Zealand said that they were monitoring it closely, according to the report. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 10:00:15|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said.

The brakes on the bus, which was running on a highway and heading to a religious shrine in the state of Mexico from the neighbouring Michaocan state, failed before the bus lost control, Samuel Gutierrez, an emergency management official, told Xinhua.

All of the injured people have been transferred to hospitals, he said, adding that an investigation is underway.

The Red Cross tweeted that it dispatched 10 ambulances to the site, and the search and rescue group Grupo Relampagos sent two helicopters to airlift the injured. Enditem

Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)

People gather at the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico, Nov. 26, 2021. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the site of a bus accident in Joquicingo, Mexico. At least 19 people were killed and around 25 others injured on Friday after their bus crashed into a house in central Mexico due to a brake malfunction, a local official said. (Photo by Fernando Ramirez/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 11:30:15|Editor: huaxia

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People pay tribute to the martyrs at the Police Martyrs Memorial to mark the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, Nov. 26, 2021. On Nov. 26, 2008, militants carried out a series of coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, leaving 166 people dead and over 300 others injured in the four-day siege. (Str/Xinhua)

People pay tribute to the martyrs at the Police Martyrs Memorial to mark the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, Nov. 26, 2021. On Nov. 26, 2008, militants carried out a series of coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, leaving 166 people dead and over 300 others injured in the four-day siege. (Str/Xinhua)

People pay tribute to the martyrs at the Police Martyrs Memorial to mark the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, Nov. 26, 2021. On Nov. 26, 2008, militants carried out a series of coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, leaving 166 people dead and over 300 others injured in the four-day siege. (Str/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 11:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

At a time when the global semiconductor shortage crisis is still festering, an ever overbearing United States will only make the crisis worse by obstructing international cooperation, and damaging mutual trust.



by Xinhua writer Zhang Xin

BEIJING, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- By coercing foreign chipmakers to surrender their crucial business data, Washington has once again shown the world that the "America first" doctrine is still at the core of the country's decision-making, and that Washington is willing to do anything to rule the world supreme.

In September, the United States sent a seemingly voluntary request to get data from leading semiconductor chip manufacturers across the world in the name of boosting the transparency of global supply chains and identify the bottlenecks. However, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also warned that the country would use compulsory measures if the targeted companies failed to hand over data within 45 days. Currently, more than 20 of them have complied.

It is not the first time Washington has abused its state power to bring a country or a company down to its knees, and certainly will not be the last time. Armed with all kinds of tools like long-arm jurisdiction, financial sanctions and diplomatic blackmail, the world's sole superpower has become increasingly arrogant and reckless as it strives to pursue global hegemony.

Washington's purpose in its latest high-handed data grab is clear: to control the global semiconductor supply chains, and maintain its edge in related sectors.

With detailed data on chip inventories, sales, orders as well as customers' information from those leading chipmakers, the United States can look at the global semiconductor industry in an almost God-like view. That also can lend the U.S. companies a leverage over their contenders worldwide.

Washington's acts of banditry have already sparked serious concerns across the world, particularly among businesses in the global semiconductor industry.

Given that the U.S. government has yet to reveal how it would use the data, targeted companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), South Korean firms Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix all said they have excluded sensitive information or data on customers, citing confidential pacts signed between them and their customers.

Photo taken on Nov. 13, 2021 by a fisheye lens shows the logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) displaying on a laptop screen in London, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

"Many chipmakers have concerns about handing over sensitive data that, if leaked to outside parties, could disadvantage their company when negotiating contracts," Japanese media outlet Nikkei Asia said in an article on its website.

Japan was once a victim of similar U.S. coercion. In the late 1980s, Washington saw Japan's booming semiconductor industry as a threat to the United States. It used a slew of measures including trade sanctions to hammer Japanese firms. In the end, Japan lost its semiconductor edge.

Such a U.S. request also set a bad precedent and cast a shadow over the future of the industry.

The sensitive nature of the request "is sending a worrying signal to global semiconductor industry stakeholders, including to other governments that may have an interest in compelling companies to share similar data, perhaps for less worthy purposes," said the Washington-based Information Technology Industry Council ealier this month, whose members include Apple, Intel, Samsung and TSMC.

Photo taken on Nov. 13, 2021 shows the view of the Samsung store on Oxford Street, in London, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

Moreover, the United States' self-serving request will further rattle the world's already-fragile semiconductor supply chain as Washington is acting aggressively to regain its dominance in the industry.

More than three decades ago, America's share of global chip production was 37 percent. Last year, the number went down to only 12 percent. Washington has become quite worried about the sharp decline.

The present semiconductor shortage, which rocked the U.S. auto sector quite hard, has intensified Washington's urgency to reverse the downward trend. Washington has on the one hand lobbied or forced leading chipmakers to set up plants on U.S. soil, for example SK Hynix and TSMC, and on the other hand blocked those companies' similar projects in China and blacklisted Chinese high-tech companies.

At a time when the global semiconductor shortage crisis is still festering, an ever overbearing United States will only make the crisis worse by obstructing international cooperation, and damaging mutual trust.

In an age of unstoppable economic globalization, cooperation is the only way for all countries to navigate today's challenges. If Washington really wants to tackle the industry bottlenecks as it has openly claimed, it should choose cooperation rather than coercion. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 20:09:18|Editor: huaxia

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Amar Aziz holds a wisp of cotton in his mouth in his own cotton field in Gezkum Town of Xayar County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 25, 2021. (Xinjiang/Ma Kai)

URUMQI, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from the cotton industry in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region denounced accusations of "forced labor" in the region at a press conference held on Saturday.

They refuted the fallacies with detailed data, information on the industry, and their own experiences.

Private enterprises in Xinjiang have established a sound mechanism for building harmonious labor relations and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers, said Nurali Yunus, an inspector of the Federation of Industry and Commerce (Chamber of Commerce) of Xinjiang.

Nurali Yunus said there is no "forced labor" or disrespect of ethnic groups' customs and religious beliefs in the region.

Peng Changming, vice president of Xinjiang Cotton Association, said Xinjiang's cotton textile industry provided jobs for nearly 1 million locals. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 21:36:23|Editor: huaxia

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Wang Qun (R), Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, and Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, attend a press conference on the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and related non-proliferation issues in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

The trilateral nuclear submarine deal "endangered the international non-proliferation mechanism and global strategic balance and stability, as well as the post-war international security order," stated Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, and Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna.

VIENNA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Russian envoys expressed their solemn stance against the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia at the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna on Friday.

The board set up a new agenda suggested by China, and for the first time dedicated discussions on the "Transfer of nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons)."

The trilateral nuclear submarine deal "endangered the international non-proliferation mechanism and global strategic balance and stability, as well as the post-war international security order," stated Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, and Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, at a joint press conference after the meeting.

AUKUS nuclear submarine deal intensified regional tensions and increased the risk of an arms race, and "Russia is deeply concerned about this," said Ulyanov.

At present, all U.S. nuclear submarines use weapon-grade highly-enriched uranium. If the trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation is to proceed, Australia will obtain a large amount of weapon-grade nuclear materials, which will seriously impact the international nuclear non-proliferation system, Ulyanov said.

AUKUS not only violates the relevant norms of comprehensive safeguards agreements, but will also have a serious negative impact on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and the construction of nuclear-weapon-free zones, he said.

The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia concealed the progress of nuclear submarine cooperation from the international community, which is extremely non-transparent, Ulyanov stressed, adding that the three must report the relevant situation in a timely manner.

Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, attends a press conference on the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and related non-proliferation issues in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Wang emphasized that in September, after the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the United States and the United Kingdom will assist Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out that the trilateral deal will give rise to "five dangers" and "three risks," affecting non-proliferation regime, regional security and strategic stability, which was widely echoed by the international community.

The three countries draw lines with ideology and create new military blocs, and will exacerbate geographical tensions, said Wang, adding that, at a time when the international community generally opposed the Cold War and division, the United States flagrantly violated its policy of not engaging in a new Cold War, organized an Anglo-Saxon "small circle" and placed its geopolitical interests above international solidarity -- a typical Cold War mentality.

This move will stimulate regional countries to step up their military development, and even seek to break through the nuclear threshold, pushing up the risk of military conflicts, which China firmly opposes, he stressed.

Wang pointed out that AUKUS has huge hidden dangers and serious harm. "From the perspective of non-proliferation, it is a sheer proliferation act."

The key to AUKUS is the transfer of tons of nuclear weapons materials by the two nuclear-weapon states, the United States, the United Kingdom, to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state, which obviously violates the purpose of the NPT, he explained.

So far, the three countries have always avoided this basic fact, and even tried to confuse the public. AUKUS is a big trouble for the IAEA's safeguard arrangements and must be corrected, he said, adding that the international security is threatened unless AUKUS is stopped.

Wang said that the IAEA Board of Governors on Wednesday decided to set up a new agenda item on AUKUS, starting the intergovernmental discussion process, which is the right step towards a proper solution of the issue.

The move fully reflects the serious concerns of the Board Members on the trilateral deal, shows that the matter goes beyond the existing mandate of the IAEA's secretariat, and that member states must jointly explore and seek solutions through an intergovernmental process, he added.

China has already proposed the establishment of a special committee that all member states can participate in, continue to have in-depth discussions on this issue, and submit reports to the Board and conference, Wang said.

Until the parties reach a consensus, the three shall not carry out nuclear submarine-related cooperation, and the agency secretariat shall not negotiate with the three on safeguards arrangements for the trilateral deal, Wang stressed.

The representatives of China and Russia also stated that they will closely follow the relevant trends of the trilateral deal, jointly maintain and continue to promote the relevant intergovernmental process initiated under the institutional framework, and work with all parties to defend the purpose of the NPT with practical actions, maintain the international nuclear non-proliferation system and jointly maintain global strategic stability and international peace and security. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 12:17:27|Editor: huaxia

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TUNIS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between China and African countries, particularly Tunisia, Tunisian politicians and experts have said.

Scheduled for Nov. 29-30, the two-day forum will be held in Senegal's capital of Dakar.

The event is an opportunity for both China and Africa to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, Mohsen Nabti, a member of the Tunisian Popular Current Party and its official spokesperson, told Xinhua on Friday.

"China does not have a colonial past in Africa. It does not interfere in the internal policies of the countries and, better still, does not seek to uproot the peoples of their cultures," said Nabti, noting these factors inspire confidence to build a partnership with China.

African countries, not least Tunisia, should seize the opportunity to "establish an equitable and beneficial partnership that allows them to bet on technology and build productive economies, in addition to benefit from Chinese capacities and potentials in the field of infrastructure as well as its know-how in agriculture and rural development," Nabti said.

China supports Africa in making infrastructure development a priority for economic revitalization, said a white paper released by the Chinese government on Friday.

Titled "China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals," the white paper said during the period from 2016 to 2020, the total investment in infrastructure projects in Africa reached almost 200 billion U.S. dollars.

"Sino-African cooperation has reached unprecedented levels," said Mondher Thabet, a Tunisian political analyst, adding that it will be essential for African countries to cooperate with China on the basis of mutual benefits.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by China remains one of the most relevant global initiatives that will benefit Africa and the Arab region, Thabet added.

According to the white paper, China-Africa cooperation under the BRI has shown resilience and vitality since the outbreak of COVID-19, as more than 1,100 China-Africa joint programs have continued and nearly 100,000 Chinese technicians and workers have remained at their posts during the pandemic.

For his part, Najmeddine Akari, chief editor of the Tunisian newspaper Al-Anwar, said Tunisia "can benefit from Chinese investments, industry and technology by launching common projects based on Tunisian skills and Chinese expertise."

"Tunisia is not a big market for China, but it can be a platform for production and export to the main markets in Africa and Europe, given its strategic geographical location, in addition to the high qualification of its skills in various fields," Akari noted. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 12:44:51|Editor: huaxia

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China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Feb. 10, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Photo by Li Boyuan/Xinhua)

NAIROBI, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives."

Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security.

Three years on, the 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC to be held in Dakar, capital of Senegal, on Monday and Tuesday, is expected to display more cooperation fruits.

FRUITFUL RESULTS

Gambian President Adama Barrow said that it is the rapid development of friendly bilateral relations with China and the guidance of the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC that have enabled The Gambia to complete a number of major national development projects.

Barrow made the remarks when attending the inauguration ceremony of a China-aid construction project of road and bridges in the country's Upper River Region last month.

The project, which successfully completed the "last kilometer" of The Gambia's national highway network, will facilitate the free movement of people, goods, and services in the region and west Africa, improve people's lives, boost economic development, and upgrade public services.

Barrow said his country is committed to deepening relations with China and will further expand practical cooperation with China in trade, investment and culture on the basis of win-win results.

Since the founding of the FOCAC in 2000, Chinese companies have built or upgraded more than 10,000 km of railway and nearly 100,000 km of highway across Africa and created a total of over 4.5 million jobs.

Over the past two decades, China's trade with Africa has increased 20-fold, making China Africa's biggest bilateral trade partner for 12 consecutive years, data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce showed.

In the first nine months of 2021, China's direct investment in Africa hit 2.59 billion U.S. dollars, up 9.9 percent year on year, which outpaced China's overall outbound investment by 3 percentage points and exceeded the pre-pandemic level in the same period in 2019.

PANDEMIC FIGHT

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Jean-Claude Gakosso, minister for foreign affairs of the Republic of the Congo, extended his appreciation for "the promptness that China shows in the distribution of vaccines against COVID-19."

Gakosso hailed China as a country which "has always had a listening ear for its friends," adding that more than 250,000 Congolese have been inoculated with at least one dose of the Sinopharm vaccine.

Since 2020, China has provided ample emergency anti-pandemic supplies -- including 120 batches of nucleic test reagents, protective gear, masks, eye protectors, and ventilators -- to 53 African countries and the African Union (AU), with these emergency supplies reaching almost all areas across the continent.

China has also actively shared its anti-epidemic experience with African countries and dispatched anti-epidemic medical expert groups or short-term anti-epidemic medical teams to 17 African countries to fight COVID-19. It also helps construct the headquarters of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

On Friday, the AU Commission marked structural completion of the main building of the China-aided future headquarters of the Africa CDC.

Amira El Fadil, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, dubbed the landmark project the latest manifestation of the ever-blossoming and long-standing China-Africa ties.

"Africa, which has long been suffering from various infectious diseases, particularly the recurrent Ebola outbreaks and the raging COVID-19 pandemic, is in urgent need to improve its disease control system, in which the timely completion of the future Africa CDC project is expected to inject much-needed momentum," Benjamin Djoudalbaye, head of Policy and Health Diplomacy at the Africa CDC, told Xinhua.

China actively honors its commitment to making vaccines a global public good. By Nov. 12, China had provided over 1.7 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to more than 110 countries and organizations, including 50 African countries and the AU Commission, and is striving to provide a total of 2 billion doses by the end of this year.

NEW PROSPECTS

"China is the African people's old friend, true friend, and good friend," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a regular press conference on Thursday.

"The African people are in the best position to judge the outcomes of China-Africa cooperation. A few days ago I mentioned a report by the African pollster Afrobarometer, which shows that 63 percent of Africans surveyed believe the economic and political influence of China in their country is 'somewhat positive' or 'very positive,'" Zhao said.

Looking ahead, China and Africa are enjoying immense growth potentials in digital economy, new energy, and climate change, among others.

Silas Musyoka, Marketplace Operations manager at Kilimall in Nairobi, Kenya, envisions a brighter future for China-Africa cooperation in the digital economy, saying it will help revamp supply chains, promote unimpeded trade in high-quality products and create additional jobs for the youth.

"More people are buying products online. Many African countries are adopting e-commerce, supply chains are expanding," Musyoka said.

Evans Kiprotich, an employee at Kilimall's technical department, said online buying that gives him convenience and fun has a promising future in Africa.

Recalling his previous study experience at China's Hunan University, Kiprotich, a frequent visitor to Chinese online shopping platforms such as Taobao and Pinduoduo, said that he had acquired invaluable experience with e-commerce while in China, having enjoyed the convenience of e-shopping for trendy clothes and electronics. Enditem

A staff member is seen during the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, on Sept. 26, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

Chinese Medicine doctor Dai Junyou (R) gives a pulse diagnosis to a local patient at Masaka Hospital in Kigali, Rwanda, on Aug. 31, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Ji Li)

A worker pours soaked coffee beans into a barrel at a coffee plantation in Moshi, Tanzania, Nov. 5, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Photo by Cao Jingmin/Xinhua)

Peng Yi (L), dean of the University of Johannesburg-Nanjing Technology University Confucius Institute, gives learning advice to a South African tourist guide attending a mandarin training program offered by the University of Johannesburg-Nanjing Technology University Confucius Institute in Pretoria, South Africa, March 18, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

Artists perform a Kenyan dance during "Chinese Night," a Chinese-Kenyan cultural exchange event, at the Kenya Cultural Center in Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 12, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Trains park on the track at the Mobolaji Johnson Railway Station of the Lagos-Ibadan railway in Lagos, Nigeria, on June 10, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Photo by Emma Houston/Xinhua)

Local technician Herbert Agaba controls a plant protection drone to spray pesticides at a Chinese-run rice farm in Lukaya, Kalungu District in Uganda, June 2, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

A staff member from China's StarTimes prepares to install the satellite television device at Bwerenga village, Wakiso District, Central Region, Uganda, Sept. 10, 2021. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

Photo taken on April 28, 2021 shows the Ethiopian Luban Workshop at Ethiopian Technical University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. China-Africa cooperation is bearing fruits and unleashing huge potential with the high-quality implementation of the "eight major initiatives." Put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, the eight major initiatives cover the fields of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchanges as well as peace and security. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 19:44:20|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River and the fish proliferation and release station of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the construction site of the fishway of main dam in Qianjiang River, which is part of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project, in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Staff members feed fish fry in a fish proliferation and release station of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Staff members feed fish fry in a fish proliferation and release station of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Staff members put a camera in the water to monitor the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River, which is part of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project, in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

A technician works in the fish proliferation and release station of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River and the fish proliferation and release station of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River, which is part of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project,in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Staff members inspect the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River, which is part of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project, in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Workers plant aquatic plants in the fishway of auxiliary dam in Nanmu River, which is part of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project, in Guiping, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2021. The hydropower project is built on the area which is an important fish habitat due to its complex flow conditions. A rare dual fishway design for both the main dam and the auxiliary dam was therefore put forward at the very beginning of the construction, looking like an artificial passageway for migrating fishes. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 22:39:55|Editor: huaxia

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An Egyptian employee of China National Chemical Engineering No.16 Construction Co., Ltd. (CNCEC16) works at the site of a renovation project on the Citystars complex in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

by Mahmoud Fouly, Wu Danni

CAIRO, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- In a chilly November morning in Cairo, a group of Chinese and Egyptian construction workers in helmets and reflective vests were rushing into the famous Citystars complex in the Egyptian capital to start a day's work.

"Although our languages, cultures, architectural expertise and construction technologies are different, the joint project is progressing very smoothly," said Ahmed el-Sherbini, chairman of Egypt's Hexagon Project & Construction Management Consultants, in the office building of the complex.

Sherbini was referring to a joint Egyptian-Chinese project to renovate Cairo's iconic Citystars, a massive complex integrating shopping malls, hotels, apartments and office buildings.

His firm is supervising the renovation project that started in early 2021 and is being carried out by China National Chemical Engineering No.16 Construction Co. Ltd. (CNCEC16).

On the project site, decoration materials and lamps from China were successively put in place by Chinese and Egyptian workers who are carrying out the whole renovation process together.

"The materials purchased from China are of high quality and reasonable price," Sherbini told Xinhua, pointing out that the Chinese materials didn't only reduce the cost but also won the approval of designers.

The Chinese company optimized the design and recommended the building materials with full respect for Egyptian local construction standards and aesthetic requirements, he noted, hailing the smooth cooperation between the two sides.

The project is seen as the embodiment of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Egypt's Vision 2030, both targeting future development.

Qu Peng, director of the international department of CNCEC16, said through the project, the Chinese team seeks to introduce more Chinese understanding of architectural design and advanced technology, and to fuse Chinese construction standards with Egyptian ones for common development under the BRI framework.

"Unlike regular large infrastructure construction projects, the requirements of this project mainly focus on layout design, interior decoration, furniture renovation and others," Qu explained.

This mutual trust between the two sides has borne more fruits, as CNCEC16 is also undertaking an interior finishing project for the Citystars complex in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, which covers a total area of 7.5 square km.

The CNCEC16 team is in charge of the interior decoration of two hotels with 800 rooms and 690 apartments, which is expected to be completed in June 2023.

The prestigious Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh hosted in 2018 the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14) and will host the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in 2022.

"Chinese and Egyptians here learn from each other to strengthen their professional skills and gain a lot of expertise through the project," Zhu Yonglong, manager of the interior decoration project in Citystars Sharm el-Sheikh, told Xinhua.

Zhu explained that the Chinese team has always adopted a compatibility approach in order to integrate the standards of both sides through constant communication and consultation.

For instance, he said, the Egyptian mechanical, electrical and piping techniques feature neat horizontal and vertical layouts but the appearance and structural quality of concrete pouring are relatively rough.

"Hence, the Chinese team approved the operation of the Egyptian side in terms of piping and wiring, and recommended the Chinese construction technology in terms of structural concrete pouring," said the Chinese manager, noting the combination resulted in both beautiful appearance and a streamlined process that significantly reduces cost.

Rania Roumani Anis, 43, has been working in the construction industry for nine years including seven years with a French company.

She joined the CNCEC16's Egyptian branch in April as a translator and an assistant to Zhu.

Rania expressed confidence in her Chinese partners' ability to complete a high-standard project despite the tight schedule.

Besides CNCEC16, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has been advancing in building a massive 20-tower central business district in Egypt's new administrative capital east of Cairo.

"Egypt's booming construction industry welcomes the participation of companies from different countries and cultures," Sherbini noted.

From Egypt's new administrative capital to Citystars Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh, China and Egypt will definitely develop deeper connectivity and cooperation in the construction industry in the future, he told Xinhua. Endiem

Ahmed el-Sherbini, chairman of Egypt's Hexagon Project & Construction Management Consultants, speaks in an interview with Xinhua at his office in the Citystars complex in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Photo shows a seaside view in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Qu Peng (3rd L), director of the international department of China National Chemical Engineering No.16 Construction Co., Ltd. (CNCEC16), checks the company's work on the Citystars complex in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 16:23:26|Editor: huaxia

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FARAH, Afghanistan, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Police in Afghanistan's western Farah province have arrested 11 persons charged with involvement in criminal activities, a police official in the province said on Saturday.

The arrested men, involved in a variety of criminals ranging from armed robbery to car theft, have been detained and investigation has been initiated to locate more culprits, Mawlawi Edris said.

According to the official, a stolen car and four motorbikes have been recovered from the possessions of the arrested and have been handed over to their owners.

The Taliban-led government has vowed to stabilize security and ensure law and order in the war-torn Afghanistan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 18:42:56|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 899 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,831,177.

The Philippines has recorded less than 1,000 cases for four straight days. The DOH also reported that 188 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country's death toll to 48,205.

At a virtual news conference, DOH official Beverly Ho said that there is an ongoing discussion to widen the travel restrictions amid the emergence of coronavirus variant Omicron.

The Philippines banned air travel from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique on Friday to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. The temporary ban stays until Dec. 15.

The Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on Nov. 24. The WHO said the variant "has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 20:11:10|Editor: huaxia

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ZARANJ, Afghanistan, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified armed men gunned down tribal elder Hajji Sayed Ahmad in the western Nimroz province on Friday, a local health official said on Saturday.

Khalid Hotak, head of a private hospital in the provincial capital the Zaranj city, confirmed that Ahmad was shot by two bullets on Friday evening and died on the spot.

He noted that the relatives of Ahmad took his body to the hospital.

The Nimroz provincial government has also confirmed the shooting, saying one person suspected of killing Ahmad has been arrested.

Ahmad's funeral was held on Saturday afternoon.

Similarly, unknown gunmen in the northern Mazar-i-Sharif city killed two former security personnel on Thursday evening. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 22:49:29|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Two soldiers were killed in a check post attack in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said on Saturday.

The terrorists, whose identities were not revealed by the statement released by the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations, targeted the check post in North Waziristan district of the province, located along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The attack triggered off an intense exchange of fire in which the two soldiers were killed and no loss of life at the terrorists' side was mentioned in the statement.

"Search of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found," the statement added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 07:44:37|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A slew of European countries have restricted travel from southern Africa amid concerns over the new COVID-19 variant.

The B.1.1.529 variant, first detected in South Africa, is reportedly more transmissible and has been classified as a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health Organization.

The European Union (EU) said Friday it wants to activate the so-called "emergency brake" to stop air travel from the southern African region to delay the variant spread in Europe.

In line with the EU's recommendation, the Irish government on Friday evening announced new restrictions regarding travel to and from seven southern African countries.

The seven countries, namely Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, are selected based on detection of cases of the new variant or geographical proximity to those countries where cases have been detected, the government said in a statement.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs has changed its travel advisory to "avoid non-essential travel" to these countries, it said.

According to the statement, Irish residents returning home from these countries will be required to undergo strict home quarantine even if they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or have recovered from the disease in the last six months, or have tested negative within 72 hours before their departure.

Italy on Friday also banned the arrival of travelers who have been to the seven southern African states -- same as listed by the Irish government -- within the previous two weeks in reaction to the emergence of the new variant.

Greece announced that travel restrictions are imposed for arrivals from nine African countries -- seven above-mentioned countries plus Zambia and Malawi.

As of Nov.27, travel to Greece from the nine countries is only allowed for essential reasons and by special permit from Greek embassies or embassies which represent Greece in those countries, read an e-mailed press release from the Greek health ministry.

All travelers from those countries, including Greek citizens, will be required to remain in quarantine for 10 days upon arrival and they will also be required to take three COVID-19 tests regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated.

Elsewhere in Europe, Cyprus also joined other EU countries in imposing an entry ban on people traveling from southern Africa, while some countries like Spain are also considering measures to restrict flights from the region. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 15:08:47|Editor: huaxia

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Migrants arrive on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

LONDON, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another.

SAFER ROUTE ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT TRAGEDY

A growing number of illegal immigrants made Channel crossings to Britain recently. The BBC reported that more than 1,000 people had arrived in a single day in November, for the first time, and more than 25,000 people have crossed the Channel so far this year.

As taking an airplane or ferry have become impossible due to strict border controls, small boat crossings have increased, Lucy Mayblin, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Sheffield, told Xinhua in an interview.

"They create a business model for smugglers. And the outcome is a deadly spiral of increasingly dangerous routes being taken, stricter border controls, more deaths, and so the spiral continues," she explained.

Europe and developed countries elsewhere should expand safe routes and also offer alternative routes, such as increased labor migration so they do not have to make long and treacherous journeys, said Jenny Phillimore, professor of Migration and Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham.

"There are 85 million people displaced, and only 14 percent of them go to developed countries, and a tiny proportion attempt to get to the UK," Phillimore said.

Multilateral responses have to involve wealthy states accepting that refugees exist and agreeing to play a serious role in hosting them, said Mayblin, noting that Britain hosts less than 1 percent of the world's refugees.

Currently, she said, rich countries' main contribution is funding for the United Nations (UN) refugee agency to quarantine people in camps in their regions of origin, and spending billions every year on border fences, patrols, pushbacks, deportations, and detention centers.

PUTTING DIGNITY OF IMMIGRANTS AT THE HEART OF SOLUTIONS

Mayblin called on decision makers to put human dignity at the heart of any answer, focusing on securing people's access to basic human rights, including sanitary accommodation, healthcare, free legal advice and others.

"The UK Home Office is advertising 385-million-pound (about 512-million-U.S.-dollar) worth of contracts for border controls in Calais next year alone," she said. "How might this money be spent if human dignity were put at the heart of a plan to develop sustainable responses?"

Phillimore said it is essential to prevent the drivers of migration by reducing global inequality, investing heavily in ensuring sustainability in less developed countries, and in political solutions to conflict.

Experts noted that most people do not actually get very far, with 85 percent of the world's refugees in countries neighboring the one they fled. Often, people travel far because they experience ill treatment or hardship in the countries they travel through, or because they have family in a particular foreign country whom they want to reunite with.

BRITAIN-FRANCE PARTNERSHIP NEEDED

Matthieu Tardis, an expert on migration at France's Institute for International Relations, said Brexit plays a part in the surge of illegal immigrants arriving in Britain as the Dublin Regulation that restricts migrants' movement within the European Union (EU) no longer applies to Britain, which means more job opportunities and more freedom for refugees in Britain than in the EU.

"People want safety, and a better life for their families. The crossing of the English Channel is often the last step in a harrowing journey that can take months of even years," said Phillimore.

However, Britain does not seem keen to receive refugees. The British government announced in July that it will overhaul its asylum system to make it a criminal offense to knowingly arrive in the country without permission. Its home secretary said people should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, and nobody needs to flee France in order to be safe.

The Britain-France row has escalated as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed in a public letter to allow all illegal immigrants who crossed the Channel to be returned to significantly reduce the incentive for people to put their lives in the hands of traffickers.

French President Emmanuel Macron accused Johnson of not being "serious" by making a public call on Twitter. Angered by the British move, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin withdrew an invitation for the British home secretary's presence at talks with other European countries in Calais on Sunday. Enditem

Migrants land on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

(211130) -- DOVER, Nov. 30, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Migrants sit inside a coach as they wait for transportation after their arrival at the Marina in Dover, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

Migrants land on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

(211130) -- DOVER, Nov. 30, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Nov. 29, 2021 shows two Border Force patrol boats moored in Dover Docks in Dover, Britain. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Nov. 27, 2021 shows a view of Dungeness beach and coastline where migrants have previously landed in Dungeness, Britain. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

Migrants walk on a beach after landing in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

Migrants land on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

Migrants wait after landing on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

Migrants wait to get on a coach after landing on a beach in Dungeness, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)

(211130) -- DOVER, Nov. 30, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Migrants sit inside a coach as they wait for transportation after their arrival at the Marina in Dover, Britain on Nov. 24, 2021. Experts have called for a holistic approach to address the illegal immigration crisis after 27 people have drowned in the English Channel, urging safer routes, protecting the dignity of migrants and cooperation between Britain and France instead of accusing one another. (Photo by Steve Finn/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 17:05:26|Editor: huaxia

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MINSK, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Friday met with refugees stranded on the border between Belarus and Poland and called on the European Union (EU) to resolve the migration crisis as soon as possible.

According to BelTA News Agency, Lukashenko arrived at the gathering place of refugees near the Bruzgi border checkpoint. He called on Germany to accept them as soon as possible since German Chancellor Angela Merkel had agreed to the refugee reception plan. Lukashenko also hoped that Poland will allow them to pass because the refugees want to go to Germany.

Lukashenko inspected the logistics center, where the refugees are temporarily staying, and checked their living conditions, food distribution, medical assistance, etc.

He said Belarus will provide a trip to the Minsk airport for refugees wishing to return to Iraq. More than 1,000 people have returned to Iraq.

Thousands of refugees, mostly from the Middle East, are trying to get to Poland, Lithuania and other EU countries from Belarus, in order to eventually obtain asylum in Western Europe.

Countries including Poland have tightened border controls and prevented illegal entry, leaving large numbers of immigrants stuck at the border. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 20:26:43|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- European and other developed countries should expand safe routes of entry to prevent tragedies like the boat sinking that killed 27 migrants earlier this week, a leading British academic has said.

Jenny Phillimore, professor of migration and superdiversity at the University of Birmingham, attributed the deaths of illegal immigrants on the journey from France to Britain to a failure of governments to offer migrants a safer way to take refuge.

Phillimore told Xinhua in an interview that the English Channel tragedy was somewhat inevitable and there would be more tragedies in the future, as desperate migrants are prompted to make such long and often dangerous crossings to avoid persecution and conflict and to a lesser, but growing extent, impact of climate change.

"People want safety, and a better life for their families. The crossing of the English Channel is often the last step in a harrowing journey that can take months of even years," said Phillimore.

"Victims passed through many countries hoping to find refuge in each, but experiencing violence and abuse. So they kept moving in search of safety. Many experienced violence, death threats and witnessed people dying, and had near-death experiences. By the time they reached the English Channel they are hardened to risk and desperate for safety. There are no safe routes, so they do they what they have to, knowing the risks."

"People are not stupid, even though they may know they may die, the alternative being killed or 'living death' is worse," she added.

Many people have managed to escape and leave their homelands, and arrived safely in the European mainland, but still want to head to Britain, which is not one of the top destinations for refugees though.

According to Phillimore, among millions of people displaced, only about 14 percent go to developed countries and "a tiny proportion" attempt to get to Britain.

"The attraction for Britain is because they have family or friends in the country, speak the language, and believe they will be able to work to support their families. Many have had bad experiences within Europe and outside Europe," she said.

Commenting on the possible solutions, Phillimore told Xinhua: "This is a difficult question to answer. There is a need to remove the reasons for migrants being forced to leave home countries."

She said the first answer is to prevent the drivers of migration by reducing global inequality, investing heavily in ensuring sustainability in less developed countries, and in political solutions to conflict.

The next step, she said, is to provide routes to safety for persecuted people so they don't have to make long and treacherous journeys.

"Europe and other developed countries should hugely expand safe routes and also offer alternative routes, such as increased labor migration. We already have a massive labor shortage," she said.

"An important point is that people smugglers only exist because governments of the world have developed a market for them. Take away that market by providing safe routes of escape and entry, and the smugglers no longer have a business model," she added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 13:21:59|Editor: huaxia

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OTTAWA, Nov.26 (Xinhua) -- Canada reported 3,063 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and tightened its border control measures due to a new coronavirus variant in other countries, according to CTV.

Canada announced Friday afternoon that it will ban the entry of all foreigners from southern Africa due to increasing concerns over a new COVID-19 variant named Omicron.

As a precautionary measure, until Jan. 31, 2022, Canada is implementing enhanced border measures for all travelers who have been in the Southern Africa region - including South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia -- within the last 14 days before arriving in Canada.

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people with status under the Indian Act, regardless of their vaccination status or having had a previous history of testing positive for COVID-19, who have been in these countries in the previous 14 days will be subject to enhanced testing, screening, and quarantine measures.

The Canadian government's surveillance data continue to show that daily case counts have been gradually rising with high infection rates persisting in many areas of the country.

Over the latest seven-day period of Nov. 19-25, Canada reported an average of 2,608 new cases, up by 9 percent from the previous week, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday.

As of Thursday, Canada has administered over 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The latest data indicate that close to 79 percent of the total population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and over 75 percent have now benn fully vaccinated. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-27 22:52:54|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- A surge in "smash-and-grab" robberies at luxury stores this week forced the retailers and police in the southern California to increase in security on the Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving that traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the United States.

"We are concerned like everyone across the country knows about the retail business crime," Debra Gunn Downing, executive director of the South Coast Plaza, told Xinhua on Friday.

Monday evening, three to five masked men wearing black clothes and hoodies burst into an upscale restaurant in the mall and told customers to "get down" before running off with a purse and fleeing in a white car.

Local police said at least one of the robbers apparently armed with a gun, and they were searching for the suspects as of Friday.

Also on Monday, at least 18 people broke into a Nordstrom department store in Los Angeles and stole thousands of dollars in merchandise. And Wednesday evening, at least five people attacked another open Nordstrom store in Los Angeles downtown, then ran out with items that included about seven to eight expensive purses.

On Saturday, a mob of about 80 people stormed a Nordstrom department store with weapons in Walnut Creek, 35 km east of San Francisco. Three suspects have been arrested on Wednesday and charged with multiple felonies, including robbery, burglary, organized retail theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property.

These incidents, dubbed "grab-and-go" or "smash-and-go" thefts, usually involve people taking expensive items and running off, rather than traditional shoplifters who snag items here and there while shopping around.

The kind of organized retail crime cost U.S. retail stores and companies as much as 30 billion U.S. dollars a year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In response to a recent increase in organized retail theft activities across the state, California Governor Gavin Newsom directed California Highway Patrol to increase their presence near major retail sites and announced a proposed increase in the 2022 to 2023 state budget to combat retail theft.

Cities where the high-end shopping malls concentrate also have to protect the Black Friday by themselves.

Beverly Hills hired two private security companies with 80 armed guards to bolster patrols this week after Local police have been working 12 hours shifts and are hoping to utilize over 2,000 security cameras watching over the city.

"Our city is taking it serious, we're putting the money into it," Todd Johnson, president and CEO of Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, told local KCAL 9 news channel Friday.

Late Saturday night, a group of robbers attempted to break into luxury stores off Rodeo Drive, a famous shopping street in the Beverly Hills, by smashing the windows with sledgehammers but failed to get into the stores because of the thick protective glass.

At Westfield Century City, an outdoor shopping mall in the Century City commercial district in Los Angeles, uniform officers were seen on foot patrol on Friday, while expandable barriers were ready to be installed.

"We are monitoring the situation with smash-and-grab robberies around the county very closely," said Louis Schillace, a senior general manager at Westfield Century City.

However, the measures did not stop the robberies.

Friday night, a large group of robbers rushed into a luxury store in Beverly Grove, a bustling shopping and dining district in Beverly Hills, and stole several items. This incident prompted Los Angeles police late Friday to issue a citywide tactical alert.

Police said those thieves stormed into the store Friday night and fled with sledgehammers and bolt cutters, which could be used for more "smash-and-grab" robberies. Enditem
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Giving a clarion call to wipe out the AAP and the SAD from the electoral scene in the ensuing Assembly polls, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday said it is now crystal clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amarinder Singh and Badals are hand in glove to barter away the interests of the state, be it agriculture, industry or common man's cause.

Addressing a public rally in Barnala town, Channi asked the people to identify these 'dubious' politicians who are hell bent upon to exploit them emotionally to the hilt.

Chiding AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal for making tall claims to provide financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to every woman above 18 years in the state, if voted to power, Channi dared Kejriwal to come out with facts and figures to how many women he has extended this relief in Delhi.

Likewise, he said people of Punjab are wise enough and they won't be betrayed this time by his false promises as he and his party has been fully exposed on count of non-performance which is evident from the fact that 11 out of 20 AAP MLAs had already shifted their loyalty to other political parties.

Channi also said now NRIs have also realised that it is a party with hollow claims which is remotely concerned with the core issues of state.

He also asked Kejriwal to specify that how many farmers have got the facility of loan waiver or getting free power in agriculture sector in Delhi.

He also blamed Kejriwal for making irresponsible utterances to pursue his vested interests by spreading misinformation about non-implementation of recent pro-people decisions taken by his government.

Countering the false claims of the Delhi Chief Minister, Channi challenged him to tell the people about the prevailing prices of petrol and diesel besides the rates of electricity being supplied to various categories of consumers in his state, which are far more higher than in Punjab.

He pointed out Punjab is the only state across the country where people are getting petrol, diesel and electricity at the cheaper rates.

Training guns at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal, Channi said the father-son duo along with his wife Harsimrat Badal were instrumental in getting the draconian laws enacted at the Centre because SAD eventually laid the foundation of these anti-farmer laws by passing the Contract Farming Act of 2013 in the state Vidhan Sabha of which they cannot wash their hands from the onus to stab in the back of peasantry.
At least 61 new cases of Covid have entered the Netherlands from South Africa, the Dutch health ministry has revealed as fears mount over the spread of the new super mutant variant Omicron, the Daily Mail reported.

Around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport, near Amsterdam, from Johannesburg -- the epicentre for the new strain that experts fear is 40 per cent more vaccine evasive than Delta -- hours after travel bans were put in place.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium on Friday -- despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not southern Africa where the strain emerged, the report said.

And Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases on Saturday. Germany's initial sequencing suggests a traveller from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later on Saturday, the report added.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases on Friday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far.

And Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, one of the Oxford scientists behind the AstraZeneca vaccine, on Saturday expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the variant, the report added.

The US has joined the growing list of countries to close their borders, with President Joe Biden saying the pandemic will not end until global vaccinations are in place. And Australian authorities -- who also banned travel to nine countries in the region -- fear the variant may have already entered the country, the report added.
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On Thursday, November 18, the Council of Ministers held a fruitful consultation meeting with the Committee for Civil Servants Unions (CCSU) and its members of the Windward Island Civil Servants Union (WICSU/PSU), Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU), and Algemene Bond van Overheid en Overige Personeel (ABVO) union as well as a representative of NAPB. The meeting, which was chaired by CCSU Chair Mr. Rafael Boasman, served as an opportunity for the membership to be updated on the Constitutional Courts verdict which confirmed governments position surrounding the three temporary national ordinances and pose their questions concerning this. The three temporary national ordinances were issued by the government on July 1, 2020, to cut the employment benefits of civil servants, (semi) public sector workers and political authorities. This was one of the austerity measures imposed by the government of the Netherlands in exchange for COVID-19 liquidity support.





During the meeting, all parties also aimed to collectively establish the possibilities and effective steps for moving forward. As such, possible actions that the government can take in relation to the implementation of the temporary ordinances which were ratified on November 23rd, with retroactive effect on July 1, 2020, were aptly discussed.





Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs stated, Momentarily, governments financial standing still requires liquidity support for St. Maarten moving forward in order for the monthly obligations to be met. Due to the fact that the government of St. Maarten is complying with the measures, liquidity will continue. However, apart from the cost-cutting measures already taken by government, such as the reduction in mobile data usage, travel expenses and gas bons, we continue to seek and assess ways in which we can eliminate unnecessary expenditures so that public funds are used efficiently rendering the best results possible for the people of St. Maarten.





Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion stated, I look forward to further discussions with the union representatives as well as the reviews of the action points that were established during the meeting. Moving forward, it was agreed that the CCSU membership will meet with the Council of Ministers every six months to receive updates concerning governments financial status in addition to the agreed quarterly meetings. In order to accomplish this, government will implement indicators necessary to determine the countrys financial progress. The CCSU membership will also be able to meet with respective Ministers individually in regard to matters needing to be addressed where the temporary national ordinances are concerned. The most positive outcome of this unique situation is the fact that both parties can come to the table, sit and discuss, CCSU Chair Boasman remarked.
China has taken new steps to strengthen bilateral, multilateral, and regional cooperation by joining trade blocs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), hosting a series of mega trade exhibitions and improving connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

by Parvej Siddique Bhuiyan

Sri Lanka, a South Asian developing country, is confronting challenges of economic vulnerability now a days. A rising trend of trade protectionism with new hidden barriers and de-globalization in the global market are impeding the economic and investment sectors to promote global trade sustainably. In this context, Chinas open door and cooperation policy offers a glimmer of hope for the region's prosperity and development, resuming economic growth at a faster rate. In order to fulfill President Xi Jinping's pledge to turn the Chinese market into a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all, China has taken a number of concrete steps in recent years, including an all-round opening-up strategy that allows foreign enterprises greater access to the domestic market and a foreign investment law that ensures a business-friendly environment. At the same time, China has taken new steps to strengthen bilateral, multilateral, and regional cooperation by joining trade blocs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), hosting a series of mega trade exhibitions and improving connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Of them, China Import and Export Exhibition (Canton Fair), China International Import Expo (CIIE), China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), China-ASEAN expo, China-South Asia expo, Euro-Asia Economic Forum and Trade Cooperation Expo, Inter-textile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, and China Yangling Agricultural High-tech Fair are all key exhibitions that will undoubtedly be of great significance to developing economies like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan. It is expected that participations in these forums would open new avenues of business opportunities and further enhance bilateral relations .

According to China Customs data, Sri Lankas goods export to China grew by 111.2 per cent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2021. Despite the fact that bilateral trade favors China heavily, Sri Lanka has enormous potential that has yet to be realized. It is mentionable that China imported goods worth $2.4 trillion in the 2019-20 fiscal year. In the next ten years, China is expected to import a total of $22 trillion worth of goods. Hence, Chinas Expo platform will provide a great opportunity for Bangladesh to explore the vast Chinese market and expand exports to bridge the bilateral trade gap and increase revenue.

Sri Lanka exports mostly textiles and garments (52% of total exports) and tea (17%). Others include: spices, gems, coconut products, rubber and fish. Though its Main export partners are United States, United Kingdom and Germany, China could be new investment destination. The expos are important ways to learn about Chinese consumer preferences and to tap into vast China market. Participating these expos countries can display and popularize its flagship products and diversify its export destination globally as a large number of buyers, entrepreneurs and companies from Europe, America, Australia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa attend there. For example, the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) could give Sri Lanka trilateral trade expansion opportunity to enter China and ASEAN market which has a combined population of 2 billion people and a GDP of $18.5 trillion.

Participating these expos Sri Lanka can also highlight the investment potential and create confidence in a large number of foreign investors in the Port City and Hambantota Industrial Zone.

In short, the expos offer a platform to understand Chinese people and Chinese market as well as to make new linkage with consumers, companies, experts and different technologies which could lead product specialization and export value added products to China, a market with 1.4 billion people and over 400 million middle-income people. In this regard, China can provide technical assistance in framing policy positions and export-development strategy to help Lankan products to reach the Chinese market.

Like Sri Lanka other South Asian countries, can also use the expos to promote their brands, build new trade image and expand their business opportunities in China and the worldwide market. Along with economic and commercial gains, such platforms would forge stronger cultural cooperation which will with further enhance the bilateral brotherly relations and promote win-win co-operation for common prosperity.
The historical achievements of the CPC over the past century cannot be separated from the support of the international community including Sri Lanka. In the coming year of 2022, China and Sri Lanka will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact.

by Qi Zhenhong

The sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held from November 8th to 11th, has attracted great attention of the whole world. The most important achievement of the meeting was the adoption of the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century. The CPCs endeavors over the past century have produced a profound influence on the course of world history. The Party has led the people in pioneering a uniquely Chinese path to modernization, creating a new model for human advancement, and expanding the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization. Facing changes and pandemic unseen in a century, I believe these valuable historical experiences may provide some enlightenment and reference for countries and political parties around the world including Sri Lanka.

Firstly, upholding the Partys leadership. The strong leadership of the CPC is the fundamental reason why the Chinese people and Chinese nation have been able to transform their fate in modern times and achieved the great success we see today. Both the facts of history and the reality of today prove that without the CPC, there would be no new China and no national rejuvenation.

Secondly, putting the people first. No political consideration is more important than the people; no force is more powerful than justice. The CPC represents the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. It has no special interests of its own, nor has it ever represented the interests of any individual interest group, any power group, or any privileged stratum. This is the fundamental reason why the CPC has maintained its inviolable strength.

Thirdly, advancing theoretical innovation. Marxist theory is not a dogma, but a guide to action; it must develop with the evolution of practice, and only by adapting to the Chinese context can it take root in our country and gain a firm place in Chinese peoples hearts. The fundamental reason why the Party has been able to lead the people to accomplish enormous tasks in the past century, was adapting the basic tenets of Marxism to Chinas specific realities and Chinas fine traditional culture; abiding by the principle that practice is the sole criterion for testing truth; and kept adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times.

Fourthly, staying independent. We must follow our own path

 this is the historical conclusion the CPC has drawn from its endeavors over the past century. The CPC has always followed an independent path as it has pressed forward, stressing reliance on our own efforts to drive the nations development, and maintaining that Chinas affairs must be decided and run by the Chinese people themselves. Throughout human history, no nation or country has ever become strong and prosperous by relying on external forces, indiscriminately copying the models of other countries, or blindly following in others footsteps. Those who have attempted to do so have either suffered inevitable defeat or been reduced to vassals of others.

Fifthly, following the Chinese path. The direction determines the path, and the path determines the future. Throughout its endeavors over the past century, the CPC has always stayed grounded in Chinas conditions and felt out a right path consistent with Chinas realities  the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is a sure path toward the realization of the socialist modernization, a better life for the people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Sixthly, maintaining a global vision. When the path is just, the common good will reign over all under Heaven. The CPC has been cogitating on the future of humanity with a global vision, and has correctly understood and handled Chinas relations with the rest of the world in the context of the general trend of human development, the grand scheme of things amid global changes, and the entire course of Chinese history. It champions opening up over isolation, pursues mutual benefit instead of zero-sum games, and stands up for fairness and justice. This has enabled the Party to stand on the right side of history and the side of human progress.

Seventhly, breaking new ground. Innovation is an inexhaustible source of momentum for the development of a country and a nation. The greater the cause, and the more fraught it is with difficulties and obstacles, the more important it is to work hard and break new ground. The Party has led the people in surmounting all difficulties, searching high and low for a way forward, and pressing ahead with determination. As we have made constant innovations in theory, practice, institutions, culture, and other areas, we have demonstrated the courage to be pioneers and pursue a path hitherto uncharted. No difficulty or obstacle has been able to hold back the advance of the Party and the people.

Eighthly, standing up for ourselves. Having the courage to fight and the mettle to win provides the CPC and the people with inviolable strength. All the achievements we have made did not come from nothing, nor were they given to us by others; they were earned through persistent struggle. The CPC was born amid domestic turmoil and foreign aggression, was tempered through numerous tribulations, and has grown strong by surmounting difficulties. No matter how powerful the enemy, how difficult the journey, or how grave the challenges, the CPC has never lost heart or backed down, and never hesitated to make necessary sacrifices.

Ninthly, promoting the united front. Solidarity is strength. Developing the broadest possible united front provides important assurance for the CPC to defeat the enemy and to govern and rejuvenate the country. The CPC has remained committed to great unity and solidarity, united all forces that can be united, and mobilized all positive factors available in order to promote harmony between different political parties, ethnic groups, religions, social strata, and compatriots at home and abroad. This has allowed us to pool strength to the greatest extent possible for our common goals.

Tenthly, remaining committed to self-reform. Having the courage to reform itself is a hallmark that distinguishes the CPC from other political parties. The spirit of self-reform underpins the CPCs ability to maintain its youthful vigor. The advanced nature of a Marxist party is not a given, but rather cultivated through constant self-reform. The CPC has emerged from one hundred years of vicissitudes with even greater vitality. The secret to this lies in the CPCs commitment to upholding truth and righting errors. The CPC is great not because it never makes mistakes, but because it always owns up to its errors, actively engages in criticism and self-criticism, and has the courage to confront problems and reform itself.

The historical achievements of the CPC over the past century cannot be separated from the support of the international community including Sri Lanka. In the coming year of 2022, China and Sri Lanka will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact. At a new historical starting point, we are willing to share experience in governance and administration with friends from all walks of life in Sri Lanka, deepen practical cooperation, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

The writer is the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka
Fidel represented the oppressed people because An oppressed people are authorized whenever they can to rise and break their fetters as Henry Clay puts it.

by Anwar A. Khan

Fidel Castro died on November 25, 2016 at the age of 90, but Fidel Castro is Fidel Castro and he is his exception only. William Henry Steward says: Revolutions never go backwards and Fidels revolutions naturally went forwards. However, the Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro's 26 of July Movement and its allies against the authoritarian government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. The revolution began in July 1953 and continued sporadically until the rebels finally ousted Batista on 1 January 1959, replacing his government with a revolutionary socialist state.

The 26 of July Movement later reformed along communist lines, becoming the Communist Party in October 1965. His performance was unrivalled and so, he has made history. The Cuban Revolution is a witness to timeless racing traditions. It doesnt just tell time. It tells history with full of courage, deep love and true patriotism for Cuban mass people.

With the revolutionary rebel spirit of the proletariat, Fidel and his co-fighters launched a furious offensive to sweep away reactionary, decadent bourgeois and feudal influences, and all old ideas, culture, customs and habits. This mounting revolutionary storm swept the island of Cuba. It is like as if let Fidel's thought occupy all positions; use it to transform the mental outlook of the whole of society; swept away all ghosts and monsters; brushed aside all stumbling-blocks and resolutely carried the great proletarian revolution through to the end! This is the militant aim of the revolutionary fighters.

Their revolutionary actions everywhere received the enthusiastic support of the revolutionary masses. There had been a new revolutionary atmosphere in the streets after Fidel and his fighters won the Revolution. Drums and gongs had been sounding around Cuba. It was the great Communist Party of Cuba and their great leader Fidel Castro who led his people in winning their emancipation and thus they were brought to a happy life. The broad masses of the country unanimously pledged themselves to give strong backing to the Fidel and his fighters and battled shoulder to shoulder with them to transform the island state of Cuba into a new, highly proletarianised and revolutionised country.

On hearing the death of Fidel, Cuban peoples reactions may be put as under:

Flag-waving Cuban students broke into a mass chant of "I am Fidel" to salute Fidel Castro who dominated the communist island of Cubas political life for generations. "For me, it's my mother first, my children, my father, then Fidel," father-of-five Rafael Urbay, remembering his early years spent on a remote island off the mainland with no drinking water. "We weren't just poor. We were wretched," he said. "Then came Fidel and the revolution. He gave me my humanity. I owe him everything."

Cubans reactions have clearly spelt how popular Fidel was in Cuba as is learnt from various news reports: At Havana University, Castro's alma mater, hundreds of students gathered to wave huge Cuban flags and shout "Viva Fidel and Viva Raul." "Fidel isn't dead because the people are Fidel," shouted a local student leader dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt. "I am Fidel," he continued, a refrain quickly adopted by the crowd. "Fidel put Cuba on the map, and made Cuba a paradigm for the people of the world, especially the poor and the marginalised," said another university student, Raul Alejandro Palmeros.

Castro studied law at the university in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when it was a hotbed of leftist politics, setting him on the path that led to his toppling of Batista in 1959. Despite years of ideological strife and increasing hardship under a US economic embargo, Castro's Cuba became renowned for high education standards and world-class doctors. "What Fidel did with education and free health stands out on the world stage. It was unique," said Rene Perez, a retired accountant and Communist Party member. "It's his main legacy." Giant rallies are planned in Havana's Revolution Square to commemorate him.

Overthrowing Batista government, Fidel and his party took actions to destroy the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of the exploiting classes. They did just the opposite to protect the proletariats. They met head-on every challenge to change the outlook of society and transform education, literature and art, and all other parts of the superstructure that did not correspond to the socialist economic base, so as to facilitate the consolidation and development of the socialist system. The effects of the Cuban Revolution directly or indirectly touched essentially all of Cubas population.

It is a day for reflection for all freedom-loving people for Fidel Castro. A local internet Daily adds: Standing well over 6 feet tall, the bearded Fidel was for years a cigar-chomping bulwark of ideological resistance to the United States, decked out in green military fatigues and cap. "Everyone here is sad. Everyone is a Fidelista," said Anaida Gonzales, a retired nursing professor in central Camaguey province. "People are just going about their business, but sad. Me, I'm very sad for my Comandante, it really took me by surprise."

More reports say Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied US efforts to topple him. The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War. Still, the passing of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" - the commander - or simply "Fidel" leaves a huge void in the country he dominated for so long.

It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership. A Jesuit-educated lawyer, Fidel Castro led the revolution that ousted US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan 1, 1959. Aged 32, he quickly took control of Cuba and sought to transform it into an egalitarian society. Like Victor Hugo, he might have believed: Revolution is the larva of civilization.

The Revolution was a sociopolitical movement that took place in Cuba. Set into motion by Fidel Castro, its stated goal was to preserve true Communist ideology in the country by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Cuban society dictated by oppressive government of Batista, and to impose proletarian thought as the dominant ideology within the country. The Revolution marked Fidel to a position of power after the Great Leap Forward.

Fidel represented the oppressed people because An oppressed people are authorized whenever they can to rise and break their fetters as Henry Clay puts it. His government improved the living conditions of the very poor, achieved health and literacy levels on a par with rich countries and rid Cuba of a powerful Mafia presence. Angry at social conditions and Batista's dictatorship, Fidel Castro launched his revolution on July 26, 1953, with a failed assault on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. "History will absolve me," he declared during his trial for the attack. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was released in 1955 after a pardon that would come back to haunt Batista.

Castro went into exile in Mexico and prepared a small rebel army to fight Batista. It included Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who became his comrade-in-arms. For most Cubans, Fidel Castro has been the ubiquitous figure of their entire life. Many still love him and share his faith in a communist future, and even some who abandoned their political belief still view him with respect.

A towering figure of the 20th century and Cold War icon, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that struggled against colonial rule. "When I found out Fidel had died, I felt such pain. I cried," said 39 years old Badanys Rodriguez. Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro crossed swords with 10 U.S. presidents while in power, and outlasted nine of them. At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor.

The death of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" - the commander - or simply "Fidel" leaves a void in the country he dominated for so long. It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership. Castro also won friends by sending tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to treat the poor and bringing young people from developing countries to train them as physicians. Still, for most Cubans, Castro has been the ubiquitous figure of their lives. Many loves him and share his faith in communism, and even some who abandoned their political belief still respect him. "For everyone in Cuba and outside his death is very sad," said Havana resident Luis Martinez. "It is very painful news."

The broad revolutionary masses gave the heartiest and resolute backing to the revolutionary rebel spirit of the young fighters during the Cuban Revolution. Launching a fierce offensive against all old ideas, culture, customs and habits, Cuban people have pledged never to make or sell such trash. But it is with deep sorrow that we learnt on November 25, 2016 of the death of Cubas longest serving President.

Fidel Castro was a larger-than-life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, he made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation. He is recognised for his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for el Comandante. We offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Castro. We join the people of Cuba in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader. He leaves a national legacy of nearly 100 percent literacy, a health system and life expectancy of 79 years on par with some developed countries, and athletes who are respected around the world.

After leading an armed revolution 65 years ago, Fidel created a socialist state allied with Moscow in direct defiance of Washington. He wanted to free Cuba of U.S. economic domination. In carrying out those objectives, he was inevitably going to clash with the US. At the beginning of the Cuban Revolution, Washington was so anxious to topple Castro that the CIA sponsored many outlandish assassination attempts. Fidels personality cult was based on his long, rambling speeches, which made him famous as one of the great orators of the 20th century.

His discourses were aided by an incredible memory, honed as a law student when he forced himself to depend on his memory by destroying materials he had learned by heart. He could speak for hours without text  his record was nine hours in 1959. As a shy young man, Castro had forced himself to speak in front of a mirror, but as a world leader, he relished addressing crowds as large as one million.

Fidel Castro maintained his image as the eternal guerrillero by keeping his beard, wearing olive-green military fatigues and black combat boots, and traveling in jeeps. To his supporters, he was a romantic figure, an idealist who corrected a litany of evils that afflicted his country and stood up to the hegemony of the United States. They always point out the revolutions successes  literacy and infant mortality rates on a par with rich nations, universal health care and one of the worlds highest ratios of doctors to the population. The World Bank reported that in 2010 Cuba had 6.7 physicians per 1,000 inhabitants, the highest in the world.

Castro was a man of panache, a romantic figure, an ever-defiant, imaginative, and unpredictable rebel, a marvelous actor, a spectacular teacher and preacher of the many credos which he was embodied. Though his personal popularity in Cuba is immense, he is also a much-respected figure to many in the world including Bangladesh.

In 1952, Castro was set to run for a congressional seat when Fulgencio Batista overthrew the government of President Carlos Prio Socarras in a bloodless coup. Batista cancelled the election and quickly won the backing of the United States, which saw him as a bulwark against communism. An irate Fidel saw revolution as the only way to topple Batista. In a Santiago court, Castro gave an impassioned two-hour sermon about Cubas social ills that became the manifesto of the Cuban Revolution and was later referred to as the History Will Absolve Me speech. I know that jail will be as hard as it has ever been for anyone, filled with threats, with vileness, and cowardly brutality, he told the courtroom. But I do not fear this, as I do not fear the fury of the miserable tyrant who snuffed out the life of 70 brothers of mine. Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me!

Castro embarked on radical agrarian reform that put his government on a collision course with the United States. A new law limited land ownership to 966 acres per individual, and sugar, cattle and rice plantations to no larger than 3,300 acres. At the time, some U.S. companies owned as many as 480,000 acres. To show how serious he was about agrarian reform, Castro nationalised his familys own farm. This proves his strong selfless character.

In following years, he supported revolutionary movements in Africa and Latin America, sending hundreds of thousands of troops to Angola and Ethiopia. Che Guevara left Cuba for armed missions in the Congo and Bolivia, where he was executed in 1967 after being captured by the Bolivian army. Cuban internationalism also included thousands of Cuban doctors, nurses and teachers sent to developing nations. Currently, there are an estimated 50,000 Cuban doctors on humanitarian missions in 66 countries.

In 1976, Fidel unveiled a new Constitution that defined Cuba as a socialist state of workers and peasants and the Communist Party as the highest leading force of society. He was named leader for life, with a corollary that it would be unconstitutional to challenge him. In retirement, he wrote a regular opinion column called Reflections that were published by official newspapers and websites.

In 2012, he announced that he was retiring as a columnist as well, although he continued to publish occasionally. In the end, Castro undoubtedly died believing his legacy would outlast him. I am prepared for death 100 percent, he told American filmmaker Oliver Stone in the 2004 documentary Fidel Castro: El Comandante. I have complete confidence that if I die tomorrow my influence will grow  the revolution will not be weakened.

Fidel Castro, the father of communist Cuba who led the country for nearly half a century, died at the age of 90. The former president was expected to be cremated, as he wished. The Cuban government announced nine days of national mourning and culminating with a burial ceremony. In the meantime, a mass gathering was held in the capital. His ashes would embark on a four-day tour of the country retracing the "Caravan of Liberty" he led after ousting his predecessor in 1959.

For 49 years Castro ruled Cuba, transforming what was once an American playground with striking social inequalities into a poor, isolated country with a notorious record on human rights. He was a hero. Through a rigid system of socialised medicine, education and cultural facilities, Castro's government elevated Cuba's most impoverished citizens and reduced the sort of racial inequalities prevalent throughout the Americas. For challenging and insulting U.S. policies and presidents, he won the devotion of like-minded leaders, including the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. In a 2004 speech slamming the U.S. war on terrorism, for example, Castro accused President George W. Bush of hypocrisy and fraud.

His political views were further shaped at the University of Havana, where he studied law. After graduating, he delved deeper into revolutionary politics and ultimately organised the rebellion that would overthrow Batista. Joined by his brother Raul, and the legendary guerrilla fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevarra, Castro succeeded in ousting his predecessor in 1959 after two failed attempts, one of which landed him in prison. Fidel's prolific writing and famously long-winded speeches regularly featured tirades against the U.S. and insistence that Cuba would never change its course: "Socialism or death! Fatherland or death!" was the motto. He demonstrated throughout his life, his willingness to die for his vision and values.

Like the red sun rising in Cuba, the unprecedented great proletarian revolution is illuminating the land with its brilliant rays. Long live the Cuban Revolution armed with Fidel Castros thought! Long live Fidel, Cubans great teacher, great leader, great supreme commander, and great helmsman!

All Cubans joined hands to carry the great revolution to a new and broader and more profound stage under the leadership of Raul Castro. Vertical and horizontal scrolls filled with revolutionary sentiments have now been posted on the doors of many establishments. People now say: We are going to make plenty of revolutionary clothing quickly, and we are going to speedily sweep away all outlandish clothing; and up with the proletariat, down with the bourgeoisie!

Fidel Castro is a towering personality. An iconic figure like him had passed away. He is like another Himalayas. He was the true friend of the have-nots throughout the world. We have lost a great friend of Bangladesh. He didnt care the red eyes of the oppressive Batista government. To him, Antoine Saint-Just was correct when he said: To dare: that is the whole secret of revolutions. And our red salute is to immortal Fidel Castro.

--The End --

The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs.
A lasting solution should include some political administrative devolution, but to all provinces, on the premise that such an exercise is needed to serve the people in provinces better, more effectively and efficiently.





by Raj Gonsalkorale





The local media outfits report that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) have jointly called for a more engaged role by the United States in promoting human rights, accountability, political resolution, and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.









The report went on to state, quote The particular focus of the current engagement was to call for a proactive USG role in promoting a holistic approach to reconciliation, which would include addressing the root cause of conflict and human rights violations, the denial of political rights to the Tamil people. The Delegation emphasised that addressing the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, dignity, and meaningful power devolution is critical in guaranteeing non-recurrence. The challenges faced by the Tamil community on a daily basis to protect their land and preserve their identity in the Tamil majority Northern and Eastern Provinces against rampant militarisation and state sponsored initiatives aimed at altering regional demography was discussed. Details of some of the recent land appropriation measures by the government of Sri Lanka were presented and the urgency to counter such measures with international assistance was sought unquote.





While not arguing that Tami people of Sri Lanka do not have unresolved issues, one needs to be clear about the Tamil people that are represented by the TNA and the GTF. For many Sri Lankans, especially Sinhala and Muslims, Tamils of the country are one community irrespective of where they live, how long ago they arrived in the island, their castes and station in life. If Tamils face any ongoing discriminatory practices in the hands of the majority community, all Tamils face these and not only some. For the Sinhala and Muslim community, some Tamils are not more equal than others.





This does not seem to be the case for the TNA and the GTF. They seem to be the spokes persons for the Tamils in the North and the East, and one wonders whether this partiality extends to those belonging to particular castes as well. It is more than certain that the US government which has promised to support addressing of ongoing problems of the Tamil community, do not have an idea of the complexities associated with what is understood to be as the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.





In an article titled  Which Tamils hopes are fading? Open letter to Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole , published in the Colombo Telegraph on the 4th of March 2019, the writer presented a few challenges to Professor Hoole. Many parts of this article are quoted here due to its relevance to the current topic TNA, GTF articulates Tamil people's concerns; Which segment of the Tamil people?





Quote Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole in an article appearing in the Colombo Telegraph on the 1st of March, poses the question Tamils hopes fading: Every village is Sinhalese? Raghavan sacked? Firstly, it will be useful and important for the good Professor to clarify for all of us who he means when he refers to Tamil hopes are fading. The Tamil population demographics and its composition is very complex and Professor Hoole should inform readers whether he is referring to all Tamils living in the country or whether he is referring to a specific group of Tamils. There are Northern Province Tamils, Eastern Province Tamils, Plantation or up country Tamils, Tamils living in areas outside the above areas who are from all of the above areas, Tamil speaking non Tamils (Islamiyath Thamilar or Tamil Muslims) and so on unquote.





In the same article the writer quoted Dr. S. I. Keethaponcalan, Chair of the Conflict Resolution Department, Salisbury University, Maryland who in an article titled Who Is a Tamil? published in the Colombo Telegraph in December 2016, had stated that in view of the devolution debate in general and devolution to the North-East Provinces in particular, the term Tamil means Sri Lankan Tamils, who live or have roots in the North-East Provinces. He also says that The Sri Lankan Tamils on the other hand, believe that the North-East Provinces are their homeland and they fought for a separate state.

As the writer challenged both gentlemen, it is perhaps opportune to challenge the TNA and the GTF and ask the question whether they unequivocally subscribe to the view expressed by Dr Keethaponcalans that when a reference is made to Tamil hopes are fading, whether in fact the reference is only to the hopes of Sri Lankan Tamils, who live or have roots in the North-East Provinces and who believe the North and East is their homeland. This clarification is important as one needs to know the wants, needs and objectives of the group of Tamils referred to as Sri Lankan Tamils by Dr Keethaponcalan who goes onto state that that in Sri Lanka, a distinction is made between Indian (or plantation or up-country) Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils.





Dr Keethaponcalan also stated that he quote subscribes to the idea that Muslims are not and that they are an independent social group defined by religion. Every social group has the right to define its identify as it deems fit. The Muslims have the right to define who they are. Tamils trying to define the Muslims identity may make them hegemonic. Therefore, Tamil people, do not include the Muslims. The recognition that Muslims are an independent group has the potential to promote Muslim-Tamil reconciliation unquote.





Dr Keethaponcalan mentions that Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan had famously argued that Muslims are Islamiyath Thamilar. This notion created serious rift between the two communities. Muslims believed that Tamils have political motives to label them as Tamils. Many Muslims who write about Muslim-Tamil issues often start their analysis from Ramanathan. The label, Islamiyath Thamilar makes the Muslims a subcategory of Tamil. Hence, the resistance. In this context, it would not be out of place to state that the Tamil speaking Muslim community in the Eastern province cannot be taken as Tamils as the TNA does, when it suits them, to include them to bolster Tamil community numbers in the Eastern province.





The complexity of the composition of Tamils from a Sinhala perspective and how Tamils themselves define their composition is a barrier that has created difficulties in finding a solution to what is generally referred to as the Tamil issue.





The writer, in an article published in the Daily FT  New Constitution: Reinforcing the Tamil homeland theory or solving the Tamil issue? , pointed out that in contemporary Sri Lanka, only two provinces have a Tamil majority. The Northern Province, which has a Tamil population of 93.8% and the Eastern Province, a Tamil population of 39.2%. The statistics quoted in this article are from the Census conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics in 2012. Nationally, 51.5% of all Tamils in the country live in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, while 48.5% live outside these two provinces. In reality, 48.5% of the Tamil population lives as minorities in seven of the nine provinces in the country. In the Eastern Province, the Tamil population is a minority if the Sinhala and Muslim population is combined.





The writer also pointed out that if the intention of a new Constitution, whenever it is formulated, is to devolve power, or some powers, to the provinces and make them more independent (of the centre), and provide avenues for greater self-determination, from a Tamil perspective, their minority status in the seven provinces and in the Eastern Province (when the Sinhala and Muslim populations are combined) will not provide the freedom and the flexibility their brethren will have in the Northern Province. So, in this sense, a class of Tamils who are more equal than others (in the rest of the country) will be created.

If the Tamil issue arose on account of domination and discrimination by the Sinhala majority, then, a new Constitution will not change anything except in the Northern province as the status quo in regard to the majority position will remain elsewhere irrespective of constitutional provisions that prohibit discrimination by race, religion, gender, disability, etc. as already enshrined in the current Constitution.

In respect of the Tamil issue, granting greater devolution of powers to provinces will benefit the Tamils in the Northern Province and to a lesser extent the Tamils in the Eastern Province. Other Tamils will have to work out how best they could share power with the Sinhala community and other communities and work for the betterment of all communities. The question that springs to mind is whether this is in fact what a constitution model should be for the entire country, and what kind of constitutional structure would provide the foundation for a society which accepts and respects the diversity of the country.





If it is to do with a political issue, which is substantially the Tamil homeland issue, it is a highly debateable issue and it is one without any solution as it has no contemporary bearing and only circumstantial information. If as Professor Hoole has argued, the solution is a Tamil homeland in the North and the East, there will not be any hope for the Tamils he is referring to. The question of provincial devolution, both administrative and political, is something that can and should be visited, but, there has to be clarity on the ultimate objective/s and desires of the different groups of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Classifying only some Tamils as Sri Lankan Tamils does not appear to facilitate such a clarification especially to others who are not Sri Lankan Tamils and also to the majority Sinhala community and the Muslim community.





If the TNA and the GTF are of the same view as Professor Hoole and Dr Keethaponcalan as regards what is termed as a solution for the Tamil issue, in that it is to do with carving out a territory comprising of the North and East provinces of the country for Tamils living there or who have roots there, and creating a separate State or a fully autonomous political State, then unfortunately for the Tamils, their solution will only be the beginning of a new problem and not a solution.





A lasting solution should include some political administrative devolution, but to all provinces, on the premise that such an exercise is needed to serve the people in provinces better, more effectively and efficiently. Besides this, Tamil people of all segments within what is identified as Tamils of Sri Lanka should be represented, and should have sufficient power in the National Parliament to ensure justice and fair play for all Tamils and to ensure they are not subjugated by an accidental numerical majority status enjoyed by the Sinhala Buddhist community. A divisive methodology to address Tamil concerns surely cannot be called a solution, and hopefully, the TNA, GTF and other Tamil political parties will accept this at least for the sake of the people they claim they represent.
Ericsson has announced the launch of a graduate programme in Bahrain to give young talent world-class learning and career development opportunities.

The Ericsson Bahrain Graduate Program is focused on nurturing Bahrains technology leaders of tomorrow.

With experts from Ericsson training and supporting young Bahraini talent, the Ericsson Bahrain Graduate Program provides on-the-job, project-based, and online learning in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and advanced technologies within the 5G era and as a contribution to the kingdoms Digital Transformation Journey.

The graduates are gaining valuable work experience, skills and knowledge that assist them in advancing their career including the chance to work on cutting-edge technologies including 5G and Internet of Things (IoT).

Country Manager for Bahrain Ahmed Ben Messaoud said: "The Ericsson Bahrain Graduate Program aims to develop the skills and knowledge of the young and bright graduates while empowering them as technology experts that will lead the Kingdom on its digitalization journey."

"Bahrain is one of the countries at the forefront of telecommunication advancements in the region and this is evident with the caliber of the graduates. We are confident that the program is cultivating leaders and we are looking forward to a bright and technological future for the Kingdom," he stated.

"The young, curious, and innovative graduates are working alongside world-class industry expertise at Ericsson and are supporting the development of projects that are changing the world of communication in Bahrain and the region," he added.

A major global industry player, Ericsson enables communications service providers to capture the full value of connectivity.

Its portfolio spans the business areas Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services and Emerging Business. It is designed to help customers go digital, increase efficiency, and find new revenue streams.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias non-oil exports increased by 38.2% year-on-year in September 2021, rising to SR25.3 billion ($6.74 billion) from SR18.3 billion last year.

Among the exports, plastics and rubber increased by 42.8% to SR2.4 billion and chemical products increased by 31.4% SR1.7 billion. Non-oil exports increased compared to the previous month (August 2021) by SR2.3 billion or 10.1%, an SPA report said.

According to a report submitted by the General Authority for Statistics, overall merchandise exports increased by 77.4% in September 2021 compared to September 2020, when international trade was impacted by Covid-related lockdowns and travel bans in numerous countries.

The value of exports amounted to SR94.7 billion in September 2021, up from SR53.4 billion in September 2020. This increase was mainly from oil exports, which rose by SR34.3 billion or 97.8% in the same period.

The share of oil exports in total exports increased from 65.7% (September 2020) to 73.3% (September 2021). Compared to the previous month (August 2021), total merchandise exports increased by SR5.5 billion or 6.1%.

Merchandise imports increased by 9.2% (SR3.8 billion) in September 2021. The value of imports amounted to SR45.8 billion in September 2021 compared to SR42.0 billion in September 2020. This increase was due to the increase in many sectors, mainly 'machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment' (15.9%), and 'products of the chemical or allied industries' (17.9%). Imports, however, decreased compared to the previous month (August 2021) by SR5.7 billion or 11.0%.

The ratio of non-oil exports to imports increased to 55.2% in September 2021 from 43.6% in September 2020, as a result of a higher increase in non-oil exports (38.2%) than in imports (9.2%) over that period.

China was Saudi Arabias main trading partner for merchandise trade in September 2021 in September 2021. Exports to China amounted to SR15.9 billion (16.8% of total exports), making the country the main destination for exports of Saudi Arabia. India and Japan followed next with SR9.8 billion (10.3% of total exports) and SR9.7 billion (10.2% of total exports), respectively.

South Korea, USA, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, Kenya, and Taiwan were the other countries that ranked among the top 10 destinations. Exports of Saudi Arabia to those 10 countries amounted to SR65.0 billion, accounting for 68.7% of total exports.

The report pointed out that imports from China amounted to SR9.7 billion (21.2% of total imports) in September 2021, making this country the main origin for imports of Saudi Arabia. USA and UAE followed next with imports of SR4.1 billion (9.0% of total imports) and SR3.1 billion (6.8% of total imports), respectively.

India, Germany, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Italy and France were the other countries that ranked in the top 10 countries for imports. Imports of Saudi Arabia from those 10 countries amounted to SR29.0 billion, accounting for 63.3% of total imports.

The report disclosed that SR10.8 billion of imports, corresponding to 23.5% of the total, entered the kingdom from Jeddah Islamic Sea Port in September 2021.

Among the other major ports of entry for the imports were King Abdulaziz Port (20.6%), King Khalid International Airport (12.1%), Bat'ha (6.8%), and King Abdulaziz International Airport (6.3%). These five ports together accounted for 69.3% of the total merchandise imports of the kingdom.-- TradeArabia News Service
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BATON ROUGE, La. - Republican state lawmakers are lining up against a proposal from Louisiana's health department that would require students to get vaccinated against COVID-19  or submit a written dissent  to attend schools, daycares and universities.

The mandate would only apply to age groups that are fully approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to receive the jab, which at the moment, includes those age 16 and up. And parents could easily opt-out of the requirement, without having to provide justification, by signing a simple statement of exemption.

Still, news of the forthcoming rule aroused anger among some GOP state lawmakers, who characterized the proposal as an example of government overreach.

"This is a line in the sand that will not be crossed," House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, a Gonzales Republican, texted lawmakers Saturday.

State Sen. Bodi White, chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, called the proposal an "intimidation tactic" and said if the health department moves forward with the mandate, "we will take action that will severely affect their budget."

The Office of Public Health notified both the Legislature and the public in September that it intended to add the COVID-19 vaccine to its state-mandated immunization schedule. Under Louisiana's rule-making statutes, the health care committees in both the House and Senate can together vote to reject a rule to block its implementation, but unless the governor agrees, the rule will still go into effect.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said in an interview Sunday it would be "absolutely foolish" and "inappropriate, unfortunate and dangerous" to not add the COVID-19 vaccines available with full FDA-approval to the state's immunization schedule.

"Typically, when the FDA gives full licensure or full approval to a vaccine we will add it to the schedule, and thats what were doing here through a formal rule-making process," the Democratic governor said after speaking at a vaccination event for 5-to-11-year-olds at Quarters in Baton Rouge.

Students are already required under state law to be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases before attending public and private K-12 schools, daycares, universities and colleges. The Legislature has delegated responsibility for curating that list to the state health department.

To enter kindergarten, for example, students must be vaccinated against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, chickenpox, hepatitis B, the whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella. Another round of shots is required before entering sixth grade to boost immunity and stave off meningitis.

Still, Louisiana offers broad exemptions from those mandates. A student or guardian can submit a written dissent to opt out of the immunization requirement. Or they can provide a letter from a physician stating that a particular vaccine isnt advised for medical reasons. The state Department of Education even provides a stock exemption form online.

All of the opt-out provisions that are in law around the other vaccines will pertain to this one as well, Edwards said Sunday.

Some lawmakers said that because the COVID-19 vaccines aren't 100% effective at preventing someone from contracting the disease, it doesn't belong on the state's immunization schedule. Senate President Page Cortez, for example, argued that "an immunization, by definition, means you're immune and can't get it."

But Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at Tulane University, said none of the vaccines currently required for school entry meet that standard. However, the vaccines do offer substantial protection, particularly against the most severe outcomes of a disease, she said.

"Vaccination efficacy wanes over time," Hassig added. "They are not lifelong protections. That's just biology."

That's why five-year-olds are expected to receive five doses of the vaccine targeting diphtheria and tetanus before entering kindergarten, among other booster shots.

Eighteen children in Louisiana under the age of 18 have died of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to health department data. And 274 Louisiana children infected with the virus have been diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a rare but serious complication linked to the disease.

Still, White, a Central Republican, said that COVID-19 isn't a "childhood disease," and therefore shouldn't be required for school entry. "Adults get it, everybody can get it," he said.

The health department could adopt the rule as early as January, though it's unclear if it will be enforced before the next schoolyear. Initially, it will only apply to those age 16 and up, and additional age groups will be added as FDA grants full approval.

The House Committee on Health & Welfare scheduled an oversight hearing for Dec. 6 to review the rule as proposed. And Cortez said the Senate will likely hold its own hearing, though a decision hasn't been made.

At the end of the day, I hope that (lawmakers) will decide to be educated on this and cast and informed, responsible vote," Edwards said. "And if they dont, well just work the process all the way through."
El mandatario @PedroCastilloTe, senalo el compromiso de trabajar con mas de 1,800 alcaldes provinciales y distritales del pais "por encima de las orientaciones politicas o ideologicas". Esta medida, la contemplo como una importante salida de la crisis sanitaria y economica. pic.twitter.com/izWBcH986t
El presidente,@PedroCastilloTe, dio inicio a la obra del Hospital Castrovirreyna en Huancavelica. Senalo que el objetivo del gobierno es garantizar la salud, fortaleciendo el sistema hospitalario: no podemos hablar de progreso, sino garantizamos la salud de los peruanos, senalo pic.twitter.com/0CoO3thyd9
"I ask that you not only fight crime; community patrols must also be called to make the budgets which are granted to authorities transparent and that these (budgets) be invested without any rip-offs, without any type of corruption and that the people be told what these (funds) have been spent on and what has been achieved," he expressed.

Likewise, the top official explained that once all farming community patrols are united they can work focused on the nation and join forces with the National Police and Armed Forces "against those scourges that affect the tranquility of the Peruvian people, against vandals who do not let families live in peace; we must put an end to them."

In this sense, Mr. Castillo announced that he currently arranges for the Office of the National Community Patrols of Peru to be set up next to the Presidential Office with the aim of coordinating security-related efforts.

Moreover, he called on citizens to watch out for mafias which are paying "so-called leaders" and social agitators to occupy roads, something which is not necessary when there are spaces for dialogue.

Lastly, the President announced that he will ask Congress of the Republic to request an additional budget so as to solve the huge problem of school and hospital infrastructures in Peru.

Presidente @PedroCastilloTe : Una vez que esten unidas, trabajemos con la Policia contra los flagelos como la delincuencia, los grupos vandalicos que hacen dano a nuestros ninos, tenemos que acabar con ello. pic.twitter.com/AQYmRRIDYt

Presidente @PedroCastilloTe: Llamo a las organizaciones vivas del pueblo, a las rondas campesinas, urbanas, independientes y autonomas para sentarnos a conversar y llevar a cabo la unidad, no en el papel ni en el discurso, sino en una unidad en accion. pic.twitter.com/jqaHp0lgMl
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Friday blamed his predecessor Pyotr Poroshenko for the loss of Donbass, and Ukraines acting prime minister in 2014, Alexander Turchinov, for the loss of Crimea.

November 27, 2021, 10:07 Zelensky blames Ukraines loss of Donbass on Poroshenko

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: "Mr. Turchinov is one of those people who lost Crimea. And Mr. Poroshenko is one of those who lost Donbass. This says it all. It is my own opinion and, I am certain, the opinion of a majority of Ukrainians," Zelensky told a news conference.

One of the journalists recalled that during his election campaign Zelensky criticized Poroshenko for remaining the owner of a confectionery plant in Lipetsk, while the incumbent president was one of the founders of the Kvartal 95 studio, whose video content was shown in Russia.

Zelensky said that such parallels were groundless.
NICOSIA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Cyprus on Friday said it was banning arrivals from a number of African states, including South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, following the detection of a new COVID-19 variant.

The island's Health Ministry said the travel ban applied to persons who had travelled from, or through, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Botswana over the past 14 days.

The ban does not apply to Cypriot, EU nationals, nationals of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or permanent Cyprus residents provided they carry a negative 72 hour PCR test and are tested again upon arrival. They will also have to quarantine in specially-designated hotels for a 10-day period, the Health Ministry said.

No cases of the new variant have been detected on the island, it added.

By late Thursday, Cyprus had recorded 131,951 cases of COVID-19 since its detection on the island in March 2020, and 590 deaths.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas, Editing by Louise Heavens)
The public should prepare for a possible tightening of Covid restrictions in the wake of the new Covid variant first found in southern Africa, a top scientist has warned.

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said new restrictions cannot be ruled out.

On the one hand, I dont want to induce unnecessary anxiety in people, but on the other hand, I think we all need to be ready for the possibility of a change in the restrictions, he told Good Morning Britain.

The scientist was speaking hours before Sajid Javid made a statement to the Commons warning the B.1.1.529 Nu variant could pose a substantial risk to public health.

Mr Javid said early indications suggested the variant could be more transmissible and current vaccines may be less effective.

Professor Finn said: We now need to wait and see just what kind of threat this new variant may pose.

The chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency said it was the most complex and worrying strain detected so far during the pandemic.

Ministers on Thursday night put an effective travel ban on six countries - South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe - as part of a safety first approach.

Passengers who return to the UK from these countries after Sunday at 4am will be forced to pay for hotel quarantine, costing 2,285 for a single person.

Sequencing is being carried out across the UK to determine whether any cases of the variant have already been imported. Mr Javid said by Friday no cases had been found in the UK.

There are a number of things going on now to understand this, to look for it, to trace it, to hopefully stamp it out if it is already here, said Professor Finn.

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The holiday shopping season is expected to bring a wave of buying and a mountain of non-recyclable packaging with it.

The growing trend of sustainability is leading to companies innovating on their packaging to lessen their environmental impact and consumers opting for more eco-friendly shipping materials.

We're spending a tremendous amount of our energy and effort and innovation around sustainable products, sustainable design, sustainable materials, Sal Abbate, CEO of Veritiv Corporation (VRTV), a packaging and publishing company, said on Yahoo Finance Live (video above). And I do think that you'll see a real strong push into those sustainable products and replacing things like Styrofoam and some plastics that are not recyclable.

While polystyrene foam, or styrofoam, is lightweight and convenient for shipping, it can take centuries to biodegrade and can leach chemicals that are possibly toxic to wildlife and humans.

An Amazon delivery worker pulls a delivery cart full of packages during its annual Prime Day promotion in New York City, U.S., June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

A number of states and major cities in the U.S. have implemented full or partial bans of styrofoam including Maryland, Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.

There's definitely a sea change going on, Abbate said. Several years ago, people used to say folks won't pay for sustainable products. I think that those days are gone.

In fact, a McKinsey survey conducted in October 2020 noted that consumers' attitudes toward sustainable packaging had begun to shift during the pandemic. For instance, 60-70% of consumers surveyed said they would pay more for sustainable packaging.

That consumer demand has translated into startups like Grove Collaborative designing household products with minimal packaging and B2B packaging providers like Veritiv investing in developing more sustainable alternatives.

Additionally, reducing the reliance on plastics used for packaging may help lower carbon emissions to fight climate change, given that the plastic industry could account for 20% of the worlds total oil consumption by 2050 if current trends continue, according to the UN.

Story continues

Despite the UN projections, Abbate is optimistic about rolling out more sustainable packaging materials.

Change is "hopefully in the near future and not decades away," he said.



Grace is an assistant editor for Yahoo Finance.

Read the latest news on the climate crisis from Yahoo Finance

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FILE PHOTO: Italian fire brigade works to remove crashed cable car cabin, which left 14 people dead, after it collapsed on May 23, 2021,

NICOSIA (Reuters) - A man has been arrested in Cyprus in connection with the alleged kidnapping of an Israeli boy who was the only survivor of a cable car disaster in Italy in May, police said, after Italian authorities issued an international warrant for him.

Italian prosecutors believe Gabriel Abutbul Alon helped the grandfather of six-year-old Eitan Biran https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-issues-arrest-warrant-grandfather-cableway-disaster-survivor-2021-11-10 to take the boy back to Israel in September without the consent of the paternal aunt he was living with.

The boy's parents, younger brother and 11 other people died in the cable car crash https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/least-eight-dead-italian-cable-car-accident-ansa-2021-05-23 in northern Italy.

Alon and Eitan's grandfather Shmuel Peleg are accused of having driven the boy from Italy to Switzerland, where they chartered a private jet onward to Israel.

"The arrest occurred yesterday in Limassol ... on an Interpol warrant," a Cyprus police source said.

Alon was taken on Friday to a district court, which said it would decide on Monday whether he should remain in custody. A lawyer for Alon could not be immediately reached for comment.

Shmuel Peleg's decision to take the boy to Israel triggered a cross-border custody battle between him and the paternal aunt.

An Israeli tribunal upheld a petition to send him back to Italy, but its top court has halted procedures https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-top-court-halts-return-boy-italy-2021-11-17 as it reviews a request to appeal against the decision.

The prosecutor's office in the Italian city of Pavia was not immediately available to comment.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas, additional reporting and writing by Angelo Amante in Rome, Editing by William Maclean)
Germany's first two cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed in Munich, the Bavarian health minister says.

Omicron, first detected in South Africa in November, has been classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation.

The European Centre for Disease Control has said that the strain could significantly reduce the effectiveness of the available vaccines and increase the risk of reinfection.

The two travellers found to be carrying the strain in Germany had entered the country by plane from South Africa on November 24, Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek said on Saturday.

They had sought out tests for themselves after reading media coverage of the growing concerns surrounding the new strain, Holetschek said.

According to virologist Oliver Keppler, genome sequencing for the cases was still pending, but it had been "proven beyond doubt that it is this variant".

Another suspected case was reported in the state of Hesse on Saturday. That also involves a traveller from South Africa, state social minister Kai Klose said, adding that tests had reveals several mutations typical for this variant.

The Bavarian health ministry urged passengers who arrived from South Africa on the same flight on November 24 to immediately contact their health authorities.

All people who have arrived from South Africa in the past 14 days have been urged to immediately reduce their contact with others, take and a PCR test, while reporting their travel history to officials.

In addition, all persons arriving from parts of southern Africa classified by Germany's national disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, as "areas of variants of concern" must quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

"We must do everything we can to prevent the spread of the new variant in (Bavaria) and in Germany," a state ministry spokeswoman said.
A woman holds an iPhone showing the COVIDCert NI Mobile App (PA) (PA Wire)

The new Covid certification scheme will not be mandatory in unlicensed premises in Northern Ireland at this stage, the Department of Health has said.

The department has confirmed it is to introduce the new regulations in draft form on Monday, but they will require Assembly approval to become operational.

Under the policy, people wishing to gain entry to designated venues will need to demonstrate evidence of Covid-19 vaccination, a negative lateral flow test result or proof of a coronavirus infection within the previous six months.

There will be no enforcement on the regulations, through fines for non-compliance, until December 13.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

The department has confirmed the regulations will only be mandatory in licensed premises to begin with, including venues operating a bring your own alcohol facility.

This means that premises such as coffee shops and cafes will not have to enforce the certification system.

Covid certification will be required at nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and conference halls.

A spokesman said: This phased approach follows feedback during engagement with the retail, hospitality, tourism and events sectors.

The department will continue to work with Executive Covid Taskforce (ECT) colleagues on ongoing engagement with the key sectors.

Earlier, Northern Irelands Economy Minister called for the Stormont Executive to ditch its plan for the certification system.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons has criticised the Covid scheme (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Last week, four of the five Stormont Executive parties voted in favour of the scheme proposed by Health Minister Robin Swann.

DUP ministers voted against it, describing the initiative as a distraction that would have marginal impact.

In a letter to Mr Swann on Friday, seen by the PA news agency, DUP Economy Minister Gordon Lyons branded the proposals ill thought through and in many cases unenforceable.

He said it was neither fair nor reasonable for hospitality outlets to introduce the scheme on Monday when as of Friday morning the regulations putting it into law had yet to be published.

Story continues

In the letter, which was copied to various Stormont officials and the Attorney General Mr Lyon wrote: I think colleagues would agree that the proposal for Covid certifications was brought forward in haste with neither a clear policy intention nor any solid evidence of effectiveness in halting the transmission of the virus.

He added: Whilst the threat of Covid remains very real, interventions from this Executive need to be evidence based, targeted and effective. Sadly the proposals for Covid passports are none of these things

Whilst I acknowledge that it would take an act of political bravery to change our position on Domestic Certification, I would strongly encourage Executive colleagues to do so.

A woman holds a phone showing the COVIDCert NI mobile app (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Lyons said that with every passing hour it became more apparent there was a myriad of issues with the scheme. He said there had been a lack of meaningful engagement with sectors that would have to use it.

He said the announcement of the plan has already had a very real economic impact.

Mr Lyons claimed hotels in the region had been hit with 2 million worth of cancellations in the first two days after the policy was agreed.

He said Christmas parties and other bookings were being cancelled on a worryingly regular basis.

For an industry that had felt singled out during the pandemic, and has borne the brunt of restrictions, this is all hard for them to take, he said.

It is abundantly clear from listening to the hospitality sector that it is neither fair nor reasonable to introduce this policy within a matter of days when as late as this morning no regulations nor details have been shared with them.

He said he was especially concerned about the effect on small restaurants and cafes who not do have enough staff or space to carry out the checks on certs.

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There are fears the potentially dangerous Omicron variant could already be in Australia after a traveller from South Africa tested positive to Covid-19 in the Northern Territory.

Genomic sequencing is urgently underway to determine which strain the passenger, who was on a repatriation flight, is infected with. The heavily mutated strain was discovered in South Africa earlier this month.

The results are expected to be processed by Monday.

The person, who tested positive to Covid-19 after arriving from South Africa, is in Howard Springs quarantine facility. Source: AAP

Health Minister Natasha Fyles told reporters on Saturday the traveller has been in supervised quarantine at the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility, south of Darwin, since arriving in the NT on Thursday.

"So there is a very low risk to the community and we wish that person well," Ms Fyles said.

The passenger, who tested positive on Friday, is one of two new cases recorded in the state. The other is a man in his 50s from Katharine who is a household contact of an existing case.

He has also been housed at Howard Springs during his entire infectious period and is considered a non-risk.

Omicron has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO has warned the new variant may spread more quickly than other strains and poses a much higher risk of reinfection because it has double the number of mutations as the deadly Delta variant.

Cases of Omicron have so far been found in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

The new variant, dubbed Omicron by the World Health Organisation, was first detected in South Africa. Source: Getty Images

Katherine moves out of lockdown

The new infections bring the Katherine Covid cluster to 53 cases in total as the town emerges out of lockdown, which lifted at 12pm on Saturday.

"So anyone that is fully vaccinated in the region is now free to go about their daily business," Ms Fyles said.

"They will need to wear a mask and ... please make sure to check in when you are out and about."

Unvaccinated residents remain subject to lockdown orders until December 7, with the community currently 78 per cent fully immunised.

Katherine moved from lockdown to lockout status after recording only two new cases of Covid-19. Source: AAP

Man escapes quarantine

Story continues

Meanwhile, a man who broke out of quarantine at Howard Springs has been caught at a bar in Darwin.

Police say the 27-year-old, who was on day 13 of his isolation period, scaled the fence before he was picked up by a white ute on Friday night.

He was later found at a licensed venue on Mitchell St and taken back to the quarantine facility, where he returned a negative Covid test result.

Investigations into the ordeal are underway, with officers working to track down the people who helped the man escape.

Ms Fyles said practices at the facility would be reviewed, adding she was "extremely disappointed" at what happened.

With AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
The United States' top diplomat for East Asia will visit Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand after President Joe Biden pledged to step up engagement with Southeast Asia, a key battleground in his contest for influence with China.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, will be in the region from Saturday until December 4, a State Department statement said.

Kritenbrink will "reaffirm the US commitment to work together ... to tackle the most serious global and regional challenges" and stress US support for "a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific," it said.

Washington has repeatedly denounced China's increasingly assertive behaviour in the region as "coercive".

Kritenbrink will discuss human rights "challenges", seek to bolster co-operation on climate change and discuss ways to pressure Myanmar's military government to cease violence and allow unhindered humanitarian access, the statement said.

He will also discuss how to strengthen economic relationships and "build back better" from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden joined leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in a virtual summit last month, the first time in four years Washington had engaged at the top level with the bloc.

He pledged to stand with ASEAN in defending freedom of the seas and democracy, and said Washington would start talks on developing a regional economic framework, something critics say the US's Asia strategy has lacked since his predecessor Donald Trump quit a regional trade pact.

Daniel Russel, a predecessor of Kritenbrink in the Obama administration, said a key question for ASEAN was "whether the United States truly has a viable economic strategy" for the region.

"The pledge to discuss ways to strengthen US economic engagement with ASEAN countries is music to their ears, even if they may be underwhelmed by the 'economic framework' so far," he said.

Kritenbrink's trip announcement stressed the "centrality" of the 10-member ASEAN to regional affairs, but he will not visit the bloc's new chair, Cambodia, which has shifted ever closer to China.
From the start of the debate over criminal justice reform in New York, some people were simply against any substantive change. And with little more evidence than they had two years ago, they continue to oppose it.

Gun violence going up? Blame bail reform  even though its happening in states that didnt enact bail reform, too. A judge lets a defendant loose three times in one day? Blame bail reform and call for more judicial discretion  even though bail reform gave that judge the discretion to hold the defendant after the second arrest. Cant find a substantive issue to run for office on? Blame bail reform.

This wouldnt be so troubling if these weak arguments didnt seem to be gaining traction in a society anxious about shootings and among politicians looking to give the appearance of doing something. Were not talking about hard-line law-and-order types who opposed reform from the outset, or police and district attorneys whose jobs got harder when they could no longer hold over a defendants head long, financially crushing detention before trial to strongarm them into making sometimes false confessions and taking pleas. They were never going to embrace reform.

Were talking about fairly progressive folks like Gov. Kathy Hochul, who last week suggested she might be open to tweaking the reforms, if the Legislature offers a proposal. Her statement  that she wanted to first of all protect public safety but also ensure that we have a system of true justice for all individuals  may have been noncommittal, but it no doubt heartened those who would roll back the reforms to have her open the door.

The debate over bail reform has been rife with disinformation. And yes, we realize that people are concerned about a rise in violent crime. But the real culprits may be found elsewhere in less cut-and-dried explanations  like all the complex stresses of a pandemic that has had a devastating economic and emotional impact on many people, leaving them uncertain where their next paycheck is coming from, or if going to work will kill them, or whether theyll soon be homeless  stresses that have fueled the surge in illicit drug use and overdoses.

Before politicians anxious to appease an uneasy public go grasping for solutions, its essential that they get some facts. Thats what Governor Hochul and the Legislature should be seeking  a thorough, honest, dispassionate study of the effects of criminal justice reform  not quick fixes that may fix nothing at all.

 Albany Times Union

Some New York Republicans have left us scratching our heads with their stance on Gov. Kathy Hochuls planned closure of six state prisons.

Hochuls move streamlines the prison system and saves the state money. Its not easy, as we learned locally earlier this year when the state closed the Gowanda Correctional Facility. Its one more job provider leaving counties that need the higher wage jobs that a correctional facility can provide. But sometimes closing prisons must be done despite the local pain.

Imagine our surprise, then, when Republican Leader Robert Ortt, R-Lockport, took a stance that, frankly, makes no sense for a Republican to take.

Rather than welcome the cost-cutting, Ortt blasted Hochuls decision as a punishment to hard-working corrections officers. The news is bad for corrections workers, but the news would stink for any state department that finds itself being cut.

Ortt was trying to score a political point, but in this instance, what he really did was undermine the Republican Partys arguments against Democrats writing big checks that taxpayers are expected to pay. Ortt just contradicted six months worth of upcoming floor speeches by his members in his rush to excoriate a decision by a Democrat that likely will turn out to be a good one. If those six prisons were fully staffed to run at half capacity, were sure Ortt and his fellow Republicans would be jumping up and down about how Hochul and the Democrats were only keeping the prisons open as a favor to the unions that represent the prison workers.

You cant have your cake and eat it too, Mr. Ortt.

 Dunkirk Evening Observer

Its hard to beat the arrogance of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, who actually admitted back in 2007 that his low-bail policies would someday see a beneficiary go out and kill somebody. Though its guaranteed to happen, he argued, it does not invalidate the overall approach.

Ouch. That has to be cold comfort to the survivors of the Dancing Grannies and others slain in the attack on the Waukesha Christmas parade, including little Jackson Sparks.

Chisholms concession that the $1,000 cash bond given Darrell Brooks just days before Sundays parade carnage was inappropriately low wont help, either.

But his arrogance is rivaled by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Carolyn Maloney and Jamie Raskin, who just wrote the five city district attorneys demanding answers on excessive bail supposedly trapping innocents on Rikers.

The three congressfolk seem unaware that Rikers population is at its lowest in decades (other than after the early releases when COVID hit) thanks to criminal-justice reforms that rule out any chance of jail for most perps, as well as those same DAs refusal to even prosecute many low-level crimes. Only (some of) the truly violent can be given high bail and remanded to Rikers.

As Bob McManus notes, Darrell E. Brooks has become the latest face of Americas deranged campaign against reasonable law enforcement. AOC & Co. should consider that face  and those of his alleged victims  before posturing again. But they wont and never will.

 New York Post
Uncle Sam is in summit mode. First, as a nation with the most COVID-19 cases and deaths and a self-inflicted low vaccination rate, the US hosted a virtue summit last September to discuss such issues as vaccinating the world and saving lives now. Then, last month at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the worlds biggest GHG contributor of all time stole the scene in an attempt to reclaim its frail leadership. Next month, the US will be holding the so-called Summit for Democracy, a culmination of its dramatic year that is defined by COVID-related tragedies, racial injustice, gun violence, and national division at home, brutal and inhumane treatments of asylum-seekers along the border, and implacable misdeeds aimed at inflaming tensions, fomenting unrest, and fostering instability abroad.

Call it what you wantthe emperor of democracy propagating his stainless and invisible clothing of democracy; a 21st-century Salem witch trial filled with name-calling, blackwashing, and smear campaigns; or a Cold War-like faction game where dissimilarity in social systems is deemed as an irreconcilable riftthe Summit for Democracy wont save the US from its democratic new low. Neither will it erase or ease the sufferings and agonies America has inflicted elsewhere in the name of planting its so-called democracy.

If American leaders have anything to address at the democracy summit, maybe they should start from a confession.

For starters, a confession of a crime against humanity. In the shadow of its medical dystopia where the virus, protests and mandates coexist, over three-quarters of a million Americans have been deprived of the right to life, even with overflowing vaccine doses. Amidst a parallel pandemic of gun violence blended with racismin which a teen carrying an automatic gun can kill two and still get acquittedthe rights and liberty of owning lethal weapons rise up, even though innocent people, be they school children or the elderly or international students, can be gunned down anywhere, at any time. If there are causes of death in a democracy, the US governments inaction and counteraction on COVID-19 mitigation and gun control are definitely among them.

The host of the summit might also need to come clean about its heinous and failed attempts in disseminating its brand of democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, to name but a few, at the expense of civilians livesor collateral damage according to what the superpower and its media backers cold-bloodedly call them. This month, a New York Times expose disclosed a horrifying atrocity committed and covered up by the US military, in which a 2019 US military operation in Syria slew at least 70 women and children for no reason. That number, however, is merely a drop in the bloody ocean that US has bombed out of. According to Statista, US airstrikes have killed at least 22,000 civilians since 9/11 in the aforementioned three nations alone. But look what the US has brought to Afghanistan and its peoplea duplicate of American-style democracy? To borrow a metaphor from the Washington Post, if there was a tinge of democracy in Afghanistan, that democracy died in the storm of shots and shells fired by the US.

Moreover, the US should explain what is in the formula of American-style democracy that has allowed US politicians and American media to have so much pride and prejudice so as to make them always stand in a position of strength when criticizing others despite its numerous wrongdoings. Is it something to do with Americas electoral system in which a losing candidate can still blame his defeat on voter fraud and subsequently incite a Capitol riot? Or is it associated with the fact that policymaking can be easily swayed by lobbyists and the rich elite while politicians can only represent half of the population at any one time?

No democracy is perfect or superior. But with a democratic model as flawed as Uncle Sams, it is just unimaginable to witness it step up to the podium to act as the supreme lecturer and guardian of democracy. It is no less ironic than seeing America hosting a COVID-19 virtue summit when its leaders cant even convince many of its own people to get vaccinated or act responsibly to save lives. Summits of all issues, champion of none. Instead of chanting build back better or making its country great again, why hasnt the US always made every effort to pursue goodness for itself and for the world as a whole?


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Mendy Levy dances behind his keyboard in the basement of his home in Cotes-des-Neiges. Three years ago, he escaped the ultra-orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor and came back to Quebec to start a new life. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada - image credit)

Mendy Levy is an enthusiastic 18-year-old Jewish DJ and photographer who loves to play his keyboard and share pictures and videos on social media. But growing up in the ultra-orthodox community of Lev Tahor, none of those activities were allowed.

"The synagogue, the rabbi's house, my own house, there's a lot of memories in each part of this place," Levy told Radio-Canada during a visit to the former Lev Tahor community in Saint-Agathe-des-Monts, Que.  about 100 kilometres north of Montreal.

"Bad memories, mostly," he said. "The abuse we had, the hitting, every single thing that I went through here.

"But I definitely have some good memories of being with my family, my mother," he said.

Submitted by Mendy Levy

Founded by rabbi Shlomo Helbrans in Jerusalem in the 1980s, Lev Tahor came to Canada when Helbrans was granted refugee status in 2003. He had previously served two years in prison in the United States for kidnapping and was deported to Israel.

Helbrans and his community of around 200 followers set up in the Laurentians and stayed there for 10 years. In 2013, the community moved to Chatham-Kent, Ont. in the middle of the night, while under investigation for child neglect by Quebec's Director of Youth Protection (DYP).

The DYP had been watching the sect for several months  information that was made public after Lev Tahor left Quebec.

"Leaders told us to lie to social workers, not to talk to them," Mendy recalls.

"For the parents, [going to Ontario] was a very hard move...but for the kids it was a very happy day," he said. "Because in Lev Tahor we weren't exposed to anything of the outside world. Being able to go out, seeing buses, seeing lights, being outside of the community was the greatest pleasure.

"When I left, I started to figure out things were very wrong."

Going to Guatemala

Despite threats aimed at silencing the children, the DYP said it discovered hygiene problems, poor nutrition, forced marriages of minors and violence  findings that confirmed a denunciation made by a former member of the sect to the Surete du Quebec in 2012.



The accusations have always been denied by Lev Tahor's leaders. After they moved to Ontario, the group's leaders declared several times to media that the DYP interventions were motivated by anti-Semitism.

Story continues

Social workers in Ontario picked up the case where Quebec left off and eventually, the group decided to flee to Guatemala.

Recent reports suggest the community may be trying to move again, after two of its top leaders were convicted of child sexual exploitation and kidnapping in United States federal court.

Good Samaritans

Levy says he was able to escape Lev Tahor and make his way from Guatemala back to Quebec three years ago, thanks to some good Samaritans.

He doesn't want to share all the details of how he got away (one day he hopes to tell his story in a film) but says he had a difficult relationship with the group's leaders. He says he decided to leave because the group wanted to force him to get married at the age of 15.

"In Sainte-Agathe, Lev Tahor wasn't as bad as [it] is right now," he said. "I think it's a shame that the Canadian government let them go to Guatemala."

Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada

Part of the family

Last year, Levy found a new foster home with a Hasidic Jewish family in Cote-des-Neiges, a young couple with two young children that's taken him in as one of their own.

"His father is dead and his mother is still there in Guatemala, in the cult," said Bryndel Gniwish, Levy's foster mom.

"We have a very open relationship, he tells us everything and I know what he's been through, it's hell," she said. "He's safe here at our place, but there are still kids over there who are suffering abuse."

Gniwish says when she first met Levy he didn't know anything about the world outside Lev Tahor. Growing up in the community, boys are only allowed to study religious teachings and are forbidden from receiving a secular education.

Gniwish's husband, Ravi Klein, says Levy has been making up for lost time and is doing well in high school. Levy DJs at Jewish parties and events

"A lot of times I walk in the street and I just look at myself and I'm just like 'Yo, I'm so proud of myself," Levy said with a smile.

"I can't believe I'm actually out. I'm free."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Most enterprises had to embrace The Great Reset when the pandemic hit almost two years ago. But while everyone had to quickly adapt to survive, businesses still have the moral responsibility to do good for the people and the planet.

Globe Business, Globe Telecoms division that helps enterprises shift to digitization, assembled thought leaders in its multi-awarded Leadership Innovation Forum (Lead-In) to talk about the power that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration has on the future of enterprises.

CNN Philippines was privileged to be among the 900 attendees of this years forum with the theme, Bigger Picture, Greater Future: Redefining Success Beyond Business. Here are some of the takeaways from the fireside chat:

Company's progress depends on how well the world is doing

Photo from Globe Business

Microsoft Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa said that enterprises are facing a critical decision on how they should run their global economies and individual corporations in relation to their effects on the climate. He also presented graphs that show that it is not all bleak - there is an unprecedented opportunity to build back in a way that is better for the environment and society. We have to step back and ask ourselves, how should we rebuild our economies (and) how should we restructure our companies moving forward?, he said. Joppa added that digital technologies are at the core of this principle.

SHIFT to renewable energy

Photo from Globe Business

Cesar Romero, President and CEO of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, was brave to answer the call as a fossil company will not be an obvious poster child for ESG practices. But he was enthusiastic to share that the old refinery at their Shell Import Facility - Tabangao (SHIFT) is now 100 percent powered by renewable energy sourced from Shell Energy and 5,220 solar panels. When they had to close down the old refinery due to economic reasons, they took the opportunity to embrace renewable energy.

Base business decisions on shared value

Photo from Globe Business

Shared value refers to solving social problems on a scalable and profitable basis, by leveraging innovation and unique resources. Alfredo Ayala, Managing Director, Member of the Management Committee of Ayala Corporation and Chief Operating Officer of iPeople, Inc. noted that the skills developed in the business process outsourcing industry (BPO) should likewise be done in other industries. This is why they embed the kind of training BPO agents usually get in the schools they manage. Case in point is the National Teachers College, where they develop skills training and use digital solutions as a tool for future educators so they could in turn support not just BPOs but all businesses.

To conclude the program, Globe Business Senior Vice President - Enterprise Group Peter Maquera echoed Ayala's statement, underscoring the importance of shared value to keep the momentum going. Its not just social responsibility or even sustainability, but (its) a new way to achieve economic success, he said.

Globe Business gives back

For its part, Globe Business also made good on their word to initiate ESG practices. Recently, Globe Business donated 500,000 to The Mead Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates environmental conservation and empowering underserved communities.

Globe partnered with The Mead Foundation to implement a sustainable reforestation program in Iba, Zambales in line with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 15 Life on Land. The program is composed of three key components, namely: Reforestation, Food Security, and Sustainable Livelihood Development.

The Mead Foundation thanks Globe for their recognition of and support for our non-profit initiatives focused on conservation of the environment and community development. Whilst the pandemic has presented unique challenges, we have worked diligently to continue our programs as the need remains as great as ever, the organization said.

The Mead Foundation also said that the donation from Globe will be used to support their upcoming Pawikan Project, a conservation initiative to combat sea turtle egg poaching in Zambales. In addition, we will apply the funds towards the ongoing reforestation program we have in Zambales, which has been supported by Globe since 2018. We thank Globe for this recognition and support and look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come!

The foundation works closely with Indigenous communities, namely the Aetas of Zambales, not only to provide support in reforestation of the provinces bare forest areas but also to provide livelihood opportunities to the community members. Engaging the local communities will yield positive environmental, ecological, and social benefits and also make the people aware of their significant role and participation in taking care of the area, the importance of environmental protection, and benefits that can yield from a natural forest area.

Learn how your company can integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices with the use of digital solutions. Visit the Globe Business website now at www.globe.com.ph/business/enterprise.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  With the holidays just around the corner, San Miguel Corporation collaborated with CNN Philippines' "Wholesome Meals, Better Life" to show how to create mixes at home using readily-available ingredients in the kitchen or common Christmas ingredients. Acclaimed mixologist and bartender Tabitha Rice helped whipped these cocktails that remind us that one does not have to go farther from their home to have a safe and great time with loved ones.

Rice shared these three tips, First, find kitchen materials that you can use as an alternative in preparing the drinks. Two, buy spirits of your choice that fits your budget. And finally, just enjoy and go with the flow!

The importance of using special and high-quality ingredients in holiday mixing is evident in her first batch of cocktails: The Rudolphs Boozy Mocha and Jingle Bell on the Rocks made with the world-class GSM Premium Gin, and Santas Sangria made with Antonov Vodka.

The Rudolphs Boozy Mocha, as the name suggests, is inspired by Santas red-nosed reindeer. Right off the bat, youll be welcomed by the sweet mix of coffee and chocolate syrup. Then, theres that smooth aroma from the GSM Premium Gin.

Jingle Bell on the Rocks, meanwhile, features the fruity flavors of cherry berries juice, peach syrup, and lemon soda, also mixed with the high-quality gin that does not hurt your wallet. GSM Premium Gin only costs 171.00 per 750ml bottle and you can easily grab one from convenience stores, supermarkets, or groceries near you.

If you want to enjoy bold flavors on a budget, you can whip Santas Sangria made with Antonov Vodka, a fruity concoction usually served during summertime but could be enjoyed as well during this festive season.

The premium local vodka without the hangover, Antonov Vodkas aroma could easily spark your senses. You can avail Antonov Vodka for only 176 per 700ml bottle from convenience stores, supermarkets, or groceries near you.

These home mixes prove that the holidays are merrier when you have the right drinks in store.

Apart from choosing the best ingredients, Rice also shared her trick of following the 1:2 ratio. This means one portion of liquor or the spirit should be added with two portions of modifiers or mixers to achieve a balanced taste. The mixers refer to the sweet juices, along with the garnish and ice.

A case in point is the Santas Secret Red Drink Made Extra Special with Ginebra San Miguel, where the cooling effect of the candies gives a nice surprise but it is not overpowering because of the balance of the lemon soda. Then, there's that the right kick of Ginebra San Miguel which has been a staple of Filipino families for generations.

The Frozen Mistletoe Made Easy with GSM Blue Light Gin likewise achieves this harmony of tastes. It has that milky yet earthy flavor coming from the matcha while GSM Blue Light Gin makes the aroma smooth and inviting.

The two mixes are best paired with Crispy Lechon Belly. You can enjoy Ginebra San Miguel in different sizes. Ginebra San Miguel Round a.k.a. Bilog 350ml costs 54, Ginebra San Miguel Frasco a.k.a. Kwatro Kantos 700ml for 106.50, Ginebra San Miguel Frasquito 350ml for 55, Ginebra San Miguel Angelito 250ml for 41.50, and Ginebra San Miguel Hari 1L for 147.

For a smooth night with the whole barkada, you can grab your GSM Blue Light Gin 700ml for 104. If youre going solo, you can have the GSM Blue Light Gin 350ml for only 56.50.

These holiday mixes will surely lift your Bagong Tapang spirits and let you have a "Ganadong Pasko" with your family, friends, and loved ones.

Finally, learn how to concoct sweet holiday mixes that are bang for the buck with Primera Light Brandy, a fine-tasting brandy that will lift your Christmas spirits and will turn every moment more special with barkada and your loved ones.

The Quick Primera Eggnog harmonizes the strong aroma of Primera Light Brandy with its milky flavor. There's also the Primera Warm Winter Punch which is a fruity version of a holiday cocktail.

These holiday mixes made with Primera Light Brandy are best enjoyed with Primerafied Lechon Baka (Roasted Beef) with Primerafied Sauce. The recipe of this pulutan also includes Primera Light brandy. The recommended ratio is 1:5  simply add one cup of Primera Light Brandy to four cups of your preferred sauce.

Thats how flexible this brandy is, it also goes well with your recipe! You can get Primera Light Brandy for only 106.50 per 750ml.

After all your hard work the past year, make this season more meaningful by mixing holiday drinks that will uplift your spirit.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 26)  The first of four cases against Bongbong Marcos' presidential bid faces a delay after the Commission on Election's Second Division said it will first resolve two issues tied to the case before making a decision.

Lawyers of the Marcos camp and the group of human rights defenders represented by Atty. Theodore Te faced off in a brief virtual pre-conference Friday afternoon to agree on details of the case, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

However, representatives of Comelec's Electoral Contests Adjudication Department informed the parties that Commissioners Socorro Inting and Antonio Kho, Jr. want to first tackle pending motions covering the petition to cancel Marcos' certificate of candidacy.

First is the motion to intervene filed by a civic group through lawyer Howard Calleja to join as petitioners of the case, as well as the request of Marcos' lawyer Estelito Mendoza for face-to-face hearings.

"'Yung effect ng pending incidents is to push back the time when we will tell them to submit their memoranda," Jimenez told reporters.

"Mukhang matatagalan nang kaunti kasi kailangan pa 'yan disisyunan [It looks like that will be decided a little later because those need to be resolved first]," he added.

The commissioners did not yet order both parties to file their respective memoranda, or their final response to the case. Had it pushed through, the deadline for submission would have been Dec. 1, Jimenez said, which gives the division any time after that deadline to hand down a decision.

RELATED: Resolution on plea to void Marcos' candidacy likely out by December  Comelec

Jimenez added there will be oral arguments on the case "if the division feels there is a need for that," pointing out that physical hearings are hosted by Comelec before as its divisions see fit.

The four pending cases against Marcos' 2022 run are based on his conviction for failure to file his annual income tax returns from 1982 to 1985. Petitioners said violating the Tax Code meant he's banned from holding any government post for life.

There's also a pending request to declare Marcos as a nuisance candidate, another petition to cancel his COC, and a disqualification case. The first two are pending before the Second Division as well.

The division may rule to kick Marcos out of the presidential race or keep him in the running for 2022. The ruling may be appealed before the Comelec en banc by either party and eventually, the Supreme Court. Jimenez did not rule out the possibility of the division coming up with a ruling before the Dec. 15 deadline for the final list of 2022 candidates.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 26)  Teachers facilitating face-to-face sessions still have the responsibility to check on their students who are studying at home, an education official stressed.

Gusto nating bigyan diin na hindi natin bibitawan 'yung remote learning, Department of Education Asec. Malcolm Garma told CNN Philippines Newsroom Ngayon.

[Translation: We want to stress that we are not discontinuing remote learning.]

Yung mga bata hindi naman buong araw na nasa paaralan kaya kasama pa din sa kanilang tungkulin bilang guro nitong mga klase na ito ay tingnan 'yung mga home-based learning pa rin, he added.

[Translation: The students are not in the classrooms all day, which is why it is still part of the teachers duty to oversee those under home-based learning.]

In-person classes, which have been suspended for over a year, reopened on a limited scale this month as restrictions eased due to fewer infections.

Since Nov. 15, about 100 public schools and 18 private institutions have begun their pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in the middle of the pandemic. The public schools include more or less 600 participating students from levels kinder, Grade 1, Grade 2 and senior high school, as well as 1,000 teachers and non-teaching staff.

There have been no detected cases among the students so far although some experienced a few symptoms such as coughs and colds, Garma reported. However, these were ruled out as normal." Garma added that the students felt the symptoms while at home and didnt proceed to class afterwards.

The official also reported that based on the assessment of the first set of pilot classes, the younger students, as expected, could not completely follow health protocols initially.

Siguro sa umpisa di talagang mapigilan ang movement dahil bahagi ito sa proseso ng kanilang pag-aaral, he said.

[Translation: Maybe at first, they couldnt prevent their movement since its part of the learning process.]

DepEds hope is for all students to return to school.

Hindi natin alam magiging sitwasyon natin by next year, said Garma. Pag dating sa disenyo ng progama, 'yan na 'yung pinaghahanda natin na lahat ng paaralan sa buong Pilipinas ay makabalik na ho sa paaralan.

[Translation: We dont know the situation next year. We'll be designing the program to prepare for all school classes in the Philippines to return.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  The Muntinlupa city government says a wall built by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in the middle of the road near two villages in Barangay Poblacion is illegal.

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said in a statement Saturday there is no permit and proper coordination with city and barangay officials on the construction of the wall near Katarungan Village 1 and 2.

"Ang ginawang pagharang ng BuCor sa daan ay hindi lamang pagwawalang bahala sa Lokal na Pamahalaan kung hindi malinaw na kawalang respeto sa karapatan ng mga Muntinlupeno (The move by the BuCor to block the road is not only an outright disregard of the local government but also a lack of respect to the right of Muntinlupenos)," said Fresnedi.

Fresnedi also slammed BuCor for constructing the wall in the middle of the night.

"Pa-traydor na itinayo ang pader sa gitna ng gabi. Ano po ba talaga ang pakay at patagong itinatayo ang mga ito? (It seems treacherous that they built the wall in the middle of the night. What is the real purpose on secretly building the wall?)" Fresnedi added.

Residents of the two villages were surprised on Friday night to see BuCor personnel constructing the wall.

City and barangay officials led by Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon rushed to the area to put a halt into the construction of the wall in the road, which connects the two Katarungan villages and the Muntinlupa National High School.

BuCor officials were reluctant in removing the wall so the residents went on to destroy it on Saturday morning, Fresnedi said.

As of Saturday afternoon, most parts of the wall have already been torn down but the road remains not passable to any kind of motorists due to the debris left in the area.

Fresnedi emphasized they are seeking legal action on the incident after a city resolution was passed on Saturday authorizing him to file applicable cases against BuCor officials.

"Hindi ito unang beses na ginawa ng BuCor. Dumaan tayo sa proseso ng pakikipag-usap sa kanila (This is not the first time that BuCor built a wall in the middle of the road. We went through the right processes to coordinate with them)," the Muntinlupa mayor said.

The Muntinlupa city government also passed resolutions condemning the incident and asking the Senate to investigate in aid of legislation the wall construction in some of the city's village roads.

The local government unit also declared BuCor Director Gerald Bantag as persona non grata in the city and urged President Rodrigo Duterte to overturn the illegal road closures authorized by the prisons chief.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara said his office was not informed of BuCor's plan to construct the wall, as he advised Bantag to stop their activities in the area.

"I have strongly advised DG Bantag to stop what they are currently doing regarding the blocking wall so that proper consultations with the LGU and the communities concerned could first be conducted," Guevarra told CNN Philippines in a text message.

Guevarra also said he has summoned Bantag to a meeting on Monday to discuss the incident.

In a statement released Saturday night, BuCor said it is only performing its mandate of ensuring safety and security in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

It added that Katarungan Village residents have "more than enough" access points in entering and leaving the area, citing the Daang Hari Road and a subdivision road.

"BuCor stands firm on its position on the intensified and continued efforts in performing its mandates," the agency said.

The BuCor also erected a concrete wall on Insular Prison Road last March to separate informal settlers from the premises of the NBP.

Another wall was built by BuCor in June on an access road within the NBP reservation area.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Filipino families always make it a point to celebrate Christmas together every year.

Despite challenges in life, they make sure to have something for their loved ones, especially during this season of giving.

One of the best ways to give the gift of love and warmth of the joyous season is by partaking in delicious dishes together during Noche Buena. As a partner of Filipinos for years, Magnolia Queso de Bola has an advanced gift for those worrying what to serve their loved ones.

A Christmas classic, Queso de Bola Hardinera recipe can make your Noche Buena the merriest of all.

Preparation time  35 minutes

Cooking time  50 minutes + 10 minutes to boil eggs

What you need:

- 2 tbsp cooking oil plus extra for greasing

- 2 cups (300 g) Magnolia Queso de Bola, cubed

- 1 can (165 g) Purefoods Chinese Style Luncheon Meat, cut a  cm layer into 8 strips and then the rest into 1 cm cubes

- 6 pc Magnolia brown eggs, 2 pc boiled and sliced and then 4 pc beaten

- 1 tbsp chopped garlic

- 2 tbsp chopped onions

- 1/2 kg Magnolia Chicken Station breast or thigh fillets, boiled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

- 1/4 cup pickle relish

- 1/4 cup canned pineapple chunks in syrup, drained

- 1 pc red bell pepper, cut into strips

- 1/4 cup banana ketchup

- 1/8 tsp pepper

Procedure:

1. Prepare steamer. Meanwhile, prepare four 4-inch diameter llaneras/molds by lining bottom with banana leaves. Grease sides with oil. Arrange half of cheese, luncheon meat strips and egg slices. Set aside.

2. In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic until lightly browned and then add onions. Saute until tender. Add chicken and cook until color turns white. Add remaining cheese, cubed luncheon meat, pickle relish, pineapples, bell pepper, banana ketchup and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and cool down.

3. Add beaten eggs to meat mixture and divide into llaneras. Level mixture and cover individually with aluminum foil. Steam for 40 minutes. Rest for about 15 minutes. Loosen sides of hardinera from llaneras and invert on a serving plate. Slice before serving.

Recipe makes 2 llaneras or 12 servings.

With this Queso de Bola Hardinera, this years Christmas celebration is surely extra special than ever.

I-share ang saya ng Pasko by putting a twist in your Noche Buena dishes with Magnolia Queso de Bola.

Get your Magnolia Queso de Bola now for 210 (350g) or 295 (500g) at your nearest supermarket or grocery, or The SMC Hub and make Christmas 2021 more memorable than ever!
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 26) Cebu's league of municipal mayors has endorsed presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. in the 2022 elections.

Christina Frasco, president of the League of Municipal Mayors-Cebu, expressed their support for Marcos during the former senator's visit to the Visayas region on Friday.

"In behalf of all the 44 mayors of the province of Cebu, particularly to the mayors of the 5th district, as well as my fellow mayors in the Visayas, for whom I am the national vice president, we hereby express our unequivocal support to you, for your candidacy and we will do everything in our power to ensure an unequivocal victory in the coming elections," said Frasco, who's also the spokesperson of Marcos' running mate  Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Frasco added that there is "no other presidential candidate [who] possesses the competence and experience" that Marcos have, given his previous experiences in holding various public offices that have "prepared him for the most difficult job in our country."

In response, Marcos described the endorsement as a tremendous help for his and his running mate's candidacies.

But on Saturday, Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia said her family and her party One Cebu have not yet endorsed Marcos or any other presidential bet.

Frasco later clarified her statement. "My declaration of support for the presidency of Bongbong Marcos, I said in my capacity as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines - Cebu, whose membership consists of 44 municipalities," she said.

The Liloan town mayor added she respects the process of the One Cebu party  the biggest local party in the province.

"With deference to the leadership of One Cebu, my hope is that the BBM-Sara Uniteam would be given serious consideration," Frasco said.

On Thursday, the political parties of three former presidents teamed up to express their support for the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

Marcos said he is also having discussions with other major political parties to gather more support for next year's elections.

CNN Philippines' Rex Remitio contributed to this report.
(CNN)  The World Health Organization will label the new COVID-19 variant as a "variant of concern."

"There was a meeting today, WHO and the technical working group on virus evolution, and it has been agreed to classify this variant as a 'variant of concern,'" Dr. Mary Stephen, technical officer at the WHO regional Office for Africa, told CNN's Zain Asher.

WHO's Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE), an independent group of experts, convened Friday to discuss the new variant.

The advisers recommended that WHO designate the variant as "of concern," referencing the variant's large number of mutations, possibly an increased risk of reinfection and other evidence.

A statement released by the WHO added that the new strain will be given the name Omicron.

"Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron," the statement said.

The variant was first discovered by South African health authorities and has sparked a forceful reaction across the world with a number of countries banning travelers from several southern African countries.

More updates here.
Cebu (CNN Philippines, November 27) Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia on Saturday said her family and her party One Cebu have not yet endorsed Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. or any presidential bet, saying it is "too early" to make such commitment.

"I know that eventually as a family we will come together and decide. But right now it is just too early," Garcia said in an interview with reporters.

"As you can see in the national scene, things are still so fluid. That is why One Cebu never jumped into the fray while others did, declaring too early their allegiances only to find out that such allegiances became irrelevant. Let us respect the party, and let us respect my family," she added.

Her brother, Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, also noted that the party and its allied mayors have yet to give an endorsement to any candidate.

One Cebu is the biggest local political party in Cebu province. Its members include majority of incumbent officials.

The statements come after Liloan town mayor Christina Frasco  president of Cebu's league of municipal mayors  said they will be backing Marcos in next year's elections.

Frasco, who's also the spokesperson of Marcos' running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, has since clarified her remark.

"My declaration of support for the presidency of Bongbong Marcos, I said in my capacity as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines - Cebu, whose membership consists of 44 municipalities," she said in a statement.

Frasco added that she respects the process of One Cebu, and expressed hope that the Marcos-Duterte tandem be "given serious consideration."

Lessons learned

Governor Garcia, for her part, said the group already learned their lessons in past elections  when they made an early endorsement, but not all of their family and party members were consulted.

"So I must learn from that," Garcia said. "[These] past two years, I have lost two brothers. The other year, I lost my mom or two years ago. This year, I lost our dad. We cannot afford to be divided again."

"It (unified decision) has to be or else we will not choose, I cannot afford the divisiveness, the conflict that happened in 2010 within our own family... As of now, I gave them the freedom to explore their inclinations."

Earlier this week, Marcos and Duterte got a boost after the political parties of three former presidents teamed up to express their support for tandem.

Cebu-based correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this report.
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Two Vietnamese poets are among 58 cultural celebrities and historical events that UNESCO is set to honor next year.

The list was approved at the U.N. agency's General Assembly held from November 9 to 24 in Paris, France, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release Friday.

Ho Xuan Huong will be commemorated during her 250th birth and 200th death anniversaries and Nguyen Dinh Chieu during his 200th birth anniversary.

Ho Xuan Huong (17721822), one of Vietnam's most famous poets and known as The Queen of Nom Poetry, was renowned for her new ideas, unconventional style and simple but evocative use of words.

Besides, her poems exude optimism and promote gender equality and fought for the liberation of women in Vietnam.

Nguyen Dinh Chieu (1822-1888) was not only a great poet but also a cultural celebrity and a researcher in traditional medicine.

His poems convey humanity, encourage patriotism and eulogize people who work for the benefit of the community.

Among his works, the most famous is Luc Van Tien, an ode to moral and traditional values.

Ton Thanh Temple in Long An Province is at the site where Nguyen Dinh Chieu lived in 1859-61. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

"The passing of a resolution to commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Ho Xuan Huong affirms the international appreciation for Vietnam's cultural and educational values," the ministry release said.

UNESCO has also honored President Ho Chi Minh, scholar, politician and strategist Nguyen Trai, poet Nguyen Du, and educator Chu Van An.
Foreigners wait to check in at Da Nang Airport in central Vietnam, March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

Experts are suggesting that the government follows countries in the region and lift mandatory quarantine rule for international passengers as the country prepares to reopen regular flights from next month.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had informed Japanese business leaders that Vietnam plans to reopen international flights early December, including routes to and from Japan, one of Vietnam's biggest feeder tourism markets.

If the plan is implemented, the resumption of regular international flights will take place one month earlier than a proposal by the Ministry of Transport.

The ministry had proposed that international commercial flight are resumed from January to 15 countries and territories with high Covid-19 vaccination rates, including Asian economies like Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.

Under its plan, fully vaccinated passengers would have to undergo a seven-day quarantine at paid facilities upon arrival.

Bui Doan Ne, general secretary of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA), said Vietnam should consider removing the quarantine rule for passengers who have been fully vaccinated in the first phase of reopening regular international flights.

"The seven-day quarantine requirement will prevent international passengers from flying as no one wants to come to Vietnam to stay for a week in a hotel," Ne said.

Vietnam has committed to accepting "vaccine passports" of many countries and territories where the pandemic situation is under control, not imposing centralized quarantine requirement on arrivals from these countries.

It is necessary to apply the same policy for passengers from key markets of aviation and tourism, he argued.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Vietnam currently accepts Covid-19 vaccine passports issued by 72 countries and territories, and is discussing the issue with 80 others. The U.S., the U.K., Japan, and Belarus have accepted Vietnam's vaccine passport.

Nguyen Huy Nga, a former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, said fully vaccinated passengers dont need to undergo a seven-day quarantine on arrival.

Nga said the reopening of international flights is now an urgent issue as other countries around the world have reopened their borders and resumed commercial flights with relaxed quarantine requirements.

For example, Thailand currently exempts mandatory quarantine for foreign tourists with a vaccine passport from over 60 countries and territories, including Vietnam, and only requires them to furnish a negative Covid test result before departure. Foreign tourists arriving in Thailand only stay one night at their hotel. If their PCR tests show a negative PCR result, they can travel freely.

Singapore currently exempts mandatory quarantine for tourists from many Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.

Medical capacity

However, Nga also proposed that the government ensures medical infrastructure and treatment capacity when reopening international flights.

"We should be concerned if foreign passengers are found infected with Covid-19 upon arriving in Vietnam, how we would treat them and how much should be paid for treatment."

Thailand has stipulated that foreign tourists have to furnish medical or travel insurance including coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least $50,000 upon arrival; while Singapore requires insurance of up to $100,000.

Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said aviation authorities will closely monitor Thailand's experience in reopening aviation and tourism.

"In the future, based on practical experience, aviation authorities will propose that government exempts mandatory quarantine for those having received two doses of a Covid vaccine or having recovered from the disease," Cuong said.

Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa and Quang Nam, home to many tourist hotspots, have begun welcoming the first groups of foreign tourists under a trial vaccine passport program since last week.

Dozens of other flights are expected to bring in thousands of foreign tourists to the country by the end of this year.

Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and grounded international flights in March 2020, and has since allowed entry only to Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts, investors and highly-skilled workers.
Top US diplomat for Asia to visit four ASEAN countries

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia will visit Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand from the weekend after President Joe Biden pledged stepped up engagement with Southeast Asia, a key battleground in his contest for influence with China.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, will be in the region from Saturday until Dec. 4, a State Department statement said.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink speaks to the press in Hanoi, Vietnam, September 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Kritenbrink would "reaffirm the U.S. commitment to work together ... to tackle the most serious global and regional challenges" and stress U.S. support for "a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific," it said, a reference to China's increasingly assertive behavior in the region, which Washington has repeatedly denounced as "coercive."

Kritenbrink will discuss human rights "challenges," seek to bolster cooperation on climate change and discuss ways to pressure Myanmar's military government to cease violence and allow unhindered humanitarian access, the statement said.

He will also discuss how to strengthen economic relationships and "build back better" from the Covid-19 pandemic, it said.

Biden joined leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a virtual summit last month, the first time in four years Washington had engaged at the top level with the bloc.

He pledged to stand with ASEAN in defending freedom of the seas and democracy, and said Washington would start talks on developing a regional economic framework, something critics say his Asia strategy has lacked since his predecessor Donald Trump quit a regional trade pact.

An Asian diplomat said regional countries were still awaiting details of this plan, recognizing Biden's focus on rebuilding domestic economic strength was a limiting factor.

Daniel Russel, a predecessor of Kritenbrink in the Obama administration, said a key question for ASEAN was "whether the United States truly has a viable economic strategy" for the region.

"The pledge to discuss ways to strengthen U.S. economic engagement with ASEAN countries is music to their ears, even if they may be underwhelmed by the 'economic framework' so far," he said.

Kritenbrink's trip announcement stressed the "centrality" of the 10-member ASEAN to regional affairs, but he will not visit the bloc's new chair, Cambodia, which has shifted ever closer to China.

The Asian diplomat and Russel said Kritenbrink was likely to visit other ASEAN countries before long and Russel noted Indonesia's capital Jakarta is home to the bloc's permanent headquarters.

"While it is important to discuss the ASEAN agenda with the 2022 chair, visiting ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta will afford him the opportunity to begin that conversation," Russel said.
Public health experts are warning that it is very likely that a new variant, Omicron, could already be circulating in the United States. Like the Delta variant, this new strain has genetic mutations that could make it more transmissible.

The World Health Organization announced Friday that it would classify Omicron as a "Variant of Concern."

What is a Variant of Concern? The World Health Organization describes a Variant of Concern if it 'has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance: increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR

increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR

decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics' Source: World Health Organization

When making the announcement the WHO said that it was updating its classification from Variant of Interest to Variant of Concern because "this variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa."

However, the organization also mentioned that diagnostic tests were still able to pick up the variant. At this point, the US Centers for Disease Control has yet to even list Omnicron within its own variant classifications.

What do we know so far?

Some experts believe that the variant originated in South Africa and have reported that those most impacted by it have been young unvaccinated people. Even those who had been previously infected faced a risk from this new variant. However, the level of infection among those who were vaccinated is unknown.

What countries will be included in President Biden's travel ban? Botswana

Eswatini

Lesotho

Mozambique

Namibia

South Africa

Zimbabwe

The country most impacted by Omicron has been South Africa, which has a relatively low vaccination rate, making it easy for the virus to move through the population at a more rapid pace.

Where is Omicron spreading?

MSNBC has reported that the variant has already been detected in Belgium, Israel, and Hong Kong.

How effective are vaccines?

Pfizer and Moderna are currently conducting studies to answer this question in relation to their own vaccines. On 26 November, MSNBC medical contributor Dr. Vin Gupta said that the information from the two companies should be available in early to mid-December.

What steps is the federal government taking to slow the spread?

On 26 November, President Biden announced that his administration would be implementing a travel ban from seven African countries in light of the news from the World Health Organization. The President described the move as "precautionary," saying it would take effect on 29 November.

Early in the pandemic, Democrats bashed then-President Donald Trump for implementing a travel ban. The fact that the Biden administration is now making the same move, has raised many questions from experts and the media. Many experts believe it is likely the variant is already spreading in the US and question the efficacy of such a move.
Public health experts are warning that it is very likely that a new variant, Omicron, could already be circulating in the United States. Like the Delta variant, this new strain has genetic mutations that could make it more transmissible, as well as potentially being able to avoid vaccines.

The Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on 24 November, and has since been identified in other countries. The organization announced Friday that it would classify Omicron as a "Variant of Concern."

Swiftly, President Biden announced that his administration would be implementing a travel ban from seven African countries in light of the news from the World Health Organization. The President described the move as "precautionary," saying it would take effect on 29 November.

The countries included in the travel ban are:

South Africa,

Botswana,

Zimbabwe,

Namibia,

Lesotho,

Eswatini,

Mozambique,

Malawi.

The risk of the new variant is its multiple mutations, which means vaccines may not be as effective as they were against previous variants. There are risks that it could avoid current vaccines altogether, but pharmaceutical companies say they can edit vaccines, and they would be ready to be rolled out in 100 days.

President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to remove vaccine waivers for poorer nations, allowing them to produce vaccines themselves. Currently, vaccines must be bought from the producers in Europe but they often cost much more. South Africa pays twice as much compared to the EU for the same vaccine, but waivers would significantly lower the cost of production.

What has South Africa said about the travel bans?

South Africa's health ministry has criticized the rush to impose new travel restrictions, calling them "draconian", and contrary to WHO guidance. It says it is being discriminated against by reporting the new variant.

In a statement, South Africa's foreign ministry said, "Excellent science should be applauded and not punished."

The bans are "akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker".

The statement added that the reaction has been much stronger compared to when variants had been discovered in Europe. Furthermore, an African Union official told the BBC developed countries were to blame for the emergence of the variant.

It's a result of the world's failure to vaccinate in an equitable, urgent and speedy manner. It is as a result of hoarding [of vaccines] by high-income countries of the world, and quite frankly it is unacceptable AU vaccine delivery alliance co-chair Ayoade Alakija

The WHO has warned against countries quickly imposing travel restrictions, saying they should look to a "risk-based and scientific approach".
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has led the people in pioneering a uniquely Chinese path to modernization, creating a new model for human advancement, and expanding the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, pointed out the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, a landmark resolution released by the CPC recently.

This has offered a new option for countries and nations who want to accelerate development while preserving their independence, said the resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC.

The important conclusion has profoundly revealed the global significance of the CPCs leading the Chinese people in blazing the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continuously advancing socialist modernization.

Finding a path to national development and revitalization is the shared aspiration of all countries across the globe.

Throughout human history, no nation or country has ever become strong and prosperous by relying on external forces, indiscriminately copying the models of other countries, or blindly following in others footsteps. Those who have attempted to do so have either suffered inevitable defeat or been reduced to vassals of others.

To keep the fate of its development and progress firmly in its own hands, a country must explore a viable path that suits its national conditions and stick to the path no matter what.

The CPC has explored and followed the right path that suits Chinas realities in its century-long history.

Since the countrys reform and opening-up, the CPC has led the Chinese people unswervingly on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, significantly improving Chinas economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, comprehensive national strength as well as its international standing, raising the living standards of the Chinese people from bare subsistence to moderate prosperity in all respects, and creating a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.

Compared with the modernization of western countries, which is like a process of series connection during which industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, and informatization have taken place in sequence, Chinas modernization process is a parallel connection process, during which the country completed development processes that took developed countries several centuries in the space of mere decades, said a scholar.

Because of such significant changes and miraculous progress, todays China is considered the growth pole of global modernization and the largest lab of economic and social reform in the world.

Whether a countrys path of development works is judged, first and foremost, by whether it fits the countrys conditions; whether it follows the development trend of the times; whether it brings about economic growth, social advancement, better livelihoods, and social stability; whether it has the peoples endorsement and support; and whether it contributes to the progressive cause of humanity.

The Chinese people have full confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as they consider it a right and practicable path that conforms to Chinas national conditions and traits and is in line with the development requirements of the times.

Chinas rapid development along the path it has chosen has also shown the rest of the world convincingly that there is no fixed development model and that each country has the right to seek a development path of its own.

The world we live in is diverse and colorful. Diversity makes human civilization what it is and provides a constant source of vitality and driving force for world development.

No civilization is superior to others; every civilization is special and unique to its region. Civilizations can achieve harmony only through communication and can make progress only through harmonization.

While sticking to its own path and maintaining independence and self-reliance, China has remained open-minded and is more than willing to learn from the fine achievements of other civilizations, and has drawn on the valuable experience of other countries.

The great achievements achieved by the CPC in the past century have attracted worldwide attention, and political parties from many countries have expressed wishes to discuss with the CPC about governance and learn from its experience in achieving national development.

China has embarked on a unique development path, increasingly influencing and changing the world, said Francisco Sierra, a professor at the University of Seville, Spain.

Chinas continued and successful development has not only solved the countrys own problems, but provided inspiration for the West to get out of its predicament, noted former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

It is the historical trend of human civilization and progress that countries admire the diversity of cultures and development paths, respect and safeguard the right of people from all countries to independently choose social systems and development paths and learn from each other.

In the future, the CPC will continuously lead the Chinese people in striding along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics courageously, make unremitting efforts to turn China into a modern socialist country by the time the Peoples Republic of China celebrates its centenary in 2049 and realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and make even more outstanding contributions to human civilization.
Profits of China's major industrial firms maintained sound growth momentum in the first 10 months of the year as industrial production continued to recover and business operations continued improvements, official data showed Saturday.

Industrial firms with annual business revenues of at least 20 million yuan (about 3.1 billion U.S. dollars) saw their combined profits soaring 42.2 percent year on year in the January-October period to top 7.16 trillion yuan, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.

The volume surged 43.2 percent compared with the 2019 level, putting the average January-October growth for 2020 and 2021 at 19.7 percent.

In the first 10 months, 32 out of 41 industries saw a year-on-year expansion in their profits, while eight others logged declines.

In October alone, major industrial companies raked in profits of 818.74 billion yuan, up 24.6 percent year on year, quickening from the 16.3-percent gain reported in September, NBS data showed.
Making his statement while receiving newly-appointed Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang on November 26, the President said he will direct competent Cambodian agencies to work closely with their Vietnamese partners to effectively implement bilateral agreements between the two nations.



Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang (L) and President of the Senate Samdech Vibol Sena Phekdei Say Chhum. (Photo: VNA)



Congratulating Mr. Nguyen Huy Tang on his appointment as the ambassador to Cambodia, Say Chhum expressed his belief that the diplomat, with his diverse experience, will contribute positively to the friendship and cooperative relations between the two countries as well as between the Cambodian Senate and the Vietnamese National Assembly.



For his part, Mr. Nguyen Huy Tang affirmed the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people always remember Cambodias assistance to Vietnam in different periods.



He also congratulated Cambodia on its great achievements under the leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Government, particularly in COVID-19 prevention and control and effective vaccination rollout, which has helped to bring the socio-economic life in Cambodia to a new normal.



Expressing his delight at the fine cooperation and strong development of relations between the two countries over the past time, the Ambassador vowed to do his best to contribute to fostering the ties, especially in politics, diplomacy, security, defense, economy, trade, agriculture and the fight against COVID-19, among other fields.



Say Chhum took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State, National Assembly, Government and people for their support and assistance to Cambodia in any circumstances, particularly Vietnams support for Cambodias hosting of international and regional events./.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (R) and her French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian (Photo: VNA)



In her speech after the talks with her French counterpart in Jakarta, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said this year marks the 10th year since Indonesia and France have established their strategic partnership.



The signing of the action plan aims to provide a clearer direction for strengthening this relationship in the next five years.



Accordingly, the two sides will give priority to strengthening the strategic partnership and improving ties in health, defence, climate change and maritime affairs.



Indonesia and France have planned to hold their first maritime dialogue next year, which is the first step in implementing the action plan, Marsudi said.



For his part, Le Drian said the signing of the cooperation plan has strengthened the 10-year partnership between the two countries.



France is committed to investing 500 million EUR (562.1 million USD) in energy conversion projects in Indonesia, he added./.
Speaking during a NA session, Economy and Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth said the budget is equal to 27.95 percent of the kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP).



He said that the 2022 budget is essential to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, restore economic growth, and ensure the success of the commune elections and the success of the ASEAN summits when Cambodia is the host.



Illustrative image (Photo: Xinhua)



Pornmoniroth held that the Southeast Asian nation's economy is projected to grow 4.8 percent in 2022 from 2.4 percent in 2021.



To meet the expenditure next year, the government is expected to earn a total revenue of 6.3 billion USD next year, up 19.3 percent from this year, the draft budget law said, adding that it has also planned to borrow another 1.6 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), or 2.26 billion USD, from friendly countries and development partners in 2022.



Chheang Vun, chairman of the National Assembly's commission on economy, finance, banking and audit, said the 2022 budget would be focused on general administration, the fight against COVID-19, health, education, economy-driven sector, social sector, national defence, security and public order.



Earlier, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said that Cambodia has spent 2.3 billion USD dealing with the COVID-19 crisis in the past 20 months.



Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Stueng Trang-Kroch Chhmar Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge on November 23, PM Hun Sen said that the country has used its State budget to buy 28 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to vaccinate more than 14 million local people against the pandemic.



With its high vaccination rate, the Southeast Asian nation has recently reopened the country in all areas.



He said he is confident that the reopening of the country now is not a setback, and adding that the kingdom's economy is expected to grow around 3 percent this year and up to 5 percent in 2022.



After more than three weeks of resuming operations of the majority of sectors, Cambodia has seen low COVID-19 case number at two digits./.
Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows facilities of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

by Lyu Tianran, Zhang Gaiping, Li Hualing, Bedah Mengo

CAPE TOWN/KAMPALA/NAIROBI, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- As the world is grappling with climate change in consensus to move to green energy, China-Africa's renewable energy cooperation is bearing fruits. In various parts of Africa, China-Africa cooperation brings in clean electricity to boost power supply.

WIND FARMS UNINTERRUPTEDLY PROVIDE ELECTRICITY

In De Aar, central South Africa, long and white blades on high towers were rotating like fans on top of the mountain.

Companies formed by China's Longyuan Power through its South African subsidiary Longyuan South Africa Renewables (Longyuan SA), which holds 60 percent of shares, and its South African partners including South African renewable energy developer Mulilo Group, a community trust, Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) company installed 163 wind turbines in two phases of the De Aar wind power project, converting wind energy into power. The total investment of the projects stands at 500,000 South African rands (about 31,440 U.S. dollars).

The installed capacity of the project is 244.5 megawatts (MW), which can stably supply clean power of about 760 gigawatt hour (GWh) annually, equivalent to saving more than 200,000 metric tons of standard coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions of 700,000 metric tons.

Since its operation in 2017, the project has been running in good condition and hasn't experienced any interruption, said Sheng Bin, manager of Safety Production and Technology Department of Longyuan SA, who attributed the good operation to Chinese technology and a team of technicians.

The wind turbines manufactured by China Guodian Group use higher configuration among similar types of equipment and Chinese technology for improvement in line with the local conditions of South Africa. The technicians working on the project have been strictly selected to ensure quick resolution of problems, according to Sheng.

Longyuan SA won the tender in 2013 in the Bid Window 3 of Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) Program, which was established by the South African Department of Energy in conjunction with the National Treasury and the Development Bank of Southern Africa at the end of 2010 as one of South African government's urgent interventions to enhance the country's power generation capacity.

Its main objective is to secure private sector investment for the development of new electricity generation capacity, diversifying South Africa's energy mix. It is also designed to contribute to broader national developmental objectives such as job creation and economic transformation primarily through the broadening of economic ownership.

According to Zhao Mingming, director of Longyuan SA, Longyuan actively responds to the South African government's plan of developing renewable energy through bidding for the projects, practically providing South Africa with clean energy and extra electricity capacity.

"I'm really proud of working with the company that is basically in the direction of renewable energy. I see there is a need for it," the project's site manager Regardt van Tonder told Xinhua on the phase one site, stressing that it is necessary to improve on methods of electricity generation.

The 30-year-old also said such project promotes the relationship between the countries, creates jobs and enhances understanding of each other's culture. "There are a lot of positives we can take from this," he said.

Longyuan SA is also praised by different levels of the South African governments for fulfilling social responsibility in South Africa not only in De Aar but also in other parts of the country.

HYDROPOWER PLANT ADDS MEGA CAPACITY WITH GREEN DESIGN

In the midwestern district of Kiryandongo, Uganda, workers from Sinohydro Corporation were busily completing the final stage work of Karuma Hydro Power Plant, along the Nile River.

Karuma Hydro Power Plant, with 85 percent financed by the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) of China, including soft loan, and 15 percent financed by the Ugandan government, will be the largest power-generating installation in the east African country when completed with the capacity of 600 MW.

The plant is expected to generate 4 billion Kilowatt hours of electricity annually and provide over 200 million dollars in revenue to the government, which is close to 1 percent of Uganda's current gross domestic product.

When compared with other conventional energy, hydropower is low-cost and easier to shift peak load, which is conducive to promoting utilization of water resources as well as social and economic benefits, said Li Ji, deputy general manager of the project.

Due to the stable water resources provided by Nile River, the power plant will be able to have a continuous and stable ability of generating and supplying electricity, he said.

Generating and using clean energy is a key area of Uganda's sustainable development and the country is pushing for increased uptake of renewable energy, said Mary Goretti Kitutu, former minister of energy and mineral development. Uganda heavily relies on hydropower generation, and its total generation capacity would reach 2,000 MW once the Karuma Hydropower Plant comes online, according to her.

The 1.7-billion-dollar project had the environment protection fully considered from the design to the actual construction, as it is constructed in an environmentally-sensitive area, the Murchison Falls National Park, which has rich flora and fauna.

A bigger part of the power plant was built underground to limit the footprints on the surface and the structures on the surface have also been designed and constructed in a way to conserve the environment.

The dam includes channels for fish, which allows them to migrate, said Li, adding that the project is fenced to avoid hurting animals during construction while preserving the passage for hippos to find food.

"We hope to promote the development of Uganda, while at the same time protecting the environment of Uganda as much as possible," he said.

KENYA'S PARTNER IN REALIZING POTENTIAL for SOLAR POWER

Official figures showed that the installed capacity of solar power in Kenya is more than 100 MW, while China-financed Garissa Solar accounts for 50 MW.

Located in northern Kenya's Garissa County, it is the largest grid-connected solar power plant in East and Central Africa. The power plant, designed and built by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Co-operation (CJIC) in conjunction with Kenya's Rural Energy Authority (REA), was launched in 2019 and has been connected to the national grid.

According to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Garissa solar plant puts Kenya on the path of achieving green energy sufficiency and adds to Kenya's rich profile as the center of green energy generation in Africa. It is part of a broad government renewable energy strategy to harvest 400 MW of electricity from the country's vast solar resources, he said.

Kenya is rich in solar energy and has a wide prospect of solar energy development.

It is a prudent decision to tap into the region's high solar intensity to support the national grid by constructing the solar plant, said Hannington Gochi, a renewable energy technician at REA.

"With steady power and low cost of electricity, Garissa can invest in industries and businesses," said Gochi. He noted that more households and businesses have connected to the grid in the region, boosting artisans like those with welding workshops.

"I am so proud the project was successfully completed and has state-of-art equipment. We are hopeful it will serve Kenya for the next 25 years," said Zhang Jian, country representative of CJIC in Kenya.

"China has been the leading partner in the continent's desire to switch to solar and wind energy," Kenya-based international relations scholar Cavince Adhere wrote in a commentary earlier this month.

According to Adhere, the forthcoming Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, provides a platform to explore innovative ways, where the long-standing partners can reinvigorate the climate fight. Enditem

Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines of the De Aar wind power project invested by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 13, 2019 shows a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2020 shows a view of the Karuma hydropower project under construction in Kiryandongo district of Uganda. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

Aerial photo taken on July 11, 2020 shows the Karuma hydropower project under construction along the River Nile in Kiryandongo.district of Uganda. (Photo by Jia Junwei/Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 13, 2019 shows a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (C) attends the launching ceremony of a 50-megawatt solar farm in Garissa, Kenya, Dec. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
DTEK Energy has called the statements made by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky as unfair and unfounded.

"Statements that have been made by the top leadership of the state today, DTEK considers to be unfair and groundless," the website of energy holding said on Friday evening.

At the same time, the company noted that instead of the necessary support in the context of the global crisis, it faces pressure and discrimination.

"DTEK always helps the state and also needs support during the unprecedented global crisis. Instead, we face constant pressure, fabricated accusations, and discrimination," the company said.

According to the company's estimations, today, the state's total debt to DTEK reaches over UAH 15 billion.

They, in particular, noted that DTEK was the only one out of almost 1,000 companies to which the state has not repaid the debt yet for the produced green electricity "for unknown reasons".

As reported, the rate of DTEK Energo eurobonds maturing in 2027 collapsed by 11.6% on Friday immediately after the accusations of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against the company and its owner Rinat Akhmetov at a press conference on Friday.

According to information in the Bloomberg terminal, the fall reached 13.3%, but then it was won back somewhat.

They reacted with a 0.5% decline to the president's words and the quotations of DTEK RES bonds maturing in 2024, but then they almost returned to their previous level, falling short of only 0.1%.

With regard to eurobonds of the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group maturing in 2029, of which Akhmetov is also the majority owner, their rate fell by 1.4%.

Zelensky said that he had undercover information that they were discussing Rinat Akhmetov's participation in the coup d'etat in Ukraine with representatives of Russia.

The president stressed that businessman Rinat Akhmetov is being "set up". "I believe that this is a set-up of businessman for Rinat Akhmetov. I believe that this is an operation, he is being dragged into a war against the state of Ukraine. I believe that he started it, and unfortunately, it will be his big mistake, because one cannot fight against your people, against the president who was elected by the people of Ukraine."

On the issue of coal supplies to Ukraine for thermal power plants, the president said that it was possible to provide them from the United States thanks to his agreements at the highest level in this country, while he called on private generation to unite efforts to ensure the passage of the heating season.

"This should be solidarity work. If it's bad with this or that country and they officially cannot sell you some kind of coal, then a private structure should come, help and buy. If I agree at the highest level, I repeat, at the highest level from the United States, so that 11 ships of coal would sail here. Do you think that I said that you should give us, but don't give DTEK? Nothing of this kind. I say 'us.' The heating season is in our country," Zelensky said at the same press conference.

Earlier, Zelensky announced the supply of coal to Ukraine in the amount of seven Panamax ships (about 500,000 tonnes), which should protect Ukrainians, in his opinion, from consumption restrictions.

DTEK, for its part, stated that these supplies from the United States and Colombia were contracted by it. The first ship for PJSC Centrenergo arrived in Ukraine on November 20, another six are expected in November-January.
The coup d'etat, which was previously announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was being prepared by an employee of the Russian Federal Security Service and three defectors from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Christopher Miller, journalist for the American media project Buzzfeed News said on his Twitter page, citing sources from the President's Office.

"The coup plot alleged by President Volodymyr Zelensky today was being planned by an FSB officer and three defectors of Ukraine's Interior Ministry who are based in Crimea, according to sources close to the Ukrainian leader who spoke with me this morning," a message posted on Twitter says.

At the same time, it says that the FSB officer who is in charge of the operation, according to the source, is Vasyl Vasylovich Laptyev. "He's allegedly working with Ukrainian defectors Oleksiy Vasylyev, Vasyl Hrytsak, Eduard Fedosov," the journalist said.

Miller also claims that Ukraine's evidence does not show the direct involvement of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, but that he is mentioned by four alleged conspirators who say they "need to be ready to move in and work with Akhmetov."

It was reported that Zelensky at a press conference on Friday said that, according to intelligence reports, a coup d'etat with the involvement of businessman Rinat Akhmetov could be prepared in Ukraine on December 1-2.
The Egyptian and Russian navies wrapped up the joint naval drill Bridge of Friendship 4 in the Egyptian territorial waters of the Mediterranean, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced on Saturday.
US giant ExxonMobil and Qatar Energy signed a contract Friday for oil and gas exploration and production-sharing off the divided island of Cyprus despite Turkey's opposition to the deal. Cypriot Energy Minister Natasa Pilides, Varnavas Theodosiou, CEO of ExxonMobil Cyprus, and Ali al-Mana, director of Qatar Energy's International Upstream and Exploration, signed the contract in Nicosia.
Egypt's defence expo EDEX 2018 has been granted the best international trade show award by the Exhibition News Awards, according to Egypts military spokesperson.

The 13th annual Exhibition News Awards took place in London on 22 March.

EDEX 2018, Egypt's first defence expo, ran from 3 to 5 December 2018 and drew at least 10,000 visitors to the International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo.

The exhibition was organised by Egypt's Armed Forces under the auspices of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and showcased the latest military and security technology, equipment and systems.

The event, held in cooperation with the UK's Clarion Events, was attended by 373 international companies from 41 countries.

EDEX is scheduled to be held every two years.
The House of Representatives gave on Tuesday a final approval of a new government-drafted law aiming to impose procedures and measures necessary to fight the spread of epidemics and pandemics.

A report by the House's Health Committee said the law allows the prime minister to declare emergency measures to combat epidemics and pandemics.

"This means that the prime minister will be allowed to declare a state of pandemic emergency, through which he will invoke immediate procedures and measures necessary to preserve the health and lives of citizens," said the report.

It explained that "the powers given to the premier will be for a limited period of time, mostly for one year, and subject to renewal."

The first article of the law allows the prime minister to take as many as 25 measures necessary to fight the spread of epidemics and pandemics.

"These include imposing restrictions for a certain time frame on the freedom of people to move or to be present in certain areas or throughout the country," said the report.

It added that "the prime minister will be also authorized to suspend work for a specified period of time, partially or completely, in ministries, government departments and agencies, local administration units, public authorities, and public sector companies."

"The prime minister can also suspend study for a specified period of time, partially or completely, in schools, nurseries, universities, institutes, any other education institutions, and any gatherings of students."

The law gives the prime minister the power of closing and reopening the above-mentioned institutions and businesses.

"Also on the list are the prime minister's right to prohibit all public meetings, processions, demonstrations, celebrations and all other forms of gatherings, as long as these help stem the spread of pandemics and epidemics," said the report.

"If necessary, the prime minister can also prohibit exhibitions, cultural events and festivals, and close cinemas and theatres."

The preventive and protective measures allocated to the prime minister under the new law also include suspending sport activities, and closing clubs, youth centres, gymnasiums and health clubs.

The prime minister can also order places of worship to close. Mass transportation, public or private, can also be halted at the discretion of the prime minister.

Under the law, citizens will be forced to abide by all the protective measures declared by health authorities, such as wearing face masks and receiving vaccines.

The Health Committee indicated that the law is important in order to give the government the tools necessary to contain epidemics and pandemics that might threaten the health and lives of citizens.

"The law also goes in line with the constitution which gives the government the right to take all the powers necessary to preserve the lives of citizens and help them live a safe life," said the report.

Article five of the law states that "those who incite citizens to violate or disrupt the measures and procedures to be taken by the prime minister under this law will be sentenced to one year in jail and a financial fine of no more than EGP 10,000."

Ayman Abul-Ela, deputy chairman of the Human Rights Committee, said the new law is a necessary step as it comes after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's decision to end the state of emergency on 25 October.

"The state of emergency gives the president powers to take sweeping measures to help the country contain certain epidemics or pandemics, but as President El-Sisi decided to cancel the state of emergency, this law became a necessity as it gives the government exceptional powers in certain times to fight pandemics and epidemics," said Abul-Ela.

Ashraf Hatem, chairman of the House's Health Committee, said "the new law gives the government a legislative umbrella to take the measures necessary to protect the lives of citizens from the danger of epidemics and pandemics like the coronavirus."

Many MPs, however, expressed reservations over article five which allows the detention of journalists who "publish false news" on pandemics and epidemics.

MP Mahmoud Badr said article five violates article 71 of the constitution which states that "no freedom-restricting penalty shall be imposed for publication crimes."

Badr said article five also violates the new human rights strategy declared by the state last September.

Diaa El-Din Dawoud, a leftist MP, said the law opens the door wide for detaining journalists."

MP Abdel-Moneim Imam, chairman of El-Adl (Justice) Party, said he can not approve the law because it imposes sweeping freedom-restricting measures.

"Restricting the freedom of movement in this law, for example, contradicts Article 62 of the constitution," said Imam.

MP Mona Gabr also said "imposing prison sentences on journalists for publishing false news that might cause harm to the state's interests is very harsh and unfair because it is very difficult to prove how journalists can cause harm to state interests."

In response, deputy speaker Ahmed Saad El-Din said "the law does not include any articles that clearly state that journalists might be detained, not to mention that the law abides by Article 71 of the constitution does not impose any freedom-restricting penalties on journalists."

Echoing Saad El-Din, MP Ayman Abul-Ela said article five of the law does not target journalists in any way.

"The article targets rumours circulated on the social media, and we know that such a kind of rumours, such as the ones on the coronavirus, might cause harm to national health," said Abul-Ela.

He added that "the social media rumours which led many people not to take the anti-coronavirus vaccine were also very harmful and the law aims to contain these rumours because of their negative impact on the state interests."

Abul-Ela said the law strikes a balance between freedom rights and the necessity of taking urgent measures to preserve the lives of citizens.

Meanwhile, Hatem proposed that article five of the law be amended to ban imposing any kind of prison sentences on publication crimes.

The amended article, which was approved by the majority of MPs, states that "in line with the rules of article 29 of the press and media regulation law (180/2018) it is prohibited that any kind of freedom-restricting sentences on publication crimes be imposed, except crimes related to violence, discrimination among citizens, or slandering individuals."

Article Five of the law also states that "those who incite citizens to violate or disrupt the measures and procedures to be taken by the prime minister under this law will be sentenced to one year in jail and a financial fine of no more than EGP 10,000."

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Interpol on Thursday elected an official from the United Arab Emirates as its new president during the international law enforcement body's annual General Assembly held in Istanbul.

Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser al-Raisi, inspector general at the United Arab Emirates' interior ministry and a member of Interpol's executive committee, was elected for one four-year term, the global policing body announced. .

Another candidate, Hu Binchen, an official at China's ministry of public security, was elected to join Interpol's executive committee as a delegate from Asia.

Interpol said al-Raisi was elected following three rounds of voting and received 68.9% of the votes cast in the final round.

``It's an honor to have been elected to serve as the next president of Interpol,`` the global police agency quoted al-Raisi as saying.

``Interpol is an indispensable organization built on the strength of its partnerships. It is this collaborative spirit, united in mission, that I will continue to foster as we work to make a safer world for people and communities,`` he said.

The vote for president was being closely watched since the first-ever Chinese president of the body, Meng Hongwei, vanished midway through his four-year term on a return trip to China in 2018.

In the UAE, now hosting the Expo 2020 world's fair in Dubai and marking the 50th anniversary of its founding, Emirati officials celebrated al-Raisi's selection. Interior Minister Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan said it demonstrated ``the world's confidence in the UAE.''

Al-Raisi praised UAE's leaders, saying ``with their guidance and expertise, the UAE has become one of the safest countries in the world.'' He pledged to modernize Interpol's technology, promote women and meet new challenges like climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.

``I will also continue to reaffirm a core tenet of our profession, that police abuse or mistreatment of any kind is abhorrent and intolerable,'' he said in a statement on his website. ``The credibility and standing of Interpol and global law enforcement is our most important asset.''

Al-Raisi traveled the world to meet lawmakers and government officials as part of his election campaign, boasting academic degrees from the U.K. and the U.S. and years of experience of policing.

Al-Raisi replaces Kim Jong Yan from South Korea, a vice president who was swiftly elected as a replacement to serve out the rest of Meng's term.

Although Interpol's secretary-general runs Interpol on a day-to-day basis, the president plays a role in supervising the police body's work and guiding its overall general direction. The president chairs Interpol's general assemblies and meetings of its Executive Committee.

The post of secretary-general is currently held by Juergen Stock of Germany.

Meanwhile, Interpol also said Valdecy Urquiza of Brazil was elected to the post of vice president for the Americas, while Garba Baba Umar of Nigeria was elected vice president for Africa.

About 470 police chiefs, ministers and other representatives from more than 160 countries attended the three-day meeting. Each country attending has one vote.

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War-hit Ethiopia has announced new rules against sharing information on battlefield outcomes in the war against Tigrayan rebels, a move that could bring sanctions against journalists.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government declared a nationwide state of emergency earlier this month as fighters from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) advance towards the capital, the latest turn in a brutal year-long conflict.

International alarm is mounting about the escalating war in Africa's second most populous country, with anxious foreign governments urging their citizens to leave.

The new decree issued late Thursday said it was "forbidden to distribute in any communication systems any military movements, battlefield outcomes" that were not officially published by the government.

"Security forces will take necessary measures on those who have been found to violate" the order, it said in a possible warning to news outlets and social media accounts that have reported on rebel claims of territorial gains.

The government also barred residents from "using various types of media platforms to support directly or indirectly the terrorist group" -- a reference to the TPLF -- and warned of unspecified consequences for anyone who ignored the decree.

The state of emergency imposed on November 2 allows the authorities to conscript citizens who own weapons or suspend any media outlets believed to be "giving moral support directly or indirectly" to the TPLF.

The latest decree also bans anyone from calling "for a transitional government", days after a prominent opposition party, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), issued a statement urging an end to the fighting and the establishment of an interim administration to facilitate dialogue.

"During the mandate of the interim administration, all parties will begin negotiations on the formation of an all-inclusive transitional government that shall last for 18 months. No major stakeholder shall be excluded from these negotiations," the OFC said Wednesday.

Ethiopia's war erupted in November 2020 when Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into the Tigray region to topple its ruling party, the TPLF.

He said the move was in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps and promised a swift victory, but by late June the rebels had retaken most of Tigray, including its capital Mekele.

Since then, the TPLF has pushed into neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions, and this week it claimed to have seized a town just 220 kilometres (135 miles) from Addis Ababa.

On Wednesday state media reported that Abiy, a former lieutenant-colonel in the military, had arrived at the front line to lead a counter-offensive, handing over regular duties to his deputy.

The fighting has killed thousands of people and driven hundreds of thousands into famine-like conditions, according to UN estimates.

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Egypt has suspended direct flights from and to South Africa over concerns of new Covid-19 variant Omicron.

The decision was taken by the Supreme Committee for the Management of the Coronavirus Crisis headed by Prime Minister Mostafa Mabdouly in a meeting late Friday, a statement by the cabinet said.

Following cabinet statement, EgyptAir, Egypts national carrier, announced also on Friday that it would suspend all flights to/from South Africas Johannesburg starting from Saturday, 27 November.

EgyptAir called on customers to check their bookings and call their hotline or visit its nearest branch or call their travel agent if they book a flight following that date.

During the cabinet meeting, the committee issued a list of measures regarding transit flights for a number of targeted countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eswatini, Mozambique and Lesotho.

According to Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad, passengers coming from those countries to Cairo as a final destination through transit flights or stopping at Cairo International Airport as a transit point before reaching their final destination will take a rapid test.

In case of a positive case on a transit flight through Cairo, the passenger wont continue his trip and will return on the same flight he or she came on.

In case of a positive case on transit flight that ends in Cairo, the passenger will return on the same plane back, whereas if there is no case of Covid-19 on the flight, the passengers will stay in home isolation for seven days and then will have a PCR test.

Earlier Friday the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the new Covid-19 variant discovered in South Africa on 24 November to be of concern dubbing it Omicron.

Since the announcement by WHO, several countries including the US, UK, EU countries, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain began to impose flight restrictions on direct flights from Southern Africa countries.

Egypt has recorded 354,836 coronavirus cases since the outbreak of the virus in the country in February 2020, including 20,237 fatalities and 294,903 recoveries.

Egypt has so far administrated 44.2 million shots, according to Higher Education Minister and acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar last week.

Abdel-Ghaffar said that Egypt has secured a total of 80.5 million doses of all WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines.

On Wednesday, the government approved administering a third booster shot for the most vulnerable groups in the country.

*This story was corrected to reflect that the Egyptian decision of suspending direct flights over COVID-19 variant applies only to South Africa.

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Iraqi security forces said they shot dead a convicted jihadist on Saturday as he tried to escape from a prison with two accomplices.

The three prisoners, all members of the Islamic State group, were serving life sentences at the Taji penitentiary north of Baghdad, the security services said in a statement.

They were spotted as they tried to break out of jail by climbing over an external wall, the statement said.

Guards opened fire "when they refused to heed warnings", it said, adding one prisoner was killed while the two others "surrendered".

"The three terrorists had been sentenced to life in jail," the statement said without identifying them.

The Islamic State group swept across swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014 where they set up so-called caliphate.

Iraq officially declared victory over IS in 2017, and two years later they were defeated in Syria.

But sleeper cells continue to be active in both countries where they frequently carry out attacks.

After the demise of IS in Iraq, courts in the country have sentenced hundreds to death for crimes perpetrated by the jihadists.

Only a small proportion of the sentences have been carried out, as they must be approved by the president.

Barham Saleh, who has held the post since 2018, is known to be against capital punishment.

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Following a two-week holiday, Egypt's parliament  the House of Representatives  will reconvene on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to discuss two new laws on private universities and financial technology (FinTech). The schedule of debate will also include two agreements with Japan and Austria.

On Sunday, the House will discuss government-drafted amendments to Law 12/2009 regulating the performance of private and non-profit universities.

A report prepared by the House's Education Committee said two articles of the law will be amended. "Article 18 of the law will be amended to state that a Private Universities Council will be created, and that this council will be affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and chaired by the Minister of Higher Education," said the report, adding that "the first article speaking about "the Council of Private and Non-Profit Universities " will be changed to be "the Council of Private Universities and the Council of Non-profit Universities."

The report said the above amendments are in line with Article 21 of the constitution, which calls for encouraging the setting up of non-profit universities. "As a result, the law was passed in 2009 to allow the setting up of non-profit universities, and right now we have seven non-profit universities while several ministries and institutions are showing greater interest in establishing such kinds of universities," said the report.

Due to the above, said the Education Committee report, the government decided to amend the law to give greater incentives to public institutions to set up more non-profit universities by creating a separate council for each of the private and non-profit universities, instead of establishing one council for both universities. "This separation is necessary as the nature of private universities differs from that of non-profit universities," said the report.

The report indicated that the amendments also aim to define which institutions have priority access to the social work services offered by non-profit universities to those public institutions which contributed to their establishment. "These institutions have the priority to have access to social work services offered by non-profit universities because they are the ones who took the initiative of establishing such kinds of universities," said the report, adding that "the amendments will stipulate that public institutions which participated in setting up non-profit universities to approve the drafting and the changing of the internal bylaws of these universities."

"All of these are incentives aim to encourage public institutions to build more and more non-profit universities," the report said.

On Monday, the House will discuss a government-drafted law on "the Regulation and the Promotion of the Use of Financial Technology in Non-Banking Financial Activities."

A parliamentary report indicated that the draft law contributes to achieving the principle of financial inclusion and widening the scope of non-banking financial activities, improving their performance and cutting their cost. "As a result," the report said, "the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) will be solely authorized with implementing the law and taking all the measures necessary to boost and promote the use of modern financial technology (FinTech) in non-banking financial activities and the offering of related financial consultancies.

Article two of the draft law states that the FRA will use the new legislation to achieve financial inclusion on as wide-scale as possible, and widen the scope of those who benefit from non-banking financial services.

To achieve this, the FRA will be in charge of taking the measures necessary to set up FinTech companies subject to this law, grant the related licenses and permits, ensure that FinTech companies abide by the criterion of transparency and rational governance, provide protection to dealers in non-banking financial markets and facilitate the adoption of modern and innovative technology in order to push the use of FinTech in the non-banking financial fields forward.

The FRA will be also responsible for collecting digital data, checking them and analysing its indicators through the use of software programmes and the instruments of financial intelligence to detect violations of laws regulating non-banking financial operations, money laundering activities and give an early warning on risks related to cash liquidity and other financial security issues.

The FRA will also exercise supervision on FinTech companies, and receive complaints which might be filed against these companies.

In addition, the FRA will also be in charge of preparing and publishing research and statistics necessary to promote the use of FinTech in non-banking financial activities, and raise public awareness of these activities in a competitive environment.

On Tuesday, the House will discuss reports on two foreign agreements with Japan and Austria. While the first aims to build a number of out-patient clinics for the children hospital affiliated with Cairo University, the second seeks to offer banking services to companies.

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Some 30,000 visitors and 400 exhibiting companies representing 42 countries are expected to take part in the second edition of Egypt's Defense Expo (EDEX 2021), said Egyptian Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Ahmed Morsi.

In a press conference on Saturday, Morsi said the international defence and military industries exhibition will see the presence of more than 40 defence and military production ministers as well military leaders from around the world.

The exhibition will run from Monday till Thursday.

In 2018, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated the first edition of EDEX that witnessed the participation of 373 major defence companies from 41 countries.

EDEX 2018 saw the participation of the defence ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Sudan, France, Greece, Cyprus, South Sudan, Cameroon, South Korea, and Somalia. Seven chiefs of staff and as many military production ministers also attended the 2018 exhibition.

The high turnout of the first exhibition affirmed Egypt's "distinguished and balanced" international relations with all countries, Morsi told today's press conference.

Morsi noted that it was President El-Sisis dream to place Egypt on the map of countries organising arms exhibitions, adding that the dream came true with the unprecedented success of EDEX 2018.

The first edition reflected the technological progress of Egyptian military industries as well as the country's safety and stability, he added.

Morsi emphasised that the various Egyptian parties participating in the exhibition will showcase their pioneering efforts in developing a military industry in the Middle East and Africa.

These parties include the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Military Production, the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation, and others.

The minister added that President El-Sisi has issued directives to expand industrialisation across all military manufacturing agencies.

In light of the presidential directives, he added, Egypt has been pushing ahead with efforts to "establish real partnerships and cooperate with all friendly countries to reach an Egyptian product that is manufactured by production lines in Egyptian factories."

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A French military convoy heading to Mali on Saturday ran into more trouble in a town in Niger after being delayed for more than a week by protests in Burkina Faso, with the local mayor reporting three deaths and 18 wounded.

The supply convoy, which arrived in Africa in Ivory Coast last week, has crossed Burkina Faso and on Friday entered Niger on its way to central Mali.

Its destination is a base at Gao -- a hub of France's Barkhane operation, which is shoring up allies in the Sahel against a jihadist insurgency that began in northern Mali nearly a decade ago.

But clashes reportedly broke out at Tera in western Niger on Saturday which the mayor said left "three people dead and 18 wounded," including four who had to be evacuated for treatment in the capital Niamey, 200 kilometres (120 miles) away.

The French army said it was in contact with the Nigerien authorities, but was "not in a position to confirm this toll at this stage".

"No French soldier was wounded," French army spokesman Pascal Ianni told AFP. But "two civilian drivers in the convoy were hurt by stones and some civilian trucks were damaged."

"The convoy halted last night at Tera. This morning, when they wanted to continue the road to Niamey, they were stopped by 1,000 demonstrators and a violent group among them tried to take over the trucks," he said.

Warning shots

Niger gendarmes fired teargas to disperse the protesters, he added.

Later, mid-morning, "tensions soared again" and the gendarmes and French soldiers "fired warning shots", Ianni said before the more than 100-vehicle convoy was able to move off.

He denied "false information" posted on social networks that the French army had killed dozens of civilians at Tera.

After entering Burkina Faso last week, the convoy was slowed by protesters at Bobo-Dioulasso, the country's second largest city, and then in Ouagadougou, the capital.

On November 19, several thousand demonstrators blocked the convoy at Kaya, about 100 km north of Ouagadougou.

The following day, local sources said four people had suffered gunshot wounds in Kaya, in circumstances that remain unclear -- French and Burkinabe soldiers fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Protest organisers said they wanted to expose flaws in Burkina Faso's security accords with former colonial ruler France.

But rumours have also spread on social media -- which were recounted by protesters in Kaya -- claiming the convoy was in fact carrying weapons for the jihadists.

Burkinabe Foreign Minister Alpha Barry dismissed the rumours on Wednesday and pointed to what he said was France's long history of help at times of crisis.

On Friday Niger President Mohamed Bazoum had expressed his "gratitude" to France and applauded its "sacrifices" in the Sahel.

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Police in Burkina Faso fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters at an unsanctioned anti-government rally in the capital on Saturday, an AFP journalist reported.

Anti-riot police fired tear gas to prevent the demonstrators from gathering for the rally in a square in the centre of Ouagadougou, where substantial police and security forces had been deployed and all shops closed.

The crowds had wanted to demonstrate against the failure of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore to quell jihadist violence that has engulfed the country, but city authorities banned the gathering.

One of the protesters, 28-year-old Fabrice Sawadogo, said that "after seven years of failure to prevent the terrorist attacks... it is time to ask the government to go."

The "incompetent" administration "has to admit it has failed," he said.

An alliance of three groups called the November 27 Coalition had called for people to take to the streets on Saturday "in a peaceful atmosphere to denounce growing insecurity and demand the departure" of Kabore.

But other civil society groups distanced themselves from the protests, refusing, they said, "to be complicit with those who want to push the country into chaos".

Kabore has been facing mounting anger over failures to stem a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali.

Groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State group have plagued the landlocked Sahel nation since 2015, killing about 2,000 people and displacing 1.4 million from their homes.

An attack on November 14 saw hundreds of fighters storm a gendarmerie camp at Inata in the north of the country, killing 53 police and four others.

It was the biggest daily loss among the security forces in the history of the insurgency.

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Intissar Fakir, senior fellow and founding director of the programme on North Africa and the Sahel programme at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, shares her thoughts on the political developments that are unfolding across North Africa.

North African countries have been at the top of the news every day throughout the past few months. From Libya to Mauritania, there are serious questions over their stability, at least in the long short term. Each of the five adjacent states are suffering political hiccups at different levels.

Conflict between Algeria and Morocco is getting more complicated by the day. In addition, both countries are going through shifting political dynamics internally. In August, the Moroccan Islamists, who had enjoyed a comfortable majority since 2011, suffered a crushing defeat in the general elections. Meanwhile, there is a big debate on the process of normalisation with Israel that has made Algeria nervous. In Algeria, there is also a debate on the local elections that are scheduled later this month  with big question marks over participation or boycott.

The prospects for the UN-scheduled 24 December presidential and legislative elections in Libya are slim, given the tug-of-war between the political leaders of the east and west of the country  and their regional and international supporters as well. Only this week, head of the internationally supported government in Tripoli Abdel-Hamid Dbeibah showed that he has his eyes on the presidential seat, alongside his strongest rivals Khalifa Haftar, head of the self-styled Libyan army in the east of the country, and Agila Saleh, head of the Tobruk-based parliament.

The political forecast for Tunis is no less confusing. It has been nearly four months since Tunisian President Kais Saied passed a set of extraordinary extra-constitutional measures in the one Arab country that was considered to be the successful example of the first wave of the Arab Spring. Saied has been taking his time and it is not clear where the country is heading. He promised to return the country to a political process, but it remains unclear what that will entail.

Mauritania is also having its share of unease, thanks to the unending debate over the trial of former Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel-Aziz.

In all five states there are varying levels of unease over economic conditions leading to the occasional protests against the failure of governments to improve living conditions, especially in the view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Do these hiccups spell a tough time for North Africa, including declining hopes for democratisation despite the first and second waves of the Arab Spring? According to Fakir, the simple answer is yes.

The region is in flux politically, economically, and socially, Fakir agreed. However, unlike some other analysts who seem to worry about long-term instability in most of the countries of North Africa, Fakir is urging a bit more caution with her projection.

The hiccups that these countries have been suffering, she said, demonstrate no reason to automatically expect instability long term.

The region's dynamism is generally the product of a population that is striving for more, she argued.

For example, before the pandemic, she explained, Algerians were motivated to demand a wholesale reform to their political system which had been unresponsive to their needs for years, if not decades The Algerian government [before and after the ouster of Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika] cracked down on protests and political dissent, however [with the pandemic] and wildfires that ravaged in Kabilya, the authorities in Algeria have also struggled to respond.

The pandemic and the subsequent added economic hardships might have put the protests for political reforms on halt  but only temporarily, Fakir said. She argued that it is likely that [Algerians], once they are able to mobilise, will return to the streets and continue to put pressure on the government to do better for them.

Meanwhile, she said that in Tunisia we are starting to see protests against President Kais Saied's efforts to amass executive power with limited accountability and we have seen stronger calls for a dialogue and political process.

This is a president that until now has enjoyed popular support, but the protests [that have been slowly expanding since the second and third week of September] suggest that Tunisians are reluctant to relinquish their hard won liberties, Fakir said.

These are just a few examples of populations that are demanding accountability. And while that might seem destabilising in the short term, it could also put pressure on these governments to do better, to be more responsive, and to generate solutions to long standing problems, she added.

Fakir is not offering a negative forecast on democratisation in the region  certainly not in Tunisia. She believes that there is still a chance for this North Africa country to return to democracy, despite growing concerns around possible constitutional amendments that some Tunisian commentators and politicians have said would take their country to Kais Saieds rule by decree, the suspension of legislative branch, and the lack of a constitution court that would normally curb him, Some have also expressed concern over the level of impartiality of the technocrat government the Tunisian president had recently appointed, she noted.

Fakir says the new government of academics seems to be largely implementing Kais Saieds vision. And one of the major issues facing Tunisias government right now are budgetary concerns. The country needs funding and is currently in talks with the IMF.

Moreover, Fakir admits that Saieds intentions are not very clear for now  although the signs seem to point towards more powers for the president  if not an outright set up of one man rule.

Meanwhile, she said, Saieds support seems to be waning in the face of formidable economic challenges and the continued ambiguity about the future of political institution."

"The current state of ambiguity that Tunisia is witnessing will have to end at some point. In my mind the question is now about how much are his actions going to alter the current balance of power between different political institutions," she added.

According to Fakir, the president of Tunis "is looking to reshape Tunisias political system." However, she added, the question is whether or not what he has to offer fits in with Tunisias needs and expectations, and whether it will be accepted by other political actors, especially when it comes to the balance of power between the president and parliament upon the possible constitutional amendments that some of Saied advisors' have indicated are possibly coming through one way or the other.

Should this happen, she said, then that would be a hard-to-miss indication that Saied is walking down an authoritarian path at a time where he will need to make some painful and likely unpopular reforms to secure funding from international financial institutions." To pass any possible economic reforms, Fakir noted, Saeid would still need support from powerful unions.

So far, Fakir noted, Saeid has marginalized most traditional political actors including unions, as he has focused on popular support. However, she said, that might have to change once he embarks on the path of economic reforms.

However, Fakir argued that Saieds acts should not be viewed independent of the publics reactions. It is important, she said, to keep an eye on the recent protests against these potential measures. Those, she said, indicate a clear will on the part of powerful political and civil society actors such as the labor unions and political parties to push back... and to protect the country's democratic gains.

In the absence of a constitutional court which would normally challenge this sort of action, this is what Tunisia has: a vocal and highly mobilised population, she stated.

Tunisia is perhaps the one country in North Africa where the military is very cautious with its interventions  if one excludes Morocco, a monarchy with a different profile for the military. However, Fakir said that the militarys tacit support has certainly been important for Saied.

Meanwhile, she accepted that today, unlike the heydays of the Arab Spring, the role of the military, especially in Algeria and Mauritania, is growing more visible and there are considerable questions over their intentions if there should be a face-off between authorities and the public.

Fakir is not excluding the role of the military in the political dynamics of the countries of North Africa. In Mauritania, she said, the president [Mohamed Ould Ghazouani] currently has the support of the military and there are little signs that the military would destabilise him. Likewise, she added, in Algeria, President [Abdel-Madjid] Tebboune is the military's direct [choice] so there is little reason to remove him. He has shown no indication or desire to do anything that could undermine the [established] militarys supremacy. Certainly in Algeria the military is already heavily involved in running the country so it's not clear what further military engagement would entail.

It is the contest of powers in Libya that does not seem to be coming to any end soon. During the last few weeks, the battling political leaders  Agila Saleh, head of the Libyan parliament in the east, Khalifa Haftar, head of the Libyan army in the east and the internationally acknowledged Libyan Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbeibah  have all shown determination to keep contesting each others power with the unmasked support of regional and international players - despite the countdown to the scheduled elections that they are going to contest. Meanwhile, the figures of the former regime, including Seif Al-Islam Gaddafi, the influential son of the ousted dictator, are slowly showing their resurrected political ambitions -- again despite an elementary exclusion from the list of candidates for the presidential elections. For some diplomats the political rebirth of the Gaddafis is not impossible given the power of the tribe. However, they argue that it will not be easy to get the son of the old dictator on track  certainly not without some tough resistance, especially from the militant factions in the west of Libya.

According to Fakir, in Libya there are more questions than answers now. The 'battle' in Libya does not seem to stop, she said. Currently, she added, the situation in Libya is up in the air." She added that the elections scheduled for 24 December were meant to usher in a new period of consolidated transition but "it is not clear how that will be achieved with the same political figures running in this election.

Fakir added that the elections seem to raise the spectre of instability with serious questions about whether the results will be viewed as legitimate, whether they are legitimate given questions about the process and even the foundations of the elections. In fact, she added, there are so many conflicts among the political leaders and it is not very clear where the regional and international players stand today on these elections and what possible alliances they are possibly entertaining.

Are we expecting another round of bloody militant confrontation? Should we expect the elections to happen as scheduled on Christmas Eve? And what is Libya waiting for if there is no agreement among the parties on the elections? And would Libya be the first country that votes for a figure of the regime that was removed by a popular uprising given all the speculations about Seif Al-Islam Gaddafi" if he manages to eventually qualify to run? "These are all questions with no clear answers," Fakir stated.

According to Fakir, The planned elections were supposed to pave the way for some sort of resolution, and effort to move forward, but many see the potential for greater instability and potential violence during and in the aftermath of the elections. Almost every aspect of the election is fraught in a context of conflict and internal turmoil that has pretty much lasted since 2011.

Meanwhile, she argued that any analysis of the political future of the countries of North Africa  just like most Arab countries  is incomplete without a careful assessment of the role of political Islam, especially vis-a-vis the solid powers including the military - perhaps especially in the case of Morocco.

Fakir argues that there hasn't been a [contest] between the Islamists and the palace since [Abdelilah] Benkirane [the former Islamist prime minister from the autumn of 2011 to the spring of 2017] was driven out of the government formation process.

Since then, she said, the Islamists have been in total submission to the palace. This was a strategic decision they made to ensure they held onto the government leadership. The strategy worked with the palace, and they were able to retain their position as leaders of government but it backfired with their constituents, she argued.

However, she added, most recently the Islamists of Morocco failed to rise to the challenge of galvanising their voters, explaining their wins and losses over the course of the past five years, and they ceded that space to other actors who took advantage of it.

Accordingly, she said, I think the palace for now is not concerned with the Islamists. The Islamists are sufficiently weak now and will need to focus on regrouping. The palace has a different focus, ensuring the new development model they have unveiled succeeds  or provides enough benefits to keep people off the streets  and that the new government can deliver some of the urgently needed social reforms, without which the country could face popular unrest.

According to Fakir, overall, the parties of political Islam are not at an all-time high in terms of public appeal, not because of their ideology, but because of their failure to govern effectively.

Fakir argued that for strict purposes of effective governance, voters in North African countries might have better alternatives to go to. She added that the Islamist parties of Tunis and Morocco still maintain some support. However, she said that these parties are increasingly being seen, especially in the past couple of years or so, as old entrenched political actors that are part of a political status quo rather than parties with direct answers to the pressing concerns of the people.

In Tunis and in Morocco, Fakir said, political Islam parties had the benefit of the doubt after 2011 as they were perceived by the public as either newcomers to the political arena as in Tunisia or as less corrupt and more serious as in Morocco." However, she added, these parties failed to live up to the expectations of the people and "are now largely perceived as just another dysfunctional or ineffectual parties."

However, Fakir added, this current state does not mean that the political Islam parties in Tunis and Morocco are seeing their end. This, she said, is an unlikely scenario. The reason, she explained, is that there are important segments of the population that identify with [these Islamist parties] and support them. She stressed that if these parties wish to remain relevant they have to rebuild their reputation, to become once again part of the answer.

In all North Africa, Fakir assessed, there is an overall political fatigue that cannot be just described as Islamist fatigue. People are just tired, she said, of politics as usual, of ineffective governance and unresponsive governments, she explained. And in that sense, she added, governments, whatever their ideology or composition, have to prioritise post-pandemic economic recovery and growth and social development.

This is the most pressing issue in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, she said. Yet, she added, it is the most fraught at least in Algeria and Tunisia.

According to Fakir, Tunisia's myriad economic problems have no easy or clear answers." Algeria, she added, is in a similar situation. "The country will have to undertake a transition away from energy  or at least lessen reliance on energy income  that has yet to happen." In Morocco, she said, there seems to be "promising" economic plans but the issue is not about the plans but about making difference on the ground. Indeed, she said, prioritising urgent economic needs, and more specifically building responsive and inclusive economies is an overriding and shared challenge that transcends ideology and religion.

Ultimately, there has been quite a debate on the defeat of Islamists in these countries  from Libya to Mauritania  as an inevitable path to the rise of military-designed regimes that are mostly supported by Russia at the southern borders of NATO. For the most part, the over-riding sentiment seems to be that better the Islamists than Russia.

Fakir does not seem to disagree. I am not sure that Europeans are happy to see the [Islamists away]," she said. I think European partners' main concern is having stable and reliable allies in the region, and the Islamists were part of that, she added. However, she insisted that there is no one best solution for all. In Morocco, she added, the relationship with international partners was and remains to be the domain of the palace, so in that regard the Islamists presence in power had little impact. Similarly for Tunisia, she added, Ennahdah sees itself as [only] marginally Islamist. In fact, the party publicly separated its religious and political wings precisely to alleviate these types of concern.

Overall, she added, I think the presence of Russia among other non-traditional actors in North Africa has little to do with Islamists' share of power. She argued that Russia is perhaps most relevant, in the case of Libya where Haftar, an anti-Islamist, is [directly] supported by Russia among other regional actors.

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Algerians vote on Saturday in local elections seen as key in President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's push to turn the page on the two-decade rule of late president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

But despite official campaigns urging Algerians to "make their mark", the vote for municipal and provincial councils has sparked little public interest.

Observers are predicting a low turnout, as with a string of poorly attended votes since the Hirak pro-democracy protest movement that drove Bouteflika from power in April 2019.

The North African country's rulers are trying to "impose their will despite the embarrassing results of previous elections", said analyst Mohamed Hennad.

But he said voters saw the exercise as producing "an electoral mandate stripped of any political content".

Saturday's poll will be the third vote in the country under Tebboune, who has vowed to reform state institutions inherited from Bouteflika, who died in September at the age of 84.

Algeria's local assemblies elect two-thirds of members of the national parliament's upper house, with the president appointing the remainder.

But while the national electoral board ANIE says more than 15,000 candidates are in the running, campaigning has been muted.

Redouane Boudjemaa, a journalism professor at the University of Algiers, said the vote was simply "an attempt to clean up the facade of local councils by changing their members, to benefit the ruling class".

"Politics at the moment is limited to slogans proclaiming that the country has entered a new era, while all indicators point to the contrary," he said.

Tebboune was elected in a contentious, widely boycotted 2019 ballot months after Bouteflika stepped down under pressure from the army and Hirak rallies.

He has vowed to "build the institutions of the state on a solid foundation" and break with Bouteflika-era local and regional elections marred by widespread claims of fraud.

- 'Huge challenges' -

Tebboune's rule has seen a crackdown on journalists and Hirak activists, even as he has packaged major policy moves as responses to the "blessed Hirak" and its calls for reform.

He has also faced a diplomatic crisis with Algeria's colonial ruler France.

But on Friday Tebboune said in a televised interview that "these relations must return to normal provided the other party (France) conceives them on an equal basis, without provocation".

The analyst Hennad said the elite in power since Algeria's independence from France in 1962, was using slogans around change to impose its agenda, without truly engaging other political forces.

The president pushed through an amended constitution in November 2020, approved by less than 24 percent of the electorate, and oversaw a parliamentary election that saw just 23 percent of voters take part.

But Tebboune, a former prime minister under Bouteflika, has downplayed the significance of turnout and said the key question is whether representatives have legitimacy.

Despite a declared boycott by the opposition Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), party activists are standing on independent lists, setting up a showdown with the rival Front of Socialist Forces (FFS) in the Kabylie region that often sees significant abstentions.

Electoral board head Mohamed Charfi has stressed the body's efforts to boost turnout.

But Boudjemaa said the main issue at stake was the "huge economic and social challenges of the coming year", warning that Algerian's purchasing power could "collapse".

"Several indicators show that the pouvoir (ruling elite) has neither the vision nor the strategy to respond to the crisis," he said.

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Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said Saturday he has replaced Sudan's police chiefs after more than 40 people were killed in a crackdown on protests following last month's military takeover.

Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said Saturday he has replaced Sudan's police chiefs after more than 40 people were killed in a crackdown on protests following last month's military takeover.

Military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan seized power and detained Hamdok on October 25, but after international condemnation and mass protests he reinstated the premier in a November 21 deal.

Medics say at least 42 people were killed as security forces sought to crush weeks of anti-military takeover demonstrations, with protests continuing even after Hamdok's release from house arrest and return to his post last week.

On Saturday, Hamdok said he had sacked the director general of the police, Khaled Mahdi Ibrahim al-Emam, and his deputy, Ali Ibrahim.

In their place, he appointed Anan Hamed Mohamed Omar with Abdelrahman Nasreddine Abdallah as his deputy, the premier said in a statement.

Medics have accused security forces of targeting protesters in the "head, neck and torso" with live ammunition, as well as with rubber-coated bullets and tear gas canisters.

The police have denied reports they opened fire using live bullets.

In addition, hundreds of political activists, journalists, protesters and bystanders watching the rallies have been arrested in recent weeks, and remain in custody.

While several civilian leaders have been released since last Sunday's deal, key figures are also still in detention.

The deal raised hopes for some that Sudan will be able to return to its tenuous transition process.

But critics slammed the agreement as "whitewashing" the military takeover, with some protesters accusing Hamdok of "treason" by signing it.

Hamdok, who has headed a transitional government since the 2019 ouster of long-time autocratic ruler Omar al-Bashir, said Wednesday he partnered with the military in order to "stop the bloodshed" and "not squander the gains of the last two years".

The deal he signed with Burhan lays down a "clear date" for Sudan's first free elections in three decades slated for July 2023, the premier said.

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The United States, Brazil, Canada, and Saudi Arabia became the latest countries Friday to restrict travel from southern Africa, where a new Covid strain labelled a "variant of concern" has been discovered in a potentially heavy blow to the world's efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic.

The World Health Organization said the new variant is more infectious than the dominant, highly transmissible Delta strain, and renamed this B.1.1.529 strain of Covid-19 as Omicron.

It has reached Europe with one confirmed case in Belgium after being found in South Africa, Botswana and then in Hong Kong.

Anxious tourists in Johannesburg rushed to the airport to catch a last flight out as nations across the globe started shutting their doors, while many worried the new variant could be more resistant to vaccines.

Markets around the world plunged as news of the latest setback in the fight against the pandemic sank in.

US President Joe Biden said countries should donate more Covid-19 vaccines and give up intellectual property protections to manufacture more doses worldwide to stem the spread of the virus.

"The news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations," he said.

Scientists are now racing to determine the threat posed by the heavily mutated strain, and whether the current coronavirus vaccines should be adjusted.

The WHO said it could take several weeks to understand the variant and cautioned against imposing travel curbs while scientific evidence was still scant.

EU officials holding an emergency meeting agreed to urge all 27 nations in the bloc to restrict travel from southern Africa, even though many members had already announced flight suspensions.

- 'Draconian' travel bans -

Europe is already struggling with a coronavirus surge, and the Netherlands on Friday became the latest country to ramp up anti-Covid restrictions with the early closure of bars, restaurants and shops.

"From Sunday, the whole of the Netherlands is effectively closed between 5pm and 5am," Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

Belgium announced the first publicly known case of B.1.1.529 in Europe: an unvaccinated person who returned on November 11 from Egypt via Turkey. The health ministry did not give the individual's nationality, age or gender.

"It must be repeated that this is a suspect variant -- we don't know if it is a very dangerous variant," Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said.

Israel said it has quarantined three people, one having just returned from Malawi.

Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Cyprus and the Netherlands joined Britain Friday in suspending flights from southern Africa.

The United States, Brazil, Canada and Guatemala also restricted travel from the region. The US measures go into force on Monday.

Japan said it will require a 10-day quarantine period for travelers from the area.

The shock measures included South Africa, as well as many of the following: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

South Africa's health ministry called the global rush to impose travel bans "draconian."

Germany on Friday used a military plane to transfer intensive-care patients to less afflicted regions, in an unprecedented move as it battles a vicious fourth wave of the pandemic.

"The last thing we need now is an introduced new variant," Germany's acting health minister Jens Spahn said.

The Philippines also suspended flights from southern Africa, while Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco announced bans, as well.

Ridiculous

The rush to close off southern Africa comes a day after scientists in Johannesburg said they had detected the new strain with at least 10 mutations, compared with two for the Delta.

The variant is of "serious concern" and had been blamed for a surge in infection numbers, authorities in South Africa said.

Spooked European markets fell at close by three percent, with airline shares especially hit. Tokyo closed down 2.53 percent.

The new variant caused Wall Street to plunge in Friday's holiday shortened session, with the Dow Jones index suffering its worst loss of the year as it plunged 2.5 percent.

And next week's World Trade Organization ministerial conference, the global trade body's biggest gathering in four years, was called off at the last minute Friday due to the new variant, a source told AFP.

The European Medicines Agency said it was "premature" to talk about modifying current vaccines to target the new variant.

Germany's BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer said they were studying the variant, with impact data expected "in two weeks at the latest" to say whether their jointly developed vaccine should be adjusted if Omicron spreads globally.

But Moderna said it will develop a booster specific to the new variant as part of a three-pronged strategy to fight it.

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The fourth edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS2021) concluded on Saturday, asserting the importance of cooperation and unified efforts for the sake of the sectors growth and pandemic recovery.

Global leaders from government, industry, and academia came together in the UAE this week to chart a greener future for the manufacturing sector at the GMIS2021, which kicked off on Monday and was co-chaired by the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology as well as the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

GMIS Week convened over 250 state actors, industry leaders, and civil society members with over 5000 attendees across 70 sessions.

Our world has come to a critical juncture. It is one where the decisions we make today will have a vital bearing on what our future will look like tomorrow. Many factors have brought us to this point. Technology is just one of them. Just about every way in which we do and experience things has changed, much for the better, said the Head of the GMIS Organising Committee Badr Al-Olama.

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic, like no other, has severely impacted all economic and business sectors, yet it has given the world the opportunity to make the required shifts to achieve growth and meet the UNs sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Climate action took centre stage on day one of the summit. Heads of state, ministers, and other high-level speakers asserted the importance of developing advanced zero-carbon technologies to help industry drive a sustainable post-COVID-19 recovery and achieve global climate targets.

During the event, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Jaber pointed out that real recovery requires resilience and that the industrial progress depends on smart partnerships

Meanwhile, the UK Minister for Investment Lord Gerry Grimstone addressed the global audience at the GMIS platform, stating that the UK is looking to secure free trade agreements (FTAs) with countries of the GCC region over the next 12 months.

GMIS America was announced at the close of GMIS2021 by Namir Hourani, Managing Director of GMIS. The inaugural edition of the annual event will take place in 2022 in Pittsburgh as a tribute to a city that has rebounded from significant industrial challenges.

On the other hand, The GMIS Working Group for Promoting Gender Inclusivity discussed how evidence suggests that the developments seen across the manufacturing sector and driven by Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies disproportionately benefit men in comparison to women, primarily because the gender bias in the job market sees women more densely concentrated in sectors that are more susceptible to automation.

A final GMIS working group gathered policymakers, manufacturers, and safety innovators from around the world as part of the weeks mandate to develop the Global Initiative for Future Industrial Safety.

Highlighting the latest trends in alternative and renewable energy during the week, the Green Chain Conference concluded that a clean energy transition is essential for keeping global warming within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. However, they added that hydrocarbons will remain part of the global energy mix for the foreseeable future.

Moreover, young adults engaged with experts in sustainability and technology from the industrial sector at the youth-oriented Federation Future Conference that took place over the last two days of the week.

Dedicated to empowering the new generation to make its mark in industries of the future and sustainable development, the event aimed to advance knowledge transfer and skills development through a series of masterclasses and workshops by partners from the public and private sectors as well as academia. The agenda included sessions hosted by Dubai Future Foundation, Mubadala, General Motors, G42, SAP, Accenture and Schneider Electric.

GMIS was established in 2015 aiming at linking manufacturers, governments and NGOs, technologists and investors in harnessing the FIRs transformation of manufacturing to enable the regeneration of the global economy, especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

GMIS is a joint initiative by the UAE and UNIDO launched as a global platform that presents stakeholders with an opportunity to shape the future of the manufacturing sector and contribute towards global good by advancing some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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The opening ceremony of the 43rd Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) - with more than 100 films including 34 world premieres - took place at the Cairo Opera House on Friday.

The opening ceremony opened with a red carpet event featuring a large number of movie stars and filmmakers from Egypt, Arab countries and around the world, as well as a large number of journalists, media professionals, and prominent personalities.

The opening ceremony, which was MCed by Mona Abdel-Wahab, began with actors Khaled El-Sawy and Ali Rabie presenting a comedy segment about the role of cinema in supporting the culture of difference.

In his opening remarks, renowned producer and scriptwriter Mohamed Hefzy, who is presiding over the CIFF for the fourth consecutive year, said that the support and encouragement he received over the years of his presidency of the festival was a great motivator for him to continue working on developing the festival and improving its positioning on the international arena.

A short video was screened featuring the most prominent actors who recently left our world, including Souheir El-Babli, Ezzat El-Alayli, Youssef Shaaban, Samir Ghanem, Dalal Abdel-Aziz, among others.

Hefzy then invited the Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem to officially launch the 43rd edition of CIFF.

In her speech, Abdel-Dayem emphasised the state's permanent support to the festival and to the culture scene at large.

She expressed her pride in the current positioning of CIFF among international film festivals, reminding the audience that CIFF is the only such event in the Arab world ranked "A" category by the International Federation of Producers in Paris (FIAPF).

The MC then announced the names of films participating in the international competition, jury members, and films competing in various categories.

This was followed by a performance of the song "Cinema Al-Hayat" by composer Hani Shenouda and singer Hind Abdel-Halim.

Renowned actress Mona Zaki presented artist Karim Abdel-Aziz with the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence for his remarkable career.

Abdel-Aziz expressed his gratitude thanking the festival as well as his father, the great director Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, and his mother and wife.

The high honour of the festival, Golden Pyramid Award for Lifetime Achievement, was then given to renowned Egyptian actress Nelly by Samir Sabry - another renowned Egyptian actor who co-starred with Nelly on many occasions over the decades.

The activities of the 43rd Cairo International Film Festival will continue until 5 December presenting films that include numerous world premieres, in addition to workshops, seminars and Cairo Industry Days set to kick off on 1 December.

All events are held in accordance with preventative mesures set by the Egyptian government and the World Health Organization to ensure the safety of the participating filmmakers, the public, and the festival's staff.

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On November 17, the International Finance Corporation organized a virtual event dubbed Up Next: Inside Africas creative industries, to discuss the importance of investing in the continents creative economies.

This virtual event featured Africas next generation of creators and industry leaders in music, fashion, and film with the goal of highlighting investment opportunities in Africas creative economies and its role in sustainable development.

Among the speakers featured was the Europe-based Egyptian filmmaker Hayat Aljowaily, alongside names such as Makhtar Diop, the managing director of the IFC; Kenyan music group Sauti Sol; Phiona Okumu, head of music for Spotify Africa; Senegalese fashion designer Selly Raby Kane, among other representatives of music, tech and streaming, fashion and film, and renowned politicians and artists.

Aljowaily, whose latest short film Maybe Next Time, won the Audience Award at the Tripoli Online Film Festival last year, spoke about her journey to become a filmmaker, and the importance of championing diversity in film, both in front of, and behind the camera.

I realized that growing up as an Egyptian abroad, I never saw myself represented in the movies I was watching " explained Aljowaily.

When I entered the industry, I realized the same issue existed behind the camera. Whenever I looked around me, I realized I was one of the African women. But what if when we start having films that reflect the diversity of our world? Those are the movies I want to make.

Throughout the event, all the speakers highlighted the immense potential of Africas creative industries, both as a way to support their countries economies, and to promote their culture throughout the world.

Based in Europe, Aljowaily has grown up in five different countries. She graduated from Sciences Po, Paris with a B.A. in social sciences, and from Columbia University with a B.A. in film and media studies.

Throughout her career Aljowaily has always been interested in issues related to global politics, cultural exchange and identity. She strives to use film and media as a medium to promote cultural understanding and encourage social cohesion -- while focusing on stories hailing from the Arab and North African region.

The award winning film Maybe the Next Time tells the story of an Argentinean actress (played by Mia Marotta) who learns that although her art can travel, she cannot. The film deals with the tedious process of visa applications for citizens from the Global South, even if they plan to travel to participate in cultural events, such as film festivals.

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 27th session of the Coordination Council of the Russian Expatriates (CCRE) this past week confirmed that Russian expatriates are part of Egyptian society, and play a crucial role in reinforcing relations and cultural exchanges.

Ludmila Salama, CCRE head in Egypt, opened the 27th session of the council on 19 November in the presence of Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko, at the Russian Cultural Centre in Dokki.

For his part, Borisenko expressed his appreciation for the efforts exerted by Russian citizens in Egypt and their great contributions to spreading contemporary Russian culture.

He stressed that the Egyptian-Russian relations are going through a good phase in an atmosphere of cooperation, involving several major projects in Egypt and the exchange of official visits, the latest of which was Egyptian foreign ministers visit to Russia.

Also attending the session was the new Director of the Russian Cultural Centres in Egypt Marat Gatin, the Russian Consul Turpal Autaev, President of the Egyptian Association of Graduates of Russian and Soviet Universities Sherif Gad, together with Director of the Russian School Valerii Pribytkov, and representatives of Russian associations in Cairo, Alexandria and Hurghada.

Salama praised the efforts of the Russian community in various Egyptian cities and their keenness to connect with the motherland, organise various national activities and celebrations, and form artistic groups and a youth union to contribute in presenting an accurate contemporary image of the Russian culture to Egypt.

Gatin stated that the Russian houses in Cairo and Alexandria are open to the Russian community, offering various activities to be a bridge of communication between the two peoples and cultures. He also expressed his pride in the great efforts exerted by the CCRE, adding that he is organising with the council a number of activities in 2022.

The Russian consul Autaev explained the consulates procedures that Russian citizens must follow, adding that they must abide by the laws in Egypt. "There are facilities and discounts for members of the Russian community in registering their papers and documents at the consulate," he stressed.

Gad pointed out that the association is keen to attend the meetings of the CCRE to discuss cooperation in the near future, "as we have already co-organised an artistic celebration for the Russian Cultural Days in the heart of Cairo at Al-Moez Street, and a visit by members of the association and the council is being arranged to 57357 Hospital."

Wrapping up the event, the Russian Centre screened a documentary on the activities undertaken by members of the Russian associations in Cairo, Alexandria, and Hurghada.

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KYODO NEWS - Nov 27, 2021 - 13:30 | All, Japan

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that Japan will strengthen its necessary defense power and consider all options including the acquisition of enemy base strike capabilities.

In a speech at a Ground Self-Defense Force base, Kishida expressed concern about North Korea's rapid development of missile technology and China's military expansion.

When Japan revises its foreign and security policies, Kishida said all options will be on the table including the idea of giving the Self-Defense Forces the capability to strike at hostile enemy bases.

The idea of Japan possessing such an attack capability is delicate as the SDF has strict restrictions on its use of force under the war-renouncing Constitution.

Kishida said Japan "cannot overlook (North Korea's) recent development and improvement of new technologies such as hypersonic glide weapons and missiles with irregular orbits."

He also said China continues to strengthen its military "without sufficient transparency" and is making "unilateral attempts to change the status quo."

The prime minister, who took office in early October, made the comments when he reviewed the GSDF at the Asaka base straddling Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, with Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.

The event was downscaled due to precautions against the risk of coronavirus and there was no parade by GSDF members.

Kishida, who boarded combat vehicles at the base, also said a team comprised of officials from the foreign and defense ministries has been sent to Djibouti to investigate the situation in Ethiopia, where fighting in its civil war intensifies.

The team is tasked with finding if Japanese nationals living in Ethiopia need to be evacuated with the use of an SDF plane.

The Japanese government has been asking them to leave Ethiopia while commercial flights are available. According to a Foreign Ministry official, there are a few dozen Japanese people still in the African country.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 27, 2021 - 11:49 | All, World, Coronavirus

The World Health Organization said Friday a new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa is a highly transmissible "variant of concern" and named it "Omicron."

The emergence of the B.1.1.529 variant, first reported to the WHO from South Africa on Wednesday, has caused authorities around the world to react with alarm and led them to quickly tighten travel restrictions.

An advisory panel of the U.N. health agency has warned the variant has "a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning."

Compared with other variants, preliminary evidence has found an "increased risk of reinfection" with Omicron, the WHO said, adding the new variant can be detected by current PCR diagnostics.

The new variant has already been confirmed outside South Africa, including Hong Kong, Belgium and Israel.

According to Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Omicron variant has 32 mutations in the spike protein, which may allow it to more easily enter the body's cells.

With the discovery of the new variant, the World Trade Organization on Friday decided to indefinitely postpone its ministerial meeting set to open next week after Switzerland tightened entry restrictions.

The four-day meeting was scheduled to open Tuesday at the WTO headquarters in Geneva to discuss issues including how to curb export restrictions on medical goods. It would have been the world trade body's first ministerial talks in four years.

From Japan, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and trade minister Koichi Hagiuda were both planning to attend.

The WTO said its General Council agreed late Friday to postpone the meeting after Switzerland banned direct flights from South Africa and six other southern African countries.

"Given these unfortunate developments and the uncertainty that they cause, we see no alternative but to propose to postpone the ministerial conference and reconvene it as soon as possible when conditions allow," the WTO quoted Dacio Castillo, a Honduran ambassador and chair of the council, as saying.

The WTO, which has 164 members representing 98 percent of world trade, normally convenes a ministerial conference every two years. The meeting that was originally due to take place in Kazakhstan in June 2020 was put off also due to the coronavirus pandemic.
KYODO NEWS - Nov 27, 2021 - 19:24 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan will add Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia to its list of nations subject to tighter entry rules from Sunday following the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in South Africa, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Kishida told reporters Saturday his government wants to make sure that "border control measures are firmly implemented," one day after it started requiring travelers who have recently been to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa or Zimbabwe to spend 10 days in a government-designated facility upon arrival.

During the 10 days, travelers from the designated countries must take a coronavirus test on the third, sixth and 10th day after their arrival.

The World Health Organization said Friday a new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa is a highly transmissible "variant of concern" and named it "Omicron."

The emergence of the B.1.1.529 variant, first reported to WHO from South Africa on Wednesday, has caused authorities worldwide to react with alarm, with many nations moving quickly to tighten travel restrictions.

Britain was among the first countries to suspend flights from southern African countries.

Related coverage:

WHO says new Omicron coronavirus variant is "of concern"

Japan to restrict travel from South Africa over variant

Tokyo stocks' Nikkei index plunges to 1-month low on COVID variant concern
KYODO NEWS - Nov 27, 2021 - 18:24 | All, Japan, World

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his hope that Japan would increase its defense spending during a phone call with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in October, a diplomatic source said, as the two allies deepen their ties amid China's rise.

Biden's remarks came in the wake of Kishida showing eagerness to beef up Japan's defense outlays, which have been kept around 1 percent of the country's gross domestic product in light of the war-renouncing Constitution.

According to the source, Biden did not mention exactly how much of an increase would be desirable during the call that took place shortly after Kishida took office. But he conveyed his expectations that Japan would steadily make progress in reviewing its defense capabilities.

The issue is expected to be discussed when Biden and Kishida meet next time and during security talks involving the two countries' foreign and defense ministers.

The United States would apparently welcome Japan's increased defense expenditure as it would signal Japan's eagerness to take on a larger role in the security in the region, with concerns growing over Beijing's assertiveness toward Taiwan and its territorial claims over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

But greater defense roles of U.S. allies in Asia could trigger an arms race in the region, some pundits warn.

Japan's annual defense budget has been on the rise in the face of North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and China's rise, exceeding 5 trillion yen ($44 billion) since fiscal 2016.

But its defense expenditure as a share of GDP was the lowest compared with other Group of Seven industrialized nations as well as Australia and South Korea in fiscal 2020, with the figure standing at 0.94 percent, according to Japan's Defense White Paper.

Kishida said in September when he was campaigning for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership that defense spending should not be "bound by figures" such as the 1 percent GDP threshold.

The LDP, of which Kishida is now president, also proposed ahead of the general election in late October a target of spending 2 percent of the GDP on defense, similar to the goal upheld by members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Top U.S. diplomat for East Asia Daniel Kritenbrink said during an interview while he was in Japan in early November that Washington would "welcome" an increase in Japan's defense budget.

Related coverage:

Japan PM says enemy base strike capabilities option to boost defense

Japan PM Kishida voices concern over China human rights issues in ASEM

Japan set to meet U.S. request to shoulder more for hosting troops
New Delhi:

The government should stop classifying luxury cars as sin goods and reduce tax burden on such vehicles, as manufacturers contribute healthily in the country's economic growth, according to Jaguar Land Rover India. Stating that heavy tax burden has restricted growth of the luxury car market in India, Jaguar Land Rover India President and Managing Director Rohit Suri told PTI that if the criteria of sin goods classification is based on expensiveness, then even going to five-star or wearing expensive shirts and shoes would also be 'sin'.

At present luxury vehicles in India attract top GST slab of 28 per cent and additional cess of 20 per cent on sedans and 22 per cent on SUVs, taking the total tax incidence to 48 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively. "The government calls it (luxury vehicles) sin goods.

This does not allow the market to grow. We can't understand how it is a sin-good. I can understand something which impacts your health like cigarettes but does driving a car impact your health" Suri said.

READ | Mahindra XUV300 diesel AMT bookings begin in India, know more

He argued that it was unfair to classify luxury vehicles as sin goods just based on the expensiveness, without looking at their contribution to India's economic development, such as by providing employment across the value chain.

"If you classify this (luxury vehicles) as sin goods then there are ten more goods like wearing expensive shirts or shoes, which are also sin...In that case, every five-star hotel should be sin and people going there should be called sinners.

"We employ around 2,400 people. We give employment to people across our value chain. If the market remains restricted then we are going to be handicapped," Suri said.

At present, the Indian luxury vehicles market is around 40,000 units annually, and JLR with its product portfolio addresses a segment of around 27,000 units. "The market size is small, all because of the high GST rate that the government continues to apply," he added.

READ | CFMoto to debut in India with four bikes on July 4: Details inside

"We are very keen, we are hoping that the government will stop calling us sin goods. Do you want to stop the growth of the industry by classifying it as sin goods? It is something we are clearly not happy with the way it is being branded," Suri lamented.
New Delhi:

Notwithstanding the US government's ban on software and hardware supplies to Huawei, the smartphone brand of the Chinese telecom firm Honor said its devices will get all android updates from Google inlcuding Android Q for Honor 20 series phones. "All Honor smartphones and tablets will continue to receive security patches and Android updates," Honor India said in a statement.

The US government has directed its companies, including Google, not to supply software and hardware to Huawei, alleging security risk from the company. After the US ban, Google-owned Android platform had said it would comply with the US government rules on Huawei and services like Google Play and security from Google Play Protect would keep functioning on existing Huawei devices.

The Honor statement said that anyone who has already bought, or is about to buy an Honor smartphone, can continue to access the apps as usual. "All devices continue to be covered by our manufacturer's warranty and will receive full service accordingly. Our most popular devices, including Honor 20 series (Honor 20i, Honor 20, Honor 20 Pro), will be able to access Android Q," the statement said.

Honor had launched Honor 20 series smartphones on Android Pie platform in India after US ban came into effect. In the latest March quarter, Huawei was the second largest smartphone vendor with global shipments of 59.1 million units and 19 per cent market share, behind Samsung that had 71.9 million units shipment (23.1 per cent share), according to the research firm IDC.

India is one of Huawei's key countries outside China with almost four per cent market share in smartphone segment. No immediate comments were received from Google in this regard.
New Delhi:

Over 9,100 students have taken admissions to Delhi University (DU) till Saturday, according to the data shared by the varsity. The DU announced its first cut-off list for admission to undergraduate courses late Thursday night, with Hindu College pegging the highest score of 99 per cent for Political Science Honours -- a marginal increase over last year. Over 2,750 admissions were done on the first day of admissions on Friday, while the tally climbed to 9,196 on the second day.

Hindu College has seen around 750 admissions till now, while Lady Shri Ram and Miranda House have completed 800 admissions each approximately. According to the representatives of Miranda House and Hindu College, there may not be a second cut-off list for certain courses since the seats may get filled after the first round of admissions.

In Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), of the 135 seats in BA (Honours) Economics, 130 have been filled, while 266 of the 552 seats have been filled up so far in BCom (Honours). Aurobindo College has had around 250 admissions for over 1,000 seats till now.

Meanwhile, at least 10 students from Maharashtra approached the Delhi University authorities on Saturday alleging that colleges were not accepting their certificates owing to some discrepancies in names. According to a varsity official, in caste certificates issued in Maharashtra the prefix 'Kumari' is added to the names of girls. The father's name is also added to their names.

For instance, if a girl's name is Nikita Kamble and her father's name is Suresh Kamble, her certificate will have her name as Kumari Nikita Suresh Kamble, he explained.

The students were directed to the grievance redressal cell by the colleges, the official said. He said 10-15 queries on the issue were received from students. The colleges were directed to enrol the students since Maharashtra follows this format.
Osaka:

Warning that there are growing risks to the global economy, leaders of the group of 20 major economies Saturday called for a free and stable trade environment and reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The G20 bloc said it will play a lead role in the global efforts to prevent fight against corruption by denying safe haven to persons sought for corruption and "work more closely" on asset recovery cooperation. The group also agreed to apply the recently amended Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Standards to virtual assets and related providers for anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism.

"...growth remains low and risks remain tilted to the downside. Most importantly, trade and geopolitical tensions have intensified. We will continue to address these risks and stand ready to take further action," the G20 leaders said in a declaration at the end of a two-day summit held in Japans Osaka.

The group decided to step up "dialogue and actions to enhance confidence" and use all policy tools to achieve strong and inclusive growth, and safeguard against downward risks.

In order to foster global economic growth, the group said, "We strive to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open".

Emphasising the need to improve the functioning of the WTO, the G20 members decided to work constructively with other trade body members in the run-up to the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference.

"We agree that action is necessary regarding the functioning of the dispute settlement system consistent with the rules as negotiated by WTO members. Furthermore, we recognize the complementary roles of bilateral and regional free trade agreements that are WTO-consistent. We will work to ensure a level playing field to foster an enabling business environment," the declaration said.

To enhance cooperation, the G20 members called for carefully calibrated macroeconomic and structural policies "tailored to country-specific circumstances" to address excessive current account imbalances and mitigate the risks to achieving the G20 goal of strong and inclusive growth.

Stating that cross-border flow of data and information was raising challenges of privacy, security and intellectual property rights, the G20 stressed on continuing addressing these issues besides respecting the legal frameworks, both domestic and international.

The group decided to work on advancing elements to develop infrastructure as an asset class, including by exploring possible indicators on quality infrastructure investment, the declaration said.

Calling on the International Monetary Fund to expedite its work on its resources and governance reform on a priority basis, the G20 urged the IMF and World Bank Group to continue their efforts to strengthen borrowers' capacity in the area of debt recording, monitoring and reporting among others under their multi-pronged approach.

The group further said that it will redouble its efforts for a consensus-based solution on tax challenges arising from digitalisation with a report by 2020.

"We call on all jurisdictions to sign and ratify the multilateral convention on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters. We reiterate our support for tax capacity building in developing countries," the declaration said.

Stating that crypto-assets do not pose a threat to global financial stability at this point, the members said however, "we are closely monitoring developments and remain vigilant to existing and emerging risks".

To tackle corruption, the group said it is committed to implement the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2019-2021 and intensify efforts to combat foreign bribery and ensure that each member in the bloc has a national law in force for criminalising foreign bribery as soon as possible.

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UK, the US, Chile, Egypt, Estonia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Senegal, Singapore, Spain and Vietnam are members of the G20 bloc. WTO, World Bank and other seven global bodies are also part of it.

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New Delhi:

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Monday reported a 19 per cent decline in total vehicle sales to 11,365 units in June this year. The company had sold 14,102 units in June 2018. In the domestic market, the company reported sales of 10,603 units last month, down 19 per cent, as compared to 13,088 units in June 2018, TKM said in a statement.

Commenting on the sales performance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Deputy Managing Director N Raja, said, The industry has been witnessing a continuous decline in domestic sales owing to several factors that have contributed to the weak consumer sentiment.

The prevailing economic uncertainty, uncertainty on monsoons, high interest costs, tight liquidity and also the underlying apprehensions surrounding BS-VI introduction in few months have steered the slowdown, he added.

We, at Toyota, always strive to support our dealers through any business challenges, we have consciously lowered the volume of vehicles sold to dealers ensuring minimum burden on our dealer partners amid low buying sentiments, Raja said.

During January-June 2019, the company reported sales of 68,652 units, down 10 per cent from 75,992 units in same period last year.

Recently, Toyota Glanza, the much-awaited premium hatchback, was launched on Thursday in India at the price range of Rs 7.22 lakh to Rs 8.90 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Toyota also announced that the bookings for the Glanza have officially opened from today for a token amount of Rs 11,000 and the company will give the delivery of the car within this week.

It is to be noted that Toyota Glanza is the first product of the partnership between Toyota and Maruti Suzuki. Back in 2017, the two Japanese automobile manufacturers had agreed to make an alliance in areas including environmental, information and safety technologies and mutual supply of products and components.

Interestingly, Toyota Glanza is the first premium hatchback to be launched by Toyota Kirloskar Motors in India. The premium hatchback will be offered in two variants - G and V, in four different iterations depending on the engine and transmission i.e. G MT, V MT, G CVT, and V CVT. The petrol engine on the Toyota Glanza are BS6 compliant, while there are no diesel engine options.

(With inputs from PTI)
Colombo:

Sri Lankas president is facing fresh legal challenges in his attempt to end a 43-year moratorium on capital punishment and start executing drug convicts, officials said Sunday. Two petitions were filed in the Court of Appeal Friday seeking an order quashing any move by Maithripala Sirisena to resume executions, which have not been carried out since the last hanging in June 1976.

"The Court of Appeal will have a preliminary hearing next week. In the meantime, the prisons commissioner has given an assurance to court that there will be no hangings," a court official told AFP.

On Wednesday, Sirisena said he has completed formalities to resume hangings by signing the death warrants of four condemned drug convicts. He did not say when the executions would be carried out. Justice ministry sources said they were yet to fill the vacancies for two hangmen, although more than a dozen candidates had been shortlisted for the job.

Although the last execution was more than four decades ago, an executioner was in post until his retirement in 2014. Three replacements since have quit after short stints at the unused gallows. There has been a mounting chorus of international criticism of Sirisenas announcement. Justice ministry sources said, however, there would have to be a lengthy administrative process before an execution took place.

A High Court judge who condemned a convict would have to make a fresh recommendation whether to carry out the death penalty or not. The condemned prisoner also has the option of making a clemency plea to the president. "I have signed the death warrants of four," Sirisena told reporters at his official residence on Wednesday.

They have not been told yet. We dont want to announce the names yet because that could lead to unrest in prisons. An official in Sirisenas office said the president wanted the hangings to send a powerful message to the illegal drugs trade.

Sirisena said there were 200,000 drug addicts in the country, and 60 per cent of the 24,000 prison population were drug offenders. Criminals in Sri Lanka are regularly handed death sentences for murder, rape and drug-related crimes, but since 1976 their punishments have been commuted to life imprisonment.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the first edition of his monthly radio show - Mann ki Baat - after returning to power. During the address, the prime minister remembered those who fought against the Emergency imposed in June 1975 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi. Modi said that when the Emergency was imposed, there was anger in the conscience of everyone and the resistance against it was not just in political circles. He also hailed the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, saying it was the biggest democratic event in the world and thanked voters for giving him another term. Referring to the ongoing water crisis in several parts of the country, the prime minister also called for a people's movement to conserve water.

Below are the top quotes of PM Modi's first 'Mann ki Baat' radio show after returning to power

Mann Ki Baat - a New India Spirit: I have been missing MannKiBaat. This Sunday has made me wait so much. This programme personifies the New India Spirit. In this programme is the spirit of the strengths of 130 crore Indians.

Remebering the days of Emergency: When emergency was imposed, resistance against it was not just in political circles or politicians; the movement was not limited to the jails. There was anger in the conscience of everyone.

Democracy part of India's culture: India just completed the largest ever election. The scale of the election was immense. It tells us about the faith people have in our democracy. Democracy is a part of our culture and ethos.

On developing reading habbit: Sometime back, someone presented me a collection of short stories of the great Premchand. I once again got an opportunity to revisit those stories. The human element and compassion stands out in his words. It is my request to you all- please devote some time to reading. I urge you all to talk about the books you read, on the 'Narendra Modi Mobile App.' Let us have discussions on the good books we read and why we liked the books.

Water crisis: With the significance of water in mind, a new Jal Shakti Ministry has been established in the country. This will allow quicker decision-making on all water issues. I wrote a letter to Gram Pradhans on the importance of water conservation and how to take steps to create awareness on the subject across rural India.

How deep is water crisis and what people need to do: Water crisis hits many parts of the nation every year. You will be surprised that only 8% of the rain water in the whole year is harvested in our country. There is no fixed way to conserve water. In different parts, different methods may be adopted but the aim is same- to conserve every drop of water.

An appeal to fellow citizens to save water: I appeal to all Indians, including eminent people from all walks of life to create awareness on water conservation. Share knowledge of traditional methods of water conservation. If you know about any individuals or NGOs working on water, do share about them.









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New Delhi:

Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan on Sunday took over as the 23rd Chief of Indian Coast Guard, replacing his predecessor Rajendra Singh, the first cadre officer to head the force. Before his appointment as the ICG chief, Natarajan was the Additional Director General of the ICG's Western Sea Board, which looks after the security of the sensitive maritime boundary from Gujarat to Kerala. A 1984-batch officer, Natarajan has held various important command and staff appointments, both afloat and ashore. He joined the forces on January 18, 1984.

Taking to its official Twitter handle the Indian Coast Guard also confirmed the news, saying "Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan PTM TM assumes charge as 23rd Director General of Indian Coast Guard".

During his initial years, Natarajan specialised in select core competencies like Search and Rescue as well as Maritime Safety and Port Operations, at the US Coast Guard Reserve Training Centre, Yorktown in Virginia. On the education front, he holds a Masters' Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

READ | Admiral Singh cuts down VIP culture in Navy, orders same standards of food, drinks for officers

Outgoing Director General Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh passes on the baton to Incoming DG Krishnaswamy Natarajan in New Delhi on Sunday

In his illustrious career spanning over 35 years, the flag officer has commanded all classes of ICG ships - Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) Sangram, Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Veera, Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) Kanaklata Barua and Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) Chandbibi. His important command appointments ashore include the Commander, Coast Guard District No.5 (Tamil Nadu) and the Commanding Officer, ICGS Mandapam.

READ | New Navy Chief appointment sparks supersession row, Vice Admiral Bimal Verma moves court

Natarajan's key staff assignments at the Coast Guard headquarters include Principal Director (Policy and Plans), Chairman, Coast Guard Service Selection Board, Principal Director (Projects), Joint Director (Operations), Coast Guard Advisor (CGA) to Director General, ICG.

The flag officer has also held the posts of Chief Staff Officer (Personnel & Administration) at Headquarters Region (East), Chennai and Chief of Staff at Headquarters Region (West), Mumbai. He has also held the post of Officer-in-Charge, Coast Guard Training Centre, Kochi.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi:

In what could be termed as the biggest ever haul, the Customs Department seized 532 kg of suspected heroin, worth Rs 2,700 crore, smuggled in a truck through the trade route at the Attari border, officials said on Sunday. The consignment of heroin and another 52 kg of suspected mixed narcotics were concealed under hundreds of bags of rock salt in the truck, which arrived at Attari from Pakistan through Integrated Check Post (ICP) on Saturday, Customs (Preventive) Commissioner Deepak Kumar Gupta said.

"In a major breakthrough in busting the international organised drug smuggling, the Customs Preventive Commissionerate, Amritsar has seized 532 kg of suspected heroin and 52 kg of suspected mixed narcotics in the import consignment at ICP, Attari," he said.

Dipak Kumar Gupta, Custom Commissioner Amritsar: Customs yesterday seized 532 kg of suspected Heroin & 52 kg of suspected mixed Narcotics having International Market value of approximately Rs 2700 crore at Integrated Check Post (ICP), Amritsar. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/kxHxIXcqbO a ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2019

This is the biggest-ever achievement in annals of the Indian Customs history, Gupta said.

On Saturday, at about 1.30 pm, during examination of the consignment of rock salt, one sack was found to have a white coloured powder substance.

On detailed examination of 600 bags, 15 were suspected to contain narcotic material. On further examination of the 15 bags, they were found to contain heroin of a net weight of 532 kg and mixed narcotics of 52 kg, he said.

"The value of heroin in the international market is approximately Rs 2,700 crore," he said.A

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

The booth-level workers of the Delhi BJP will try to enlist 14 lakh new members in the party in over a month long nationwide membership drive scheduled to begin from July 6. The party has designated five workers at each polling booth as Panch Parmeshwars (booth-level workers) who will serve as a link between the party and the voters living in the area covered by the booth. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the membership drive in the national capital will be different from other states where aim is to add 20 per cent new members to the existing numbers.

The membership campaign will be general in nature in which we will work to make around 14 lakh new members which is more than 20 percent target set for other states, Tiwari said.

Presently, the BJP has around 27 lakh members in its Delhi unit.

In Delhi, there are 13,816 polling booths and about 58,000 booth-level workers, Harsh Malhotra, the co-incharge of the membership drive in Delhi, said.

Given that each Panch Parmeshwar enrolls 50 new members during the campaign, we will be in a comfortable position to achieve the target, he said.

Ahead of the 2017 municipal polls, the BJP had appointed five panch parmeshwar in each of total 13,816 polling booths in the national capital.

The saffron party, which has been out of power in Delhi for over two decades, is expecting a comeback in the wake of partys massive victory here in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The membership drive will boost our chances in Assembly polls, as more workers will translate into stronger ground level presence and better voter connect, Tiwari said.

The BJP won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. It won in over 12,000 of the total 13,816 polling booths which together mean victory in 65 of the total 70 Assembly segments in Delhi.

In the membership drive, Tiwari said a special focus will be on 1,200 polling booths where the partys presence was weak.

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Washington:

A group of Sikh activists have launched an online petition asking Indian-American Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris to apologise to the community for allegedly defending a discriminatory policy in 2011 that prohibited state prison guards from keeping beards for religious reasons, even though exceptions were given for medical reasons.

In a statement, these Sikh activists alleged that during her tenure as Californias Attorney General, Harris defended a policy that prohibited state prison guards from keeping beards for religious reasons, even though exceptions were given for medical reasons.

The case settled without a policy change in 2011, prompting the US Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation and forcing California Sikhs to successfully lobby for stronger workplace religious freedom laws in the state the following year.

Kamala Harris lectures her opponents on civil rights, but she needs to apologise for trampling on the civil rights of Sikh Americans as Californias attorney general, Rajdeep Singh Jolly, a lawyer and political consultant in Washington, DC, said.

He said that Harris denied religious freedom to Sikh-Americans even when the Obama administration was taking historic steps to allow it.

While the Obama/Biden administration was taking historic steps to allow observant Sikhs to serve in the US military, Harris was fighting hard to deny religious freedom and equal opportunity to Sikh Americans, Jolly said.

Winty Singh, author of the American Turban blog and commentator on Sikh American issues, said Harris civil rights rhetoric will ring hollow until she addresses her defence of workplace discrimination against Sikhs.

Its her opportunity now to right that wrong, he said. Kamala Harris campaign did not immediately respond to the email sent seeking their reaction on the allegations by the group.

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New Delhi:

The Tihar Jail authorities have recovered a mobile phone from the prison cell of former Haryana Minister Ajay Singh Chautala. Talking to News Nation, Tihar DG Ajay Kashyap confirmed the development and said that the seized mobile phone will be handed over to special cell. The special cell will see for how long the mobile phone was being used and who all were in contact with Chautala via the mobile phone. It should be noted that on June 19, a mobile phone was also seized from Ajay Chautalas father and former Haryana Chief Minister OP Chautala from his Tihar cell.

Additional Inspector General Rajkumar had said that a mobile phone, a charger, tobacco pouch, and a wire was found from Chautala Seniors cell. However, during interrogation, Chautalas fellow inmate Ramesh claimed that the items belonged to him. Chautala is lodged in jail number two at Tihar jail and has two inmates in the cell with him. The cell phone recovered was an android phone, a News18 report had said.

The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were among 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in Haryana in 2000. The high court had on March 5, 2015, said, "The overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country." The Supreme Court had on August 3, 2016 dismissed the appeals of Chautala and his father OP Chautala challenging the high court verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers recruitment scam case.

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Seoul:

US President Donald Trump heads for the Demilitarised Zone dividing the two Koreas on Sunday and a possible impromptu summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in what would be a remarkable diplomatic spectacle. Trump did not mention Kim when he took to Twitter early Sunday to say that his schedule for the day would include a speech to US troops and a "long planned" visit to the DMZ. Their first meeting in Singapore last year took place in a blaze of publicity -- the first-ever encounter between a leader of the nuclear-armed North and a sitting US president, whose forces and their allies fought each other to a stalemate in the 1950-53 Korean War.

That summit produced a vaguely-worded pledge about denuclearisation, but a second meeting in Hanoi in February intended to put flesh on those bones broke up without agreement. Contact between the two sides has since been minimal -- with Pyongyang issuing frequent criticisms of the US position -- but the two leaders have exchanged a series of letters and Trump turned to Twitter on Saturday to invite Kim to a third diplomatic date.

"If Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!," Trump tweeted from Osaka in Japan, where he was attending a G20 summit before flying to Seoul. He later said he would have "no problem" stepping into the North with Kim -- in what would be a dramatic re-enactment of the extraordinary scene last year when the young leader invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to walk over the Military Demarcation Line that forms the border between the Koreas.

"Sure I would, I would. I'd feel very comfortable doing that. I'd have no problem," Trump told reporters. It was not clear whether Kim would attend the rendezvous. In an unusually fast and public response, within hours of Trump's tweet the North's official KCNA news agency quoted Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui as saying the offer was "a very interesting suggestion" but that no official request had been received.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, said the KCNA comments indicated Kim had "practically accepted" Trump's invitation. "If he (Kim) isn't interested he would not release such a statement to begin with."

Speculation grew that something was afoot when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo skipped a G20 dinner Friday without giving a reason. "We'll see. If he is there, we will see each other for two minutes," said Trump.

Later Saturday, when he was asked about the meeting at a dinner with Moon in Seoul, he said: "We're gonna see. They're working things out right now." A meeting in the DMZ would make a powerful visual statement, but analysts were divided over its potential impact.

The four-kilometre-wide (2.5 miles) zone, running for 250 kilometres, is where the front line lay when the Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty, and is described as the world's last Cold War frontier. "The meeting, however short, will have a huge impact as the DMZ symbolises the military tension between North Korea and the United States," said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Dongguk University in Seoul.

However, Robert Kelly of Pusan National University derided Trump's invitation as "emblematic of why the Trump NK effort is a farce: thrown-together; last-minute; made-for-TV".It was driven by Trump's "lust for optics and drama rather than substance" and "a photo-op for the 2020 election", he tweeted.

But John Delury of Yonsei University in Seoul said a meeting in the "barren no man's land that embodies the unhealed wound of post-WWII division, the Korean War, and 70 years of animosity" would help improve ties. "It's not just about denuclearisation and it's not all about a deal -- important as those are," he said.

"If Trump and Kim meet & can announce some kind of interim agreement, that's great. If they meet and don't, that's ok too. If in the end they don't meet, it's good that Trump offered to." The DMZ has been a regular stop for US presidents visiting the South, a security ally -- although Trump's helicopter was forced to turn back by fog in 2017.

And Moon -- who will also be going to the DMZ on Sunday -- and Kim held their first two summits last year at Panmunjom, a "truce village" on the border. Trump could leverage the "historic setting" to send a clear message to Pyongyang on what a compromise agreement might look like, said Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest.

The US could offer to suspend, rather than remove, some of the UN Security Council sanctions in exchange for the full closure of the North's Yongbyon nuclear facility, he suggested. "Such a formulation would give Pyongyang the economic incentives it needs to jump-start its economy while giving Trump an important foreign policy victory."

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New Delhi:

Days after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a dig at Uttar Pradesh government over rising cases of crime, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday hits back at her for criticising the law and order situation in the state.

"It is a case of sour grapes. Her party president lost from UP, so sitting in Delhi, Italy or England, they have to comment on something or the other to remain in headlines," the CM Yogi told reporters Saharanpur, where he went to take stock of the law and order situation and review developmental works.

Last week, the UP government came under sharp attack after a video of two prisoners flashing a country-made pistol in Unnao jail was widely shared on social media.

UP CM Yogi Adtiyanath on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's tweet on law and order in the state: It is a case of sour grapes. Her party president lost from UP, so sitting in Delhi,Italy or England they have to comment something or the other to remain in headlines pic.twitter.com/CjCt7J0ehg a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 30, 2019

Referring to the video, Gandhi had tweeted, "In Uttar Pradesh criminals are roaming freely and doing whatever they want. Criminal incidents are taking place one after the other. However, its BJP government has turned deaf. Has the Uttar Pradesh government surrendered before criminals?"

She even shared a collage of news reports indicating various incidents of crime. Responding to her tweet, the Uttar Pradesh Police responded by sharing data and claimed that it had recorded an unprecedented decline in crimes and improvement in the law and order situation.

"UP Police has taken strict action against serious offenders. 9,225 criminals were arrested and 81 were killed in two years. Illegal property worth nearly 200 crore was seized under the National Security Act and there was an unprecedented decline in dacoity, murder, loot and kidnappings," the UP Police tweeted.

"Because of UP Police's effective working, there has been 20 to 35 per cent decline in crimes. All sensational crimes were solved in 48 hours," it added.

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New Delhi:

The Union Budget 2019-20, to be presented later this week, will be the decisive factor for equity markets going ahead and investors are likely to be in a 'wait and watch' mode ahead of the mega event, analysts said. However, markets may see some upmove following the trade truce announced by the US and China at the G-20 summit over the weekend, they added.

Besides, progress of monsoon, rupee and crude oil movement will also be tracked by participants. "The election outcome is more of an emotional event while the Budget has more rational reactions in the market. The lackluster vibe before the Budget can be the calm before the storm and markets are expected to remain muted and sideways but there is likelihood of downward pressure," said Jimeet Modi, Founder and CEO, SAMCO Securities and StockNote

"The auto sector is at the tipping point. Depending on how the Government provides support, these stocks will either revive or fall off the cliff," he added. Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research, said, "We have a very important event, Budget, that is about to shape the future trend of equity markets. There will be possibly an increase in volatility and may further hurt any directional trader for the very short term. Since the importance of the event is high and is able to produce large trend, we believe it is better to be on the sideline and see the outcome."

PMI data for the manufacturing and services sectors would also be announced this week. Amar Ambani, President and Research Head, Yes Securities, said the Budget will be watched for cues on the government's fiscal road map.

"We expect the government to persist with reasonable levels of deficit on the fiscal front, as indicated in their earlier Budget. The FM's reassurance on sticking with the path of fiscal prudence in the years ahead will be equally important. The next on the agenda would be the much-needed boost to economic growth," he said. According to Vinod Nair, Head - Research, Geojit Financial Services Ltd, "auto and metal sectors are likely to be subdued due to low demand and benign raw material prices. Government seems to have hectic task ahead- to support growth and maintain fiscal prudence which will be closely watched by the market."

Over the last week, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose 200.15 points or 0.51 per cent to close at 39,394.64.
New Delhi:

The United States and the Taliban opened fresh negotiations in Doha on Saturday, a Taliban spokesman said. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that the seventh round of talks between US representatives and the negotiation team of the Islamic Emirate have begun in Doha. Washington eyes a breakthrough before Afghanistans September presidential election.

The two sides have met repeatedly to discuss the framework for an eventual peace deal, in which the Taliban would vow to stop Afghanistan ever again being used as a terrorist safe haven in return for a pull out of foreign forces. None of the talks thus far have included the Afghan government, which the Taliban views as a puppet regime.

With the talks in Doha, this marks the seventh round of negotiations.



An hour-and-a-half after announcing the resumption of talks, Mujahid tweeted again posting a video of a group of men, some armed and with covered faces, gathered around a waterfall singing beautiful Afghanistan.

The video was captioned jihadi tourism in Farah, a southern Afghan region that has previously been touted as a possible tourist draw.

In return the Taliban would guarantee the country never again became a safe haven for violent extremist groups, as happened with Al-Qaeda before the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The negotiations have so far centred on four issuescounter-terrorism, the foreign troop presence, an intra-Afghan dialogue and a permanent ceasefire.

On Tuesday, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid an unannounced visit to Kabul and said he hoped for a peace deal with the Taliban before September 1".



US and the Taliban can agree a deal to end the 17-year-old war and a timetable for an eventual troop withdrawal, the insurgents must still forge some kind of an accord with Afghan politicians and tribal elders before an enduring ceasefire could kick in.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the special envoy leading the American delegations went to Moscow last month, where Russia and China voiced support for the US plan for a peace deal and stressed the need for an "intra-Afghan dialogue" that would see all sides in Afghanistan at a negotiating table.

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New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mahant Balaknath had a close shave on Sunday when the helicopter he was flying in lost control for a while and was seen swaying in the air minutes before it was supposed to land in Alwar district of Rajasthan.

The incident occurred at Ladpur village in Kotkasim area where the MP was supposed to attend an annual religious function organised to commemorate the 19th death anniversary of Baba Somnath Maharaj. When his chopper arrived from Delhi and was landing at a temporary helipad in Ladpur around 10.30 am, it lost control and started rotating in the air.

#WATCH Alwar: Chopper with Alwar BJP MP Mahant Balaknath onboard appeared to have lost control but regained it later and flew off. #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/aIHaIHTMuh a ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2019

The pilot, however, managed to control the helicopter after it rotated four-five times in the air avoiding a major accident as the huge crowd was present to welcome the Member of Parliament.

According to officials, the helicopter lost its balance as the air pressure was strong.

The pilot later tried to bring down the chopper carrying Balaknath, who won the Alwar Lok Sabha seat defeating Congress' Jitendra Singh by a huge margin in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections, at a helipad in village Khushkheda but was not granted permission.

Following which the MP returned to Delhi, Kotkasim police station in-charge Rajkumar said. He later came to Kotkasim from Delhi by road to attend the religious programme, an aide of the parliamentarian said.A

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Hong Kong:

The embattled leader of Hong Kong pledged to be more responsive to public sentiment, as protesters demanding she step down clashed with police outside a flag-raising ceremony on Monday marking the 22nd anniversary of the former British colonys return to China. Police used riot shields and pepper spray to push back hundreds of helmeted protesters who tried to advance down closed streets toward the harborfront venue, where the Chinese and Hong Kong flags were raised together and two helicopters and a small flotilla passed by.

Later, a disruption involving combative protesters outside the Hong Kong legislature as thousands of marchers were preparing to head in that direction. Police asked the marchers to change their route or cancel the march. Hong Kong media say glass was broken at the legislative building and a standoff followed.

At the flag-raising ceremony, city leader Carrie Lam said a series of protests and marches that have attracted hundreds of thousands of students and other participants in recent weeks have taught her that she needs to listen better to the youth and people in general.

Lam has come under withering criticism for trying to push through legislation that would have allowed suspects to be extradited to the mainland to face trial.

This has made me fully realize that I, as a politician, have to remind myself all the time of the need to grasp public sentiments accurately, she said in a five-minute speech to the gathering in the citys cavernous convention center.

She insisted her government has good intentions, but said I will learn the lesson and ensure that the governments future work will be closer and more responsive to the aspirations, sentiments and opinions of the community.

Security guards pushed pro-democracy lawmaker Helena Wong out of the room as she walked backward shouting at Lam to resign and withdraw the evil legislation. She later told reporters she was voicing the grievances and opinions of the protesters, who could not get into the event.

The annual march starting in the afternoon was expected to be larger than usual because the proposed extradition bill has awakened broader fears that China is eroding the freedoms and rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under a one country, two systems framework.

Two marches in June against the legislation drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

The government has suspended debate on the bill indefinitely, but protest leaders want it formally withdrawn and Lams resignation.

They also are demanding an independent inquiry into police actions during a June 12 protest, when officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters who blocked the legislature on the day debate on the bill had been scheduled to resume.

The police say the use of force was justified, but have since adopted softer tactics, even as protesters besieged police headquarters in recent days, pelting it with eggs and spray-painting slogans on its outer walls.

The area around Golden Bauhinia Square, where the flag-raising ceremony took place, was blocked off from Saturday to prevent protesters from gathering to disrupt it. Before the morning ceremony, protesters trying to gain access to the square were driven back by officers with plastic shields and batons, the retreating protesters pointing open umbrellas to ward off pepper spray.

We are horrified, this is our obligation to do this, we are protecting our home, said Jack, a 26-year-old office worker who would only give his first name.

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New Delhi:

At least ten people were killed after a small, twin-engine plane crashed into a hangar while taking off from a Dallas-area airport Sunday morning. The identities of the victims has not been released yet.

A spokeswoman for the town of Addison, Mary Rosenbleeth said that no one aboard the twin-engine plane survived at the Addison Municipal Airport, about 20 miles (32 Km) north of Dallas.

She further said, The Dallas County medical examiners office confirmed the fatalities to the town and that authorities are still working to notify the families of the victims.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Beechcraft BE-350 King Air hit an unoccupied hangar soon after 9 am. The agency further said that the blaze destroyed the plane but couldn't confirm how many people were aboard.

In the meantime, Addison fire spokesman Edward Martelle said, The plane, which was headed for St. Petersburg, Florida, was taking off at the south end of the airport. It had just lifted off the runway when it veered left, dropped its left wing and went into the hangar. The resulting fire was quickly extinguished, he added.

David Snell, who was getting ready to fly from the airport with a friend, told KDFW TV that the plane didnt sound right on takeoff.

It looked like it was clearly reduced power. I didnt know if it was on purpose or not, but then, when the plane started to veer to the left, and you could tell it couldnt climb. My friend and I looked at each other and were like, Oh my God. Theyre going to crash, Snell said.

Soon after the unfortunate incident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Twitter it was sending a team to investigate the accident. A statement from the FAA said the agency was also en route to Addison to investigate.

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New Delhi:

In a unique initiative to abet the trend of accidents on Lucknow-Agra Expressway, the Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly started to impose heavy fine on all the speeding drivers. According to an Indian Express report, the new mechanism has already been put in action and around 25 challans have been issued. The report said that two toll plazas at Agra (21 km) and Lucknow (290 km)  will help the authorities to keep a tab on the erring drivers. The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority said that those covering the 300 km distance between these two toll plazas within three hours will be fined.

Since the 2017 launch, the Expressway has witnessed over 1,900 deaths. Earlier in April, an RTI reply had revealed that in just 90 days, 36 people lost their lives, 222 others were injured in over 400 accidents on the Expressway. Advocate KC Jain had filed a Right to Information plea seeking details of accidents on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.

According to the data made available by the UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), between August 2017 and March 2018 there were 858 accidents causing 100 deaths. Between April 2018 and December 2018, 1,113 accidents claimed 91 lives. In 20 months, 2,368 accidents claimed 227 lives and maimed many. In every quarter of the year, some 2.5 lakh vehicles use the Expressway, generating around Rs 18 crore in toll each month, but the YEIDA has not been able to spend money on installing automatic number plate reader cameras and other equipments at every 20 km stretch to monitor speed violations.

In May, one person was killed and 24 people were injured after a bus rammed into a parked truck on Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Uttar Pradehs Unnao.The accident that took place under Hasanganj Police Station area is being probed by the officials. Lucknow-Agra Expressway has become an accident-prone area. An RTI filed in March earlier this year revealed that four accidents took place on the highway on daily basis. According to 2017 statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), one accident due to dangerous driving is reported every two hours from Uttar Pradesh.

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Mexico City:

Tens of thousands of people turned out for gay pride celebrations around the world on Saturday, including a boisterous party in Mexico and the first pride march in North Macedonia's capital. Rainbow flags and umbrellas swayed and music pounded as the march along Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma avenue got underway, with couples, families and activists seeking to raise visibility for sexual diversity in the country. Same-sex civil unions have been legal in Mexico City since 2007, and gay marriage since 2009.

A handful of Mexican states have also legalised same-sex unions, which are supposed to be recognised nationwide. But pride participants said Mexico has a long way to go in becoming a more tolerant and accepting place for LGBTQ individuals. "There's a lot of machismo, a lot of ignorance still," said Monica Nochebuena, who identifies as bisexual.

Nochebuena, 28, attended the Mexico City march for the first time with her mother and sister on Saturday, wearing a shirt that said: "My mama already knows." Her mother's shirt read: "My daughter already told me."

Human rights activist Jose Luis Gutierrez, 43, said the march is about visibility, and rights, especially for Mexico's vulnerable transgender population. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights says that poverty, exclusion and violence reduce life expectancy for trans women in the Americas to 35 years.

In New York City, Friday marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, when a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan led to a riot and days of demonstrations that morphed into a sustained LGBTQ liberation movement. The city's huge Pride parade on Sunday also swings past the bar.

Other LGBTQ celebrations took place from India to Europe, with more events planned for Sunday. In the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, US Charge d'Affaires Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm attended the first pride march there in a festive and incident-free atmosphere despite a countermarch organised by religious and "pro-family" organisations.

People from across Macedonia took part, along with marchers from neighbouring Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia and other countries.

"This year Skopje joined more than 70 Pride (marches) and the USA are very proud to be part of this," Schweitzer-Bluhm told reporters. "There is a lot of progress here in North Macedonia but still a lot has to be done." In Paraguay, about 2,000 people paraded through the capital some carrying signs saying "Universities Free of Homophobia" and "Equal Rights." The gay pride march came on the same day that conservative Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Bentez tweeted: "We will defend the family as the basis of society and the protection of life from conception."
Riyadh:

Two Yemeni rebel drones targeting southern Saudi Arabia were intercepted on Saturday, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, the latest in a series of assaults on the kingdom. The first drone targeted the province of Jizan and the second was aimed at a residential area in Asir province, the coalition said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. The coalition did not report any damage or casualties. The rebels earlier claimed drone attacks on the airports in Jizan and Abha, the capital of Asir, according to the groups Al-Masirah TV.

The Iran-aligned Huthi rebels, who have faced persistent coalition bombing since March 2015 which has exacted a heavy civilian death toll, have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the border in recent weeks.

On June 12, a rebel missile attack on Abha airport wounded 26 civilians, drawing promises of stern action from the coalition.

And on June 23, another rebel attack on Abha airport killed a Syrian national and wounded 21 other civilians, according to the coalition.

The raids come amid heightened regional tensions after Washingtona key ally of Riyadhaccused Iran of shooting down a US drone over international waters and of carrying out attacks on oil tankers in the strategic Gulf of Oman.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying sophisticated weapons to Huthi rebels, a charge Tehran denies.

Following recent attacks, Saudi state media have reported an intensification of coalition air raids on rebel positions in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah and the Huthi-held capital Sanaa.

The coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile as the rebels closed in on his last remaining territory in and around the second city Aden.

Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say.

The fighting has triggered what the United Nations describes as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and in need of aid.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed Union Home Minister Amit Shahs statement on Article 370. Shah had called provision temporary in nature. In a statement, Panun Kashmir, an organisation of migrant Kashmiri pandits, said they have complete faith in the abilities of Shah to deliver a mortal blow to the sponsors of terrorism in the Valley and under Shah the Kashmiri Pandits would finally be rehabilitated in their more than 5,000-year-old home. They further said the time was ripe for the provision to scrapped.

The expression of the Home Minister in the Lok Sabha is a statement of truth and most heartening. We say Article 370 has to go eventually and the time is now. This article was instrumental in creating alienation in a section of Kashmiri Muslims and encouraged Pakistan to sponsor terrorism in the state, the Panun Kashmir statement read.

It said Amit Shahs terrorism would be crushed in Kashmir statement indicates the right strategy for the region.

Terror and talks cannot go together. The policy has paid dividends as Pakistan is virtually isolated and bankrupt and is begging for talks, it said, adding the Pandits have been the worst victims of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism resulting in their exodus.

It is time to make a comprehensive plan for their permanent settlement in Kashmir in accordance with their wishes and aspirations, it said.

Speaking in Lok Sabha on Friday, Shah also said that prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for the Kashmir problem. Hitting out at the Congress and then prime minister, he said one-third of Jammu and Kashmir is not with India.

"Who is responsible," he asked drawing a sharp reaction from Congress members.

The House witnessed disruptions over Shah naming Nehru.

Continuing his attack on the opposition party, he said so far Article 356 (President's Rule) was imposed 132 times of which the Congress used it 93 times to dismiss state governments.

He also said the government withdrew security of 919 people in the state as there was no security threat.

Shah said people speak against India in Jammu and Kashmir to get security cover. In fact, he said, people who speak for India face the real threat.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Home  Just In  Online violence against women is obscure in Nepal, but its impact is equally severe

Sanjita Ghimire, a woman in her young 20s, actively participated in demonstrations demanding justice for Nirmala Pant, a 13-year-old girl raped and murdered in June 2018, throughout the year in 2019. Occasionally, she also went to Maitighar Mandala of Kathmandu to demonstrate against the governments inability to crack the mystery of the case.

There, she was given a placard that read, Khapna sakdainau bhane kaatera rakha, tara balaatkar nagara (Meaning: If you cant resist your lust, cut your penis off. But, dont rape). As Ghimire stood and marched holding the placard, she was photographed by some anonymous guy. They posted the picture on social media platforms. And, in the blink of an eye, it just went viral.

Ghimire finds it difficult to remember what followed next. She was made subject to rounds of violence. I very disturbed, she says adding she was not sure where her life would have gone if her family and friends had not helped her overcome this.

Ghimires case is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many like Ghimire who has gone through online violence. But, unlike physical violence against women, technology-based violence is often overlooked because people do not know about it. Yet, its presence is pervasive.

Obscurity

Those working against sexual and gender-based violence say many victims like Ghimire even fail to realise that somebody is inflicting violence on them as the issue is rarely talked about. Many fail to understand the gravity of this problem and tend to normalise this, developing the culture of tolerance.

Rita Baramu, a feminist and programme manager at Body and Data, an organisation that integrates feminism, technology and internet rights, gender and sexuality says bullying, threatening, harassing or hurting anyone through the internet is called online violence, which many do not know.

Further, she explains that online violence is the extended form of gender violence that takes place in online space. Online violence takes place in various forms ranging from trolling to hate speech.

Impersonation, doxing, sextortion and the publication of others sexual images/videos with an intention to harm them are some other forms in which online violence is taking place.

In Ghimires case, the perpetrators were apparently involved in doxing. Its impacts were intolerable, yet no one but her saw them.

My Facebook account was flooded with new messages and friend requests. Most of the messages were demeaning, Ghimire recalls the one-and-a-half-year-old incident. Some were slut-shaming me in the inbox as well as in comments openly. I even received threats from many men.

This went for more than a month without anyone around her, except close family members and friends, noticing.

Root cause

Pixy.org

But, not all incidents of online violence are as obscure. Just a few days ago, a video where two boys on a bike were publicly bullying Nikisha Shrestha, a transwoman who was walking on a road with Shresthas sister, went viral. In the wake of this incident, social media platforms were inundated with rage against such harassment. However, this incident was just a glance of bullying and trolling that Nikisha, a TikToker, has been facing for quite a long time.

The roots for this rampant problem lie in the socio-cultural structure of the patriarchal society, says Baramu. The cause of this is no different than that of offline violence. It is just that nature and form are different.

We live in a society which has a certain type of culture that expects us to act in a particular way to fit in. If one cant adjust herself in the pre-set criteria, society questions why this person is so.

For instance, Baramu explains, there are norms that being a girl, one should not talk more or should not talk to strangers. And, when she goes online and her views about lifestyle reach many people, those with a patriarchal mindset can not withstand that. This incites violence in them.

The claim that patriarchy triggers online violence is supported by police data. SSP Deepak Thapa, the chief of the Metropolitan Crime Division of Nepal Police, states most victims of cybercrime have been women. Only in the first three months of the current fiscal years, 28 men have been arrested in connection to this offence, according to him.

Endless harms

Although men are responsible for such incidents in general, women are on the receiving end. They suffer from a lot of psychological disturbance, says Ghimire from her own experience.

This shook me from within, she says, adding, she, however, gradually realised that she had done nothing wrong to worry about. And, all of those who were bashing me then were doing so in the absence of physicality anonymously. I, then, mustered all the efforts up and became strong to cope up with this challenge.

Wounds and bruises are the most visible parts of offline violence. In the case of online violence, such traces are usually not seen. Still, this affects the victim physically, mentally, economically, and educationally, asserts Baramu.

How one can be affected physically while the form of violence is online? This may be hard to digest, but Baramu explains, Suppose, while a couple is in a relationship, and they make a video or click photos of their intimate times. After breaking up, that guy pressurises her to have a forceful sexual relationship, if she does not agree, the guy threatens the lady to leak those private videos and photos. Can you imagine what happens next?

Likewise, whenever someone trolls, passes negative or harassing comments, sends sexually harassing messages, it is no secret that they will directly harm the victims mental health and peace. They feel mentally tortured, threatened, irritated, and then seek isolation, says Baramu.

She describes the connection between mental health and its impacts on peoples work and academic productivity. When ones mind is going through anxiety, this will directly be reflected in the work they do, their relationships, and their studies.

In addition, when virtual violence is extended to offline spaces like schools and colleges, there is a high chance that the victim may discontinue going to schools and college, says Baramu.

Control is possible

Considering the severe impact of online violence, the law has also made some provisions aiming at control of such activities. SSP Thapa informs, When a complaint is registered, we immediately search for the alleged perpetrator by tracking their IP address. Then, depending on the severity of the case, we either make the two parties compromise to resolve the issue or file a case.

However, there are some legal problems. Nepal does not have any specific law to deal with cybercrime. SSP Thapa says the police forward such cases for prosecution as per the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008, or Criminal Code, 2017.

There are many loopholes in the system. That is why I feel only looking for a legal way to eliminate online violence is not enough, the official says.

Activist Baramu agrees. Understanding root causes is the first step, according to her.

Unless we dont work to change the root cause, unless women and sexual minority group members get respected and treated equally as human beings, this problem cant be eliminated.

In the meantime, the survivors need to pay attention to self self-care (not blaming oneself for the happening), winning support from family, avoiding social media for some time, sharing with friends, and improving the security status of their media platforms to tackle this problem personally, suggests Baramu.

(Gaurav Pokharel contributed to this story.)

From the archive.
(Bloomberg) -- Chinas biggest grid company will create a forum thatll allow for widespread power trading across provinces, part of the governments efforts to smooth out supply and enhance the availability of clean energy.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The new spot market to allow generators and their customers to buy and sell electricity will be hosted on the Beijing Power Exchange Center, State Grid Corp. of China said Wednesday. The announcement preceded comments from President Xi Jinping calling for a better nationwide system for sharing power, which were reported by the official Xinhua News Agency.

State Grid is seeking to build a new power system dominated by new energy that can help China achieve its carbon targets, the government-owned company said in a statement. It didnt give a start date.

The market will let clean energy companies freely sell their electricity, which after years of government subsidies is now competitive with coal, the nations mainstay fuel. It should also help customers better deal with power shortages, which have wracked the economy this year.

Shares Surge

Shares of Chinese firms involved in the power grid surged Thursday. Sinostar Cable Co., State Grid Yingda Co., Xuji Electric Co., Jiangsu Shemar Electric Co. and NARI Technology Co. all jumped by their daily limit. Power utilities also saw their stocks advance, with Huaneng Power International Inc. rising as much as 9.9% and SDIC Power Holdings Co. by 7.2% on the mainland before paring gains.

Most of Chinas power is sold on a long-term basis. Its current spot trading system allows only surplus renewable energy to be bought and sold across provinces, and for coal-fired power to be traded within provinces.

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State Grid runs the power system in all but five of Chinas 31 provinces and regions, connecting the renewable-rich western areas of Qinghai and Inner Mongolia with the power-hungry cities nearer the coast. The need to facilitate more cross-regional power transmission has become more acute after Xi last month announced plans to build a massive amount of solar and wind capacity in the countrys interior.

The new market will help transmit more power over long distances, and allow it to trade at prices that reflect immediate supply and demand, said Hanyang Wei, an analyst at BloombergNEF in Beijing.

When coastal Zhejiang province is running short of electricity, the wind and solar plants in inland Ningxia may receive a higher tariff by delivering the power thats desperately needed, Wei said.

The government said in September it would significantly expand green power trading centers that facilitate contracts between renewable energy companies and electricity distributors and users.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
A leader in Dallas SEO and Dallas web solutions, KISS PR is offering a suite of digital marketing services in the DFW metroplex.

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Dallas, TX , Nov. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A leader in Dallas SEO and Dallas web solutions, KISS PR is offering a suite of digital marketing services in the DFW metroplex. We provide web design, search engine optimization, social media marketing, public relations, and online press release distribution to help small businesses in Dallas, Uptown, Plano, McKinney, Garland, Arlington, and Ft Worth to get more leads this Holiday season.

KISS PR, one of the leading SEO companies in Dallas, is now offering SEO services to help Dallas based local businesses with underperforming websites get more traffic and leads this Holiday season and the whole year-round. The companys local map SEO services are tailored to meet small businesses needs, especially those with limited marketing budgets.

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KISS PR digital marketing experts provide effective solutions to help local business websites rank on the 1st page of Google, Bing, and Yahoo and cost-effectively increase their online revenue.

When asked if they use secret magic tricks to rank web pages in the search engine result pages, Agnes Zang, KISS PRs SEO and Content Specialist said we dont use magic.

No. It is not magic; rather, we follow some tested and surefire techniques to do that. Let us give you an overview of the process through which our Dallas search engine optimization company will ensure greater business for you, Zang explained.

KISS PR listed the top two reasons why small businesses should use SEO:

Search engine optimization is one of the cheapest methods of advertising.

KISS PRs search engine optimization solution will ensure greater brand recognition for their clients business.

The need for search engine optimization has been growing since 2008. KISS PR reported that the projected search engine optimization marketing spending in the United States from 2008 to 2020 would increase from 11.44 to 79.27 billion dollars. But this is just up to 2020. How much more from that year and beyond?

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KISS PR head of website growth and SEO Consultant Qamar Zaman believed that SEO marketing spending had increased more dramatically since the start of the pandemic.

When the pandemic impacted businesses in the first quarter last year, there was an unprecedented demand for local SEO services. This is because the most feasible option for most businesses during that time is to go online or declare bankruptcy, Zaman shared. Those who decided to jump into the SEO bandwagon have been reaping the benefits of having their websites optimized for search engines.

Qamar said they aim to help more Dallas entrepreneurs grow their business, especially during the Holiday season when most people are more likely to purchase a product or subscribe to a service.

The business opportunities the Holiday season brings can help many entrepreneurs boost their sales and revenue. With SEO, they have an edge against their competitors to be found more often by their target audience, explained Zaman.

Zaman pointed out that search engine optimization is not a one-time strategy that can just be forgotten after.

Businesses that do SEO all year-round are now reaping the benefits of ranking on the 1st page of Google. This is how SEO works. You need to do it continuously. It is not something you do one time and then forgets about it after.

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Attachment




Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 26, 2021) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has entered into an agreement for services dated November 25, 2021 (the "Agreement") with Ian Gendall, who is President of the Company and a Non-Arm's Length Party (as defined under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange). Pursuant to the Agreement, in full satisfaction for certain exploration, supervisory and geological related services provided to the Company, the Company has agreed to issue 300,000 common shares of the Company (the "Shares") at a deemed price of $0.20 per Share, being equal to the closing price of the common shares of the Company on the date prior to the date of the Agreement. The total dollar value of the Shares to be issued is $60,000.

The issuance of the Shares is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Shares will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws.

About DLP Resources Inc.

DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southeastern British Columbia and Peru, exploring for Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP and on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

DLP RESOURCES INC.

Ian Gendall, President

Jim Stypula, Chief Executive Officer

Robin Sudo, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Telephone: 250-426-7808

Email: iangendall@dlpresourcesinc.com

Email: jimstypula@dlpresourcesinc.com

Email: robinsudo@dlpresourcesinc.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 release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Story continues

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Agreement.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required regulatory approvals for the Agreement and the issuance of the Shares.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, without limitation, that the Company will obtain the required regulatory approvals for the Agreement and the issuance of the Shares.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/105302
Have you been waiting for a sale to get a new TV? Shop now! Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are offering big discounts.

 Recommendations are independently chosen by Revieweds editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

Although Black Friday is officially over, Cyber Monday is just ahead and the biggest shopping weekend of the year is just ramping up. Major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and Samsung have massively marked down top-sellers from some of the best brands our TV experts have tested.

Tackle your holiday shopping with deals and expert advice delivered straight to your phone. Sign up for text message alerts from the deal-hunting team at Reviewed.

We've snagged excellent deals on budget-friendly TVs from major makers like TCL, Vizio, Hisense, Samsung, and LG as well as top-of-the-line OLED and QLED TVs from LG, Vizio, Samsung and Sony.

Cyber Monday: Walmart Cyber Monday features Twitter livestream with Jason Derulo, PS5 restock for Walmart+ members

For more ideas you can check out our extremely comprehensive gift guides, which have hundreds of recommendations for products to give to someone you care abouteven if it's yourself).

The best Cyber Monday TV deals

There are a ton of excellent Cyber Monday deals you can get on TVs big and small. We've tried to highlight a wide range of prices here from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target.

Of course, there are a few deals that stand out above the rest. These are a few we highly recommend:

When it comes to home entertainment, Best Buy is offering massive savings on TVs, including the LG 55-inch C1 Series OLED 4K HDR Smart TV, a top-shelf model with a gorgeous, ultra-colorful OLED display thats among the very best TVs you can buy. This is a marquee television that will be the center of your living room (as it is for multiple TV experts on our staff) for years to come at just $1,299a savings of $200. You canand shouldalso use it while gaming. Our TV testers have crowned it the best TV for Playstation 5.

For shoppers watching their wallets, Amazon is offering a hefty discount on the already well-priced TCL 50-inch Class 5 Series QLED 4K UHD Smart Roku TV. This dependable TV performs well, especially when you consider that you're getting it for less than $500. Bonus: It features a built-in Roku smart platform.

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The best Amazon TV deals available now

Amazon is featuring many Samsung QLED TVs on sale for Cyber Monday.

The best of Best Buy's TV deals

These are the cream of Best Buy's crop of TV deals.

The best Walmart TV deals available now

The TCL 4-Series is affordable to begin with, but now it's on sale at Walmart for an even lower price during Cyber Monday.

The best Target TV deals available now

Try Target's Cyber Monday sale for TV deals, like this Sony Bravia XR OLED.

The best Samsung TV deals available now

Cyber Monday is the perfect time to snag a steep discount on a Samsung TV.

Is Cyber Monday a good time to buy a TV?

In a word, yes. You'll see some of the biggest price drops of the year on TVs during Cyber Monday. That's because manufacturers are preparing to launch their new 2022 model TVs, which means they'll be offering deep discounts on older models, including ones from 2021, confirmed Michael Desjardin, senior TV writer at Reviewed.

Some of the best TVs weve seen this year have already come down in price, and in some cases, the discounts are steep, as much as $800 off, depending on the brand, features, size and year model of the TV.

What are the best TVs to buy?

Desjardin says his first piece of advice for shoppers when selecting a TV on Cyber Monday is to take stock of what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend.

He notes that any TV worth its salt these days will be a smart TV, meaning it can connect to the internet to offer access to a variety of apps, like Netflix and YouTube, via pre-installed software.

"Even the most affordable TVs are smart TVs these days," he added, "so theres really no point in trying to find a TV that isnt a smart TV."

When it comes to screen size, Desjardin said to consider how far away you'll be sitting from the TV.

"Will you, your family and your guests be sitting relatively far away from your new TVmore than eight feet, for example? If so, youll probably want to secure a 65- to 75-inch TV. Small TVs32 to 43 inchesare best suited for kitchens, dorms and guest rooms.

One more thing to note: If you opt for a big TV and youre not planning on wall-mounting it, he said, be sure that the console is wide enough to accommodate its stand.

Where you're placing the TV will impact your buy, too: If your living space receives a ton of natural light during the daytime, youll want to consider a brighter LED TV, whereas if you're a videophile who watches a lot content in the dark, you may want to spring for an OLED. You can read up on the differences in our OLED/QLED guide.

Still not sure where to start? Weve got you: Reviewed thoroughly tests TVs in our Cambridge, Mass., lab, and weve rounded up the best TVs of 2021 to help you with your search. Check out our coverage of the Best TVs of 2021, Best TVs Under $500 of 2021 and Best Big Screen TVs Under $1,000 of 2021.

What TV brand is best?

We test thousands of TVs in our labs in Cambridge, MA to find the best TVs possible, including every major release from every major brand like Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL, Hisense, and more.

There is no brand that is the "best" TV brand, every one of those brands makes some TVs we recommend highly and some that we do not.

Which TV should I buy?

There are many things to consider when buying a TV. We try to highlight a range of the best TV deals going into Cyber Monday but there are still some decisions you'll want to make before deciding which deal is the best one for you.

The most important features to consider are the TV size, the screen type, refresh rate, the number of HDMI ports, any gaming features, and features that will work well with the streaming TV apps you prefer to use, like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+.

For size, the standard these days is 55 inches. That's the most common size across TV makers and types, and it's usually where you'll find the best deals. You can find an excellent 55-inch TV for $300 and under on Cyber Monday. If you have the wall space, a 65-inch TV gives you a little more real estate, and usually the price difference is less significant on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

If you want a massive TV, you'll likely need to pay a little bit more money, as they are less common, though we'll feature plenty of deals on TVs that are 80 inches or bigger. Though it may be on a TV that is a traditional LCD or LED TV instead of the newer QLED or OLED TVs.

Who has TV deals for Cyber Monday?

All of the major retailers have Black Friday deals, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Many of the biggest brands, like Samsung, are offering great deals directly on their own websites.

Should you shop Cyber Monday TV deals?

Trying to weigh future price drops and availability now can be daunting. However, some retailers offer assurances through a Cyber Monday guarantee.

What that means: If you happen to buy a new TV in the weeks leading up to Black Friday and that very same model is discounted shortly after your purchase, Desjardin said, the retailer may reimburse you for the difference.

Best Buy, for example, guarantees that if the price goes lower on a qualifying item, it will refund the difference automatically for its My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech ($199.99 a year) members. Non-members can also get their price difference refunded but will need to visit a Best Buy store or contact customer service to receive it.

Continuing supply and labor shortages this year mean that resupply and delivery times for all products have been challenged. Shoppers who have specific models in mind, or who have their heart set on delivery by a certain date, should strongly consider buying products with that in mind.

OLED TV vs QLED TV: What's the difference?

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar Being an OLED TV, the LG C1 can't get nearly as bright as a traditional LCD/LED TV like the QN90A, but its capable of perfect black levels, which create a staggering amount of picture detail.

Two terms you'll see thrown around a ton on Black Friday are "QLED" and "OLED" TVs. Both terms describe the type of screen that the TVs use. OLED TVs are the more technologically advanced of the two, with each pixel providing its own light. That means they can product true blacks (similar to the picture quality benefits that you got with older Plasma displays with far fewer downsides) to go with excellent brightness, color depth, HDR, and more. Though you'll need to find one that fits your budget and size needs, every OLED TV we've tested has been excellent.

QLED TVs come in a wide range of quality levels, but typically these are brighter, more colorful versions of traditional LED TVs, using quantum dots to provide enhanced color, contrast, and brightness. They don't have the same inky blacks of OLED TVs, but they usually make up for it with far higher peak brightness levels, which makes them a great choice for bright rooms.

Roku TV vs Google TV vs Smart TV Platforms? Which is best for streaming?

It's just about impossible to buy a "dumb" TV anymore; they all come with some kind of smart platform. LG ships with webOS, Samsung TVs typically have a Tizen-based platform, Sony TVs often have Android TV, and several others have Google TV, Roku TV, or Amazon's Fire TV platform built in.

In all cases, you can still use a separate streaming device like a Roku or an Apple TV, just hook it up to any of the TV's HDMI ports and you can ignore the TV's built-in option.

That said, if you don't have a streaming device or you're buying a TV for a bedroom or a secondary room, it's an added benefit to have something like Roku built right in, so you don't need to spend the extra $20-30 to add a streaming stick or something to get apps like Netflix on those TVs.

Are Cyber Monday TV deals the lowest prices of the year?

In most cases, yes. Though the supply chain has made 2021 one of the weirdest years to buy a TV, this is typically when you'll find the best deal on a TV at any size.

The one exception would be doorbuster deals from brands like Sharp, Westinghouse, Onn, Insignia, and some very low-level TVs that are on deep discount at retailers. Some of these TVs are okay for the price (especially if you want a 50-inch or bigger TV at a very low price) and we'll include those deals where we see them, but in most cases these limited time TVs are not worth the deal.

You can almost always find a TV we actually recommend for the same price or a little moreincluding 50-inch and 55-inch TVs for $200 or lessand they're made by brands that we know and trust.

Theres more where this deal came from. Sign up for Revieweds Perks and Rec newsletter ,and well keep em coming every Sunday through Friday.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Cyber Monday TV deals 2021: Our favorite deals on Samsung, LG and more
QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 26, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - At the close of the Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous People and Quebec, the Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs, Ian Lafreniere, described numerous measures designed to increase the involvement of the First Nations and Inuits in the economic recovery and promote sustainable growth in their communities. The Minister was speaking on behalf of his fellow ministers Lucie Lecours, Jean Boulet, Sonia Lebel, Eric Girard and Andree Laforest, respectively responsible for the economy, labour, the Conseil du tresor, finance, and municipal affairs and housing, and presented an overview of the actions that will be launched shortly by the various participating government departments in order to achieve the governmental objectives for growth and autonomy in Indigenous communities.

Economy

The measures drawn up by the Ministere de l'Economie et de l'Innovation are designed to stimulate entrepreneurship within Indigenous communities and facilitate their economic development alongside the development of Quebec as a whole.

The Ministere plans to fund the hiring of two resource persons to work at the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission (FNQLEDC):

Indigenous enterprises will be able to benefit from a number of current and future initiatives as part of the digital transformation offensive. This includes Indigenous enterprises in the social economy and the project of the Conseil quebecois de la cooperation et de la mutualite to raise awareness, train and support collective enterprises in their digital transformation process.

Finance

The government's main goal in the area of finance is to deal with the increase in the cost of living, mitigate the shortage of workers, support families and communities, and continue work to strengthen the healthcare system. More specifically, this will involve,

Increasing the labour force in the construction sector, in particular by promoting the hiring of Indigenous workers.

Increasing funding for the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse to allow it to intervene more effectively in outlying regions, especially with Indigenous communities, and to process complaints more quickly.

Labour

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The Ministere du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarite sociale will provide $3.2 million in financial support for the First Nations Human Resources Development Commission of Quebec (FINHRDCQ) to support the integration of First Nations members into the workforce. The Commission will hire 15 liaison officers and two coordinators to match available First Nations workers with businesses facing a labour shortage.

The officers, selected by the Indigenous authorities, will complete existing government actions and support the implementation of the objectives of the Ministerial Strategy for Labour Market Integration of First Nations and Inuit People, which include valuing and developing the Indigenous workforce on the labour market.

Secetariat du Conseil du tresor

The Secretariat du Conseil du tresor intends to identify ways to adjust the rules governing public contracts to have a positive impact on Indigenous businesses.

The state wants to set an example by giving priority to the purchase of Quebec goods, services, and construction work, in a manner consistent with agreements on the liberalization of public contracts.

In addition, the government also intends to introduce legislative amendments to create new opportunities for public bodies and new business opportunities for enterprises. These changes could also improve access to public contracts for Indigenous enterprises.

Quotes:

"The Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous People and Quebec marks a turning-point in relations between our nation and the Indigenous nations. The Quebec government is now fully disposed to include Indigenous communities in all its major economic projects, which can only create more benefits for all citizens of Quebec. My hope is that, together, we can initiate a spectacular recovery that will overshadow the difficulties of the pandemic and strengthen Quebec's place on the worldwide economic stage."

Ian Lafreniere, Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs

"We believe that the measures announced in the financial update I presented yesterday will answer some of the concerns expressed by Indigenous communities. In light of the discussions over the last two days, I am even more convinced of the leading role that can be played by the First Nations in Quebec's economic development."

Eric Girard, Minister of Finance

"Our government will soon set out a new approach to public contracts that will leave more room for local procurement. This series of actions will be designed to make public contracts more accessible for local enterprises, multiplying the economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses. The actions will be announced shortly, and I am looking forward to giving you more details!"

Sonia LeBel, Minister Responsible for Government Administration and Chair of the Conseil du tresor

"Quebec relies on the contribution of its Indigenous entrepreneurs, on their know-how and on their ideas about ways to develop the economy. Measures must be put in place to respond to their needs and help them develop projects and lead them to a successful conclusion. I salute the concerted actions taken to support the economic development of the Indigenous peoples."

Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development

"Today's announcement is intended not only to provide employment services for Indigenous individuals and enterprises, but also to consolidate the partnership the Ministere has developed with Indigenous communities. In addition, the project responds to the calls for action made in the report of the Viens Commission, tabled in September 2019, which recommended that Indigenous clients be given access to Quebec government services through points of contact between communities and Quebec's public services. Our government is now taking action to implement the recommendation."

Jean Boulet, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity

"These measures show a clear commitment on the part of our government to work constructively and respectfully with the Indigenous peoples to find ways to develop Quebec's economy together. I believe that they will generate major benefits for Indigenous communities and for Quebec as a whole."

Lucie Lecours, Minister for the Economy

"Communities are the foundation for our vitality, our health and our identity. As Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, I intend to continue to work with the Indigenous communities to ensure that each community is adapted to the realities it faces. Quebec must be made greener, healthier, and more prosperous, and we must achieve this by working together. The Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous People and Quebec has made a constructive contribution, and our discussions will continue to guide our actions."

Andree Lforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister Responsible for the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean Region

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre responsable des Affaires autochtones

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/26/c2952.html
LIMA, Peru, November 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism (PROMPERU) invites you to participate in the 2nd Peruvian Tourism Investment Forum, which will be held on December 2nd and 3rd. The purpose of the event is to bring awareness to the investment opportunities and benefits that Peru offers in the tourism sector to attract investors from Latin America and around the world.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005195/en/

Sunset at Lima, capital city of Peru (Photo: Business Wire)

The second edition of the forum will be held through an online platform that is free of access. It will offer a space for encounters, dialog, exchange of ideas and meetings, where national and foreign business people and investors can see firsthand the opportunities and convenience the country offers for investment.

You must register to participate, so we invite you to sign up here http://foro.inversiones.peru.info and dont miss out on your chance to learn about the investment opportunities Peru has to offer. The two-day virtual event will include panels where industry leaders share information, experiences and theories about development and investment. Additionally, it will offer opportunities to establish new contact networks through interactive networking tools to promote new business.

The objective of initiatives like the Peruvian Tourism Investment Forum is to encourage exploration of the current tourism investment landscape in the country and perspectives on new investment trends in the sector post-pandemic, with a vision for the future based on attracting, promoting and facilitating sustainable investments for tourism development.

Renowned leaders and representatives of government entities will participate in the forum. They will be responsible for sharing the opportunities and convenience that Peru has to offer for investments in hotel and non-hotel accommodations, tourism real estate developments, cruises, parks providing tourism services and travel tech, as well as the data and latest trends in the sector, focused 100% on the development of new businesses and investments in tourism in the country.

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The 2nd Peruvian Tourism Investment Forum is being promoted by the Business Investment Promotion Department of PROMPERU with the support of inverTUR, a company specialized in encouraging investments in Tourism in Latin America by connecting opportunities and investors.

The original source-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the source-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005195/en/

Contacts

Ivonne Parra

iparra@promperu.gob.pe
Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Winning an Oscar is a pretty big deal. In addition to the prestige that comes with taking home Hollywood's most prestigious statuette, it can also help increase the star's future earning potential.

Read: Oscar Winners With Surprisingly Low Paychecks

Find Out: Here's What a Grammy and Other Award Statues Are Actually Worth



The 93rd Academy Awards will take place on April 25, 2021. Unlike other pandemic-era awards shows, Hollywood's biggest night out will be held largely in person at Union Station in Los Angeles and the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California -- as well as select Zoom hubs across the globe.

While some of the nominees already have at least one Oscar, this year's ceremony will no doubt produce many first-time winners. They'll join an elite group of A-list actors, including Tom Hanks, Renee Zellweger and Julia Roberts.

Not just talented, many past Oscar winners have seriously massive net worths. Some are much wealthier than others, but you might be surprised to find out who is sitting atop the largest fortunes.

Think you can guess which past Oscar winners are the richest? Try your luck and see how close you can get.

Last updated: Sept. 2, 2021

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Tom Hanks

Beloved actor Tom Hanks has been nominated for six career Oscars and won twice. Both wins were in the Best Actor category -- for "Philadelphia" in 1993 and "Forrest Gump" in 1994.

The A-lister has nearly 100 acting credits to his name, dating back to 1980. He has too many hits to name, but some of his most well-known films include "Big," "Sleepless in Seattle," "Saving Private Ryan" and "Castaway."

Find out how much Tom Hanks is worth.

See: Rich and Famous People Who Caught the Coronavirus

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Emma Stone

In 2016, Emma Stone won the Oscar for Best Actress for her work on "La La Land." The talented actress has been nominated a total of three times throughout her career.

She got her big break in "Superbad," and Stone has been churning out hits ever since. Some of her most well-known films include "Crazy, Stupid, Love," both installments of "The Amazing Spiderman," "Birdman" and "Battle of the Sexes."

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Here's a look at Emma Stone's net worth.

Check Out: 10 Highest-Paid Movie Roles of All Time

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Denzel Washington

Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington was honored with a Best Supporting Actor statuette in 1989 for his work on "Glory" and Best Actor in 2001 for "Training Day." He's received a total of nine career Oscar nods, including one as a producer of "Fences."

Some of Washington's most high-profile films include "Roman J. Israel, Esq.," "Flight," "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Malcom X." He recently starred in the movie "The Little Things" and next up, you can catch him in "The Tragedy of Macbeth."

Here's a look at Denzel Washington's fortune.

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Kate Winslet

Seriously talented, Kate Winslet has been nominated for a total of seven career Oscars over a 20-year period. She won Best Actress in 2008 for "The Reader."

Winslet has nearly 70 acting credits, but she's likely best known for her work as Rose in "Titanic." Some of her more popular films include "Steve Jobs," "Revolutionary Road," "Sense and Sensibility" and "The Holiday."

Next up, the busy actress will star in the upcoming television series "Mare of Easttown," and the films "Naya Legend of the Golden Dolphin," "Avatar 2," "Lee" and "Fake!."

Take a look at Kate Winslet's net worth.

Read: The 28 Richest Actresses of All Time

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Meryl Streep

Hollywood icon Meryl Streep has earned 21 career Oscar nods, spanning from 1978 to 2017. She's won three times, including Best Supporting Actress in 1979 for "Kramer vs. Kramer" and two Best Actress honors -- for "Sophie's Choice" in 1982 and "The Iron Lady" in 2011."

Streep's illustrious career includes a multitude of hits like "August: Osage County," "Mamma Mia!" "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Out of Africa." Up next she'll star in the movie "Don't Look Up."

Click here to learn find out how much Meryl Streep is worth.

See: Betty White, Cher and 48 More of the Richest Stars Over 70

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Joaquin Phoenix

After scoring four career Oscar nominations, Joaquin Phoenix finally got his first win last year. One of the night's most anticipated awards, he was named Best Actor for "Joker."

Acting since the early '80s, Phoenix has starred in many notable films, including "Walk the Line," "Gladiator" and "Her." The busy actor has several upcoming projects in the works, such as "C'mon C'mon," "Kitbag," "Joker 2" and "Disappointment Blvd."

See how much Joaquin Phoenix is worth.

Find Out: 30 Celebrities Who Went From Rags to Riches

lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Regina King

In 2018, Regina King scored a Best Supporting Actress win for her work on "If Beale Street Could Talk." To date, this is the first and only time she's been recognized by the Academy.

Both a film and television star, some of King's recent projects include the TV mini-series "The Watchmen" and "Seven Seconds." A few of her most well-known films are "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous," "A Cinderella Story" and "Jerry Maguire." Also talented behind the camera, she has 15 directing credits, including the 2020 film "One Night in Miami..."

Find out how much Regina King is worth.

More: Biggest-Budget Movies Directed by Women

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Leonardo DiCaprio

He's been nominated for seven career Oscars -- six for acting, one as a producer -- and Leonardo DiCaprio has taken home one statuette. His sole win came in 2015, when he was honored as Best Actor for "The Revenant."

Acting since childhood, DiCaprio has a multitude of hits to his name, such as "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Inception" and "Titanic." The in-demand actor has several films in the works, including "Don't Look Up," "The Black Hand," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "The Devil in the White City" and "Roosevelt."

Find out Leonardo DiCaprio's net worth.

Read: 45 Richest Child Stars of All Time

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Reese Witherspoon

In 2005, Reese Witherspoon was honored with the Best Actress Oscar for "Walk the Line." She was also nominated in the same category in 2014 for "Wild."

Some of her most well-known movies include the "Legally Blonde" films, "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Cruel Intentions." Also a television star, she's currently on "The Morning Show," and recent credits include "Little Fires Everywhere" and "Big Little Lies." Next up, she's slated to star in the movies "Legally Blonde 3," "Wish List" and "Tinkerbell."

Here's a look at Reese Witherspoon's fortune.

See: How Much Top TV Stars Are Worth

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Jennifer Lawrence

In 2012, Jennifer Lawrence was honored with a Best Actress win for "Silver Linings Playbook." She was only 22 years old at the time, making her the second-youngest woman to win this category in Academy history. She's also scored three other career Oscar nods for her work on "Winter's Bone," "American Hustle" and "Joy."

Some of Lawrence's other well-known films include "The Hunger Games" saga, several films in the "X-Men" franchise and "Mother!" Up next, she'll star in "Don't Look Up," "Mob Girl" and "Bad Blood."

Find out how much Jennifer Lawrence is worth.

Discover: 24 of the Wealthiest Young Actors and Actresses in Hollywood

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Matthew McConaughey

In 2013, Matthew McConaughey was honored with the Best Actor Oscar for his work on "Dallas Buyer's Club." So far, this is his first and only career Oscar nomination.

Acting since the early '90s, McConaughey has more than 75 film and television credits on his resume. Some of his most well-known films include "Magic Mike," "The Lincoln Lawyer," "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "The Wedding Planner." He also starred in a season of the television series "True Detective."

Take a look at Matthew McConaughey's net worth.

More: The Richest Oscar Winners From The Last Decade

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Cate Blanchett

A two-time Oscar winner, Cate Blanchett scored a win for Best Supporting Actress in 2004 for "The Aviator" and a Best Actress win in 2013 for "Blue Jasmine." She's received a total of seven career Oscar nominations.

Recently, Blanchett starred in the TV mini-series "Mrs. America," along with the films "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" and "Ocean's Eight." Some of her most well-known movies include "Thor: Ragnarok," "Carol" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Here's how much Cate Blanchett is worth.

Read: These 42 Stars' Surprising First Jobs

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Morgan Freeman

Legendary actor Morgan Freeman scored an Oscar for Best Actor in 2004 for his work on "Million Dollar Baby." He's received a total of five career Oscar nominations.

Acting since the mid-60s, Freeman has more than 130 film and television credits. Some of his most well-known movies include "Invictus," "Kiss the Girls," "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Driving Miss Daisy." Some of his upcoming projects include "Vanquish," "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" and "Hate to See You Go."

Take a look at Morgan Freeman's net worth.

See: Celebrities Who Got Rich and Famous Later in Life

Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Renee Zellweger

A two-time Oscar winner, Renee Zellweger was honored with the Best Actress win last year for "Judy." She previously won Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for "Cold Mountain" In total, she's been recognized by the Academy with four nominations throughout her career.

Zellweger's impressive acting resume dates back to the early '90s. Some of her best-known films include "Jerry Maguire," "Chicago," Cinderella Man" and the "Bridget Jones" series.

Take a look at Renee Zellweger's net worth.

Check Out: These Celebrities Have Earned the Most on Cameo

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Al Pacino

Iconic actor Al Pacino scored a Best Actor Oscar win in 1992 for his work on "Scent of a Woman." He's received a total of nine career Oscar nominations.

Pacino's acting resume contains more than 60 credits, dating back to the late '60s. He's probably best known for his work on "The Godfather" saga, but some of his other acclaimed films include "The Irishman," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Dick Tracy" and "Dog Day Afternoon."

Take a look at Al Pacino's fortune.

More: Netflix's Most Expensive Productions Ever

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Anthony Hopkins

In 1991, Anthony Hopkins was honored with a Best Actor Oscar win for "The Silence of the Lambs." He's scored a total of five career Oscar nods.

An incredibly seasoned actor, Hopkins has more than 140 film and television credits to his name. Some of his most high-profile movies include "The Two Popes," "Hannibal," "Amistad" and "Nixon." He'll star in several upcoming projects, including "The Virtuoso," "XCII" and "Where Are You."

Here's a look at Anthony Hopkins' net worth.

Read: 15 Famous People Who Came Out of Retirement and Made a Fortune

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Julia Roberts

In 2000, Julia Roberts was honored with the Oscar for Best Actress for her work on "Erin Brockovich." She's also received three other career Oscar nominations for "August: Osage County," "Pretty Woman" and "Steel Magnolias."

The beloved actress has nearly 70 credits on her resume, recently including the television series "Homecoming" and the film "Ben is Back." Some of her most high-profile films include "My Best Friend's Wedding," "Notting Hill," "Ocean's Eleven," "Ocean's Twelve" and "Runaway Bride."

See how much Julia Roberts is worth.

See: 19 Sequels That Made Much More Than the First Film

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Gwyneth Paltrow

In 1998, Gwyneth Paltrow scored a Best Actress win for "Shakespeare in Love." So far, this is her first and only Oscar nomination.

Acting since the late '80s, Paltrow has five dozen film and television credits on her resume. Recently, she starred in the television series "The Politician" and the movie "Avengers: Endgame." Some of her most well-known films include the "Iron Man" saga, "Shallow Hal" and "Emma."

Find out how much Gwyneth Paltrow is worth.

Discover: Businesses You Didn't Know Your Favorite Celebrity Owns

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Clint Eastwood

The multitalented Clint Eastwood is a five-time Oscar winner. In 1992, he won the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture for "Unforgiven," followed by the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award -- given to "creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production" -- in 1994 and another honor for Best Director and Best Picture in 2004 for "Million Dollar Baby."

Also an actor with more than 70 credits to his name, some of Eastwood's most well-known films include "Gran Torino," "The Bridges of Madison County," "Escape From Alcatraz" and "Dirty Harry." Next up, he'll direct and star in the upcoming film "Cry Macho."

Check out Clint Eastwood's net worth.

More: 25 Rich and Successful People Who Went To Community College

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Robert De Niro

A two-time Oscar winner, Robert De Niro was honored as Best Supporting Actor in 1974 for "The Godfather Part II" and in 1980 for "Raging Bull" He's received a total of eight career Oscar nominations, including one as a producer for "The Irishman."

One of the most iconic stars in Hollywood, De Niro has been acting since the mid-'60s. He has too many hits to name, but some include "Silver Linings Playbook," the "Meet the Parents" series, "Cape Fear" and "Taxi Driver."

Here's a look at Robert De Niro's net worth.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Are Tom Hanks, Renee Zellweger and More Past Oscar Winners?
KUNSHAN, China, November 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On November 23rd, EICMA has opened grandly. It brings thousands of well-known two-wheeler enterprises around the world together to showcase products. Among them, the "China Brand Fair" composed of ARIIC, CFMOTO, CYCLONE, DAYNG, DAYUN, QJMOTOR, SENKE, TAOMOTOR, TEYIN, VOGE, ZNEN, ZONTES and other well-known electric vehicle enterprises such as AIMA, OKAI, SUNRA, TAILG, TROMOX and YADEA, have also made a strong appearance at this grand event under the overall leadership of the Trade Development Bureau, Ministry of Commerce, P.R CHINA, showing the graceful demeanor of Chinas two-wheeler industry to the world and proving the strength and charm of Chinas intelligent manufacturing with the world!

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005186/en/

Share Chinese Mobility Solution with the World "China Motor & E-vehicle Brand" appears at EICMA (Photo: Business Wire)

On the morning of November 24th, Italy time, the "Cooperation and Mutual Benefits Harmonious Development" and the China Motorcycle and E-vehicle Brand Walks in Milan and Approaches the World promotion event sponsored by the Trade Development Council, Ministry of Commerce, P.R CHINA and organized by China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products has been held at the new exhibition center in Milan, Italy.

Commercial Counselor Ms. Shu Luomei of the Consulate General of China in Milan, Deputy Director General Mr. Chen Huaming Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, Secretary General Mr. Guo Kuilong of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, the president of EICMA Mr. Pietro Meda and other leaders have attended this press conference and delivered speeches.

In her speech, Commercial Counselor Ms. Shu Luomei has said that in the face of the severe challenges posed by COVID-19, China and Italy have supported each other and worked together to fight the pandemic, deepening mutual trust and writing another great mark in the history of China-Italy relations.

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Deputy Director General Mr. Chen Huaming has said that China remains Italy's second largest trading partner. The extensive participation of Chinese two-wheeler brands in EICMA 2021 is a practical, innovative and significant move to promote economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and Italy against the backdrop of the pandemic.

Secretary-General Mr. Guo Kuilong has pointed out in the speech that China provides a large number of safe, reliable and high-quality two-wheeler vehicles for consumers around the world every year. In the meantime, many internationally renowned independent brands such as CFMoto, Loncin, Qianjiang, Sunra, Yadea and other enterprises spring out. He has said that the CCCME will actively play the channel and industry advantages and strive to promote the exchanges and cooperation between the enterprises of the two countries to a wider field and a higher level.

As the host, Mr. Pietro Meda, the president of EICMA has expressed his gratitude to the Consulate General of China in Milan and the leaders of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products for their attention to EICMA. At the same time, he also hopes that more excellent China two-wheeler enterprises can come to EICMA and share the development opportunities with the Italian and even the global industry in the future.

During the press conference, outstanding domestic two-wheeler brands such as YADEA, TROMOX, TEYIN, ARIIC and so on have also appeared on the stage to share the development ideas of their respective brands with the global industry and bring their flagship new products.

YADEA has showed the all-round intelligent lithium electric vehicle Y1S for enterprise users at the site and said that as the world's leading brand of electric two-wheeler, Yadea has been committed to providing users with a comfortable riding experience. The launch of Y1S represents Yadeas relentless pursuit of specially designed and developed to meet the needs of different commercial vehicle applications.

TROMOX has represented two intelligent e-vehicle products and hoped that they can take "product innovation + core technology R&D + international brand" as the model to become a high-tech enterprise in the industry and provide more people with intelligent, environmental-friendly and interesting ways of travel.

TEYIN has brought the VOX125 which is a very classical 125cc product and has been sold well in the European market for years. TEYIN has said that they will adhere to the R&D and manufacturing of motorcycles with various displacement from 50CC to 350CC, hoping to bring more reliable motorcycle products to global users.

ARIIC has brought the first product Chinf318 at the site and said that they will adhere to the perfect design and the attitude of product details and quality to the extreme, so that consumers can feel the beauty of industrial design and the pleasure of the quality from every product of ARIIC.

China's two-wheeler travel industry with the advantage of the world's top whole industry chain is bringing more creative, advanced and diversified product technology solutions in the new era of global transportation

During the exhibition, the organizers of the event hired professional translators and service personnel to connect with the site during the exhibition. At the same time, the organizers will continuously adopt the B2B online matchmaking mode to match supply and purchase and conduct business negotiation via Zoom which will further guarantee the display effect of enterprises.

As we all know, the pandemic has had a profound impact on economic and trade exchanges between countries and regions around the world. The China Motorcycle and E-vehicle Brand Walks in Milan and Approaches the World promotion activities has built a bridge for communication between China and Italy and even the global travel industry in such a special period. It will undoubtedly bring positive demonstration effects to the creation of ways of economic and trade exchanges between countries in the future under the pandemic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNOs68fTq0s

*The brands are listed in alphabetical order

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005186/en/

Contacts

Media

Contact: Grace Guo

Company Name: Chenman Culture & Media (Suzhou) Co.,Ltd. (MEGA CHINAMOTOR)

Website: chinamotorworld.com

Email: chinamotor@chinamotorworld.com, liuaoke@cccme.org.cn
Activists from Extinction Rebellion block the entrance to the Amazon fulfillment center, preventing trucks from entering or leaving on Black Friday, the global retail giants busiest day of the year, in Tilbury, England.
Dozens of locally owned businesses in downtown Colorado Springs and Old Colorado City partook in Small Business Saturday  a shopping holiday that promotes buying small to make a big community impact.

The aptly named Small Business Saturday seeks to highlight local shops instead of national chains and online sales  a retail goliath thats forecast to rake in more than $143 billion this holiday season. The initiative was launched in 2010 by credit card conglomerate American Express, which reports that 67 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community.

Forty-four cents of that 67 cents goes toward employee wages and benefits, American Express reports. The other 23 cents gets reinvested into other local businesses.

Chilly and strong winds made for difficult shopping Saturday, but that didnt stop members of the Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs, which promotes small businesses year-round, from handing out coupon books at Acacia Park for its sixth year promoting the holiday.

What people really like about shopping local is when you walk into these stores, most of the time youre going to see the owners, said Laurel Prudhomme with the partnership. They do this because they love it. They know their product, they know their merchandise, they can give you really good insight.

Every year, Small Business Saturday falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It lands between two other massive shopping events: Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which have been largely criticized for promoting consumerism and padding online retailers pockets.

But in downtown Colorado Springs on Saturday  where more than 90% of street-level businesses are locally owned  people were able to shop small, knowing they were enriching their community.

Its gaining in popularity every year   Prudhomme said. I think its always going to be a little more low-key. Thats something people like about it. Black Friday is crazy lines, get up early, and Small Business Saturday is meander, enjoy; Its a totally different feel.

Small businesses across the Pikes Peak region and throughout Colorado make up 99.5% of all business, said Aikta Marcoulier with Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center. Firms with fewer than 100 employees have the largest share of small business employment.

Three downtown pop-up shops were highlighted at Saturdays event: The Local Honey Collective at 9 E. Bijou St., Lunieva at 226 N. Tejon St. and Fair Finds Home Decor at 104 N. Tejon St. In Old Colorado City, shoppers could visit with Santa Claus while listening to Charles Dickens Carolers. Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument hosted local authors and offered 25% off items in its holiday catalog.

While Small Business Saturday will likely never reach the magnitude of Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Prudhomme said, it will always give locally-owned businesses in Colorado Springs the chance to build on the community.

Its tough to compete with big-box stores and Amazon, and all those companies that have free shipping   said Candace Williams, owner of Fair Finds Home Decor. Were doing it all on our own. Were taking risks in order to offer products to the community.

Contact Liz Henderson, 719-476-1623 Twitter: @GazetteLiz
With the continued closure of the Tel Kocer crossing, the crisis of the displace..
Turkish occupation continues to occupy more lands of the Syrian territories to annex them to Turkey, after expanding border strip in the villages of Shera, Bulbuleh and Rajo districts, about 2 km deep in Syrian territory", special sources confirmed to our ANHA .

In June of last year, the Turkish occupation expanded the border strip in several villages in Shera and Bulbuleh district, in village of Zaara in the Bulbuleh district, where the Turkish occupation advanced the border strip about 1 km within the Syrian lands after occupying a strategic mountain range and sat up military bases on it to extend its control over Neighboring villages and the entire border strip with Turkey, as well as tightening control over large areas in the region.

In the village of Balea, the Turkish occupation expanded the border strip about 315 inside the Syrian territories, after unfairly uprooted hundreds of olive trees. Turkish occupation has deliberately settled Turkmen families. Since the first day of its occupation of Afrin canton, families from Hama and Damascus and areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, after tempting them financially and providing all daily necessities to remain on the border strip with Afrin along side strengthen occupation power from Shera district, to the border villages of Jindiris.

The Turkish occupation intends to create a Turkmen belt along the border strip with Turkey on the border villages, after forgery facts and open false records of the people region because they are of Turkmen origin, and replace names of several villages in the area by others. Day after day, Turkey's colonial intentions appear in the Syrian territories. In June of this year, The Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu visited the Hammam border village crossing in Janders district and briefed on works reality at the crossing, in addition visiting the Turkish occupation institutions in the center of Afrin city.

In the past few days, Turkish Interior Minster repeated his unannounced visit to the border crossing of the village of Hammam, which was established after the occupation of Afrin canton in a year, without the approval of the Damascus government, whose silence encourages Turkey to occupy the Syrian territories .

That was not limited to the villages of Shera, Bulbuleh and Rajo districts, but it continued in the occupied villages of Sherawa as well, after occupying Afrin canton for several months, a year later, with the aim of separating occupied Afrin canton from al-Shahba canton the Turkish occupation built a cement wall to separate the villages of occupied Sherawa district from the rest of the areas starting from the villages of the Darat Azza area, in Jabal Samaan (Samaans Castle), passing through the villages of the occupied Shirawa district in Kemar and Basila, until the occupied city of Azaz, east of the center of the occupied city of Afrin.

After exposing Turkish occupation practices in international forums in building the separation wall, its construction works had stopped in several villages and was limited to certain villages in Sherawa district, which were in the village of Kimar and Basile. At the beginning of this month, local sources from the occupied villages in Sherawa informed that "the Turkish occupation is raising dirt berms in the occupied villages along the contact lines, including the village of Burj Haidar, Kabashin and Favertin, after demolishing several houses.

It is noteworthy that the construction works began in 2015 after replacing the border strip with a cement wall, which swallow distances up to 500 meters and cutting down thousands of olive trees belonging to the people of Afrin.

According to local sources , the Turkish occupation provided the border strip with modern and advanced monitoring cameras, in addition to placing listening and monitoring devices in the olive trees in order to monitor the movement of civilians.

A-K

ANHA
People are flocking to the Texas Hill Country for its lush and rolling hills, so some in Comal and Hays counties are working together to preserve it.
1. Yes. The Schlueter Group has extensive experience and contacts. Its a good investment.

2. Yes. The firms namesake has a background as a legislator and knows Killeen well.

3. No. The expenditure is a waste of money. Our lawmakers should be doing that work.

4. No. The contract should be shorter, incentivized and based on performance benchmarks.

5. Unsure. Its not always easy to quantify the outcomes of lobbying efforts.

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Le Robert, one of France's leading dictionaries, said recently that it added a new pronoun to its online list of words.

The publications researchers noticed growing usage of the pronoun in recent months.

The pronoun is "iel. It can be used with non-binary people - people who do not identify themselves as male or female.

In English, "they" has been in use for several years by people who do not identify themselves as male or female. Some well-known people  including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris  put their pronoun on Twitter, in emails and on documents. This shows readers which pronoun to use with them.

The move by Le Robert created debate in a country where the rules of language are very important. It also has created debate in the French press and on social media, with several politicians taking issue with the term.

The French government is against the idea. The Education Ministry resisted earlier attempts to make such changes in language teaching at schools.

Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer does not support teaching what is called inclusive writing. That is writing that uses new kinds of pronouns such as iel.

"Inclusive writing is not the future of the French language," Blanquer wrote on Twitter recently.

He added that he supported parliament member Francois Jolivet's protest against Le Robert's move.

In a letter to the Academie Francaise, Jolivet wrote that the use of the words "iel, ielle, iels and ielles" would lead more people to accept the "woke ideology," which would destroy French values.

Jolivet added that the dictionarys action undermines our common language...and divides users rather than uniting them.

Le Robert director Charles Bimbenet said dictionaries include many words that express different ideas. But the dictionaries themselves do not necessarily support these ideas. Since the word "iel" is used more and more, it is useful to include the term in the dictionary.

Bimbenet added, "The Robert's mission is to observe the evolution of a diverse French language as it evolves and to report on it. Defining the words that speak of the world is to help understand it better.

Im John Russell.

Geert De Clercq reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

dictionary n. a book that contains words listed in alphabetical order and that gives information about the words' meanings, forms and how to say them

woke  adj. paying attention to perceived injustice or racism in society

undermine  v. to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way

evolution n. a process of slow change and development

diverse adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other




Purdue University chemistry professor Jianguo Mei is from China. He has been teaching students in the United States for over 10 years.

Mei knows it is important to communicate effectively with his students in English. Sometimes he has trouble today.

That, he said, is one reason why his old student Aristide Gumyusenge will be an excellent professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT.

Gumyusenge, who grew up in Rwanda, will start his career at MIT in January. He is only 30 years old.

Gumyusenge is an assistant professor of materials science and engineering. He recently finished advanced research at Stanford University in California.

If Gumyusenge does a good job over the first five years, he will have a chance to be a permanent professor at MIT.

In an interview with VOA, Gumyusenge said he is looking forward to opening the Organic Materials for Smart Electronics lab at MIT. He is currently looking at students for his research team.

Growing up in Rwanda, Gumyusenge understood the importance of education. His father was a teacher, after all, but he never thought about teaching.

Even after high school, I still thought I was going to medical school, Gumyusenge told VOA.

He arrived in the U.S. in the autumn of 2011 after receiving a scholarship to Wofford College in South Carolina. He was part of the Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program.

Gumyusenge said it was not until he started his advanced degree work at Purdue University in Indiana that he thought about a career as a university professor.

He is planning to continue the work he did at Purdue and Stanford on engineering electronic devices. He said some of the things people see in movies set in the future, where people are wearing smart suits and smart devices, are getting close to becoming real.

He gave an example of a contact lens that can measure the amount of sugar in the body.

Were trying to make electronics that can be more compatible with the body, both mechanically and chemically.

Gumyusenge is working to create materials that can move electricity in the same way that metals in computers chips do now. He said the next thing is for engineers and chemists to work together so they can make products that work better with the body.

But research is only part of his job. He needs to work with students, and that is where Mei said Gumyusenge is strongest.

Aristides training in English probably helps him, Mei said, adding: he handles the language much better than I do.

Mei pointed out that Gumyusenge had to work as a teaching assistant during his time at Purdue, both giving lessons and helping students in the laboratory. It can cause a lot of worry for teachers who do not speak English well.

Undergrad students demand much more, actually, than grad students, Mei said, noting that his own difficulty with English is not as much of an issue in his work with Ph.D. students.

Gumyusenge speaks English very well. How did he learn?

Growing up in Rwanda, after his countrys civil war ended, one of his favorite things to do was to listen to English-language broadcasts on the familys radio.

Whenever he had the chance, he listened to the VOA Learning English programming. Gumyusenge said he arrived in the United States as a teenager able to speak well and understand American English accents thanks to the programs.

He said the slower speed of the Learning English broadcasts helped him learn quickly compared to news and music programs in English.

The actual learning program, the speed was adjusted so that people like myself can pick it up. You dont get that once you hit the ground here [in the U.S.]. Really thankful for the program and I really appreciate all the work that you all are doing.

In Rwanda, he was able to learn to read English, but it was hard to find people who could speak without an accent. The announcers for English-language programming in Rwanda had an accent. So, VOA, he said, helped him learn American accents.

Speaking English, he said, can help you get a job. In addition, Gumyusenge said, a lot of science videos are in English, so students can learn quite a bit on their own by following them.

At Wofford, he found a way to talk with American students. One topic he learned so he could have a conversation? The Star Wars movies.

He understood it would be important for him to learn how to speak confidently with Americans. At first, he just listened and tried to speak the same way as his schoolmates.

I guess I was lucky because I got here when I was 18 to 19. So, I still had some flexibility, I guess, in the brain, to allow myself to learn.

While Gumyusenge does not have a strong accent now, you should have met me in 2011, he said.

What does he say to international students at American universities today? Do not hold on too tightly to your old life at home. Experience life in America while you have the chance.

I know people who get here and change nothing about their daily routine, he said. They live as if theyre still living in Kigali or Lagos.

He continued:

Be open. Allow for people to approach you. Dont close doors too early. America is such a diverse place, youre going to meet people from different backgrounds. And you never know whos going to have an impact on you.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

What do you think about Aristide Gumyusenges journey from Rwanda to MIT? What can you learn from him? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Rwanda's English Learner Becoming MIT Professor Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

scholarship  n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education

contact lens  n. a thin piece of round plastic that is worn on the eye to improve vision

compatible  adj. able to exist together without trouble or conflict : going together well

adjust  v. to change (something) in a minor way so that it works better

accent  n. a way of pronouncing words that occurs among the people in a particular region or country

global  adj. involving the entire world

flexibility  n. capable of being changed

approach  v. to move or become near or nearer to something or someone

diverse  adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other

impact  n. a powerful or major influence or effect


When the coronavirus first appeared last year, health officials feared the pandemic would kill millions in Africa. Although its unclear how many COVID-19 will kill, the horrible, predicted events have not happened.

Scientists note that getting true COVID-19 numbers is extremely difficult, especially in some African countries. They also warn that cases could easily increase again.

Wafaa El-Sadr is the chair of international health at Columbia University in New York. She said there is something mysterious going on in Africa that scientists are questioning: Africa doesnt have the vaccines and resources to fight COVID-19 that they have in Europe and the U.S., but somehow they seem to be doing better, she said.

Fewer than 6 percent of Africans are vaccinated. For months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has described Africa as one of the least affected regions in the world in its weekly pandemic reports.

Some researchers say the continents younger population, more rural life, and the amount of time spent outdoors may have saved it from COVID-19 related deaths. Several studies are researching for other reasons, including genes or past infections with parasites.

On November 19, researchers in Uganda said they found a connection with COVID-19 patients and those who have had a history with the disease malaria. They said those patients were less likely to have severe COVID-19 or death compared to those with little history of the disease.

Christian Happi is the director of the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemers University in Nigeria. He said officials are used to dealing with outbreaks even without vaccines. He credited the extensive organization of community health workers.

Its not always about how much money you have or how sophisticated your hospitals are, he said.

Devi Sridhar is the chair of international public health at the University of Edinburgh. She said African leaders have not gotten credit for acting quickly, noting Malis decision to close its borders before COVID-19 even arrived.

I think theres a different cultural approach in Africa, where these countries have approached COVID with a sense of humility because theyve experienced things like Ebola, polio and malaria, Sridhar said.

Ebola and polio are also infectious diseases.

In the past months, the coronavirus hit South Africa hard and is estimated to have killed more than 89,000 people there. It is by far the most deaths on the continent. African officials note the numbers could not be right, but they are not reporting the huge, expected numbers of COVID-related deaths. WHO information shows deaths in Africa make up just 3 percent of the world total. In comparison, deaths in the Americas are 46 percent and Europe has 29 percent.

In Nigeria, Africas most populous country, the government has recorded nearly 3,000 deaths so far among its 200 million people. The U.S. records that many deaths every two or three days.

The low numbers have Nigerians like Opemipo Are, a 23-year-old in Abuja, feeling better. They said there will be dead bodies on the streets and all that, but nothing like that happened, she said.

Oyewale Tomori is a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory groups. He believes that Africa might not need as many vaccines as the West. The disputed idea is being seriously discussed by African scientists.

That doesnt mean, however, that vaccines are not needed in Africa.

Salim Abdool Karim studies pandemics at South Africas University of KwaZulu-Natal and advised South Africas government on COVID-19. He said, We need to be vaccinating all out to prepare for the next wave. He added, Looking at whats happening in Europe, the likelihood of more cases spilling over here is very high.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Maria Cheng and Farai Mutsaka reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

__________________________________________________

Words in This Story

region  n. a part of a country or of the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way

parasite  n. an animal or plant that lives in or on another animal or plant and gets food or protection from it

sophisticated  adj. highly developed and complex

approach  n. a way of dealing with something: a way of doing or thinking about something

humility  n. the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people
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Ready. Set. Shop! Shoppers enjoy tradition, browsing for gifts on Black Friday

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Black Friday shoppers at Target wander the aisles in search of holiday gifts. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Jennifer Adams shows off her Christmas spirit while searching for Black Friday deals. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Shoppers search the aisles of Belks for Black Friday deals. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Deidra Turner goes all out for Black Friday shopping at Maurices in Lufkin Mall. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Checkout stations are a flurry of activity as Black Friday shoppers make their purchases at Target. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News A Christmas tree provides some holiday cheer for Black Friday shoppers at Lufkin Mall. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Black Friday shoppers look for sales while walking along the crowded aisles at Target. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Black Friday shoppers check out the window displays while shopping at Lufkin Mall. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Black Friday shoppers gather in the food court while browsing at Lufkin Mall.

A steady stream of shoppers walked through Lufkin Mall Friday morning, taking advantage of Black Friday deals to help with their holiday shopping.

Laura Greusel doesnt go Black Friday shopping every year but went this year to pick up some things for her mom, she said. She was happy that the mall was calmer than shes seen on previous Black Fridays, but for her, the crowds would have been worth it to get deals, she said.

Whitney Crustner and Deidra Turner said they go shopping on Black Friday every year.

Cruster said she has been shopping on Black Friday since she realized Santa wasnt real.

Normally, whenever you spend like $100 at a store it would only be like one or two things, but for Black Friday you get a lot more for what youre buying, she said.

Turner said she and a group of friends have been shopping on Black Friday for more than 20 years.

Theres about 10 of us, and were all scattered out right now, she said with a laugh. We just like the comradery with each other. We used to go to Houston, this is probably the second year because of COVID weve been shopping at home, but its just a fun thing, shopping, eating out, being with my family and friends.

Shawn Crawford, general manager of the Lufkin Mall, said he was hoping people would be out shopping and that this year would be more of a traditional Black Friday like the mall has seen before.

By far, historically (last year) was low, but we had a lot going on in our country. I think we are moving forward and hopefully we continue to move forward, he said.

While this is Crawfords first Black Friday as the malls general manager, hes not overwhelmed by the crowds. He previously worked as the malls operations manager.

You just do the best you can, he said about Black Friday preparations.

We just prepare the staff and say Hey, we do what we can do and youre not gonna please everybody, he said. For the most part, I think the people here in Lufkin are pretty down to earth, and were a good group of people out here.

Target saw a smaller crowd of shoppers Friday morning than in the past, although crowds were larger than last year, store director Kris Hoepfner said. He said there were about 200 shoppers waiting to get in when the store opened Friday, compared to the roughly 1,000 shoppers he saw in 2019, he said.

However, he believes this is because Target has changed the manner in which it conducts business.

A lot of our business is done digitally, so a big portion of our business is done electronically and online from shipping from the store or order pickup or drive up, he said. Were actually exceeding last year (in sales) by a significant amount, so were excited about that, and the traffic flow is exceeding last year, too.

The company also has changed the way it advertises, which is another contributing factor, Hoepfner said. There have been Black Friday deals all week, and there is less emphasis on having this one big ad on Friday, he said.

We had a crowd in here on Sunday, and its been spread out this week, and thats the goal of doing it that way, so we dont have this onslaught of people on Friday, he said.

However, shoppers such as Jennifer Adams and Gay Nell said they plan to continue shopping on Black Friday  its a tradition, but its also about family.

Nell said she shops on Black Friday every year so that she can figure out what to buy for her family.

I usually have to have help figuring out what to buy the kids, so they do that for me, she said.

Adams said she wasnt shopping for anything in particular.

For us, its more about family time and spending time together and being out, she said. We get up early and listen to Christmas music the whole way here and dress silly, and its all about the family time more than it is the shopping.
People line up to get on an overseas flight at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 26, 2021. As the world grapples with the emergence of the new highly transmissible variant of COVID-19, worried scientists in South Africawhere omicron was first identifiedare scrambling to combat its lightning spread across the country. Credit: AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File

The U.K. tightened up rules Saturday on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases of the new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus that was identified just a few days ago in South Africa.

Amid fears that the new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped.

Nearly two years on since the start of the pandemic that has claimed more than 5 million lives around the world, countries are on high alert. Many countries have already imposed travel restrictions on flights from southern Africa as they seek to buy time to assess whether the omicron variant is more transmissable than the current dominant delta variant.

In an attempt to slow the spread in the U.K., British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take "targeted and precautionary measures" after two people tested positive for the new variant in England.

"Right now this is the responsible course of action to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant and to maximize our defenses," he told a news conference.

Among the measures announced, Johnson said anyone arriving in England will be asked to take a a mandatory PCR test for COVID-19 on the second day after their arrival and must self isolate until they provide a negative test. And if someone tests positive for the omicron variant, then he said their close contacts will have to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination statuscurrently close contacts are exempt from quarantine rules if they are fully-vaccinated.

People queue to get on the Air France flight to Paris at OR Tambo's airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 26, 2021. As the world grapples with the emergence of the new highly transmissible variant of COVID-19, worried scientists in South Africawhere omicron was first identifiedare scrambling to combat its lightning spread across the country. Credit: AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File

He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required and said the independent group of scientists that advises the British government on the rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been asked to accelerate the vaccination program. This could involve widening the booster program to younger age groups, reducing the time period between a second dose and a booster and allowing older children to get a second dose.

"From today we're going to boost the booster campaign," he said.

Britain's Department of Health said the two cases found in the U.K. were linked and involved travel from southern Africa. One of the two new cases was in the southeastern English town of Brentwood, while the other is in the central city of Nottingham. The two confirmed cases are self-isolating with their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a press conference in London, Saturday Nov. 27, 2021, after cases of the new COVID-19 variant were confirmed in the UK. Credit: Hollie Adams/Pool via AP

The British government also added four more countriesAngola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambiaonto the country's travel red list from Sunday. Six othersBotswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwewere added Friday. That means anyone permitted to arrive from those destinations will have to quarantine.

Many countries have slapped restrictions on various southern African countries over the past couple of days including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Thailand and the United States, in response to warnings over the transmissability of the new variantagainst the advice of the World Health Organization.

Despite the banning of flights, there are mounting concerns that the variant has already been widely seeded around the world. In addition to the U.K, cases have been reported in travelers in Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong.

Exterior view of the hotel in Badhoevedorp near Schiphol Airport, Netherlands, where Dutch authorities have isolated 61 people who tested positive for COVID-19 on two arriving flights originating from South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Authorities are carrying out further investigations to see if any of the travelers have the omicron variant. Credit: AP Photo/Peter Dejong

Germany also said it suspected three positive cases while Italy was investigating a recently returned positive case from southern Africa. Dutch authorities were also testing whether 61 people who arrived on two flights from South Africa with COVID-19 have the omicron variant. And Israel said it is tracing 800 travelers who returned recently from southern African countries.

The variant's swift spread among young people in South Africa has alarmed health professionals even though there was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease.

A number of pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer, said they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of omicron. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they expect to be able to tweak their vaccine in around 100 days.

A sign reading 'Stay safe' in Regent Street, in London, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. A slew of nations moved to stop air travel from southern Africa on Friday, and stocks plunged in Asia and Europe in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible COVID-19 variant. Credit: AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali

A doorman controls European passport COVID-19 to customers before the access of a bar discotheque, in Pamplona, northern Spain. Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Some Spanish regional communities demand from this midnight European passport COVID-19, Navarra Community one of them, in an effort to try to control the pandemic with a high curve of cases. Credit: AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos

President Joe Biden talks about the newly approved COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Nov. 3, 2021. Biden's team views the pandemic as the root cause of both the nation's malaise and his own political woes. It sees getting more people vaccinated and finally controlling COVID-19 as the key to reviving the country and Biden's own standing. But the coronavirus has proved to be a vexing challenge for the White House. Credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File

A public order official checks the COVID-19 vaccination certificates of skiers at the Rauher Busch ski slope in Winterberg, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Credit: Henning Kaiser/dpa via AP

A sign indicating COVID-19 restrictions is seen at the Rauher Busch ski slope in Winterberg, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Credit: Henning Kaiser/dpa via AP

A snacks vendor wears a face mask as a precaution against COVID-19 and walks in a market area in Jammu, India, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Channi Anand

Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group which developed the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the omicron variant, noting that most of the mutations appear to be in similar regions as those in other variants.

"At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed," he told BBC radio.

Some experts said the variant's emergence illustrated how rich countries' hoarding of vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic.

Fewer than 6% of people in Africa have been fully immunized against COVID-19, and millions of health workers and vulnerable populations have yet to receive a single dose. Those conditions can speed up spread of the virus, offering more opportunities for it to evolve into a dangerous variant.

"One of the key factors to emergence of variants may well be low vaccination rates in parts of the world, and the WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded," said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (yellow)also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19isolated from a patient, emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. Credit: NIAID-RML

Germany on Saturday confirmed its first two cases of the new Omicron strain of COVID-19, in travellers who arrived at Munich airport from South Africa, regional officials said.

"Two suspected cases of the new virus variant Omicron classified by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern have been confirmed in Bavaria," the health ministry of the southern state said in a statement.

The people, who arrived back in Germany on Wednesday, have been isolating at home since receiving positive PCR test results for coronavirus, the ministry added.

A ministry spokeswoman said that, after reading news reports about the new strain, the people "proactively sought an examination for the variant".

She said that in addition, two foreign passengers who arrived in Bavaria on a flight from Cape Town on Friday had tested positive for coronavirus and authorities were now investigating whether they were also infected with the new strain.

The report from Bavaria came after health officials in the western German state of Hesse identified the country's first suspected case of the new COVID-19 variant, in a person who also returned from South Africa.

The person, who was fully vaccinated against coronavirus, developed symptoms "in the course of the week" and was then tested.

Final results of gene sequencing are expected "in the coming days".

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who is expected to be sworn in as successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel early next month, stressed Saturday that his coalition would do "everything necessary" to fight "corona and Omicron".

"There is nothing which can't be considered," he tweeted, as calls grew louder for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations and new shutdown measures.

Belgium said on Friday it had detected the first announced case in Europe of the new COVID-19 variant, in an unvaccinated person returning from abroad.

Meanwhile Britain on Saturday confirmed its first two cases of the new Omicron strain, which the World Health Organization has declared to be a variant of concern.

EU officials agreed on Friday to urge all 27 nations in the bloc to restrict travel from several southern African nations, a policy Germany has already announced.

Explore further Belgium finds first new Covid-19 variant case in Europe

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Italy on Saturday said it had detected its first case of the new Omicron strain of COVID-19 in a traveller from Mozambique.

A top laboratory "sequenced the genome from the positive sample of a patient coming from Mozambique", the national health institute said in a statement.

"The patient and the members of their family are in good health," it added.

They would soon determine whether anyone in the family residing in the southern region of Campaniaof which Naples is the capitalhad also been infected by the variant.

Italy on Friday banned entry to all travellers who had been in southern Africa in the past fortnight after the new variant was discovered there. It also suspended flights from the region.

It ordered anyone already in Italy who had travelled there in the past two weeks to immediately inform the authorities, test for COVID, isolate for 10 days, and then re-test at the end of that period.

Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic with more than 133,000 deaths reported since February 2020.

It has been recording more than 10,000 new cases daily for several days.

On Wednesday, the government announced it would be accelerating booster shots and ramping up restrictions for the unvaccinated.

Explore further Germany confirms two cases of new Covid strain: regional ministry

 2021 AFP
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The US pharmaceutical company Moderna said Friday it will develop a booster shot against the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

It is one of three strategies the company is working to address the new threat, including a higher dose of its existing vaccine, Moderna said.

"The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant," said Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel.

Explore further Moderna says Covid vaccine durable for at least six months

 2021 AFP
The new variant has sparked fears of a major setback to global efforts against the pandemic.

Fears mounted Saturday that a highly-infectious new coronavirus strain was pushing its way into Europe as the world brought the shutters down to contain the new Omicron variant.

Britain confirmed its first two infections and suspected new cases emerged in Germany and the Czech Republic, while Dutch authorities quarantined 61 passengers from South Africa who tested positive for COVID-19.

South Africa complained it was being "punished" with air travel bans for first detecting the strain, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has termed a "variant of concern".

South Korea, Australia and Thailand joined the United States, Brazil, Canada and a host of other countries around the world restricting travel from the region, fearing a major setback to global efforts against the pandemic.

Scientists are racing to determine the threat posed by the heavily mutated strain, which is more transmissible than the dominant Delta variant, and whether it can evade existing vaccines.

Anxious travellers thronged Johannesburg international airport, desperate to squeeze onto the last flights to countries that had imposed sudden travel bans. Many had cut holidays and rushed back from South African safaris and vineyards.

"It's ridiculous, we will always be having new variants," British tourist David Good told AFP, passports in hand. "South Africa found it but it's probably all over the world already."

Anxious travellers thronged Johannesburg international airport, desperate to squeeze onto the last flights to countries that had imposed sudden travel bans.

'Worrisome variant'

The virus has already slipped through the net with cases in Europe and Hong Kong and Israel.

Both cases in Britain were linked to travel from southern Africa, and in response the government expanded travel restrictions on the region.

Belgium said Friday it had detected the first announced infection in an unvaccinated person returning from abroad.

Germany's suspect case, meanwhile, was fully jabbed.

"The Omicron variant has with strong likelihood already arrived in Germany," tweeted Kai Klose, social affairs minister in the western state of Hesse.

The neighbouring Czech Republic was carrying out further tests on a woman who had travelled from Namibia and was suspected to have the new variant, prime minister Andrej Babis said.

The Netherlands meanwhile found around one in 1061 out of 600people who had arrived at Schiphol airport on Friday from South Africa were positive for COVID-19.

Thailand and South Korea restricted flights from eight countries, as did the United States, Brazil, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

Those infected, who flew in on two KLM flights that took off before the Dutch government announced a ban on travellers from the region, were being kept quarantined in a hotel.

"The positive test results will be examined as soon as possible to determine whether this concerns the new worrisome variant," the Dutch Health Authority said.

The WHO said it could take several weeks to understand the variant, which was initially known as B.1.1.529, and cautioned against travel curbs while scientific evidence remains scant.

'Draconian' measures

South Africa called the travel curbs "draconian" and on Saturday said the flight bans were "akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker."

"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Number of new Covid-19 cases over 7 days and the change in percent from the previous week, as of November 25, 2021.

The main countries targeted by the shutdown include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

US President Joe Biden meanwhile said richer countries should donate more COVID-19 vaccines and give up intellectual property protections to manufacture more doses worldwide.

"The news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations," he said.

But with memories still fresh of the way global air travel helped the spread of COVID after it first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019, countries clamped down swiftly.

Australia and Belgium became the latest to act, banning all flights from nine southern African countries.

South Korea and Thailand restricted flights from eight countries, as did the United States, Brazil, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

The Netherlands has ramped up anti-Covid restrictions, sparking protests.

The WTO called off a conference, its biggest gathering in four years, at the last minute over the new variant.

EU officials agreed in an emergency meeting to urge all 27 nations in the bloc to restrict travel from southern Africa, with many members having already done so.

The World Trade Organization called off its ministerial conference, its biggest gathering in four years, at the last minute Friday due to the new variant.

Vaccine manufacturers have held out hope that they can modify current vaccines to target the Omicron variant.

Germany's BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer said they expect data "in two weeks at the latest" to show if their jab can be adjusted.

Moderna said it will develop a booster specific to the new variant.

Explore further US, Canada restrict travel from southern Africa as new variant sparks concern

 2021 AFP
(REUTERS)

Nineteen people have died and scores were injured after a bus carrying people to a religious site in Mexico crashed into a house.

The Friday crash is thought to have happened after the brakes on the bus failed, causing it to smash into a building, local media reported.

The bus was on a highway in the township of Joquicingo, in Mexico State, about 45 miles outside of Mexico City, when it crashed.

At least 10 ambulances attended the scene, with several passengers airlifted to hospital, CNN reported.

At the moment 19 deceased and 32 injured people are reported and it will be the Attorney Generals Office of the State of Mexico, who will confirm the number of deaths, the state department of health said in a statement.

(REUTERS)

The injured were transferred to hospitals in Malinalco, Toluca, Tenango del Valle, among others, with the support of Civil Protection from different municipalities, SUEM and the Red Cross.

The state confirmed that a child under four years old was among the injured who had been taken to nearby hospitals.

The bus was heading from the western state of Michoacan to Chalma, a town that has been visited by Roman Catholic pilgrims for centuries.

There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured passengers. Many Mexicans go on religious pilgrimages as 12 December, the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, approaches.

Because they often walk or bike on narrow roads or travel in aging buses, accidents are not uncommon.

Mexico State borders Mexico City on three sides, and includes both remote rural villages and crowded suburbs of the capital.

Chalma was a site sacred in pre-Hispanic times before the 1521 conquest. After the Spanish came, believers say, a cross miraculously appeared in a cave that had been dedicated to an Aztec god, making Chalma a Christian pilgrimage site.

With additional reporting from Associated Press

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For most people around the world, the music industry represents glamour, fame, riches and influence. On the inside though it is famously opaque, litigious and corrupt. If South Africa is to create a vibrant local industry that will benefit aspirant musicians, then far more transparency is needed.

Whoever controls the money, controls the industry. And part of the reason why the local music industry has declined over the last decade, is because of the confused and contradictory reporting and lack of accountability around the money that is being made.

The music industry, globally, is regulated by the quaintly-named International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI), established in 1933 and based in Switzerland. It administers music performance royalties across Africa, except in South Africa, where the music royalties are administered mostly by Recording Industry South Africa (RISA).

South Africa has ended up with a number of different reporting and collecting agencies: SAMPRA collects royalties for music performance; RISA/RAV collects royalties for videos; SAMRO collects royalties for published music, such as composers and publishers.

The sources of music royalties include TV and radio, live performances, online streaming, and restaurants and pubs that play music. This complex reporting and collecting network leads to duplication and a lot of confusion.

The Department of Trade and Industry has come up with new proposals, says copyright lawyer Owen Dean, but they do not understand the music industry and therefore all that these will do is add another layer of bureaucracy to an already over-bureaucratised field. There are a number of collection agencies, all doing the same job and charging high fees. Why this is necessary, is a mystery.

A few statistics will show just how bad things are:

SAMPRA is holding onto more than R460 million of undistributed revenue (according to its latest financial statements). These are royalties not paid over to record labels or to musicians. SAMPRA spokesperson Tiyani Maluleke denied this categorically, saying that royalty payments were all fully disbursed, but did not explain the R463,895,911 excess cash on SAMPRAs balance sheet .

. RISA Audio Visual, another collection agency, is also sitting on R60 million of license fees available for distribution, money that should be going to record labels and musicians, according to its financials .

. South Africas collection society administrators charge some of the highest rates in the world. For example, of the R200 million collected by SAMPRA in 2020, the agency spent R41 million on administrative costs. It only has 15 employees. This is more than double the rate charged by agencies in most parts of the world. The global average for administration is about 7%, as is the case with PPL, one of the very biggest collecting agencies in the world.

Meanwhile, the South African Music Industry Council (SAMIC), the umbrella body formed to provide unity in the music industry, is dysfunctional due to infighting.

The problem with SAMIC now is a lack of democracy and too many egos, says ex-board member Brian Mokoena. This organisation was started to promote the industry, but instead people are using it to promote themselves.

A mail was sent to SAMIC president Vusi Leeuw, asking him to respond to the allegations of infighting and dysfunctionality described by Eugene Mthethwa and Brian Mokoena, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

The Minister of Condolences

Eugene Mthethwa, for years an outspoken activist for musicians rights and a previous president of SAMIC, says, SAMIC now is not what it was meant to be. Now it is just about money and egos.

He says the industry only cares about local artists when they die, and holds onto their royalties while they are still alive.

When the musicians die, the politicians come to their funeral to praise them. We call Nathi Mthethwa [minister for arts and culture] the Minister of Condolences  But while musicians are alive, and performing, and being robbed of their royalties, they do not exist.

Attempts to get comment from the Department of Arts and Culture and the minister went unanswered.

Apart from broadcast and video royalties, revenues from digital streaming services are also not finding their way back home. Multinational companies keep the money offshore and are not reinvesting in South Africa.

In the end, the money in the South African music industry goes mostly to collection society administrators and three international record companies  Sony, Universal and Warner  not to talented South African musicians who create the music and are the only irreplaceable part of the system.

Gary van Zyl, a 40-year music veteran, who has played with the Dealians, Clout and Juluka, has seen the South African music industry fall from its height. He places its demise squarely on maladministration of royalty payments.

I get payment from SAMPRA, but it is a trickle and it seems very confusing, he says. There are no statements, no records, no documentation. When I asked once for a statement, I got a very odd document that looked like it had been quickly put together just for me. There seems to be huge confusion in the collection agencies.

Clive Hardwick, former CEO of Bula Music (the label that represented Rebecca Malope, Shwi Nomtekhala, Lebo Mathosa, Lundi, the Mahotella Queens and Pure Magic), lodged a Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) request to Gallo Music (now owned by Arena Holdings) in 2019.

Hardwick had sold Bula Music to Gallo in 2014, and wanted to know if any royalties were payable from before the sale. Not only did Gallo refuse to comply with the PAIA request he says, they also slapped Hardwick with a defamation suit. The case, which has become extremely messy and complicated, has dragged on for two years, and Hardwick is no closer to finding out if he is owed any royalties.

Jerusalema: a classic case

The smash hit, Jerusalema, provides a case study on how messy the South African music industry is. The song, by DJ and record producer Master KG that featured the voice of Nomcebo Zikode, received more than 400 million views online. At its peak, it was the most-searched song on the Shazam app. Industry insiders hinted at the millions of rands of royalties that the hit song had generated.

When it went viral as a Dance Challenge, Warner Music clamped down on its use and started issuing royalty demands to companies that had been using the song in YouTube videos.

But vocalist Zikode claims that she is yet to receive a single cent in royalties from her management company, Open Mic Productions, or from Warner Music. She has placed the matter with her lawyers.

Open Mic Productions responded with a statement that the royalty payments have been held up because of a contractual dispute; another musician, Charmza the DJ (real name Ntimela Chris Chauke), is suing Master KG for copyright infringement.

A calculation of the number of times the song had been streamed, the number of YouTube and TikTok videos that were watched, the number of searches and downloads, produced a royalty figure of approximately R10 million. However, this is based on online algorithms and not actual royalty figures, so it is probable the amounts are less. Additionally, there are a number of entities that are entitled to shares of royalties according to contractual arrangements and royalty agreements: the record label, the publishers, the copyright-holders, the performers, and managers, the executives and the agents.

So by the time royalties arrive in South Africa, everyone has taken their cut. And due to the secrecy surrounding the reporting of royalty collections, it will never be known just how much money Jerusalema made.

Secretive industry players

The difficulty of getting information out of the recording industry is demonstrated by the reaction from industry executives to our questions. Many requests for comment and interviews were either turned down or ignored.

The RISA industry report for 2020 showed that the music industry in South Africa earned R456 million in total. Of this, R368 million was earned by international record labels, and R88 million earned by local music companies. The market share of local music, therefore, has dwindled from 50% ten years ago, to less than 20%, and it has decreased by 4.5% from 2019 to 2020.

However, when a RISA spokesperson was asked to comment on the figures, they responded that the figures did not come from RISA, despite the fact that they are taken from a published RISA report. After this was pointed out, there was no further response.

When SAMPRA was asked about the decline in South African music, Chief Stakeholder Officer Tiyane Malaluke responded: Please clarify what you mean decline. South African music has been making inroads in international markets. Mapiano, a South African genre, is currently the most dominant music genre in East, Central, and West Africa. Some South African artists, such DJ Maphorisa, Moonchild Sanelly etc, are very popular in Western Europe. Thats not decline.

She did not respond to the figures quoted which showed the decline in revenue earned.

Warner CEO Tracy Fraser, Universal CEO Sipho Dlamini and Sony CEO Sean Watson were approached several times for comment, but no response was received. Gallo CEO Rob Cowling indicated that he would not comment as a result of a court case.

We also approached South African DJ, club-music superstar and international businessman Black Coffee, recently nominated for a Grammy. He has indicated on his website that he invests money in South African creativity and start-ups, but his investment company Flightmode is registered offshore. He did not respond.

Music activist Clive Hardwick, the previous owner of Bula Music, realised in 2020 that the independent music sector in South Africa had all but collapsed, and established the Independent Music Community (IMC) in an effort to revitalise the independents.

I took a break from the music industry for a few years, but I returned in 2019 to find the recording industry in a calamitous state, he said. I had expected that, with the flow of broadcast revenues, I would find a vibrant and energised industry. I found the doldrums.

As IMC, we are starting to make progress in rebuilding the South African music industry. The first item on our agenda is to tackle unfair business practices and the lack of transparency around copyright and royalties.

This article was first published on GroundUp under the title SA music industry exposed: the money is not going to the artists. It is republished under CC BY-ND 4.0.

Read Part 1: Catastrophic decline in the South African music industry

Now read: Ramaphosa kicks Copyright Amendment Bill back to Parliament
When contestants discover theyve won The Great Christmas Light Fight, theyre not pining to see that bag of money, as host Carter Oosterhouse puts it. They want the trophy.

They want to touch the trophy, hold the trophy, see if theres weight to it, he says. And usually the consensus is, Wow, this is pretty well built.

That trophy  which indicates its owner had an eye-popping light display  has been a holiday tradition since 2013. Airing over the Christmas season (the 2021 edition premieres Sunday on ABC), it showcases the latest innovations in exterior decorating.

Nine or 10 years ago, it was all about lots of lights  millions of lights, Oosterhouse says. Now, it seems like its about the design and the story telling.

Bigger is better? Not necessarily, says Taniya Nayak, the shows other host. On one of the episodes (this year), youll see a very small property and simple display. But every single thing has purpose. The cleanliness and meticulousness spoke to me. These guys really put a lot of effort in. It wasnt a big property, but they did it really well.

Key to all of the displays: Storytelling.

The things you have to have to win are passion and a story that connects to the display, Nayak says. Im a designer and once you can connect any space to anything personal, its a win. Youve reeled those people right in and you want to see more.

Although some homeowners have boggled viewers minds with technical achievements, it isnt necessary, says Oosterhouse. Those arent always the ones that win. But, done the right way, it can be pretty compelling to see.

Gene Watchorn and Julie McDowell of Ponca, Nebraska, won the 2018 award for their work in 2017. Because itd be too difficult to judge homes before Christmas each year, the Light Fight is decided a year in advance. So, this year, Oosterhouse and Nayak are judging homes for the 2022 show.

Last year's contestants were decorating in the thick of the pandemic, Oosterhouse says, and it really changed for me the way I saw the show. I was connecting more with the homeowners and the reason why they do what they do  its for their community, for their neighborhood. It doesnt feel like theres a selfish bone in any of them. Even though its a competition show, theyre doing it because they want to put smiles on their neighbors faces. Its even more needed right now.

So, if the two are able to judge others homes, does that mean theyre experts? Hardly. While Oosterhouse has hung lights at his house, hes not in league with the Light Fight competition. And Nayak? I live in a condo, she says.

Then, too, both are gone during much of the holiday season, so interior decorating becomes a challenge. Nayak puts up two trees  one in that condo and a small one in Fort Lauderdale, my home away from home.

One of the big trends is rainbow colors and Id like to do an ombre rainbow tree, she says. Carter thinks its ridiculous.

More traditional, Oosterhouse is encouraged by the way contestants make stuff out of nothing. Like theyve taken a lawnmower engine and a vacuum and a fan and just figured out how to make some really cool stuff. Now, some of the pastels were seeing is mind-blowing.

Cooperation is another key element. Because exterior lighting has become such a big thing, decorators have found ways to help one another out through conventions, chat rooms and online websites.

And the hosts? Theyre in this business because theyre Do-It-Yourself junkies, Nayak says. Its a natural fit.

Adds Oosterhouse: Were like big kids. When you get to play around with some of these designs, it immediately brings you back. Who would ever dream up a job like this? Were just lucky.
Napa County and its cities and town are ready to tally up greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of eventually cutting them.

The countys Climate Action Committee wants a greenhouse gas emission inventory done. A $50,000 grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will pay for it, with completion slated for next summer.

This is to be the first countywide look at local greenhouse gas emissions since a 2009 study found the county and its cities in 2005 produced 1.2 million metric tons. Since then, the county's population has grown by about 14%. California and the county have also taken emission-reduction steps.

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All of this leaves the countywide total today a mystery.

We need to know where we are to know where we want to go, Napa City Councilmember Liz Alessio said.

California has set statewide targets. It is to reduce emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, under a state Legislature mandate. It is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, under executive order by former Gov. Jerry Brown.

Local students with Napa Schools for Climate Action want Napa County to do its share. Among other things, students urged the Climate Action Committee to set its own goal of decreasing emissions to net-zero by or before 2030. The committee has yet to do so.

Thats the backdrop against which the Climate Action Committee is acting.

Consulting firm Ascent Environmental Inc. will total greenhouse gas emissions in the unincorporated area and for American Canyon, Calistoga, the city of Napa, St. Helena and Yountville. It will break down the emissions by various sectors, such as transportation, buildings and agriculture.

In addition, the firm is to predict a business-as-usual emissions total for 2030. It is to identify cost-efficient and effective reduction strategies.

The Climate Action Committee cant bind the county or its cities to take any particular carbon-cutting steps, be it banning gas leaf-blowers or something else. Each jurisdiction would have to take actions on its own.

County Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison suggested the Climate Action Committee might want to focus on vehicles and buildings that account for 50% to 75% of greenhouse gas emissions.

The greenhouse gas inventory is to use the states standard methodology that doesnt yet include such short-lived pollutants as black carbon, which is soot. These pollutants have drawn more attention in recent years.

But the Climate Action Committee wants to measure black carbon and other short-lived pollutants as an additional task.

I think if we dont check it now, waiting 10 years to find out is going to be a problem, American Canyon City Councilmember Mark Joseph said.

The committee also wants to look at carbon sequestration in trees and forests. That includes potential changes in carbon sequestration resulting from land-use changes and ways to increase sequestration in natural lands, working lands and cities.

Looking at short-lived pollutants and carbon sequestration is $47,550 more than the $50,000 grant can cover. But thats still the recommendation of the Climate Action Committee.

Congratulations to you all for choosing the highest option, Christina Benz of Napa Climate NOW! told the committee on Oct. 22.

Napa County and its cities and town would have to pay the additional cost. Napa County would have to pay $15,692, the city of Napa $14,217, American Canyon $6,086, St. Helena $4,042 and Yountville $3,566.

The county Board of Supervisors on Nov. 16 voted to have Ascent Environmental Inc. do the climate change inventory for the $50,000 covered by the grant. The county will authorize the short-lived pollutants and carbon sequestration work when and if the $47,750 is available.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  When Josephine Bartley, a member of the city council in Auckland, New Zealand, heard that a local Covid-19 vaccination clinic had been vandalized early this month, she drove over to survey the damage. After she spoke to the owners and helped them connect with law enforcement officials, she noticed three men loitering near her parking spot.

Some guys were standing around my car just staring at me, she said by telephone and email last week.

One of them called me scum, she said, and suggested that they damage her vehicle. The men got in a four-wheel-drive vehicle and left. But the experience shook Bartley, a member of the Labour Party, who said she did not know whether the men were linked to the vandalism of the health center, which primarily serves the local Pacific community.

I was confused, I was trying to figure out who was scum  was it brown people? Was it Labour, was it council? Was it the vaccination? Was it women? But I was concerned for my safety, Bartley said. Police advised me not to use my car and lay low for a few days, she said.

Image: COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are eased in Auckland (Fiona Goodall / Reuters file)

As New Zealand shifts to a policy of living with the virus, residents accustomed to living virtually Covid-free for most of the pandemic are being confronted by rising case numbers and widening vaccination mandates. Opposition to vaccinations and frustration with pandemic restrictions are fueling a small but vocal protest movement inspired in part by U.S. politics.

In a working paper it published this month, a team of researchers in New Zealand said there had been a sharp increase in the popularity and intensity of disinformation around Covid-19 since August, at the beginning of an outbreak driven by the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus, which is responsible for the vast majority of New Zealands cases.

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The researchers said the disinformation was being used as a kind of Trojan horse to coax New Zealanders from vaccine hesitancy to vaccine resistance and then to the embrace of far-right ideologies, like white supremacy and extreme misogyny. Some of the most extreme content, they said, comes from overseas, particularly Australia and the U.S.

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Bartley said online abuse from New Zealanders directed at her office and the clinic surged before the incident at the clinic.

I got sent a video with an American anti-vaxxer saying, If you support vaccinations youre going to hell, she said.

NBC News has also seen Telegram messages from Shane Chafin, a U.S. resident of New Zealand, disclosing the personal cellphone number of a pharmacist who criticized his anti-vaccination broadcasts, in which he appeared to encourage followers to harass her in retaliation. NBC News has asked Chafin for comment.

Chafin works for Counterspin Media, a New Zealand-based news site hosted by GTV, a company founded by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. In November, a news conference by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was suspended after Chafin heckled her about vaccinations.

Make America Great Again hats and flags from the QAnon conspiracy theory movement are visible in the crowds at anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination protests in cities like Wellington and Christchurch. Sam Brett, a student at the University of Canterbury who attended recent protests for his doctoral research, said a typical protest feels like a miniature New Zealand version of a Trump rally.

Image: Anti-Lockdown Protesters Gather In Wellington (Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images file)

The protests often feature powerful, charismatic speakers, said Brett, who said the government is cast as maliciously trying to take away peoples rights.

They have also co-opted the language and culture of New Zealands Indigenous Maori, even as related discourse online promotes anti-Maori racism, said one of the working papers authors, Sanjana Hattotuwa, a research fellow at the University of Auckland.

Maori identity, symbols, history, culture, narratives and specific individuals are being appropriated by white-supremacist accounts and actors, especially on Telegram, an app that can serve as an alternative social media platform, allowing greater anonymity and less stringent community rules than sites like Twitter do.

The symbols include the Maori flag and the Ka Mate haka, a ceremonial dance known globally for its performance before matches by New Zealands All Blacks rugby team.

Ngati Toa, a Maori tribe recognized by the government as having legal rights over the dance, asked protesters in a statement this month to stop using it immediately.

We are absolutely clear that the Covid-19 vaccine is the best protection we have available to us, said Helmut Modlik, the tribes chief executive.

The tribe singled out Brian Tamaki, an anti-lockdown firebrand who leads a group called the Freedom and Rights Coalition, saying it had been alerted that he planned to teach the haka to protesters for future performances.

Tamaki, who is out on bail after multiple arrests over his appearances at anti-lockdown protests in defiance of court orders and public health controls, did not respond to requests for comment. Martin Daly, a member of the Pentecostal church that Tamaki leads who is also active in the Freedom and Rights Coalition, said he disagreed with the tribes directive.

Theres a lot of Maori iwi [tribal] leaders in our movement, up in the North Island, and theyve said theyre speaking completely out of line, he said.

Maori tribes are all the more frustrated because they are less likely to be vaccinated than other New Zealanders and have been disproportionately affected by the outbreak of the delta variant.

Hone Harawira, a Maori rights advocate and former lawmaker, said he respected peoples right to protest, but not when that protest endangers the health and well-being of our whanau, a Maori-language word for family and community.

Harawira condemned Tamakis activity and called on Maori to confront what he perceives as the far-right themes in parts of the protest movement, specifically their anti-vax games, the Trumpist rhetoric, their hatred and their basic racism, as well.

New Zealands national security advisers have warned that people radicalized by their exposure to extremist online content during the pandemic could resort to violence, the media outlet Newshub reported. Security measures for government officials have stepped up in recent weeks.

An Auckland-based security analyst, Paul Buchanan, a former consultant to U.S. intelligence services, said he was concerned by the importation of U.S.-style populist rhetoric into New Zealands anti-vaccination movement, characterizing it as tinged with violence and vulgar, dehumanizing disrespect for political and social opponents.

It can raise the risk of violence when you reduce the quality of discourse down to street-fighting level, he said.

Daly said the fears of extremists among the protest movement were misplaced, arguing that they were an expression of broadly felt concerns about the erosion of civil liberties.

Its about freedom of movement, to be able to gather, freedom of speech, he said. The removal of freedoms is our big issue. Were not anti-vax. Were more pro-choice.

As thousands of people gathered Nov. 9 outside Parliament in Wellington to protest lockdowns and vaccination mandates, Ardern said she was aware of the opposition but did not think it was representative of public views.

Regardless of your position, theres a place for everyones voice to be heard, she said later. Please just make it kind.
Lisa Rinna honored her late mother Lois during the reality TV star's first Thanksgiving holiday without her.

Rinna recently announced to fans that Lois had passed away after suffering a stroke. The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star shared a photo of the table at her Thanksgiving celebration, which featured a name card for herself and her mother.

Lisa Rinna honored her mother Lois during the first family Thanksgiving without her. Jesse Grant/WireImage via Getty Images

"This was the sweetest most unexpected moment tonight," Rinna captioned the post. "Behind my place card was a card for Lois. We all cried. Thank you @stephanie_asher for a beautiful Thanksgiving."

Rinna later shared a post referencing the loss of her mother that read, "Let's keep this candle burning for all of our loved ones who can't be with us on this Thanksgiving."

LISA RINNA, REAL HOUSWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS STAR, MOTHER DEAD AT 93

The reality TV star announced the death of her mother on Nov. 15 after keeping fans updated on Lois' condition.

"I know how much you appreciate and LOVE Lois so I need to tell you that she has had a stroke, I am with her now," Rinna first revealed on Instagram . "So lets [sic] celebrate her and send her so much love while she transitions."

"I was so conflicted to share this very very sad news with you, but I know you would want to know," she added.

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After the stroke, Rinna revealed how hard it had been for her.

"Nobody tells you how to do this," she said on her Instagram Story at the time. "You know, theres not a handbook. Theres never a way to be ready to let go."

"Were just not taught that death is OK," she added. "Its never talked about, and were never told that its OK to let go."

Lois suffered a previous stroke in 2013. In May 2019, Rinna wrote on Twitter, "My Mom had a devastating stroke 6 years ago and had to learn how to walk and talk again months of rehabilitation she is one of the lucky ones. She is not the same as she once was but she has overcome so much. We are blessed and so grateful."

Fox News' Jessica Napoli contributed to this report.
There goes the start of a past Jingle Jaunt 5K in Sutton.

As with most times of last year, the December holiday running events were erased from the schedule because of the pandemic, so naturally, the return of those activities are most welcome.

And officials from a couple of those events couldnt be more excited to be back offering in-person holiday cheer to the running community. Theyre both 5Ks on consecutive days, so there also is no reason those interested cant take part in both.

Now entering its second decade of celebrating the holidays, the Jingle Jaunt 5K returns as a live event in Sutton on Dec. 11. And on the very next day, the Arthritis Foundation is Back to Jingling, as it exclaims on the website, but instead of starting and finishing at Boston Common, the organizations Jingle Bell Run has headed to Worcester. The run goes off at 10 a.m. on Sunday the 12th.

Theres been a lot going on in Worcester in the last 10 years, said Erica DAgostino, the Arthritis Foundations senior executive director for New England. We felt like we were doing too many things in Boston, and we wanted to spread things out.

Over the past couple of decades, the foundation has held a charity walk in Lake Park in Worcester and a Jingle Run on Boston Common. The feeling was both events had pretty much plateaued in popularity, so the event committees from both joined forces on this new event in Worcester.

The response has been fantastic, said DAgostino, who last week with her family moved to Upton from Framingham. We had contacted the city early, and they were super excited and on board.

Things have really shifted a lot, and thats a credit to the city.

As last years live event in Boston was wiped out by COVID, the foundation committed the Jingle Bell Runs move to Worcester in November 2020. Permits were secured in July and August, and details were finalized in the fall with Baystate Brewing Company, the new headquarters for the event at the Worcester Ice Center complex at 112 Harding Street.

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Here's a group gathered for a past Jingle Bell Run hosted by the Arthritis Foundation.

People are cautiously excited, yet we feel very comfortable with the protocols we have in place, said DAgostino, who noted that in the area of 600 to 650 annually participated in the event when it was in Boston.

There will be a staggered start to minimize contact, and race officials are asking that participants are adequately masked and encouraging basic social distancing. The event is monitoring updates on CDC guidelines and following Commonwealth protocols for public spaces. Hand-sanitizing stations will be available inside the Baystate Brewing Company.

All money raised via sponsors covers event expenses, and all entry fee proceeds goes to research and outreach for the foundations mission, to cure Americas No. 1 cause of disability. No longer just a concern of older people, DAgostino notes more than 300,000 children are affected by arthritis.

Teams are registering for the event, including the Clark University X-C Fun Team, doing its part to fundraise. As of last week, the event already had raised just under $38,000, exceeding its $35,000 goal.

The entry fee now is $40 now, $45 race day, but for those who go online on Giving Tuesday and use to promo code GIVE, there is a discounted fee of $35.

Among items in swag bag provided by sponsors includes T-shirt, decals and, of course, jingle bells to attach to the running shoes.

For more details and to register, visit www.jbr.org/centralma.

Holiday tradition continues in Sutton

Road-racing veteran Howie Bottomly also is enthusiastic about returning his traditional holiday event, the Jingle Jaunt 5K. And tradition always is a key word when attending this race in Sutton. Start time at the First Congregational Church at the Town Common (307 Boston Road) is 10:30 a.m. on the 11th.

Its an old-fashioned race, tag timed, he said. And we get the people to understand that its indeed a race, not just a fun run.

The event has yet to be postponed by foul weather, and the race has thrived with the volunteers who have helped make it a smooth-running success.

Ive got a great crew, Bottomly said. No matter what the weather, theyre there, and it happens, and thats important.

This event can get competitive, as Bottomly is quick to note the mens and womens course record-holders are Paul and Stephanie Reilly of Northbridge, he of cross-country fame at Providence, she of Olympic fame while representing Ireland, and parents of national freshman mile champion and high school state cross-country runner-up Marcus Reilly.

Of course, theres still plenty of fun for all at this event, which was held virtually last year, with about 50 people participating.

Each runner will receive a Santa hat.

At the beginning, we got lots of dwarves and elves, and we still do, Bottomly said. Its a nice event, and we try to make it fun. If we get 75, we have a great time.

Post-race snacks include soup, pizza, hot chocolate and bananas, and the entry fee is $20, maintaining that the runner is the events priority.

Entry-fee proceeds go to operation of the race, while money raised by sponsors is donated to the First Congregational Church.

To register, visit event.racereach.com/jingle-jaunt-5k/  and for more information, contact Bottomly at howie189@verizon.net or (508) 865-0198, or Marie at fccs@suttonfirstchurch.net.

Last of the year

Alas, this is the last Running column of 2021, but we're still interested in story ideas over the winter about those who hit the roads.

Feel free to email at the address below  and we'll catch up in the spring.

Contact John Conceison at john.conceison@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @ConceisonJohn.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Arthritis Foundation event heads to Worcester as runners get into the holiday spirit with these local road races
A man was first cut by the suspect and then a woman was stabbed Thursday evening, Sgt. Tom Speldrich, a spokesperson for LCSO, said Saturday.

Lane County Sheriff's Office is searching for a suspect in a Thursday stabbing assault at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area south of Florence that left two people with potentially life-threatening injuries.

As of Saturday afternoon, a suspect hadn't been taken into custody. Witnesses on Thursday described the man as "likely having long blonde hair and facial stubble" and is around 6 feet tall, according to the sheriff's office.

A man was first cut by the suspect and then a woman was stabbed Thursday evening, Sgt. Tom Speldrich, a spokesperson for LCSO, said Saturday. Both received potentially life-threatening injuries, but are expected to survive.

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There are few details surrounding the encounter that led to the assault available to the public at this time, he said.

"What I can say is that a male ... got into some sort of verbal dispute with some people that were recreating on the dunes," Speldrich said.

The victims were unknown to the person who stabbed them, he added.

The sheriff's office is looking for a man it has identified a 40-year-old as a "person of interest."

"We have to reach a certain burden of proof before we can call him a suspect," Speldrich said. "We're not calling him a suspect yet, just because our facts haven't quite tipped the scale."

Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to get unlimited access and support local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: 2 stabbed in Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Thursday
Brandon Waible strolls through downtown Columbia, Tenn., with his daughter Harbor Grace followed by his wife Andrea, carrying their daughter Harlow and joined by Halina during a First Fridays event on Friday, Aug. 8, 2021.

Small businesses across the region will open its doors to shoppers on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Shopping at local stores, which serve as the "backbone of the community" keeps local tax dollars within counties and cities, while supporting local business owners.

Some communities such as Maury County have found a way to capitalize on the local patronage by offering a gift card that can be spent at small businesses across the county. The Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance is giving holiday shoppers a home field advantage with its Local First Gift Card program.

A mural painted by local artist Bedford Smith is visible as visitors enter North Main Street in downtown Mt. Pleasant in Maury County, Tenn.

The county, from downtown Columbia to Mt. Pleasant and Spring Hill, is full of unique shops that have something for everyone on your holiday shopping list, said Caroline McBroom, the marketing coordinator for the chamber.

The dollars are guaranteed to stay in Maury County.

More than 40 businesses located in and around downtown Columbia as well as the surrounding community are participating in the program. Gift cards are available in $10 and $25 increments and can be purchased at the Maury Alliance office, 106 West 6th St.

They are the perfect gift for employee appreciation, holidays, teachers, special acknowledgement, realtor closings or as a welcome to the community gift,' said Nicole Perry, the chambers marketing manager.

Vickie Kelley, owner of A Balloon Shop in downtown Columbia, a business that offers decorations for all celebrations, ice cream and sandwiches, said she sees a lot of gift cards used during the holiday season.

With a gift card, you can go into most stores downtown and buy yourself something. The customers really appreciate it, especially the kids, who get the gift cards as gifts," she said.

The shop will also host a visit from Santa and holiday open house on Black Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 26, offering door prizes.

More: Maury County encourages local holiday shopping with gift card program

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"Columbias unique shops and beautiful classic Main Street setting is some of what makes it such an inviting shopping destination," said Kellye Murphy, Maury County tourism and marketing director.

"Weve got a hometown vibe and sense of place that welcomes everyone in. Small Business Saturday kicks off the holiday shopping season and shines the spotlight on our small retailers, who are an integral part of the heartbeat of this community."

For more information, visit mauryalliance.com.

While there are small businesses all over Clarksville-Montgomery County, historic downtown remains a focal point of Small Business Saturday highlighting a wide-range of ventures.

Keep dollars local in Clarksville

Home-owned in resurgent historic downtown Clarksville, a women's clothing boutique called "The Copper Petal" exemplifies what Small Business Saturday is all about.

"Small businesses are the backbone to our community," said Megan Baggett, owner of the 127 Franklin St. store. "Your dollar goes much further back into your community when invested with a small business versus a big-box store."

Baggett says constantly-updated inventory is part of how she strives to attract customers. And, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 27, look for promotional gifts with purchases.

Not stopping there, The Copper Petal will have deep discounts on women's apparel during off-site promotions at The Ruby Cora wedding an event venue, 2300 Gunn Road, running from 9 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving Day, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Black Friday. Other vendors will also be there.

"This year more than ever, it is important to shop local. Small businesses like ours have fought through COVID obstacles for the last two years and so many have shut down unfortunately." Baggett said.

The Copper Petal is one component of a broader effort promoted by the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce, that encourages the community's consumers to "Live Local" and patronize their local small businesses.

While there are small businesses all over Montgomery County, downtown with its varied selection remains a focal point of Small Business Saturday.

Ryan Bowie of the Downtown Clarksville Association said the city's unique businesses "should help to cross many people off your shopping list."

For more information visit https://www.clarksvillechamber.com.

Rutherford County offers Small Biz Bucks

Sharon Mullins of Murfreesboro shops locally owned Quinn's Mercantile for the first time on Nov. 24, 2021, in search of a unique holiday gift. The store will give a gift for purchases of $30 or more on Small Business Saturday Nov. 27, 2021.

Main Street Murfreesboro/Rutherford County is partnering with Wilson Bank & Trust by offering Small Biz Bucks at nearly two dozen downtown businesses.

Shoppers get a $10 Small Biz Buck each time they visit Murfreesboro WBT branches at 3110 Memorial Blvd., 710 N.W. Broad St., 4196 Franklin Road and 2640 S. Church St. Limit one coupon per visit.

The bucks can be redeemed Nov. 25 through Dec. 5. Visit shopsmallmurfreesboro.com for a list of participating locations.

Quinns Mercantile, 301 Spring St. in downtown Murfreesboro, is giving a free gift with the purchase of $30 or more on Nov. 27.

Small Business Saturday bingo will be in play this weekend, sponsored by Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.

Main Street Murfreesboro/Rutherford County will also host two gift basket drawings Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. To enter, shop at a downtown business and look for the QR code to fill out your name. Shoppers can enter as many times as they want.

Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce is hosting #ShopSmallBingo now through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 27. Download your a bingo card at facebook.com/rucochamber. Then, share a photo of the completed bingo card on the page and youll be entered to win a gift card.

Winners will be announced on Nov. 29. Call (615) 893-6565 for more details.

Don't forget about farmed, artisan goods

Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher reminds those in rural areas not to forget to support local farms with goodies such as local meats, cheeses, jams and other nonedible goods made on a farm.

"This Saturday is the perfect day to start your holiday shopping with gifts sourced from Tennessee farms and food businesses through Pick Tennessee Products," Hatcher said.

Thoughtfully chosen gifts from a farm business or independent shop owner are special for several reasons. When you purchase locally, you get creatively crafted goods, and you create an economic ripple that strengthens rural communities.

Shops participating in the Maury Alliance Local First Gift Card program are as follows:

aMuse'um

A Balloon Shop

Alexanders Mattress World

Axe & Amp

Bs Salty & Sweet

Baxters Mercantile

Bellissima Boutique

Bleu 32 Vintage Market Place

Blythewood Inn Bed & Breakfast

Breckenridge Baby Boutique

Caters Creek Station Antiques

Columbia Health Foods

Discovery Gymnastics

The Dotted Lime

Elia Day Spa

Farmstead Market

Gzan Guitars & Art

Hattie Janes Creamery

JJS Barbecue

Legends Steakhouse

Needle & Grain

Northside Medical Professionals

Mums The Word Flowers & Gifts

Mt. Pleasant Grille

Office Warehouse

Pie Sensations

Pink Porch Boutique

Pucketts Grocery & Restaurant

West 7th Company

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Don't miss out on Small Business Saturday finds in Middle Tennessee
CANTARRANAS, Honduras (AP)  San Luis was the eighth stop on a tour of nine villages for Francisco Paquito Gaitan, the popular mayor of this municipality perched in the mountains outside the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa.

Two weeks before the elections, Gaitan appeared untouchable as he pursued a fifth consecutive term. The rare politician here who had clear plans to improve the lives of his constituents and worked doggedly to fulfill them. The list of reasons why people loved the bespectacled agricultural engineer was long.

In San Luis it started with the electricity he brought years ago to the farming community of about 120 people some 40 minutes drive down rough road from downtown Cantarranas, and it included potable water and a new school he insisted have two classrooms.

So Gaitans Nov. 13 murder on the doorstep of Luis Rodriguezs home in San Luis was a complete shock. Not only was it the first murder anyone could remember there, but it was their beloved mayor as he showed Rodriguezs 93-year-old father and others a sample ballot to prepare them for election day.

Gaitans was the most resonant murder in another bloody Honduran election campaign.

The National Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory counted 20 murdered politicians between last Dec. 15 and Sept. 15 of this year. This month, there have been four murdered politicians, including Gaitan, all from the Liberal party.

I daresay it was political jealousy, said Marco Antonio Guzman, Gaitans 35-year-old deputy mayor, who was selected to replace his mentor on the ballot and refers to him as our eternal mayor.

The killer, from a nearby village, was caught, but Guzman alluded to others being involved without giving names. Authorities havent provided a motive for the killing.

There was unease because they knew he was going to win, Guzman said. It was something like the political impotence of knowing they couldnt do anything against the will of the people.

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Cantarranas was like any other small Honduran town until Gaitan decided to try politics after a successful career in agriculture that included managing one of Honduras largest coffee exporters.

During his first two terms, he focused on basic infrastructure and services  electricity, potable water, roads, schools  investments that dramatically changed residents quality of life.

Then, Gaitan, whose work had allowed him to travel internationally, turned his focus toward the arts and education. Today, Cantarranas is best known as the town an hours drive from Tegucigalpa with streets brightened by colorful murals.

It hosts annual festivals for muralists and sculptors, who come from across Honduras and Latin America. The town started a program to teach children the arts. Its streets are full of quaint cafes and its central plaza dotted with sandstone sculptures.

Together it is an atmosphere unlike any other in Honduras and it has made Cantarranas one of the countrys tourism destinations.

The transformation of Cantarranas is all the more impressive because it happened with another party in power at the national level. Guzman said the city didnt receive the same support from the federal government for that reason.

On Saturday, dozens of people crowded on one side of the central square where the federal government was handing out bags of food staples to parents of schoolchildren. The bags were not stamped with any party logo, nor were those handing them out wearing the colors of the governing National party, but it was on the eve of the election.

Back in San Luis, instead of being frightened by the killing of their mayor people said they were more resolute and ready to cast their ballots for Gaitans successor Sunday.

Mario Rodriguez, Luis brother, saw Gaitan fall and the killer shoot him several more times. He saw his sister on the ground and thought she had been hit as well, but she was just knocked down in the scrum.

Two weeks later the farmer still gets emotional thinking about the good Gaitan did for his remote community. On Sunday, he said he would make the journey to town to vote.

In memory of him (Gaitan) we have to respond, Mario Rodriguez said. Now with more drive were going to arrive.

__

AP writer Marlon Gonzalez in Tegucigalpa, Honduras contributed to this report.
New Bern police are investigating a shooting that occurred on Pavie Street on Nov. 26.

The victim in Friday's shooting in the 1000 block of Pavie Avenue has been identified. He is 25 year old Darrell Mims, Jr. of New Bern.

Police were called to the area around 2:39 p.m. the day after Thanksgiving, after reports that a man had been shot, according to a news release.

When officers arrived, they found Mims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was immediately taken to CarolinaEast Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.

The investigation is still active and anyone with more information is asked to call 252-633-2020.

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Fatal shooting occurred on Pavie Street in New Bern, NC on Friday




President Biden is under fresh pressure from climate activists after rejecting their push to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Biden announced Monday he would renominate Powell, a Republican first appointed to the role by former President Trump, to another four-year term leading the Fed board despite intense pressure from the left. He also tapped Fed Governor Lael Brainard, the only Democrat on the bank's board, to serve as vice chair.

Powell is generally aligned with Biden on the best way to foster a full recovery from the pandemic-driven recession and has key allies in both parties. But his support for looser financial regulations and refusal to turn the screws on the fossil fuel industry turned many progressive lawmakers and climate groups against his renomination.

Spurned by Powell's reappointment, that broad progressive coalition is now pushing Biden to nominate a Fed vice chair of supervision who will fight the risk a changing climate poses to the financial sector and push banks away from financing projects that could exacerbate the problem.

The role "is extremely important, possibly even more important than the chair" when it comes to the kinds of actions that can help insulate the financial system from the risk of a changing climate and energy sector, said Ilmi Granoff of the advocacy group ClimateWorks.

That's particularly true for someone working under Powell, who has historically "deferred" to his vice chair for supervision, Granoff said. "You can ask whether it should be that way, but if things continue as they have historically, I'd want Biden's vice chair to be someone who is serious about the supervision of climate related financial risk - and prepared to act."

The Fed vice chair of supervision is the board's point person for regulation, bank oversight and financial stability - in charge of everything from ordering stress tests and scenario analysis to setting bank capital requirements. The position was created through the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law but sat vacant until Trump appointed Randal Quarles to be the Fed's first vice chair of supervision in 2017.

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Quarles's term as vice chair of supervision ended in October, and he is set to leave the Fed next month, giving Biden another spot to fill on the seven-person board of governors. Whoever Biden nominates will likely play a crucial role in driving the Fed's regulatory agenda - even with Powell in charge.

During Quarles's term, he and Powell presided over a deregulatory push. They loosened and streamlined several Dodd-Frank rules over the objections of Brainard, including cutting capital requirements and deferring stress tests.

"When Vice Chair Quarles was confirmed to his position, banking lobbyists cheered," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) wrote Powell in October.

While Powell may have found it easier to defer to a vice chair aligned with his view on regulations, he said in September that he will let whoever Biden nominates to replace Quarles lead the way.

"It's a specific grant of authority," Powell told reporters during a September press conference, referring to Dodd-Frank's creation of the supervision vice chairmanship.

"I respect that that's the person who will set the regulatory agenda going forward, and I would accept that," Powell continued, adding that it's "fully appropriate" for a new supervision chief to make changes.

Major decisions such as the approval of new rules and enforcement actions against banks must still be approved by a majority on the Fed board. But a new more hawkish supervision chief could accelerate the Fed's efforts toward assessing and limiting financial risks from the climate system.

With Powell staying on as chair, progressives want a vice president for supervision with regulatory experience who is "interested in looking at bank concentration and generally addressing speculation and risky actions by the finance sector," said Alex Martin of Americans for Financial Reform - particularly those caused by climate. The recent Financial Stability Oversight Council report, to which the Fed is a signatory, labeled climate change an "emerging threat to the stability of the U.S. financial system" and urged policymakers to consider regulations that could slow the warming of planet.

One name progressives kept returning to was Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former board member and deputy Treasury secretary under Obama who has been outspoken about the need to prepare the financial system for climate shocks before they become overwhelming - a process already well underway at the central banks in Europe and the United Kingdom.

Granoff of Climate Works compared the vice chair for supervision to the steersman of "a very big ship," whose priorities help get the country's thousands of banks moving in a coherent direction.

By calling for climate stress tests and scenario analysis, Granoff added, someone such as Raskin can also uncover the sorts of climate-linked financial risks that the Fed and banks themselves are well prepared to mitigate, but someone has "to set the supervisory agenda, to get technocratic machinery in place to look at those risks and elicit the information."

Even so, Biden could face serious challenges getting a bona fide climate hawk through the Senate confirmation process in a chamber evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

Republican lawmakers have blasted the Fed for its initial steps to study climate-related financial risks and fiercely object to stress testing banks for climate exposure.

Republicans have also warned the Fed against any regulations or efforts that would steer financing away from the fossil fuel industry and toward cleaner sources of energy - another area that would fall under the supervision chief's purview - even as they successfully pushed the Fed to bend the rules of a key pandemic emergency aid bond program to admit oil and gas companies, ending what had been a period of long-term decline for the sector.

Conservatives take a dimmer view of providing similar support to renewables, and any Fed nominee pledging to take aggressive action against climate risk in the financial sector will likely need unanimous support from Democrats to overcome the universal opposition of Republicans - a daunting challenge given Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-W.Va.) opposition to many far-reaching climate policies.

An ideologically broad range Fed officials, including Powell, also ruled out any actions that could be perceived as the bank picking winners and losers.

Mary Daly, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, said during a virtual interview last month that the central bank cannot afford to risk its independence by being "part of the allocative mechanism in society," or determining how and on what projects resources are used.

"If congressional leaders decide that the Fed should have more of these responsibilities, we all stand ready to do what we're supposed to do. But stepping back as a person who's worked for the Fed a long time," she continued, "I see the real benefits of maintaining an independent central bank and having us not pick winners and losers in any of the discussions that emerge in our society."

But advocates for a more hawkish Fed point to Europe and the United Kingdom for a vision of what nonpartisan financial reform around climate can look like.

"We want the Fed to do what the Europeans are already doing," said Yevgeny Shrago of consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. "Our view is that - as in the 2008 housing crisis - if banks are financing climate change, it will come around and destroy the financial system, so the Fed needs to encourage banks to invest in a way that is responsible and will not cause significant destruction."
Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. Getty/Mandel Ngan

The Biden White House is planning an in-person Hanukkah party for next week.

The Times of Israel reports the event will go ahead on December 1, despite COVID-19 concerns.

The Hanukkah party has been a White House tradition since 2001.

The Biden White House plans an in-person Hanukkah party for next week, reports The Times of Israel.

Invitations to this year's party were only sent out on Wednesday, The Times of Israel said. The Hanukkah festival starts on Sunday, November 28.

This year, concerns remain about holding the party in person with the pandemic still ongoing, reports The Times of Israel, but the White House event is set to take place December 1.

The Hanukkah party has been a White House tradition since 2001 when it was first hosted by George W. Bush. The guest list usually includes American Jewish politicians, organization heads, and school and yeshiva deans.

Jewish musicians are also often in attendance, while both kosher and non-kosher food is served.

Hanukkah is an eight-day festival that commemorates the reconquest of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Second Temple at the end of the Maccabean revolt. It is marked by the lighting of the eight-branched menorah, along with songs and food.

Last year, the Trump administration's decision to hold a Hanukkah party at the White House in person caused controversy due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning against it.

US President Joe Biden has recently attended more in-person events since receiving his Pfizer booster jab in late September.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden spent Thanksgiving at a house owned by billionaire businessman David Rubenstein on the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts.

Thanksgiving on the Massachusetts island is a long-standing tradition for the Biden family. However, last year was an exception, with the president and his family staying in Delaware amid COVID-19 concerns.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazilian police have recommended multiple criminal charges against miner Vale SA and Germany's TUV SUD for their role in a 2019 dam burst that killed 270 people and caused extensive environmental damage, according to a statement on Friday.

The federal police probe, one of several parallel investigations into the incident that ravaged communities in the state of Minas Gerais, indicated that "various pollution-related crimes" were committed, as well as crimes "against land and water-based fauna and flora."

The police also recommended charges, including homicide, against 19 people who worked for Vale, which owned the dam, and TUV SUD, which was responsible for inspecting the structure.

Minas Gerais state prosecutors filed murder charges against 16 people in 2020, though state authorities have been mired in a longstanding dispute with federal prosecutors over jurisdiction.

Federal prosecutors will now examine the recommendations of the federal police and determine whether they will bring the charges recommended.

Vale said it that it has always made security a core value and that it had no information that would have indicated the dam was about to fail. The company said its lawyer would comment on the matter after the latest police report was made available to the company.

TUV SUD did not respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.

The federal police concluded a separate https://www.reuters.com/article/vale-disaster/focus-vale-misled-public-on-dangerous-dams-prompting-brazil-probe-source-idUSL2N2620VVprobe into the disaster in 2019, which focused on false statements presented to regulators.

The company in February reached a 37.7 billion-real ($6.72 billion) agreement with prosecutors and the state of Minas Gerais to settle civil claims stemming from the collapse.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira; Editing by Sam Holmes and Cynthia Osterman)
Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF.B) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Thus, you can purchase Brown-Forman's shares before the 2nd of December in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 28th of December.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.19 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.72 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Brown-Forman has a trailing yield of 1.0% on the current stock price of $74.4. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

See our latest analysis for Brown-Forman

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Fortunately Brown-Forman's payout ratio is modest, at just 44% of profit. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Fortunately, it paid out only 40% of its free cash flow in the past year.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

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Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're discomforted by Brown-Forman's 5.2% per annum decline in earnings in the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, Brown-Forman has lifted its dividend by approximately 8.2% a year on average.

To Sum It Up

Is Brown-Forman worth buying for its dividend? Brown-Forman has comfortably low cash and profit payout ratios, which may mean the dividend is sustainable even in the face of a sharp decline in earnings per share. Still, we consider declining earnings to be a warning sign. Overall, it's not a bad combination, but we feel that there are likely more attractive dividend prospects out there.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Brown-Forman is facing. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Brown-Forman that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
By Thiam Ndiaga

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) -Protesters burned tyres and pillaged a government building in Burkina Faso's capital on Saturday after police fired tear gas to disperse a march against the state's failure to stop a wave of violence by Islamist militants.

Activist groups called for renewed protests in response to a recent surge of attacks in the West African country, including one by al Qaeda-linked militants https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/death-toll-attack-burkina-security-post-soars-53-2021-11-17 that killed 49 military police officers and four civilians two weeks ago.

The assault near the northern town of Inata was the deadliest Burkinabe security forces have suffered since an insurgency broke out in 2015 and has fuelled anger against the government and the French military forces that support it.

Since then, there have been scattered protests against President Roch Kabore's government. On Saturday morning, military police officers launched tear gas canisters to disperse about 100 protesters who were trying to march toward downtown Ouagadougou, the capital, a Reuters reporter said.

Demonstrators in the city of Kaya also prevented the passage of a French military convoy on its way to neighbouring Niger for nearly a week.

In Ouagadougou, protesters erected barricades and burned tyres and trash cans. Some demonstrators later vandalised a government records building across from the mayor's office, leaving computers and documents in the street.

"Since he (Kabore) is in power, terrorists are spreading desolation in this country and he is incapable of finding a solution to this problem. So we ask for his immediate resignation," Valentin Yamkoudougou, spokesperson for the "Save Burkina Faso" movement that organised the protest, told Reuters.

Kabore promised in a speech to the nation on Thursday to end "dysfunction" within the military after reports the gendarmes at the base near Inata had run out of food weeks before the attack.

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The public's angry response to the latest attacks has unnerved the authorities, who cut mobile internet access a week ago and refused to authorise Saturday's demonstration.

The United Nations' special envoy to West Africa said on Thursday he was concerned about the situation in Burkina Faso and warned against any military takeover, following coups in three neighbouring countries over the past year.

(Additional reporting by Anne Mimault; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Alexander Smith and Clelia Oziel)
Protesters have been demanding the president's resignation

Police in Burkina Faso have fired tear gas at people protesting against the state's failure to stop a rise in Islamist violence.

Some erected barricades and burned tyres as scuffles spread around the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou.

Authorities had suspended mobile internet services and deployed hundreds of riot police to stop the gathering.

There is growing anger against both the government and the French soldiers who are supporting the Burkinabe army.

Hundreds of people joined Saturday's protest, which was organised by a group calling itself the 27 November Coalition and demanded the president's resignation.

"We refuse to lose Burkina Faso. We will put in someone who is competent to assure the security of the nation," one protester told the Associated Press news agency.

A young child was injured after security forces fired tear gas, the AFP news agency reported.

Local media outlets Pomega and Filinfos said two of their journalists were also injured from tear gas.

A spokesman for the November 27 Coalition reported "a huge amount of injured", including two in a coma. It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claim.

There has been an escalation of violence since the beginning of November, in which scores of security officers have been killed.

The worst was on 14 November when 53 paramilitary officers and four civilians were killed during a raid on a camp in Inata in the north.

After reports that the officers had run out of food in the run-up to the attack, President Roch Kabore said he would announce "imminent changes" within the military structure, and ordered the "active and effective" presence of military chiefs on the front line.

Africa's semi-arid Sahel region has been hit by an insurgency since militants captured large parts of northern Mali in 2012 and 2013.

In Burkina Faso, the violence has forced more than a million people from their homes over the past two years.
A group of Caddo Parish parents are willing to fight any potential reinstitution of the school district's mask mandate.

On Friday, the group sent a cease and desist letter to the school board through attorney Royal Alexander.

The mask mandate for Caddo Parish Schools ends Dec. 3, with the stipulations that the district's COVID positivity rates stay below 5%. Should they rise above this benchmark, the board reserves the right to reinstate the mandate.

In the letter, Alexander states he has been retained by numerous concerned parents to represent them currently and in the future.

"In connection with that, I present to you and make demand upon the Caddo Parish School Board to permanently cease and desist with the mandatory masking policy immediately," the letter continues.

It also includes a seven-part records request, asking that the board produce, among other things, "Any and all information  including medical and health information  the Board relied upon to make its initial decision to institute the mask mandate."

"We would very much like to avoid a lawsuit if possible but these concerned, exasperated parents feel these masks are doing much more harm than good and it's time for them to go and not come back," Alexander said in a separate statement.

Misty Castile is the editor of the Shreveport Times. You can contact her at mcastile@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @castilemisty.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Caddo Parish parents ready to fight school mask mandate reinstatement
BEIJING (AP)  Macao police on Saturday detained the head of Macaos biggest casino junket organizer and others after Chinese authorities issued an arrest warrant for them over accusations that they ran an illegal cross-border gambling syndicate.

The arrests in the gambling enclave came after prosecutors in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, on Friday accused Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau and another person, Zhang Ningning, of leading cross-border gambling operations and setting up casinos across China.

Casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in mainland China, and semi-autonomous Macao is the only Chinese city allowed to operate a casino. Mainland visitors are able to travel to Macao to gamble but are required to obtain a visa.

Based on evidence obtained from previous criminal investigations, the (Macao) police brought the criminal suspect Chau and other persons involved back to the police station for investigation in accordance with the law this morning, Macao's government said in a statement on Saturday.

Authorities said they had been investigating the case since July last year. They said that the gambling syndicate has 199 shareholder representatives, over 12,000 agents that promoted its gambling operations and more than 80,000 gamblers in its network.

The syndicate also set up asset management firms to assist gamblers with cross-border fund transfers and to recover debts they owed, authorities said,

In 2019, Chinas official Xinhua news agency accused Suncity of targeting mainland gamblers with online gambling and proxy-betting operations based in Cambodia and the Philippines. Suncity denied the allegations.

Authorities said the syndicate severely damaged the social order of the country and on Friday urged Chau to turn himself in in exchange for a more lenient punishment.

Hong Kong-listed Suncity Group could not be reached for comment by phone and did not immediately reply to email inquiries.
Reuters Videos

The worlds richest man said he might be ready for a pivot. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday that he is  in his words - thinking of leaving his jobs. Instead, he said he would like to become an influencer, which the Twitter-happy CEO is already sort of doing with his flock of nearly 66 million followers. Of course, it's not immediately clear whether he was being serious. After all, back in January, he said over a conference call that he expects to be in the drivers seat at Tesla for  quote - several years. But in addition to helming the electric vehicle maker, Musk also heads the infrastructure firm The Boring Company, the rocket launch service company SpaceX, and brain-chip startup Neuralink. He has run afoul of regulators in the past with his erratic behavior on social media. Three years ago, he tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private and had secured funding, sending the stock sharply higher. But no deal emerged. The Securities and Exchange Commission then sued him. In a settlement, Tesla agreed to have its lawyers vet Musks tweets that are financially sensitive. Most recently, he polled his followers to see if he should sell 10% of his Tesla stake. A majority agreed. Securities filings showed on Thursday he sold another batch of shares worth just under $1 billion. He has been selling shares to pay for taxes on the exercise of stock options. Tesla investors sent shares south in early Friday trading.
S. Kyla Thomson is a partner at the law firm of Goede, Adamczyk, DeBoest & Cross.

Q: I have recently signed an agreement to purchase a condominium unit from an owner in a condominium association. That being said, I would like to inspect the air conditioning (A/C) unit for the condominium unit that I am purchasing that is located on the condominium associations roof. What are my rights in terms of accessing the condominium associations roof? J.C., Bonita Springs, FL

A: The answer to this question very much depends on the party responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the A/C units. Additionally, for the purpose of this question, I am going to assume that the roof is a common element of the condominium association.

If the roof is a common element, then the condominium association is very likely responsible for not only the maintenance, repair, and replacement but also access to the roof, absent a provision otherwise in the Declaration of Condominium. Additionally, if we assume that the condominium association is also responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the A/C units, including for the condominium unit you are agreeing to purchase, then it is likely not required to provide you and/or the current owner access to the roof to inspect the A/C unit as you and/or the current owner are not required or responsible to maintain, repair, and replace the A/C unit in the first place.

However, if the opposite is true and an owner is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the A/C unit that services only his/her condominium unit, then the current owner likely has rights to access the roof in order to fulfill his/her maintenance responsibilities. The condominium association probably already has procedures for owners to provide notice and to schedule time to access the roof in order to maintain, repair, or replace the A/C units. To that end, with the cooperation of the current owner by scheduling time with the condominium association to access the roof, you will be able to inspect the A/C unit.

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It is important to actually determine which party is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the A/C units in this condominium association. As such, I encourage you to speak to your legal counsel regarding a review of the Declaration of Condominium and the rules and regulations in order to determine the extent of the current owners and your legal rights.

Q: My homeowners association has an architectural review board (ARB) that holds meetings and decides over applications for architectural changes in our community. They have advance notices for meetings, similar to a board meeting. One of the members of the board of directors is also on the ARB. Is the ARB a separate body from the board of directors, meaning that they have their own authority apart from the board? Also, can a member of the board of directors also be on the ARB? Does his/her vote on ARB matters count the same as other ARB members? J.F., Naples

A: I get this question quite often since owners can become confused regarding the authority of an architectural review board. The group can also be known in other communities as the architectural control board, architectural review committee, or the architectural control committee.

For the purpose of your question, we will call this group the ARB. The bottom line is that the ARB is a committee of the board of directors. Essentially, the board of directors is the governing body of your community and all other groups created to assist the board of directors are committees of the board. These committees receive their responsibilities from a committee charter and most committees are advisory to the board  so they dont end up making final decisions for the board of directors. In a homeowners association, these committees are not required to have open committee meetings and to keep minutes unless the governing documents require it.

However, there are some committees that are provided with the authority to make final decisions regarding the expenditure of association funds or to make architectural decisions for the community. In these cases, the Florida Statutes requires that these groups not only notice their meetings ahead of time, similar to board meetings, but that all meetings be open to association members and minutes be kept of the decisions of such committee meetings. So, although the ARB is a committee of the board of directors  and not technically a separate body from the board  this group is still required to hold noticed and open committee meetings because of its authority to make architectural decisions for the community.

As to your question regarding a member of the board of directors sitting on the ARB, there is no direct prohibition in Chapter 720, the Homeowners Association Act, regarding a board member sitting on the ARB. However, you should check your governing documents to determine whether there is a prohibition there. Absent the prohibition, there is nothing that would stop the board member from sitting on the ARB. Additionally, if the board member is authorized to serve on the ARB, his/her vote would count the same as the other ARB members.

That being said, without a full review of your governing documents, I cannot say for sure if there are other factors that should be considered such as any appeal rights an owner may have to the board of directors and how a board members vote as an ARB member would affect this appeal right. As such, I recommend consulting your legal counsel regarding this issue.

S. Kyla Thomson, Esq., is Partner of the Law Firm Goede, DeBoest & Cross. Visit www.gadclaw.com to ask questions about your issues for future columns or send your inquiry to: question@gadclaw.com. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The publication of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and Goede, DeBoest & Cross, or any of our attorneys. Readers should not act or refrain from acting based upon the information contained in this article without first contacting an attorney, if you have questions about any of the issues raised herein. The hiring of an attorney is a decision that should not be based solely on advertisements or this column.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Community Law Q&A
A new variant of COVID-19  a heavily mutated version of the virus  has not reached Shasta County, nor has it been identified in any other part of California, as of Friday, according to the California Department of Public Health.

First discovered in South Africa, the omicron variant  also called COVID-19 nu and B.1.1.529  was classified a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization on Friday.

That means it may have properties that make it more contagious, or that are more resistant to current preventions or therapies, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

According to WHO, omicron has a higher-than-average number of mutations in the virus spike protein. That has WHO doctors worried about how quickly the new variant can spread, USA TODAY reported.

The White House announced it will restrict travel from South Africa  possibly the variant's point of origin  and other African countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Free COVID-19 vaccination clinic closes in Redding

A walk-in vaccination clinic operating since spring will offer COVID-19 shots for the last time this weekend.

Sunday is the last day to get vaccinated at the Redding Senior Center, 2290 Benton Drive.

After that, the clinic "will permanently close its doors," according to Shasta County Public Health branch.

Until then, the clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available to anyone age 5 and older. No appointment is needed.

Otherwise to get vaccinated or tested, or to schedule a booster shot or third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, go to Shasta County's COVID-19 website at bit.ly/3GLFoFo or call (833) 422-4255 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.

Shasta County Public Health branch was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday. The agency didn't release an update listing recent COVID-19 case numbers or other information on these days.

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: New COVID strain omicron has yet to reach Shasta County, California
Cincinnati police investigate a homicide in the parking lot of a Walmart in the 2300 block of Ferguson Road, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in the Westwood neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Police said that the shooting at a Walmart Superstore in Westwood Saturday afternoon is now being investigated as a homicide.

The Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit is on the scene now.

The Hamilton County Coroner's Office confirmed with the Enquirer that they were called to the Walmart Superstore Saturday afternoon.

Cincinnati police investigate a homicide in the parking lot of a Walmart in the 2300 block of Ferguson Road, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in the Westwood neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Police said they responded to the 2300 block of Ferguson Road after reports of a shooting.

Police said they are still at the scene investigating the shooting.

This story will be updated once more information becomes available.

Cincinnati police investigate a homicide in the parking lot of a Walmart in the 2300 block of Ferguson Road, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in the Westwood neighborhood of Cincinnati.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police: Shooting at Westside Walmart being investigated as homicide
Stephen Sondheim, at home in Roxbury, Conn., Nov. 21, 2021. (Daniel Dorsa/The New York Times)

ROXBURY, Conn.  Stephen Sondheim stood by the gleaming piano in his study, surrounded by posters of international productions of his many famous musicals, and smiled as he inquired whether a visitor might be interested in hearing songs from a show he had been working on for years, but hadnt finished yet.

And now would you like to hear the score? he asked. Of course, the answer was yes. You got some time? he asked, before laughing, loudly, with a sense of mischief: Its from a show called Fat Chance!

That was Sunday afternoon, five days ago, when Sondheim, 91, had welcomed me to his longtime country house for a 90-minute interview with him and theater director Marianne Elliott about a revival of Company that is now in previews on Broadway. It would turn out to be his final major interview.

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There was little indication that Sondheim, one of the greatest songwriters in the history of musical theater, was unwell. He was engaged and lucid, with strong opinions and playfully pugnacious, as with the tease about his long-gestating, unfinished final musical. At one moment, he complained that his memory wasnt as strong as it had been, but he was also telling anecdotes from a half-century earlier with ease.

He was having a little trouble getting around  using a cane, seeking assistance to get in and out of chairs, and in obvious pain when walking  which he attributed to an injury. Asked about the state of his health, he answered by knocking on a wood table and saying, Outside of my sprained ankle, OK.

He was busy right until the end. On Nov. 14, he attended the opening of an off-Broadway revival of his musical Assassins, directed by John Doyle at Classic Stage Company. The next night, he went to the first post-shutdown preview for the Broadway revival of Company  a re-imagined production, opening Dec. 9, in which the protagonist, who has traditionally been played by a man, is now played by a woman. And just this week, two days before he died, he did a doubleheader, seeing a Wednesday matinee of Is This a Room and an evening performance of Dana H., two short documentary plays on Broadway.

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I cant wait, he said as he anticipated seeing those shows. I can smell both of those and how much Im going to love them.

He was not inclined to make any grand pronouncements on the state of Broadway. I dont take overviews  I never have taken overviews, he said. Whither Broadway? I dont answer the question. Who knows. I dont really care. Thats the future. Whatever happens will happen.

One thing he was hoping would happen: one more musical. For years he had been collaborating with playwright David Ives and director Joe Mantello on a new musical, most recently titled Square One, adapted from two movies directed by Luis Bunuel.

The first act is based on The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, and the second act is based on The Exterminating Angel, he said during the interview. I dont know if I should give the so-called plot away, but the first act is a group of people trying to find a place to have dinner, and they run into all kinds of strange and surreal things, and in the second act, they find a place to have dinner, but they cant get out.

Asked if he had any sense when it might be finished, Sondheim said, No.

Why did he hope to keep working when he could just bask in appreciation?

What else am I going to do? he asked. Im too old now to do a lot of traveling, Im sorry to say. What else would I do with my time but write?

And did he write daily in his final weeks? No, Im a procrastinator, he said. I need a collaborator who pushes me, who gets impatient.

When it was pointed out that he had been a procrastinator throughout his career, and that it had seemed to work for him, he said, Yes, I have. Yeah, I think forever. Not when I was a hungry teenager  when I wanted so much to have a show done, I dont think I was a procrastinator then. But once I had a show done, I think part of me got lazy.

But with his shows running on Broadway and off, and a major film adaptation of West Side Story about to be released, Sondheim was clearly feeling good about the current reception of his work.

He confirmed his long-standing lack of interest in movie musicals, saying, Growing up, I was a huge fan of movies, and the only genre that I wasnt a fan of was musicals  I loved the songs, but not the musicals.

But he was obviously delighted about the Steven Spielberg-directed film adaptation of West Side Story  a musical for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics  that is scheduled to be released next month. I think its just great, he said, adding, The great thing about it is people who think they know the musical are going to have surprises.

He was looking forward to even more in the months to come: a new production of Into the Woods, for which Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics, is scheduled to be staged by the Encores! program at New York City Center in May. Also, Sondheim revealed, New York Theater Workshop is hoping to stage an off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, for which he wrote the music and lyrics, directed by Maria Friedman, who has previously directed well-received productions in London and Boston.

Asked which of his shows he'd most like to see revived next, he appeared stumped. What would I like to see again that I havent seen in a while? Id have to think about it, because an awful lot of the shows Ive been a writer of have been done in the last few years. He added: Ive been lucky. Ive had good revivals of the shows that I like.

 2021 The New York Times Company
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP)  Lance Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and turned it into a game-winning layup with 12 seconds left to lift Southern Illinois to a 62-59 win over Alcorn State Monday night.

Jones pulled the Salukis within two points by hitting the second of two free throws, then got them even with a layup with :14 left.

Alcorn State missed and chance to retake the lead from the free throw line and Illinois State's J.D. Muila missed two free throws with :13 left, but Jones grabbed the offensive rebound and scored. Jones drew a foul and added a free throw to set the final margin.

Marcus Domask scored 24 points and Jones finished with 21 for the Salukis (3-3). Muila had seven rebounds.

Lenell Henry had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Braves, whose season-opening losing streak stretched to five games. Dominic Brewton added 10 points and six rebounds.

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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com
Kevin Strickland was released from the Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Mo., on November 23, 2021. Strickland spent 43 years in prison for a wrongful incarceration until a judge vacated his conviction for a 1978 triple murder. Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Kevin Strickland was released from prison on Tuesday after spending 43 years incarcerated for a crime that he did not commit.

Strickland was exonerated without DNA evidence, which disqualified him from compensation from the state under Missouri law.

A GoFundMe campaign for Strickland has raised over $1.4 million as of Saturday.

Kevin Strickland left a Missouri prison on Tuesday after being exonerated in a 1978 triple murder, but under Missouri law, he was ineligible for compensation from the state, despite spending 43 years behind bars for a crime that he did not commit.

However, donations have been pouring in from supporters after the Midwest Innocence Project set up a GoFundMe campaign to help Strickland  who was taken into custody when he was just 18 years old  begin a new life.

As of Saturday afternoon, the campaign had raised over $1.4 million from 25,000 donations.

Tricia Rojo Bushnell, the attorney representing Strickland and the executive director of the Midwest Innocence Project, told The Washington Post on Friday that individuals from around the globe have sought to aid her client.

Strickland does not have retirement savings or a work history to obtain Social Security benefits as a result of his wrongful conviction, and Missouri only permits compensation from the state if an individual's innocence is proven as a result of DNA testing.

"It's a very small minority of people who receive that," Bushnell told the newspaper. "The vast majority of folks who are exonerated are exonerated through non-DNA evidence and the vast majority of crimes do not involve DNA at all. So what we see in Missouri is folks get home and they are provided nothing."

"He's 62 years old with physical problems. He's not going to be able to work in the way that many other folks coming home would. This has got to be something to sustain him," she added.

Strickland was released from jail after Judge James Welsh ruled that the conviction should be vacated, as no physical evidence linked him to the crime.

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"Under these unique circumstances, the Court's confidence in Strickland's convictions is so undermined that it cannot stand, and the judgment of conviction must be set aside," the judge wrote in ordering Strickland's immediate release, according to The Associated Press.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who supported Strickland's exoneration, swiftly moved to dismiss the criminal charges against him in order to facilitate the release.

However, despite the concerted push for Strickland's release after the core testimony unraveled, two of the state's top officeholders offered a different view of the case.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who in June said that a pardon for Strickland was not a "priority," as there were other clemency cases that needed to be reviewed, tweeted a basic statement about the ruling.

"The Court has made its decision, we respect the decision, and the Department of Corrections will proceed with Mr. Strickland's release immediately," he wrote.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who is running in the 2022 Republican primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Roy Blunt, previously maintained that Strickland was guilty of the crimes.

"In this case, we defended the rule of law and the decision that a jury of Mr. Strickland's peers made after hearing all of the facts in the case," a Schmitt spokesman said in a statement. "The Court has spoken, no further action will be taken in this matter."

Despite family members presenting alibis for Strickland, along with one of the admitted killers stating that Strickland was not at the scene when the three victims  Sherrie Black, 22; Larry Ingram, 21; and John Walker, 20  were murdered, he was still convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years.

The case had previously been constructed around the testimony of a witness who had recanted her testimony and has since died, according to The Associated Press.

Strickland had always maintained his innocence and told a group of reporters that he learned of the court's decision while watching television, with inmates cheering at the news of his impending release.

"I'm not necessarily angry. It's a lot. I think I've created emotions that you all don't know about just yet. Joy, sorrow, fear. I am trying to figure out how to put them together," he told reporters as he left the Western Missouri Correctional Center.

After Strickland's release, the first thing he did was visit his mother's grave.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Some FedEx packages in Alabama will absolutely, positively not be delivered on time.

Between 300 and 400 FedEx packages were found Wednesday in a wooded ravine near the small town of Hayden in northcentral Alabama, the Blount County Sheriff's Office said on its Facebook page.

Deputies guarded the packages at the scene, which is about 30 miles north of Birmingham, until FedEx workers arrived to pick up the packages, Sheriff Mark Moon told The Associated Press. FedEx sent several trucks and drivers from across the South to retrieve the packages, he said.

Photos posted on the sheriffs office's Facebook page showed workers on Thanksgiving Day retrieving packages that had been tossed towards the bottom of a wooded hillside.

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The sheriff's office is continuing to investigate why the packages were tossed into the ravine, but did not respond to a request for an update Saturday.

Nearby resident Natasha Abney told Birmingham ABC affiliate station WBMA-TV that her neighbor found the boxes on his property. I mean it was just a river of boxes, she said. Some busted open, some not.

In addition to recovering and delivering the packages, FedEx is working with law enforcement on the investigation, the company said in a statement.

The security of our customers shipments is a top priority and we are committed to treating our customers packages with the utmost care, FedEx said in a statement Friday. "We are conducting a review of this situation and will take the appropriate action.

FedEx directed customers with questions about their shipments to track them on the FedEx website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FedEx investigates hundreds packages dumped in Alabama ravine
insta_photos / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Whether you're 20 years old or 10 years away from retirement, it's important to plan how you're going to supplement your income and spend your money during your golden years. For many soon-to-be retirees, this means making a plan for their Social Security checks.

See: 17 Tips To Live Comfortably Off Just a Social Security Check

Americans 65 and older spend an average of about $50,000 a year on essentials such as food, housing, transportation and healthcare, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic's 2019 Consumer Expenditure Survey. But the average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers is $1,521.59 -- which comes out to only $18,259.08 annually. If you plan to rely on Social Security alone, you'll quickly realize that this amount probably isn't enough to fully fund your retirement lifestyle.

Find Out: 30 Greatest Threats to Your Retirement

Still, you don't want to blow through your Social Security check. That's why it's important to carefully budget and spend your benefits wisely. Keep reading to learn more about what you should do with your Social Security check.

Jovanmandic / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Defer It

Even if you've just turned 62 and qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, it's important to keep in mind that you don't have to take them right away. In fact, for some people, waiting as much as an additional eight years is a smart financial move.

Why would anyone wait to receive benefits they're entitled to? In a word: money. The longer you wait, the bigger your monthly payment. For those born in 1943 or later, Social Security checks increase by 8% per year for every year of deferral after age 62, up until age 70. If you don't need the money right away and have other income or savings to live on, do the math and see if waiting longer to draw your checks makes sense.

Related: 20 Best Places To Live on Only a Social Security Check

Ridofranz / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Verify Your Income Record

Your Social Security payout is based on your highest 35 years of earnings, as recorded by the Social Security Administration. Because any record can have errors or gaps, you should verify your Social Security income record before you file for benefits. If the Social Security Administration is missing one or two of your highest-earning years, for example, your benefit could be permanently reduced by a significant amount.

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To verify your Social Security record, create an account. This is where you can see your earnings record and other important information, such as your estimated future retirement, disability and survivors benefits. If you find any mistakes, you can contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

See: 35 Countries Where Your Social Security Check Goes Furthest

mixetto / Getty Images

Create a Monthly Budget for Your Social Security Check

The first thing retirees should do with their Social Security check is confirm they received the correct amount, said Kimberly Foss, certified financial planner and founder of Empyrion Wealth Management. After you confirm that your payment is accurate, it's time to budget it properly.

Bill Kearney, owner of Integrated Financial Concepts, recommends creating a spending plan before spending your Social Security checks. Here's how:

Assess your expected monthly costs, including rent or mortgage payments, food, healthcare, debt and other living expenses. Tally expected income and where the income will come from. Match up your expenses with your expected income sources. In other words, figure out what your Social Security payments cover vs. your pension or withdrawals from retirement accounts.

Keep Reading: What You Can Buy With the Average Social Security Check

DGLimages / Shutterstock.com

Keep Your Income in Check

If you want to maximize your Social Security benefits, you'll have to keep an eye on your outside earnings. For 2021, if you're younger than full retirement age, your Social Security benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above $18,960. If you reach full retirement age in 2021, your benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $3 you earn above $50,520 until you hit the month of full retirement age. After you hit full retirement age, there are no Social Security benefit reductions.

Take a Look: 10 US Cities With Plenty of Jobs and Cheap Housing

PredragImages / Getty Images

Prioritize Your Basic Needs

Next, it's time to allocate your Social Security benefits. Leonard Hayduchok, CEO and president of Dedicated Financial Services, suggests treating your Social Security check as you would a paycheck. Use the benefits to pay for regularly occurring expenses such as housing costs and groceries. According to the BLS survey, people 65 and older spend an average of the following amounts on food and related housing expenses a year:

Housing: $17,472

Utilities: $3,810

Food: $6,599

You should try to allocate about 60% to 70% of your annual Social Security benefits to pay for these expenses, though that won't be possible for many retirees. If your annual benefits equal the national average of $1,521.59 a month or $18,259.08 a year, that means 60% of your Social Security check -- which comes out to $10,955.45 annually -- won't be enough to cover the expenses above.

Still, it's a good idea to dedicate as much as you can to food and housing. After all, these are your basic needs -- without them, you won't live well. Just keep in mind that once you've used your check to cover these basic expenses, you'll likely need to dip into your additional income sources to cover other costs.

Retirees whose food and housing costs are greater than their Social Security checks should look for ways to cut back on these expenses. For example, one option might be to move to a city where you can live comfortably off Social Security.

Find Out: What Social Security Will Look Like in 2035

fstop123 / Getty Images

Use Your Social Security Checks To Cover Healthcare Expenses

After budgeting to cover your basic needs, you should next pay for your medical expenses. Let's assume that you'll spend close to the national healthcare cost average for Americans 65 and older, which the BLS estimates at $6,833 per year. If you spend close to this amount, it's wise to dedicate the remainder of your check toward this expense. But it's also important to plan for rising healthcare costs that your Social Security checks likely won't cover.

The 2019 Retirement Health Care Costs Report by HealthView Insights recently reported that the average 65-year-old couple who retired last year can expect to spend $12,052 per year on Medicare for parts B and D as well as supplemental insurance. That cost rises as you get older. The average 70-year-old pair will spend $16,068 per year on these items, the average 75-year-old couple will spend $21,706, and the average 80-year-old couple will spend $28,552.

Find Out: Retirement Survival Strategies for Rising Healthcare Costs

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Put What You Have Left in Your Savings

After you've paid for necessities and healthcare, you might only be left with a few hundred dollars a year if you get the average retirement benefit. So what should you do with that leftover cash?

Edwin Cruz, owner of Prosperity Financial Group, tells his clients to set aside 10% to 20% of their Social Security checks to cover the unexpected. He also recommends adjusting this amount over time until the retiree has six to nine months of living expenses built up.

Following this strategy -- and assuming you get the average retirement benefit -- you should aim to save at least $1,825.91 each year until you reach your six to nine months' worth of emergency savings. But since you've already used your Social Security checks to cover other high-priority expenses, you'll likely need to tap into other income sources to build an emergency fund.

Don't Miss: 35 Ways To Save For Your Emergency Fund

Shutterstock.com

Don't Forget To Claim for Your Children

If you claim retirement, disability or survivors benefits and have dependent children, you can file a claim for them as well. A qualifying child can receive up to 50% of a parent's full retirement or disability benefit, and up to 75% of a deceased parent's benefit. However, there's a limit to the amount of money that can be paid to a family, with the maximum amount determined as part of every Social Security benefit computation.

To qualify, a child must be either younger than age 18, age 18-19 and a full-time student in grade 12 or lower, or 18 or older with a disability that began before age 18. Although this is not technically your Social Security benefit, it's still an SSA payment that can help your family make ends meet.

Read: Americans Don't Understand These Facts About Social Security

Jacob Lund / Shutterstock.com

Other Expenses Your Social Security Benefits Likely Won't Cover

Retirees must be mindful of how they allocate their retirement spending to make sure they can cover everything. In addition to basic necessities, healthcare and savings, there will likely be other expenses that your Social Security benefits might not be large enough to cover. This will be especially important to remember if benefits get cut in the future.

For example, you'll still have to pay taxes in retirement. Depending on your financial situation, you might have to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits, which can make it even harder to cover retirement expenses. You'll also need to make a plan for transportation costs and any vacations you want to take.

Although Social Security might not be enough to fund every aspect of your retirement, you can still find ways to lower your expenses and generate income. By doing so, you'll improve your chances of enjoying a comfortable retirement.

More From GOBankingRates

Barbara Friedberg contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The First Thing You Should Do With Your Social Security Check




The president of Taiwan thanked five U.S. lawmakers for meeting with her this week and discussing the alliance between the island nation and the U.S..

"Your delegation's visit to #Taiwan & your support strengthens my conviction that our democratic partnership will continue to be a key force for good in the region & world," said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after meeting with the lawmakers on Friday.

Thank you to @RepMarkTakano, @RepSlotkin, @RepColinAllred, @SaraJacobsCA, & @RepNancyMace. Your delegation's visit to #Taiwan & your support strengthens my conviction that our democratic partnership will continue to be a key force for good in the region & world. pic.twitter.com/ovytGNOHja -  Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) November 26, 2021

Tsai met with House representatives Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Colin Allred (D-Texas), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), despite the objections of Chinese officials.

China's communist ruling party claims sovereignty over Taiwan, though the island has governed itself democratically for decades. Both China and Taiwan have ramped up military in recent months amid rising tensions between the two.

The U.S. has long maintained unofficial diplomatic relations with Taiwan's government while officially recognizing Chinese authority over the island. Recently, amid reports of China's military buildup and demonstrations of force, the U.S. has further advanced its alliance with Taiwan. President Biden invited Taiwan earlier this month to a "Summit for Democracy" scheduled for December, a move which China criticized as political gamesmanship.

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Slotkin, who the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., tried to discourage from attending the meeting with Tsai, tweeted during the visit that "democratic values still and always matter."

"I'm midway through my visit to Taiwan & this much is clear: this place is on the rise," she wrote. "The fortitude & determination of the people, led by their dynamic President, is downright inspiring - and I don't inspire easily."

I'm midway through my visit to Taiwan & this much is clear: this place is on the rise. The fortitude & determination of the people, led by their dynamic (frankly, kick-ass) President, is downright inspiring - and I don't inspire easily. Democratic values still & always matter. https://t.co/PsM73nLTEI - Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) November 26, 2021

Both Jacobs and Allred praised Taiwan's president in their own respective tweets, and said they were 'honored" to meet with Ing-wen.

Officials with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan also reportedly met with the lawmakers, discussing objectives in the Indonesian and Pacific seas.

"Without a shred of doubt, we're great democratic partners in countering the expansion of authoritarianism & safeguarding our shared values," the ministry tweeted on Friday.
Portage County Courthouse in Ravenna, Ohio

A man sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for raping and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl in Ravenna in 2017 has lost an appeal of his conviction.

According to an opinion filed this week, the 11th District Court of Appeals affirmed the August 2020 conviction of Daniel A. Mugrage, 33, in Portage County Court of Common Pleas.

According to trial testimony, the girls mother took the girl to Mugrages Ravenna apartment in July 2017, where the girl was told to place her hand on her mothers hand while it was on Mugrages penis. The girl testified that during the night, Mugrage raped her. A jury convicted Mugrage of all four counts in a grand jury indictment, including first-degree felony rape, second-degree felony sexual battery and two counts of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition.

During his September 2020 sentencing hearing, Mugrage claimed innocence, but Judge Becky Doherty sentenced him to life in prison without possibility of parole plus an additional five years. According to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records, Mugrage is currently incarcerated in the Ross Correctional Institution.

More: Former probation officer and Kent resident loses appeal of conviction for sexual assaults

According to the 35-page opinion, Mugrage claimed the common pleas court committed seven errors  all of which the appeals court found to be without merit  including:

 The court overruled a defense challenge to one juror, who said during jury selection that her daughter had been a victim of sexual abuse 15 years earlier. The opinion says that the woman said she could nevertheless be fair and impartial and the defense did not effectively demonstrate otherwise.

 The defense filed a motion requesting that the prosecution be barred from presenting evidence of salacious photographs and communications between Mugrage and the girls mother while he was incarcerated following the girls rape for failing to register as a sex offender in connection with a 2006 guilty plea to gross sexual imposition involving a then-16-year-old girl. The defense argued that the communications during his incarceration, which the court conceded was irrelevant to the rape case, were also irrelevant because they did not include direct evidence in the rape case.

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However, according to the opinion, the communications included Mugrage allegedly proposing future sexual activity between himself and the girl and her mother and photos of the girl and other girls were provided to Mugrage by the mother at Mugrages request. The mother then reported the communications to Garrettsville police a little over a year after the incidents in his apartment and this started the investigation resulting in the rape case, making the communications relevant to that case.

 The court overruled defense motions that there was insufficient evidence of rape due to offense going unreported for more than a year, of sexual battery because Mugrage did not have the responsibilities of a parent, and of gross sexual imposition since the girl had her hand on her mothers hand, not on Mugrages penis.

The opinion states that delayed reporting does not qualify as insufficient evidence, though it could call the credibility of the witnesses and the weight of evidence into question. The opinion also says that skin-to-skin touching is not necessary in a charge of gross sexual imposition. The sexual battery charged ended up being merged into one of the gross sexual imposition charges and was not a factor in sentencing, the opinion says, and the guilty verdict was therefore harmless and the appeals court declined to address claim of insufficient evidence.

However, the opinion also says that the prosecution asserted that Mugrages relationship with the mother and his invitation to his home triggered a duty of care for the childs protection and support while in his home.

 The jurys verdict was not supported by the weight of evidence because the mother and girl both lied and/or failed to disclose the incidents when initially questioned

The opinion says this does not mean the weight of evidence does not support the verdict, though it could raise questions about the credibility of witnesses. However, the opinion adds, the jury is free to believe the witnesses. The opinion also says that the mothers fear of charges against herself and the girls fears of making her mother angry and getting her into trouble were reasonable explanations.

 Mugrage claimed his trial attorney did not attempt to have his trial delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The opinion, however, says Mugrage failed to demonstrate that delaying the trial would have resulted in a different outcome in the case.

 Mugrage claimed the court responded incorrectly when the jury, while deliberating the verdict, asked whether the girls hand on her mothers hand constituted sexual contact and the court responded it did.

The opinion said the courts answer to the question was an accurate statement of the law.

 The court erred by not granting a motion for a new trial due to the court allowing the prosecution to present the photo and communications evidence the defense considered irrelevant, as well as the issue of the defense attorney not seeking a delay in the trial.

The opinion says that because the appeals court had already found these claims to be without merit, this last claimed error is also without merit.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Former Ravenna man loses appeal of his conviction in rape of girl, 8
PARIS (Reuters) - France is willing to discuss autonomy for the French Caribbean territory of Guadeloupe if it is in the interests of the people who live there, government minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

Guadeloupe and the nearby French island of Martinique have seen several days of protests against COVID-19 measures that have spilled over into violence.

Lecornu, the minister for France's overseas territories, said in a YouTube video issued late on Friday that certain elected officials in Guadeloupe had raised the question of autonomy, changing its status as an overseas region.

"The government is ready to talk about this. There are no bad debates, as long as those debates serve to resolve the real everyday problems of people in Guadeloupe," he said.

That was one of a series of initiatives he said the government in Paris would be taking in Guadeloupe, including improving healthcare, infrastructure projects, and a scheme to create jobs for young people.

The French government this week announced that it would be postponing a requirement that public sector workers in Guadeloupe and Martinique get a COVID-19 vaccination.

That had sparked protests, fanning long-standing grievances over living standards and the relationship with Paris.

In Guadeloupe there is a historic mistrust of the French government's handling of health crises after many people were exposed to toxic pesticides used in banana plantations in the 1970s.

(Reporting by Christian Lowe; Editing by Alexander Smith)
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A French national who is known for mocking the Thai government was denied reentry to Thailand on Saturday for being "a danger to society," his lawyer said on Saturday.

Yan Marchal, who has lived in Thailand for nearly 20 years, arrived in Thailand on Saturday morning, but immigration handed him a notice barring him entry citing behaviour that was a danger to society, Nadthasiri Bergman told Reuters.

The notice did not give further details.

A government spokesman did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

In Marchal's TikTok account, which has over 560,000 followers, he speaks Thai and satirizes the government. In some videos he wears a shirt with writing that calls for the abolition of the royal insult law and reform of the monarchy.

Thailand has strict laws against insulting the monarchy, which carry a potential prison term of up to 15 years.

Thai conservatives consider the monarchy sacrosanct and view insults to King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the monarchy as a threat to society. Youth-led anti-government protests which started last year have challenged the decades-old taboos against any criticism of the king.

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Fridays shooting at the Tacoma Mall kindled memories of another shooting at that shopping center.

It was 16 years ago this month, Nov. 20, 2005, that Dominick Maldonado, then 20, opened fire in the mall with an assault-style rifle, wounding seven people. He then took four hostages in a music store before surrendering hours later.

Maldonado texted his girlfriend before the shooting to say that he was angry with the world. He later called 911 and told dispatchers to follow the screams before he opened fire.

When a judge later sentenced him to more than 163 years in prison, Maldonado apologized for his actions that day and wished the Seattle Seahawks a good season.

In 2011, Maldonado held a prison guard hostage at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center during an escape attempt with another inmate, who was fatally shot.

Maldonado later was transferred to Florence High United States Penitentiary in Colorado, where he remains today.
An American Airlines flight from Guatemala to Miami Saturday was revealed to have one additional passenger on board: A man who had stowed away in the plane's landing gear.

A video posted on Instagram by Miami local social news site Only in Dade showed airport crewmembers apparently discovering the passenger after the plane arrived at the gate.

The man, who came off of American Airlines flight 1182, which landed about 10 a.m. ET Saturday, was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. The maintenance worker who recorded the video declined to speak on the record for fear that he would lose his job.

American Airlines said in a statement the flight"was met by law enforcement due to a security issue. We are working with law enforcement in their investigation."

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Samuel Orozco, a spokesperson for the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, Guatemala's civil aviation authority, said the matter was still under investigation in the Central American country and could not provide further details at this time.

On Monday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the law enforcement agency charged with enforcing U.S. federal laws concerning border control, customs, trade, and immigration told USA TODAY the Guatemalan man was taken into ICE custody and is currently being held at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida.

"The individual will be afforded access to all legal processes available to him under the laws of the United States," said ICE spokesman Nestor Yglesias.

Dan Vasquez, a member of the content team at Only in Dade said, "We received this video and spoke to the person that took it, he was very scared and it is unbelievable that someone would survive this."

"Can you imagine that kind of wind pressure?" Vasquez said.

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The incident recalls the situation in August when the U.S. military was evacuating Afghanistan and hundreds of civilians were clinging to departing airplanes. Human remains were discovered in the wheel well of a C-17 cargo plane that landed in Qatar after departing the international airport in Kabul.

The Federal Aviation Authority told a local NBC affiliate that "as of February 2021, 129 people have attempted to stow away in the wheel wells or other areas of commercial aircraft worldwide since 1947. Of those, 100 people (about 78%) died of injuries or exposure during the flight."

In recent years, Guatemala has been one of the main sources of undocumented migrants coming into the U.S. over the southern border. It was the largest source in 2019, as migrants were fleeing widespread government corruption, poverty and violence.

This year, Mexico has been the single most common origin country for migrants at the southern border, followed by Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, according to the Pew Research Center.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Guatemala escape: Man hides in landing gear on flight to Miami
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece on Saturday inaugurated two more migrant holding centres on islands near Turkey as part of a tougher policy for managing migrant flows that has been critised by rights groups.

The conservative government first announced in 2019 it would shut the five camps set up on Greek islands during the height of Europe's migration crisis, when hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Syrian refugees, arrived from Turkey on rubber boats.

It is replacing them with so-called "Closed Controlled Structures" funded by the European Union, featuring barbed wire fences, surveillance systems and ID and fingerprint scanning at the gates.

Speaking on Saturday as the centres on Kos and Leros opened, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said the move was "a key pillar of our strict but fair immigration policy."

"We have finally put behind a crisis that started in 2015. A crisis that neither Greece nor Europe wants to relive," he said.

The first such facility opened on Samos in September and the remaining two, on Lesbos and Chios, are expected to be ready next year.

Authorities say the camps will improve living conditions for asylum-seekers and alleviate the burden of the migration crisis on local communities, but rights groups have urged Greece to reconsider.

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said they were "prison-like."

Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic wrote to Greek ministers in May, saying she feared the closed nature of the camps would lead to long-term deprivation of liberty.

The five island camps set up in 2016 aimed to swiftly identify asylum-seekers and manage the huge flow of arrivals from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, but had little success in handling the numbers and quickly became dangerously overcrowded.

The camps on Lesbos, Chios and Samos spilled over into rat-infested olive groves with flimsy tents and poor, often dangerous living conditions.

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At its worst point in November 2018, 20,000 people were living in camps that were intended to hold around 6,000 people.

Mitarachi said there were now fewer than 600 asylum-seekers on both Kos and Leros, down from about 6,500 a year ago.

(Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Mark Potter)
It seems likely the Indiana General Assembly will discuss major tax changes this year. This discussion is warranted for many reasons. First, this is a non-budget session, and these matters take time. So, beginning homework on our taxes is prudent, even if change takes several years. Second, we have some growing structural problems with our taxes that must be fixed. Third, we are enjoying a second year of budget windfall, with revenues coming in a half billion dollars ahead of expectations. And, finally, there are budget needs we have not adequately met over several budget cycles.

Indiana taxes the income, property and consumption of both businesses and families. At the state level, we tax income and consumption. At the local level, we tax income and property. There are other, smaller taxes and fees, but these elements comprise most of our tax system.

Our income tax rate is low and flat at 3.23%, but the income tax is complex, imposing large compliance costs on Hoosier families and businesses. Merely simplifying this tax would be a tax cut. We also tax corporations at a higher rate than individuals. This causes distortions in the way firms organize themselves, contributing to the shrinking of that tax revenue.

It must be noted that corporations are often viewed as a juicy target for taxation, but corporations are owned by people who are also taxed on that income. It isnt only rich folks who own these corporations; among the largest owners are retirement funds. So, raising taxes on a corporation is literally the same as raising taxes on retirement plans for teachers, your local plumber or nurse.

More from Michael Hicks: It's time to be honest about debt, spending and taxation

Our state sales tax is high at 7%, but lacks a local option tax. So, the actual sales tax paid by Hoosiers is middle of the pack across the nation. The real problem with the sales tax in Indiana is simply that it is levied on a relatively small share of the things we buy. Hoosiers pay sales tax only on goods, with exclusion for most food items. When sales taxes were first started almost 60 years ago, more than half of a familys budget went to the consumption of goods. Today, it is about one-third, and much of that is spent on untaxed food items.

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With Hoosiers spending a shrinking share of their family income on goods, sales tax revenue faces long-term decline. That would mean cut-backs to government services or an increase in tax rates. But, if we were to spread the sales tax across all goods and services we purchase, we could reduce the tax rate to less than 4% and raise roughly the same tax revenues.

Finally, there is open discussion of eliminating the floor for local property taxes on business property. This requires a bit of explaining, so let me use an example. A business buys a new piece of equipment, say a dump truck or robotics. That property is supposed to be taxed up to 3%, but the business can depreciate the value of that property over time. This "depreciation schedule" is a formal tax incentive designed to promote business investment in new technology.

Often, the whole purchase price of that new piece of equipment is depreciated over a few years. But, in Indiana there is a 30% floor on that depreciation. Both the depreciation schedule and the floor are accounting artifacts, not economic principles. Changing either simply alters the way businesses are taxed. A more useful way to think about this is to see what Indiana has done with business taxes over the past 20 years.

In 2000, Indianas business subsidies were 0.6% of our Gross Domestic Product. Our net tax rate on businesses of all types was 5.6% of GDP. By 2019, our net taxes declined to 5.5% of GDP. Nationally, the net tax rate on business rose from 6.5% to 5.8% over the same two decades. Since 2000, Indianas taxes on businesses declined from 86.7% of the national average to 80.8% of the national average. At the same time, our economy grew by 30%, while the nation as a whole grew by 45%.

Let me state it more plainly. Over the past two decades, Indiana cut business taxes and saw agonizingly slow economic growth, averaging under 1.5% per year. At the same time, the nation as a whole raised business taxes and saw much faster economic growth, averaging over 2.2% per year. You may ask, "How this can be? No business or family likes paying taxes."

Guest column: Rokita, BLM, and the obtuse nature of today's politics

The simple answer is that businesses and families are smarter than anyone seems to give them credit for. When purchasing a car, appliance or robot, or hiring an employee, they make a judgement based on value, not just price. For most businesses and families, the biggest economic decision they ever make is where to open shop and where to live. Wed be wise to assume they make these decisions based on value, not price. This translates into tax policy.

Indiana has been cutting the price of living and doing business for two decades, but those price cuts have not translated into more people and businesses. This means we have a problem with value, not price. We have far too many communities that lack the amenities that mobile American families seek. We have a declining share of young people heading to college, and an even smaller share of them graduating and staying in Indiana.

We need a tax system along state and local governments that focuses on providing value, not competing on price. That must be top of mind in the General Assembly as they consider tax changes. In a world of businesses and people seeking value, being the low-price location is not a winning strategy. As the General Assembly considers changes to taxes, they must keep in mind ways to improve the value proposition for Indiana. That is a call for better schools, more college graduates and more livable communities. A tax system can help deliver these, but it wont happen by cutting the price.

Michael J. Hicks, PhD, is the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and the George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball State University.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Hicks writes low taxes aren't giving Indiana an edge on growth
Tempura / Getty Images

When it's time to remodel, many homeowners head to home improvement stores like Lowe's to buy the supplies they need to complete their home projects. It's a smart idea, especially since the right projects can put more money back into your pocket.

Check Out: Surprising Data Reveals The Top 25 Tax-Friendly States To Retire

See: 26 Home Makeover Ideas That Each Cost Less Than $500

However, home renovation costs can be substantial: The average bathroom remodel alone costs between $6,598 and $16,370, according to HomeAdvisor. Meanwhile, a kitchen remodel ranges from $13,496 to $38,098.

If you want to choose the best home renovations, here are several that will give you the biggest bang for your buck when the time comes to sell.

yunava1 / Getty Images

Remodel the Kitchen

"If it's more than 15 years old, upgrading the kitchen floor, cabinetry and appliances to modern standards will net you more money during [the] time of sale," said Joe Polyak, real estate agent with Polyak Real Estate Group in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Many families view the kitchen as the center of the home. So, minor kitchen renovations can drastically increase your property's value -- the Remodeling report showed a 65 percent national recoup on average. This renovation can also increase home enjoyment for the entire family.

If you have an outdoor kitchen that needs to be renovated, consider updating the appliances. For example, Lowe's offers savings on high-quality appliances.

"Outdoor entertaining and grilling go hand in hand," said Jule Eller, director of trend and style at Lowe's. "So bring the heat, and fire up that backyard flavor with a modular grill. You can choose add-ons like a sink, side burners or refrigerator to create a complete outdoor kitchen."

Still, renovators should take care not to go overboard with kitchen remodel costs. "Upgrading the appliances to a certain level of luxury -- KitchenAid versus Bosch, for example -- can significantly increase value," said Polyak. "Be careful, though. You don't need to put Wolf appliances in a condo in a blue-collar condo complex. That won't add value."

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Prepare: Renovations To Make -- and Skip -- Before Selling Your Home

Tyler Olson / Shutterstock.com

Build an Outdoor Deck

"This can be a fairly inexpensive project that can add a lot of value in the eyes of potential homebuyers," said Polyak. Specific features tend to vary in popularity by geographic location, and the national average cost for this upgrade is about $10,000 for wood and $17,000 for composite materials, according to Remodeling's report. Of that amount, a homebuyer can hope to recoup about 71% and 65%, respectively.

"In Arizona, people like a nice fire pit with a beautiful outdoor area. In the San Francisco Bay Area, they like a nice deck with landscaping," he said. "You can hire someone to do the work, but depending on how handy the homeowner, this can definitely be a fairly inexpensive do-it-yourself project."

Fixing Up Your Space? 10 Home Renovations To Make Before You Retire

Tiplyashina Evgeniya / Shutterstock.com

Create a Paver Patio

You might also consider adding a paver patio to your home. "Building a paver patio or walkway is a simple way to make your landscape more inviting and define an outdoor living space," said Eller. "Best of all, you can install the paving stones yourself. You can also integrate landscape lighting to add ambiance and dimension."

Eller recommends purchasing 10 percent more blocks, pavers or stones than you anticipated. "The excess should account for breakage, the material you need to cut and replacements for future repairs," she said.

Read: 50 Cities With the Most Overpriced Homes

Volodymyr Plysiuk / Shutterstock.com

Upgrade Lighting Fixtures

"You'll be amazed at the difference that great lighting makes," said Maria Samuels, marketing specialist at furniture manufacturer InstyleModern. "It can take a room from sterile and unwelcoming to cozy and soothing." She suggests adding new lighting over a kitchen table or island, or hanging fixtures in entryways.

Most fixtures can be purchased for a few hundred dollars or less, but when you're working with electrical wires, you'll also want to make sure to bring in a professional. Most homeowners spend about $318 to bring in an electrician, which will increase overall remodeling bills, according to HomeAdvisor. Still, prospective buyers are likely to appreciate the enhanced lighting, making it one of the best home renovations on a budget.

You might also want to upgrade your outdoor patio lighting with string lights, lanterns, candles, outdoor table lamps or floor lamps to bring your patio to life. Or, perhaps you have a deck? You'll probably want to upgrade those lights as well. The good news: It won't cost you a lot of money at stores like Lowe's.

"From setting a festive mood to offering a soft glow after dark, outdoor lighting is a great way to make your outdoors warm and inviting," said Eller. "Check out these battery-operated LED step lights or these bronze solar LED post lights."

karamysh / Shutterstock.com

Replace the Entry Door

Installing a new steel entry door has the largest cost versus resale value, according to Remodeling's report. It's about a $1,400 project that's likely to boost your home's value by the same amount.

"It alone can transform the front of your house and improve overall curb appeal, especially if you're looking to sell or raise your property value," said Samuels. "Before you head out to purchase one, learn which styles and materials work best for your home's design. Then, think about the color that interests you most."

Samuels recommends bold colors like Kelly green, bright yellow and high-gloss black. "To make this a super-affordable change, buy an inexpensive neutral door and paint it yourself," she said. There are plenty of affordable door options you can find online.

ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

Install or Repurpose Flooring

"Updated hardwood floors or new carpeting can help sell a home," said John Bodrozic, co-founder of digital home management tool HomeZada. "But a lot of the determination of whether the project pays for itself depends on how much money people put into the project."

According to HomeAdvisor, existing carpets can be cleaned for about $174, and the average hardwood refinishing cost is $1.50 to $4 per square foot. Installation of new flooring increases the cost: $1,583 for carpet and $4,397 for wood. However, you can reduce these sums.

"If you have the skill or are willing to learn, you can save labor costs if you can do some of the work yourself," said Bodrozic. "If you do hire a contractor, make sure you get three to five bids and make it known to the contractors that they are competing for the business. Depending on the marketing conditions and timing of your project, you could save yourself some money."

Check Out: 25 Tricks To Sell Your House for a Bigger Profit

Volodymyr Plysiuk / Shutterstock.com

Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Features

"I'm noticing a big trend toward energy-efficient appliances, LED lights and tankless water heaters," said Diana George, a vice president at Century 21 Real Estate Alliance.

"These products save homeowners money and contribute to a smaller carbon footprint." A tankless water heater can be installed for about $4,200 in a 2,200-square-foot home, and LED converter bulbs can be bought for about $14 per light, said George.

You don't have to wait until you move to reap the financial benefits that accompany an energy-efficient upgrade. A tankless water heater can cut a homeowner's water heating bill by about a fifth each year. A switch from incandescent to LED bulbs, meanwhile, can save a homeowner a surprising $300 per year. Energy-efficient upgrades might not be the most exciting of home improvement projects, but they can have an almost immediate impact on a home's overall bottom line.

Kingarion / Shutterstock.com

Replace Vinyl Siding

It's not everyone's idea of a dream renovation project, but new vinyl siding can dramatically enhance a home's curb appeal, which can make or break a homeowner's prospects when selling on the open market.

Newer siding can also help curb heating and cooling costs and reduce occurrences of mold, fungus and mildew. New vinyl siding generally costs around $14,000 and will increase a home's resale value by about $11,000, according to Remodeling.

Hintau Aliaksei / Shutterstock.com

Remodel a Bathroom

"Bath renovations are always worth the money invested," said Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP in Warwick, New York. "If the home has good bones and quality finishes, the home seller will reap most, if not all, of the cost."

A homebuyer can expect to pay about $18,000 for a mid-range bathroom renovation and recoup about 65 percent, according to Remodeling. However, making smaller changes can also bring big rewards. "The impact a new light fixture can make can take a house from being dated to feeling new," said Gray-Plaisted. "I find upgrading light fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens to be worth every penny spent."

In the end, a home renovation choice is about more than just the value you'll eventually recoup. Consider projects that will keep your home properly maintained, but also that your family will enjoy. A house is more than an investment; it's also the place where your family will build memories for years to come.

piovesempre / Getty Images

Open the Floor Plan

An open floor plan is one of the more sought-after features for homebuyers today. However, older homes typically have many walls and narrow hallways, said Polyak. The good news is that it can be surprisingly inexpensive to knock down a wall and create a more cohesive space. An interior demolition costs about $3,000 on average, according to HomeAdvisor.

Even load-bearing walls can be removed, preferably by a skilled contractor who can then place a beam in the ceiling for support. Even with the added home renovation costs, this improvement can still add significant value to a home, said Polyak.

Read: 26 Home Makeover Ideas That Each Cost Less Than $500

Syda Productions / Shutterstock.com

Paint the Interior

"Painting is a quick, inexpensive and easy way to refresh or update your home," said Samuels. "You can transform a room into a totally new space just by adding a splash of color. Not only does paint make a room look clean and bright, but it can also change your outlook on your home and living environment."

Most homeowners spend between $996 and $2,721 on home interior paint costs, according to HomeAdvisor. At that price point, it's easy to recoup the cost when it's time to sell. Even so, it might be worthwhile to consult a professional before selecting a color. Not everyone knows that "light or white paint makes small rooms and spaces appear bigger, and that bright colors can make a family or playroom more fun and vibrant," said Samuels.

Still, professional advice doesn't have to add to the cost of the project. Many national paint retailers like Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore offer free paint consultations.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Home Renovations That Will Pay You Back
A Friday night shooting in Jackson that killed a 15-year-old and injured a 13-year-old became the city's 130th homicide for the year, tying 2020's record number of killings.

Jackson police spokesperson Sam Brown said 15-year-old Sullivan Blackmon was shot twice in the 500 block of Derrick Street at about 8 p.m. The teenager died at the scene. Brown said a .223-caliber assault rifle was found next to the body with nine shell casings lying on the street.

The 13-year-old was shot in both legs and taken to a local hospital, where he is listed in stable condition, Brown said.

As of Saturday, 121 of the homicides recorded in the city in 2021 involved a gun, according to Clarion Ledger calculations.

Hinds County Board of Supervisors President Credell Calhoun called the record number of homicides in the city terrible.

"We need to do a little more as a county and as a city and of course people of Hinds County have to work with their families and friends to lower the temperature a bit," he said.

Calhoun said guns don't need to be a part of disputes.

City leaders speak out about grim milestone

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said crime tends to rise during the holiday season and offered solace in that the Jackson Police Department will be in full force over the holidays with neighborhood patrols.

"We also understand the holiday season can be particularly stressful for some individuals and families," Lumumba said. "Unfortunately, theres often little police can do to prevent domestic and interpersonal violence, which is the majority of violent crime cases we see."

In the past, Lumumba has blamed high crime on the pandemic, systemic poverty, poor education, a lack of jobs and little financial support from the state to change residents' circumstances.

Other experts and officials say the crime stems from family or neighborhood dispites and firearms are being used to settle the disagreements.

At a Nov. 11 crime summit, Jackson Police Chief Davis said 85% of homicides are between people who know each other, which includes domestic incidents, retaliation and disputes.

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Davis said the department is doing all it can by patrolling streets and answering calls, but interpersonal disputes are hard to predict and prevent.

The department will continue a major operation, Operation Safe Shop, with officers patrolling shopping areas to ensure the safety of shoppers and retail workers.

Davis said the agency is also recruiting officers to try to fill all officer vacancies. The Clarion Ledger reported in September 2020 the department was short 100 officers and the officers. On Nov. 19, eight officers graduated from the police academy's 65th/20th basic recruit class, and five of those officers joined Jackson police, WAPT reported.

It is unclear how many more vacancies the department needs to fill.

Despite the officer shortage, Davis said the department is solving more homicides than the national average, 51.29% in 2020, according to the Murder Accountability Project. As of Nov. 18, Jackson police have solved 78 2021 homicides, according to Jackson police Deputy Chief Deric Hearn.

Who are Jackson's homicide victims?

If someone were to profile the average homicide victim in Jackson, they would be Black, between the ages of 20 and 35 and taken down by a bullet, according to an analysis by The Clarion Ledger.

Of the 130 victims to-date, 110 were men. So far in 2021, 19 women have been homicide victims, one more than in 2020.

The front of Club Rain where an early Sunday triple homicide took place Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 in Jackson, Miss.

There have been several homicides with multiple victims, including the Oct. 17 triple homicide at Club Rain on Medgar Evers Boulevard that claimed the lives of 20-year-old Jackson State University student Deanne Bell, 22-year-old Elijah Bridges of Vicksburg and 24-year old Alicia Brown of McComb.

For subscribers: Vicksburg woman remembers son and niece who died in Club Rain shooting; seeks justice

The Jackson Police Department work the scene of a shooting in the 5800 block of Ridgewood Road, just north of Atkins Boulevard, in Jackson, Mississippi, during which one man was killed and a second injured Tuesday, April 19, 2021.

Easy access to guns a problem in Jackson

In his 2021 State of the City address, Lumumba said the increasing number of weapons on the streets should be a focus to curb crime.

A gun was the weapon of choice in approximately 93% of the year's homicide cases, according to Clarion Ledger records.

What is driving the killings?: Jackson homicides keep going up and up. What's the reason and is there a solution?

The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, an organization focused on saving lives from gun violence, conducts an annual gun law review and gave Mississippi a score of F and ranked the state the second-highest in the nation in gun death rates for 2020.

What's being done to stop the violence?

As crime continues to spike, city officials have held crime summits and community town halls to start addressing the concerns of the city's residents.

The city of Jackson hosted a Nov. 5 crime summit in an effort to workshop solutions to the alarming spike in violent crime. Lumumba said 43 officials from the city, county, state and federal government were in attendance.

Speaking to the media following the summit, Lumumba said violent crime isn't a problem just in Jackson, but across the state and nation.

He added some of the issues raised include frustrated officers not having a jail to detain criminals in once they're arrested, a court system that is three years back-dated with cases delayed due to a backlog in evidence processing by the state.

Following the mayor's crime summit, Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes and Councilman Brian Grizzell both hosted crime-focused town halls with the community.

Calhoun said the Board of Supervisors is working with the Hinds County Sheriff's Office, Jackson police chief, Jackson mayor and Jackson City Council to find solutions, including building a misdemeanor jail in the city.

"All the pieces need to fit together and we're working on making that happen," he said.

Jackso residents and officers have expressed frustration about people arrested for misdemeanors being released back into the community. Davis said since March, 2020, over 3,000 people have been returned to their community after a misdemeanor arrest.

"We have repeat offenders terrorizing the city of Jackson," Davis said recently. "An easy fix is to set a clear cut message. You will no longer be released, you will go to jail. That is my plea."

During a Nov. 15 meeting, the board narrowly rejected a plan by District 2 Supervisor David Archie to use $1 million to set up a temporary holding facility in the city.

Prior to the meeting, Archie revealed the board has been planning on building a new jail on land purchased off McDowell Street.

Calhoun said the board was asked to come up with a plan for a jail, but said it needs to get permission from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The county remains under a consent decree with the department to address overcrowding and other conditions in its detention facilities

"We're going to do that eventually," Calhoun said about building a new jail.

Reporter Mina Corpuz can be reached by email at mcorpuz@gannett.com. You can follow her on Twitter @mlcorpuz.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson ties 2020's record number of 130 homicides
SheKnows

Paris Jackson: fashion icon, singer, actress, and overall one of the coolest people in the industry isnt afraid to shy away from being bold. Whether it be a unique dress on the red carpet or staying ever-so blunt, Jackson keeps it real. And most recently, she bared all for her Instagram for this spiritual event. []
Jim Kreider

Jim Kreider is stepping down after 18 years as executive director of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel, known as MRTA.

The board of the association announced Friday that its longtime leader has retired.

Kreider, former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, spent 10 years as a state lawmaker.

In 1993 he became the first Democrat elected in Christian County since 1904. He was elected five times, serving for 10 years.

His legislative district was the fastest growing in the state during the 1990s. The 2000 redistricting created three legislative districts to replace the one Kreider represented.

Kreider was known for supporting public education during his time as a lawmaker. He helped write, and later voted for, the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993.

More: Springfield parents file lawsuit over public school district's mask mandate

He was a member of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

Kreider graduated from Nixa High School in 1973 and has lived in Christian County for most of his adult life. He studied agricultural business and economics at Missouri State University, graduating in 1977.

He joined MRTA in August 2003. The association was created to protect and enhance the pension benefits of former educators in Missouri. It tracks and weighs in on budget and legislative proposals in Jefferson City.

The association has grown significantly under Kreider's leadership. It currently has more than 30,000 members.

More: CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards, pivotal figure during COVID-19 pandemic, announces retirement

In a news release, MRTA wished the best for Kreider in his next chapter and noted plans for "engaging a new and dynamic executive director to lead the association into the future."

Sarah Hoeller, assistant director, is expected to provide leadership during the transition. A timeline for replacing Kreider was not specified.

The News-Leader left messages Friday for Hoeller and for Kreider, but the office of the association was closed for the holiday.

Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Jim Kreider retires from Missouri Retired Teachers Association
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe topped the leaderboard. (BBC/Guy Levy)

John Whaite and Johannes Radebe have topped the week 10 Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard with a passionate Argentine Tango that took the dance back to its all-male roots.

They are competing as the first ever all-male pairing in the BBC One contest and were praised tonight for a near-perfect routine that was historically accurate and catapulted them to the top of the scores with 39 points.

Read more: Ed Balls and Maisie Smith - the former Strictly contestants inspiring this year's couples

Whaite and Radebe, who have done particularly well in the more intense dances, wowed the judges and viewers with their steamy routine that included a number of daring lifts.

The passion, the style, the intensity. John and Johannes' Argentine Tango was actual flames #Strictly @jojo_radebe pic.twitter.com/u6p3dcx8PN  BBC Strictly  (@bbcstrictly) November 27, 2021

Hard-to-please judge Craig Revel Horwood, the only person to score them nine for the routine rather than 10 points, said: "It was fantastic seeing the Tango done in its original form.

"I'm talking about way back to 1860, over 160 years ago it was first danced by two men and it was about being locked in symbolic mortal combat and that's exactly what you did tonight, I loved it."

Anton Du Beke told them it was up there with their Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Paso Doble from earlier in the series, while head judge Shirley Ballas added: "They're back! Fab-u-lous."

It was one of the couple's best dances yet. (BBC/Guy Levy)

Guest judge Cynthia Erivo, filling in for Motsi Mabuse who came into contact with someone with COVID earlier in the week, said: "I was crazy for it, this was gorgeous."

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The judges in the studio weren't the only impressed viewers, though, as Whaite was emotional to receive a message of support from Mary Berry who judged his Great British Bake Off win in 2012, propelling him to stardom.

Read more: Strictly couples share their most stressful moments of the series so far

Appearing in a video, Berry said: "John, I knew that you were a star baker, but gosh you've done brilliantly on Strictly. I'm very, very proud of you and good luck in the rest of the competition."

Talking about his new approach to training this week, Whaite said: "It's me and (Radebe) and nothing else matters. I feel like I've been reborn."

Watch: John Whaite will live life by Johannes-isms after Strictly
Fort Caswell

Jim McKee

The Fort Caswell Youve Never Seen will be the topic for the Tuesday, Dec. 7 meeting of the Brunswick Civil War Round Table. Local historian and site manager at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site, Jim McKee will speak at the program which begins at 7 p.m. at Hatch Auditorium on Caswell Beach on the grounds of the North Carolina Baptist Assembly. Everyone is welcome to attend. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m. The visitor fee is $10, which can include a spouse, and could be applied toward the $25 annual membership dues.

More: These 9 churches helped shape Wilmington's history

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The fort today is very different from Fort Caswell of the 19th Century. McKees unique presentation will show it as it was during and immediately after the Civil War through rare photographs and archival drawings, visuals that are not part of infrequent site tours of the ruins.

Fort Caswell

The fort was named after former governor Richard Caswell. It was built of stone and earthworks, and completed in 1836 . Located on the eastern tip of Oak Island, it juts into the confluence of the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean in support of the forts association with blockade runners during the Civil War in defense of the port of Wilmington.

When North Carolina seceded from the Union, the Confederate Army made it, along with nearby Fort Fisher. However, after a massive Union assault captured Fort Fisher on Jan. 15, 1865, orders came to spike Fort Caswells guns, burn the barracks, and explode the magazines.

Fort Caswell

McKee, formerly worked for the National Park Service and the N.C. Maritime Museum in Southport. He also is an author, and contributor of articles on archaeology, artillery, the Civil War, and colonial subjects. He is also nationally certified in 18th and 19th century artillery.

For more information, contact John Butler, Round Table president at Brunswickcwrt@gmail.com, 404- 229-9425 or visit http://brunswickcivilwarroundtable.com/.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Historian Jim McKee speaks at Brunswick Civil War Round Table
A GoFundMe created to support Strickland has received more than $1.3 million in donations from the general public.

The general public has donated more than $1.3 million to the recently exonerated Kansas City, Missouri man who spent more than four decades in prison for a crime he didnt commit.

Kevin Strickland, 62, had his 50-years-to-life prison sentence for a triple homicide set aside by a Missouri judge on Tuesday after evidence presented by attorneys with the Kansas City-based Midwest Innocence Project proved he didnt commit the crime.

In May, the Jackson County Prosecutors office in Independence, Missouri agreed to support Stricklands exoneration after reviewing the new evidence uncovered by his lawyers.

Kevin Strickland is pictured in an interview room at Western Missouri Correctional Center on Nov. 5, 2019, in Cameron, Mo. (James Wooldridge/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)

Innocence Project attorney Tricia Rojo Bushnell created a GoFundMe page for Strickland in June to help him find a home and pay for his daily needs after his anticipated release.

What would Mr. Strickland be released from prison to face? A world that he does not know much about, Bushnell wrote on his GoFundMe page.

There is no Missouri statute to compensate a person wrongfully convicted of a crime and later found innocent, unless through DNA, and that is not the case here, she continued. Mr. Strickland needs financial support to care for his basic needs upon his release from prison. Mr. Strickland has suffered an unimaginable atrocity and no one helped him. Today, he needs your help.

More than 23,000 people have donated to Stricklands GoFundMe since it was launched. The campaigns earlier financial goal was to raise just $7,500. As of Saturday, Nov. 27, the campaign has raised more than $1,355,150.

Thank you all for your support! Bushnell wrote in a campaign page update on Nov. 23. All funds go directly to Mr. Strickland, who the state of Missouri wont provide a dime to for the 43 years they stole from him.

Strickland spent 43 years behind bars before his release earlier this week. His incarceration was the longest wrongful imprisonment in Missouri history, according to The National Registry of Exonerations and CNN.

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He told CNN he was still in disbelief after being released. I didnt think this day would come, said earlier this week.

In 1979, Strickland was convicted of one count of capital murder and two counts of second degree murder for the April 25, 1978 shooting deaths of three people, according to KSHB-TV. The late Cynthia Douglas, a fourth victim and the only person to survive the shooting before dying decades later in 2015, had testified in 1978 that Strickland was at the scene of the triple murder after investigators suggested to her that Stricklands hair matched her description of the shooters, the outlet reported.

But Douglas, who admitted drinking cognac and using marijuana the night of the murders, recanted her story in 2009 after learning Vincent Bell and Kilm Adkins confessed to the crime and testified that Strickland wasnt involved. Bell pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder for his role in the murders and named two other accomplices who were never arrested.

Kevin Strickland answers questions during an evidentiary hearing regarding his innocence on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, Mo. (Tammy Ljungblad/The Kansas City Star via AP)

Stricklands fingerprints didnt match the ones found on the murder weapon in 2020, when the Kansas City Police Department and the Jackson County Prosecutors office conducted an analysis.

Earlier this year, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and chief deputy prosecutor Daniel Nelson wrote a letter to Stricklands attorneys saying their office had recommended to authorities that Strickland be released based on all the aforementioned evidence presented after his conviction.

For these reasons and others, Kevin Stricklands conviction should be set aside, and he should promptly be released and exonerated, the attorneys wrote. This was a thin conviction to begin with and the evidence of conviction has now been eviscerated.

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The post Kevin Strickland, exonerated after 43 years, is now a millionaire thanks to generous donors appeared first on TheGrio.
Right back Kyle Duncan left Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls on Friday to sign with Oostende of Belgium's first tier on a free transfer.

The club said the 24-year-old will arrive on Dec. 1 and be eligible to play after the winter break.

Duncan spent the past four seasons with the Red Bulls, scoring five goals in 72 games.

He made his only U.S. national team appearance last December, entering as a second-half substitute in an exhibition against El Salvador.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
To use his words, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has a problem when it comes to censorship and double standards. Abbott recently asserted that Big Tech companies are the ones with a big problem when it comes to censorship and double standards, but those claims could be easily used to categorize one of the host of new laws that the governor encouraged the Texas Legislature to pass to compel speech the government approves and suppress speech the government disapproves  the new social media censorship law, House Bill 20.

Leatherbury

This unconstitutional law attacks the very companies that facilitate safety and well-being for their users by combating misinformation  the same companies that Abbott is courting to bring good-paying jobs to Texas.

Leatherbury

Abbott has praised House Bill 20, signed into law on Sept. 9, 2021, for protecting Texans from wrongful censorship on social media platforms. The law prevents tech companies with 50 million monthly users or more from banning users based on political or religious viewpoints wherever those viewpoints are expressed. The law also requires multiple disclosures about content moderation practices and processes by these companies, sets a 48-hour deadline for the review and removal of illegal content, and creates nearly insurmountable obstacles for email service providers to block spam and other unwanted messages.

While the bills supporters may claim the law is protecting the First Amendment rights of Americans, in reality, the law tramples the free speech of private American companies. House Bill 20 is even more draconian than a recent Florida law that a federal judge held unconstitutional on multiple grounds and preliminarily enjoined from taking effect.

Judge Hinkles injunction against this Florida law set the record straight, stating that the First Amendment says "Congress" shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press. The Fourteenth Amendment extended this prohibition to state and local governments. The First Amendment does not restrict the rights of private entities not performing traditional, exclusive public functions. In short, the First Amendment provides that a state government, like Florida and Texas, cannot abridge the speech rights of a private company, like Google.

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The Florida federal court concluded that tech companies are private entities with First Amendment rights of editorial discretion and that state governments do not possess the power to disregard these rights. However, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature do not seem to care about this federal court ruling or the United States Constitution. They disregarded both by passing House Bill 20 and signing it into law.

Texas taxpayers will bear the financial burden of watching House Bill 20 being declared unconstitutional now that NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association have filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas to invalidate House Bill 20.

Aside from infringing on companies constitutional rights, laws like House Bill 20 make it more difficult and expensive for companies to create enjoyable and secure products for users. Technology companies have stepped up and have made robust investments to keep products family-friendly, clean from hate speech and misinformation, and safe from illegal activity.

House Bill 20s drastic measures could easily impose significant additional costs on tech companies. Preventing companies from moderating content might score Texas politicians some cheap political points, but it will cost users and taxpayers severely. Texas officials should be empowering tech companies to continue their efforts to enhance safety from hate speech and misinformation, not disincentivizing them with costly, unfair, and unconstitutional laws and regulations.

Perhaps the largest insult to tech companies and Texans can be attributed to Abbotts double standards. He is using House Bill 20 to target and hurt the very companies that he is actively recruiting to invest in the state of Texas. On one hand, Texas is courting tech companies to bring good-paying jobs and economic vitality to the people of Texas, but on the other, the governor and other Texas officials are on a mission to punish the same companies who could bring those immense benefits to our economy.

It's time for Abbott to embrace the economic free market principles that have made Texas attractive to so many businesses and stop encouraging the passage of unconstitutional legislation.

Tom Leatherbury is the director of the First Amendment Clinic at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and Texas counsel to Electronic Frontier Foundation in NetChoice v. Paxton, the constitutional challenge to House Bill 20. The views expressed are his own.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Leatherbury: Meet Greg Abbott: The governor of censorship and double standards
Typing on a keyboard

This letter is in support of comments made in a Nov. 19 letter by Kathy Donnelly of Bloomington. All persons within planned annexation areas surrounding Bloomington should assure themselves that they submit their remonstrance petitions before the early January deadline.

Even though, quite intentionally, accepted deposit locations are inconvenient  get out en masse and vote against annexation! The mayor and his six minions will probably require a recount. This man simply thinks only of a 'bigger is better" Bloomington. Therefore, I would aim for at least a 5-10% remonstrance vote in excess of the stated minimum of 65%. Don't trust the 51-64% offer one bit. The mayor does not intend to honor anything less than 65% and probably will hedge on that if the vote is that high. He has little compassion for the lives that annexation will negatively impact.

Mr. Mayor, despite all your vapid, illogical reasons for expanding Bloomington, Indiana doesn't need another Indianapolis!

Charles Justice, Bloomington

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Letter: Be sure to submit your remonstrance before January
Officials in California sent word earlier this week that they planned to crack down on "smash and grab" robberies and flash-mob-style looting after numerous recent incidents up and down the state.

But apparently not everybody got the message.

At least two such incidents occurred in Los Angeles County on Black Friday, according to reports.

In Lakewood, a group of suspects ages 15 to 20 stormed a Home Depot store around 8:30 p.m. and grabbed tools such as crowbars, mallets and sledgehammers before getting away in vehicles that were waiting outside, FOX 11 of Los Angeles reported.

One entire section of hammers was completely cleared out, Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies told the station.

As many as 10 vehicles pulled up outside the store and the thieves donned ski masks before launching their spree, KCBS-TV of Los Angeles reported.

RAMPANT SMASH-AND-GRAB THEFT PART OF FAILURE TO PROSECUTE CRIMINALS, TOLERATED BY OFFICIALS, EXPERTS SAY

The theft prompted fears that the stolen tools would be used to commit more robberies at other stores in the area, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department told the station.

The Lakewood incident remained under investigation, FOX 11 reported.

Also Friday, in the Beverly Grove section of Los Angeles, a large group entered a Bottega Veneta store and used pepper spray against some who tried to stop them while grabbing high-end merchandise there, the station reported.

It was unclear how the suspects were able to enter the store or if police made any arrests, the station reported.

Earlier in the week, Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore told the citys Police Commission that a heightened police presence would be in place within city limits on Black Friday to combat "smash and grab" robberies and flash-mob style crimes that have struck California and other locations in recent weeks.

The LAPD planned to be "dedicating resources to some of these higher-end locations to deter further acts of violence," Moore told the panel Tuesday, according to FOX 11.

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Also Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called such crimes "unacceptable" during an interview with FOX 2 of the Bay Area.

Like Moore in Los Angeles, Newsom vowed a stronger police presence for other parts of the state.

"Everybodys got to step things up," Newsom said. "We need to see more law enforcement, see more deterrents, more presence. Youve seen more, youll see even more CHP [California Highway Patrol] officers out on the roads."

Newsom claimed that back in July he worked with mayors and police chiefs from 13 cities in the state on a plan to combat retail thefts.

NEWSOM TELLS CALIFORNIA MAYORS TO STEP UP AFTER MOB OF LOOTERS MAKES SIX-FIGURE NORDSTROM HEIST

Despite recent incidents in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas, Newsom insisted that authorities in the state have made "hundreds of arrests" and recovered "tens of millions of dollars" over that time. He vowed that stepped-up police efforts would continue.

"Youre going to see it in and around large shopping malls and centers, going to continue to work collaboratively to address these organized efforts and call them out," Newsom told FOX 2. "They need to be held to account. This is unconscionable behavior. Its impact is well beyond the victim: the business. Were all victimized because theres a level of distrust, lack of confidence in public safety that is inherent in whats happening. We need to be more aggressive."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in Sacramento, Sept. 14, 2021. Reuters

According to FOX 11, other recent Los Angeles-area incidents have included:

On Wednesday, suspects entered several stores at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles and ran off with merchandise.

Also Wednesday, suspects attacked a security guard and stole about $25,000 in handbags from a Nordstrom store in Canoga Park.

In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed also recently announced plans to combat rampant retail crimes. The plan includes new limits on how vehicles can access the citys Union Square shopping district, Breed said last Saturday.

The San Francisco area has also seen recent flash-mob style robberies at a Louis Vuitton store in the city and a Nordstrom store in Walnut Creek, a suburb about 25 miles east of the city.
Sagamore Hills police department

Several area police agencies have been working together to investigate a series of recent catalytic converter thefts.

David Hayes, Sagamore Hills police chief, said that the township police department is investigating a recent attempted catalytic converter theft on Aurora Road.

"They were interrupted in their attempt and fled in a vehicle," Hayes said. "We obtained pictures. An investigation is ongoing involving multiple agencies. The thieves are cutting the catalytic converters off of the vehicles, usually trucks, then they sell them to scrap yards. They can get around $400 for one."

Det. Dan Matejka of the Macedonia Police Department confirmed that several agencies were working together to solve the issue but declined to elaborate, saying that the investigation was ongoing.

"As far as where this is occurring, it is occurring all over Northeast Ohio," Matejka said. "Vehicle owners should be watchful of suspicious persons and vehicles in the area and report these findings to their local authorities."

Streetsboro Police Lt. Richard Polivka said that catalytic converters from three of the city's fleet vehicles, Ford Escapes, were reported stolen Nov. 12 and could be related to other thefts in the city and region. Polivka said the cost per vehicle to replace the catalytic converters is around $1,200. The police department believes the theft from the city vehicles took place sometime between Nov. 10 and 12.

"This has been a problem with other agencies, and detectives have been communicating with each other trying to come up with suspects," Polivka said. He added the Streetsboro Detective Bureau is working with Sagamore Hills, Macedonia and other agencies to try to end the surge in catalytic converter thefts.

Polivka said the theft from the City Hall vehicles was particularly frustrating because the vehicles are 2011 models, and the older the vehicle, the less valuable the metal obtained from it.

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"I think they get anywhere from $100 to $300 or $400 apiece from them because there's precious metal in them," he said.

In addition, The Streetsboro Parks & Recreation Department also has been hit twice by catalytic converter thieves, most recently about three weeks ago, said Polivka. Police also received another report of a catalytic converter theft from the Bridgeport Apartments, which are just east of City Hall's 555 Frost Road location.

"We had one a few months ago where the victim came out, and there was a guy under her car in broad daylight," Polivka said.

Hayes said that those with vehicles need to stay alert to help deter thefts.

"People just need to pay attention to anyone that is under a vehicle that has no reason to be," Hayes said. "They do it very quickly. If suspects are seen in an area doing this type of activity, they should call 911 immediately."

Reporter Bob Gaetjens contributed to this story.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Catalytic converter thefts leads police agencies to work together
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian police said on Saturday it will look into a claim a factory worker of Dyson supplier ATA IMS Bhd was beaten at its station but that it had not received any formal complaints.

British home appliance maker Dyson https://www.reuters.com/business/exclusive-dyson-terminates-relationship-with-malaysian-supplier-ata-over-labour-2021-11-25 told Reuters that it was ending its contract with ATA after an audit of the company's labour practices and allegations by a whistleblower.

Dhan Kumar Limbu, a former ATA worker, told Reuters on Thursday that ATA officials took him to a police station in June, where he was questioned about sharing information about conditions at the factory with activists and then beaten by police.

The police department in the southern Johor state, where ATA's factory is located, said it has not received any reports on the matter.

"Johor police takes note of the issue that was reported and will conduct an investigation if what was reported exists," it said in a statement on Facebook.

ATA said on Friday it had appointed consultants https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/analysts-see-years-losses-malaysias-ata-after-major-client-dyson-cuts-ties-2021-11-26 to review findings of forced labour in an audit summary it received from Dyson and claims of physical abuse raised by a former worker.

The manufacturer said it had hired a law firm in Malaysia to conduct an independent review of the allegations of physical abuse by the former worker, and a detailed report would be finalised soon.

Malaysia's human resources minister said the ministry will investigate Dyson's decision to sever ties with ATA IMS.

In interviews with Reuters, seven current and former ATA employees said they had worked overtime in excess of limits under Malaysian law and paid recruitment fees in their home countries to labour brokers, a practice activists have criticised as a form of debt bondage.

Dyson contributes around 80% of ATA's revenue. Shares in ATA, which makes parts for Dyson's vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, have plunged 55% since the Reuters report.

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by William Mallard)
MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell, speaks to reporters outside federal court in Washington, Thursday, June 24, 2021. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell began a 96-hour "Thanks-a-Thon" livestream on Wednesday.

On Friday night Lindell began fundraising for his "Lindell Legal Offense fund."

He said anyone who donated even $10 would get a free copy of his memoir.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell fundraised for a "legal offense fund" during his marathon 96-hour "Thanks-a-Thon" livestream, saying he'll send a free copy of his memoir to anyone who contributes to it.

"It's actually the Lindell Legal Offense fund, 'cos remember, we're always on the offense," Lindell said.

The MyPillow CEO made the offer around 11:30 p.m. ET on Friday, approximately 45 hours into his four-day livestream. He said the offer is valid until Sunday at midnight.

"If you donate anything, even if it's $10, I'm gonna send you a free book," Lindell said, referring to his memoir, titled "What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO."

Lindell also described the contents of his memoir, including a chapter where he writes about digging through a carpet for crack cocaine.

According to the website of The Lindell Legal Offense Fund, individuals can donate amounts ranging from $10 to $50,000. The website claims that the money donated will be used to "save our country."

"God has blessed me with a platform to be a voice for freedom. This incredible exposure has resulted in me becoming like a hub of a wheel for information. Individuals and groups have reached out to me from all over the country telling me of the efforts they are doing to help save our country," Lindell said in a notice posted on his legal fund's website.

He added that he has "vetted these efforts, lawsuits, and projects."

"I can guarantee you that 100% of every dollar donated to the Lindell Legal Offense Fund will go to the most urgent causes at this time," Lindell wrote.

Lindell announced he was launching the fund in March as a means to raise money to go after "election fraud," The Daily Beast's Zachary Petrizzo reported.

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It's unclear what the funds have been used for since then. Insider has reached out to Lindell for comment.

Lindell, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, has long railed against the results of the 2020 election, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Earlier this week, the MyPillow CEO blamed the Republican National Committee for allegedly preventing him from submitting a complete complaint to the Supreme Court. Lindell said the RNC called state attorneys general and pressured them to not sign his complaint.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Oxygen

A North Carolina man who killed his own father, a police chief in their town, as a teen will soon be released from prison. Nathanael High, 34, could be released from prison as early as 2023, local outlet WSOC-TV reports. While High was initially sentenced to life without parole in 2004 for shooting his father to death two years prior, changes in state law have since prevented minors from getting life without parole. High was 15 when he and his 13-year-old girlfriend shot his dad Randy High as he
A 26-year-old Lake Worth man has been arrested following a crash which resulted in the death of an off-duty Euless police officer on Saturday afternoon in Lake Worth.

Lake Worth police and other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene at the intersection of Boat Club Road and Rocky Point Trail around 1:30 p.m.

The suspect, identified by police as Dylan Molina, attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended by neighbors and bystanders, according to a police statement. When officers took the man into custody, authorities said, they detected a strong odor of alcohol on Molinas breath.

The off-duty officer has been identified as Euless Police Department Detective Alejandro Alex Cervantes.

Lake Worth Police Chief J.T Manoushagian said members of Cervantes family, who were also in the vehicle during the crash, were taken to local hospitals in serious condition. Fire officials had to use specialized rescue equipment to free them from their vehicle, according to the statement.

A MedStar representative said a woman in critical condition was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital and two children were taken to Cook Childrens Medical Center with minor injuries.

Molina faces charges of intoxication manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault. Police said charges may be enhanced as the investigation progresses.

We will investigate this crime to the fullest extent of the law and hold all those who contributed to Detective Cervantes death accountable for their actions, or lack thereof, Manoushagian said in a statement on Saturday night.

Euless police said the Lake Worth Police Department will be leading the investigation with the assistance of the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office Crash Reconstruction Team and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Alex had served honorably with our police department for almost seven years and was a member of our police department Honor Guard Team, the Euless Police Department said in a statement. Please keep Alexs family, friends, colleagues and the Euless community in your thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time.
WASHINGTON  When Congress returns from Thanksgiving break, it will have a slate of legislative items it must pass  and others it may try to push through  by the calendar-year's end.

Both chambers of Congress will work in overdrive to try to avoid a government shutdown and default, both of which would be catastrophic for an economy grappling with the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is inflation, and how does it affect you? Increase in prices for gas, food, energy raise concern

In addition, lawmakers must pass a national security package.

Other legislative priorities include President Joe Biden's Build Back Better bill and a China competitiveness bill.

These are no small feat for any Congress, much less one as evenly divided  and contentious  as this.

Here's what Congress needs to address in the rest of 2021 and other priorities that Democratic leadership may push for.

Government funding to avoid shutdown

Congress has until Friday to avoid a government shutdown.

More: Biden signs bill to avert government shutdown, approves bill to fund government through Dec. 3

In late September, Biden and Congress averted a shutdown hours before a midnight deadline by funding the government until the beginning of December.

A shutdown would furlough hundreds of thousands of nonessential federal employees, forcing them to take time off without pay. Essential functions such as the military, law enforcement and air traffic control would continue, but discretionary agencies such as the National Park Service would close.

More: Government shutdown worries have federal offices bracing for furloughs as Congress rushes to pass funding bill

The main entrance to Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona was closed Oct. 10, 2013, during a federal government shutdown.

The last government shutdown lasted 35 days, starting Dec. 21, 2018, when Donald Trump was president. It followed brief shutdowns in January and February 2018.

Raising debt ceiling to avoid default

Congress has struggled to address the debt limit  the typically nonpartisan issue of the nation's ability to borrow money. Raising the debt ceiling would cover expenses lawmakers in both parties have run up and must be paid.

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The House passed legislation in mid-October that raised the nation's debt ceiling for several weeks, allowing the government to keep paying its bills and avoid the economic chaos that would come if the United States defaulted.

More: House votes to raise debt ceiling, sending bill to Biden and setting up another fight over borrowing limit

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers she estimated the United States would reach its debt ceiling by Dec. 15.

If the United States defaults on its debt for the first time, the results could lead to a global recession, Treasury Department officials and experts said. A tanked market would hurt 401(k)s and other investments. A debt ceiling standoff in 2013 cost the economy 1% in GDP.

The national debt approaches $29 trillion. The ceiling was extended to cover rising debt incurred by spending programs and tax cuts passed by Congresses under the leadership of both parties.

GOP lawmakers said during the summer they wouldn't help Democrats, who narrowly control Congress, to lift the ceiling because they felt excluded from negotiations on Biden's big-ticket spending proposals, such as the Build Back Better Act.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., insisted that Democrats address the issue by themselves through a legislative procedure called reconciliation, a maneuver that would allow Democrats to approve the bill without Republican support. Democrats said this option would be cumbersome and lead to long debates.

The president urged Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the rest of the Republicans to "get out of the way" and let Democrats suspend the nation's debt limit to keep the government from a devastating credit default.

McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., met in person before the Thanksgiving break on the issue, and they had a "good conversation," according to McConnell.

We agreed to kind of keep talking, working together to try to get somewhere, McConnell said.

NDAA: Must-pass defense policy bill

Before the end of the year, Congress will need to address the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass national security package.

The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of military legislation passed by Congress each year, authorizing appropriation and spending for the Department of Defense and other defense-related agencies.

More: Senate overrides Trump's NDAA veto  the first such rebuke of his presidency

The NDAA usually passes with bipartisan support. Around the end of 2020, both chambers of Congress overrode Trump's veto of the 2021 NDAA  a rare rebuke in a divided Washington that underscored the importance of the legislation and its funding.

The 2022 NDAA passed the House in September and will be debated after the Thanksgiving break in the Senate. Senators adjourned for the recess amid hundreds of amendments filed on the legislation.

The amended NDAA would be kicked back down to the House for passage before it landed on Biden's desk for a signature.

More: Women would be required to register with the Selective Service if this amendment becomes law

The 2022 legislation includes an amendment that would require women to sign up for the Selective Service  and thus any drafts  and several provisions to examine the war in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal and evacuation in August.

Schumer is pushing to repeal the 2002 Iraq War authorization as part of the bill.

Build Back Better hurdles

Though House Democrats celebrated passing Biden's Build Back Better Act before the Thanksgiving break, challenges lie ahead for the massive bill.

More: House passes Bidens Build Back Better bill, sending measure with free preschool, climate initiatives to the Senate

The legislation is a wide-ranging package of Democratic social spending priorities, including free preschool, initiatives to fight climate change and affordable housing programs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats cheer after passage of the Build Back Better Act on Nov. 19, 2021, in Washington.

Though it passed the lower chamber with a 220-213 vote, the legislation faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Senate Democrats could pass it using the reconciliation process, which would bypass any Republican filibuster. But Biden and Democratic leaders need the support of all 50 Democratic voting-senators  and Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote  to pass the bill that way.

They don't have all 50 on board with the House-passed legislation.

Moderate Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia haven't signed on to the nearly $2 trillion dollar bill and flagged areas of concern. They are part of the reason the bill started as a wish list that topped $6 trillion, then fell to $3.5 trillion and is now around $2 trillion.

It is likely to be changed in the upper chamber to gain the support of the two moderates, requiring another vote in the House for it to make it to Biden's desk for a signature.

Manchin expressed qualms over a paid family leave provision. He has repeatedly said that although he might support family leave separately, he doesn't believe it belongs in the social spending bill.

What's in the House-passed Build Back Better bill? Paid leave, pre-K and more

"That's a piece of legislation that really is needed from the standpoint: if we do it and do it right," he told CNN's "New Day" in November. He said it should be bipartisan and with "regular order through the process," instead of the budget reconciliation process.

Democrats dropped their proposal to provide 12 weeks of paid family leave in late October in response to Manchin's concerns, then added it in about a week later, scaled back to four weeks.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., an advocate for federally mandated paid family and medical leave, remained hopeful it would be included despite Manchin's resistance. She told CBS News' "Face the Nation" she thinks she and Manchin "can come together hopefully in the next couple of weeks on something that could be included in this package."

"I'm hopeful that if I can use the next three weeks to really impress upon Sen. Manchin that some things can only be done with Democrats  only that now is the only time to do that, perhaps, in the next decade," she said.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., far left, arrive to vote on a temporary government funding bill to avert a shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. President Joe Biden appears unable to strike swift agreement with the two wavering Democrats who are pivotal votes for his big $3.5 trillion government overhaul.

It's unclear where Sinema stands on the legislation. She told Politico, If you're in the middle of negotiating things that are delicate or difficult ... doing it in good faith directly with each other is the best way to get to an outcome.

More: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema explains her strategy on infrastructure, spending bills

Schumer said during a news briefing this week, "The House did a very strong bill. Everyone knows that Manchin and Sinema have their concerns, but we're going to try to negotiate with them and get a very strong, bold bill out of the Senate, which will then go back to the House and pass."

The leader said his party would like to finish the bill by Christmas.

Including immigration in BBB

Democrats have struggled to reach a consensus on sweeping immigration changes. They will push through the end of the year to include immigration provisions in the Build Back Better Act.

This comes in light of several setbacks in their attempts to include immigration proposals into Biden's budget package. Advocates said time is running out to pass comprehensive reform before next year's midterm elections.

'We can't wait': Immigration advocates worry time is running out to pass a pathway to citizenship

In their effort to include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the budget package, Senate Democrats presented two proposals last month to Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. Both were rejected on the premise the policy impact outweighed the budget impact.

MacDonough, a nonpartisan, unelected staff member, determines whether policies included in a reconciliation package abide by the Senate's Byrd Rule, which states only policies that have a direct impact on the federal budget can be included.

The options to move forward on immigration are limited, and many advocates and some congressional Democrats see the reconciliation process as the best option in a divided Congress. They urged Democrats to ignore MacDonough's rulings and include the pathway to citizenship in the bill.

Who is the Senate parliamentarian? Meet the referee on major legislation

Manchin said he wouldn't vote to overrule the parliamentarian, telling Fox News he's "not going to do that."

Axios reported this week that the parliamentarian has been meeting with Democratic staffers on a provision in the legislation: granting work permits to about 6.5 million undocumented people and temporary protection from deportation.

The meeting was a hopeful sign for staffers of progress on that provision, as it was not ruled out, Axios reported.

The policy does not guarantee a pathway to citizenship, which advocates and Democratic lawmakers call for.

'Safeguard our elections' : Voting rights

Schumer told his caucus this month he would attempt to focus on voting rights before the end of the year.

The House has approved several voting rights bills, but Senate Republicans blocked their advance in the upper chamber this year.

More: Republicans block John Lewis Voting Rights Act in Senate vote

Republicans opposing the legislation say it is part of a partisan strategy for Democrats to federalize election rules to their advantage.

The Freedom to Vote Act would expand early voting options, voter identification requirements and access to mail-in ballots and allow for same-day registration on election day. The legislation was scaled back from the For the People Act in an attempt to get Republicans on board.

More: Senate Democrats unveil voting rights bill in latest effort to bring federal rules to elections

This month, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the only Republican to vote to advance another bill  the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It would replace part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2013 and would aim to restore Justice Department review of changes in election law in states with a history of discrimination.

Democrats have pushed for changes to battle gerrymandering and state laws restricting voters' access. Trump and Republican state lawmakers continue to advance baseless conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen.

A USA TODAY analysis of 254 new laws in 45 states passed since then revealed a variety of changes voters may notice and other administrative changes happening behind the scenes. In total, about 55 million eligible voters live in states with changes that will give them less access.

A new American fault line: How new election laws will make it harder for 55 million to vote

'Use your soapbox': Activists urge Biden to step up voting rights push as latest bill fails in Senate

Getting 10 Senate Republicans on board to pass any legislation would be a difficult feat. They have consistently argued federal changes to voting laws are unnecessary, and elections should be handled at the state level.

McConnell said in October that what Democrats have wanted "to do forever is to have the federal government take over how elections are conducted all over America."

Schumer wrote to Senate Democrats that the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would "work together to safeguard our elections and promote equitable access to the ballot, while fighting back against partisan gerrymandering and unaccountable dark money."

He continued: "But just because Republicans will not join us doesnt mean Democrats should stop fighting. This is too important. Even if it means going at it alone, we will continue to fight for voting rights and work to find an alternative path forward to defend the most fundamental liberty we have as citizens."

He said Democrats "have been discussing ideas for how to restore the Senate to protect our democracy," hinting at discussing changes to the filibuster.

Several Democrats oppose carving out or changing the filibuster, including Manchin and Sinema.

China competitiveness bill

Both chambers of Congress are likely to consider legislation aimed at reinvigorating America's technological footprint to counter China and invest in semiconductor manufacturing.

The legislation  the United States Innovation and Competition Act  passed the Senate this summer with bipartisan support, but the House never passed its own bill.

Both chambers are renegotiating the legislation.

More: Senate passes bill to boost US science and tech innovation to compete with China

Schumer sought to attach the bill to the NDAA last week, but the plan faced opposition from Senate Republicans.

Pelosi and Schumer announced they would enter into formal negotiations on the legislation.

"Working with President Biden, the House and Senate have been crafting bipartisan legislation to bolster American manufacturing, fix our supply chains, and invest in the next generation of cutting-edge technology research," the two said. "There are still a number of important unresolved issues.

Contributing: Ledyard King, Bart Jansen, Joey Garrison, Rebecca Morin

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Congress: Debt ceiling, funding, other issues to tackle before year-end
News in Brief

Olde' Fashioned Christmas returns to Oak Harbor

OAK HARBOR  The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce will host an Olde' Fashioned Christmas from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 4. At 5 p.m. Santa will arrive at the Log Cabin to light the Village Christmas Tree and to visit with the children.

There will be a Secret Santa Shop for children, free carriage rides, a fire truck parade with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Creek Bend Farm to host Homestead Holiday

LINDSEY  Creek Bend Farm and Homestead House will host Homestead Holiday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4. The open house requires registration and is free. Visit the Sandusky County Park District website, lovemyparks.com or call 419-334-4495.

Take a step back to the 1940s at the event and walk through a farmhouse enjoying the sights and sounds of Christmas. Activities include touring the house and walking to the Wilson Nature Center. Activities include a vintage Christmas toy scavenger hunt, homemade caramels to sample, a vintage train display and more.

Journey Church to host Gingerbread Contest

Journey Church is hosting a Gingerbread Contest for families or group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the church, 565 S. Ohio 19, Fremont. Cost is $15 per family. This is a child-friendly event and includes the gingerbread house and supplies, cocoa bar and games. Participants must preregister by Nov. 28 at explorejourney.org/events.

Clyde library invites teams to find Santa's cookies

CLYDE  The Clyde Public Library will host a Christmas Cookie Escape Room Dec. 9, 10 and 11. It's Christmas Eve but the cookies to be left out for Santa have been locked away. Groups are challenged to unlock the cookies before bedtime. Sign up for an escape room session, which runs 30 minutes. Groups of up to eight may participate. Registration is required by calling 419-547-7174. Times are 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 10; and 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 11. Adults, teens and children with an adult may participate.

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Run set for Dec. 18

GIBSONBURG  The annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Run and Walk will beheld at 9 a.m. Dec. 18. The 5K run and walk will start and finish at Gibsonburg Town Hall. Entry fee will be a new and unwrapped toy or nonperishable food items. Toys are distributed to young people from the community by the Gibsonburg Ministerial Association and Gibsonburg School District and food items are placed on the shelves of the Gibsonburg Food Pantry. Special awards will be presented to the Adult Male and Female and Youth Boy and Girl with the ugliest Christmas sweaters. For more information call 419-637-2634.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: News Briefs: Olde' Fashioned Christmas returns to Oak Harbor




North Korea has banned leather coats that copy the style of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, multiple sources told Radio Free Asia.

Kim popularized the leather jacket in 2019. It was initially worn by rich people who could afford the pricey item.

However, fake leather was soon imported so the jacket could be worn by those with less money, which frustrated the North Korean leader.

"When these leather coats became popular, the law enforcement authorities went after the companies that made the coats that look too much like the Highest Dignity's," one source said.

A military parade in North Korea in January showed all the high-ranking officials wearing leather jackets, sparking even more interest in the material. However, literal fashion police have worked to confiscate the fake leather jackets in markets and from people wearing them.

Citizens have complained, saying it is not fair to take a jacket they paid for.

"The police respond to the complaints, saying that wearing clothes designed to look like the Highest Dignity's is an 'impure trend to challenge the authority of the Highest Dignity,'" another source said. "They instructed the public not to wear leather coats, because it is part of the party's directive to decide who can wear them."

The leather jacket has also been worn by Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister, who is speculated to be his chosen successor, according to the outlet.

"So now the leather coat has become a symbol for powerful women too," the first source said.
The Green Lab cafe near Seoul Forest allows customers to book a slot to sit in peace and quiet (Green Lab/Facebook)

Sometimes, all you need is somewhere quiet, with a view of the natural world, to get some much-needed headspace and de-stress.

Some South Koreans are paying for the privilege to do just that, in a cafe near Seoul Forest that allows customers to book time slots in designated chill out spaces.

According to the Washington Post, The Green Lab is a tea shop that seats just 10 people, who are not allowed to wear shoes or speak while they are there.

The cafe has seen consistent levels of visitors throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as the idea of having a dedicated space to relax gains popularity among South Koreans.

Customers can sit in a comfortable chair in a room overlooking plenty of trees and the sky, and can read, write, meditate, or simply enjoy the view over a cup of tea.

Bae Hyun, an employee at The Green Lab, told the Post that it was difficult to find spaces in Korean society where its acceptable to do absolutely nothing.

People seem to be finding more interest in this, though I think it will take some more time for it to become widely popular, he said, adding that as people learn to live with Covid, the concept may become more common.

Stress levels in South Korea were high before the pandemic hit, with workers racking up among the highest number of overtime hours in the world.

In 2018, after official figures revealed that hundreds of people died from overwork in 2017, the South Korean government passed a law to reduce the maximum working hours from 68 to 40 hours per week, with 12 hours of paid overtime.

The word used to describe the phenomenon of death by overworking is called gwarosa.

A survey published earlier this year found that levels of stress and depression among South Koreans increased due to the pandemic, with 72.8 per cent of more than 1,000 Koreans surveyed saying they were stressed.

Yoon Duk-hwan, a consumer trends researcher, told the Post that he expects higher demand for relaxation spaces as the pandemic continues.

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Its difficult to cope with feeling both trapped and lonely at the same time, he said. They want a space where theyre alone to be somewhere else other than their home.

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The Beatles rehearse at Twickenham Studios (Walt Disney Studios)

At the height of Beatlemania, trying to infiltrate the Fab Fours world to see their true selves was a challenge of Herculean proportions. So imagine trying to shove a camera in their face and film them at close quarters, as Michael Lindsay-Hogg did in 1969. It did not go well. In Peter Jacksons new three-part documentary Get Back  based on 56 hours of Lindsay-Hoggs never-before-seen footage of the band in their final throes  you see just what a task his forerunner had on his hands, as he tried to convince the biggest band in the world to cooperate. They were having none of it.

They would say, No, no, absolutely not. Youre not gonna be showing that bit, Jackson recalls, laughing at the memory of what he found when he began delving into those treasured archives. The Beatles [were] famously in control of how they came across  it took them decades to release a single track. But I get the feeling now that history has arrived.

To make his documentary, the New Zealander was granted unprecedented access to the near-legendary, unedited footage from the Let It Be sessions, which had sat untouched in the vaults of Apple Corps (the Beatles-founded company that handles their affairs) for half a century. It had long since become a blot on The Beatles timeline, with the band scrambling to come up with new songs, a venue for the show, and some way to get through to the other side without strangling one another.

At the time, Lindsay-Hoggs documentary was accused of showing this to the world in all its ugly glory. Understandably, then, Jackson was wary  plans to restore and release the footage had been ditched before  but after viewing what was there, he knew he had to do it. My mind is still blown at the fact that this actually exists, the 60-year-old says. The most remarkable thing about this isnt what Ive done, its the fact that Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot this footage 52 years ago.

Peter Jackson: My mind is still blown that this actually exists (SNPA/Ross Setford)

As youd expect from the man behind the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies: what initially began as a one-off documentary is now a three-part Disney+ series, with each episode around two hours in length. The result is magnificent. In his five-star review, The Independents TV critic Ed Cumming described it as a monument to The Beatles, enormous and revealing, which acts as a bulwark against the endless books and articles and chatter about them by simply showing them as they were.

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To restore the footage, Jackson used the same state-of-the-art digital technology as he did for 2018s astonishing First World War film They Shall Not Grow Old. While Lindsay-Hoggs material required less visual editing, the audio needed work. Listening to the recordings all those years later, Jackson felt something like a CIA agent. Because Im a Beatles fan, I understand the nuances and the relevance of a lot of the little things they talk about, he says.

Looking through the film archives, he learned that the band had, on occasion, sabotaged Lindsay-Hoggs audio recordings on purpose. We came to realise that John [Lennon] and George [Harrison] in particular were very aware that their private conversations were being taped, he says. Michael hid microphones everywhere to try and capture candid conversations. But what John and George used to do was turn their amps up loud and strum their guitars  not playing anything  so thats all Michaels microphones were recording. They were in this sort of running battle.

Its only decades later that Lennon and Harrison were foiled by technology, as Jacksons team was able to strip the guitar audio away and finally expose what they had been talking about. Its a little bit naughty, Jackson admits. But then, you could argue, so was the amp prank.

Let It Be was released in May 1970, just weeks after Paul McCartney confirmed The Beatles had split for good. It was originally intended to show the band in the build-up to a major concert, the location of which was still being decided. Lindsay-Hogg had been hired by the band to capture it all. But his documentary was consequently tainted by the perception that it had been filmed during a time of bitter tension  as inappropriate as someone whipping out their phone to record a car crash. Jackson was determined to change our understanding of those events.

January 1969: the band are rehearsing and working on new songs at Twickenham film studios, trying to decide where to stage a big filmed performance. The excitement in the air is tangible and everyone seems happy to be back together, even if they are being recorded. You see Ringo Starr clowning around at his drumkit and the unbeatable chemistry that alchemised some of the greatest songs the world has ever known. Youre working so well together: youre looking at each other, youre seeing each other, youre just happening, producer George Martin tells them during a visit, hearing songs that would end up on Let It Be (Get Back, Dont Let Me Down), but also gems from Abbey Road, released in September that year, and material released on their solo records.

Jackson says its testament to the band that they were able to work through the Twickenham sessions without drawing blood (the documentary includes myth-dispelling footage of the band scoffing over a newspaper story, which claimed that Harrison left after a physical fight with Lennon). They have their own opinions, Jackson says of the four members. They deal with things in a different way. But if anything, I came away respecting them more. Because when you pull the veil away and you see the unvarnished truth, you prepare yourself to be disappointed in some way. I didnt find that. What did he find? The opportunity to think of them as human beings, he says. I came away thinking of them as decent, sensible guys. They have disagreements, they have different ambitions. [But] theres no ego, no prima donna [behaviour].

If anything, I came away respecting them more

Peter Jackson

Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney both seem pleased with what the film captures. I was always moaning about the original film, because there was no real joy in it, Starr told InsideHook. I think everyone will enjoy Get Back, though, because you get to see this band work really hard and go through emotional ups and downs to get to where we got in the end. And we did get there. Every time.

Ill tell you what is really fabulous about it, it shows the four of us having a ball, McCartney told The Sunday Times after watching Jacksons cut. It was so reaffirming for me. That was one of the important things about The Beatles, we could make each other laugh. He cited a clip of him and Lennon larking about, doing Two Of Us like ventriloquists. It just proves to me that my main memory of The Beatles was the joy and the skill, he said. He admitted that even he  someone who was there, at the heart of it all  was convinced of the mayhem surrounding that period for the band. Asked if watching the footage changed his feelings about the part he played in the split, he answered: Really yes. And there is proof in the footage. Because I definitely bought into the dark side of The Beatles breaking up and thought, God, Im to blame.

Paul McCartney performing on the roof of Apple Corps , 1969 (Walt Disney Studios)

Paul actually said to me when he saw it, Thats a very accurate portrait of how we were then, Jackson says. He didnt receive any other notes on the finished series, compared to poor Lindsay-Hogg, who dealt with the band coming into his cutting room and requesting changes. I get the feeling theres no concern about their image anymore, he says. He was careful not to twist things or misrepresent an offhand quote from an hour-long conversation while staying truthful to the footage. I tried to portray them as I was seeing them, says Jackson. [And] the band themselves didnt want a whitewash. They didnt want it sanitised.

Jacksons no-holds-barred approach means that there are plenty of difficult on-camera moments as well (not least of all from Lindsay-Hogg himself, who is still alive, now 81, and makes a fair few culturally insensitive gaffes). A key moment is when George Harrison left the band on 10 January, 1969. Got up, went to Twickenham, rehearsed until lunchtime, left The Beatles, the blunt entry in his diary read. But its the ensuing fallout that makes for one of the documentarys most fascinating sequences.The moment when George walks out, theyve got a huge problem, Jackson says. Theres nothing [new] to reveal [apart from] how they respond to the crisis. And thats interesting.

They were cheering us up the whole time (Disney)

Indeed, we see Starr, Lennon and McCartney discussing Harrisons departure, and Lennon admitting he would choose Yoko Ono over any of them. I would sacrifice you all for her, he says. Later on, McCartney warns the others against trying to interfere with the couples relationship, even if they disliked how Ono seemed perpetually glued to Lennons side. Theyre going overboard about it, but John always does, you know, and Yoko probably always does, he says. So thats their scene. You cant go saying, Dont go overboard about this thing, be sensible about it and dont bring her to meetings. With hilarious prescience, he also envisioned how Ono would probably be blamed for breaking up the band: Its going to be such an incredible sort of comical thing, like, in 50 years time, he says. They broke up cause Yoko sat on an amp or something like that its not as though theres any sort of earth-splitting rows or anything.

Jackson seems keenly aware of the unenviable task he had on his hands, of creating something new about The Beatles that would appeal to both aficionados and casual fans. What he believes about Get Back is that it shows a genuinely different side to the legends  one no one has really seen before. Even when youre in a press conference, youre trying to be natural and be yourself, but youre aware theres an audience, he says. What this does, when its most candid, is youre getting a 100 per cent pure look at the guys, which doesnt really exist on film anywhere else. Its a fly on the wall of this very ambitious project as it begins to derail. Now, what better way to learn about peoples characters than to see how they cope with problems?

John Lennon in the Twickenham studio, 1969 (Walt Disney Studios)

Ultimately, Jackson wanted to offer something that would, hopefully, cheer people up after a s****y year. He feels fortunate that this is the way he spent the pandemic, sifting through all that footage, building to the moment on 30 January 1969 when the band took to the roof of the Apple Corp building at 3 Savile Row, London, not knowing this would be their final ever performance. The band were cheering us up the whole time, Jackson says. We tried to make [Get Back] happy and joyous, because we felt people needed that. And who better than The Beatles to bring a smile to our faces?

Get Back is out on Disney+ now

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schiphol airport LAURENS BOSCH/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

At least 61 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed after two planes from South Africa carrying over 600 passengers landed at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport Friday, The Washington Post and New York Post report.

It remains unclear whether any of those cases are instances of the new Omicron variant. Infected passengers will be required to quarantine at a hotel for at least five days. Those who tested negative were allowed to return home or continue to their ultimate destinations. According to a New York Times reporter who was a passenger on one of the flights, several of her fellow passengers were maskless in violation of the mandate imposed by Dutch airline KLM.

The Dutch government re-imposed a partial lockdown earlier this month and had already planned to tighten those restrictions starting this weekend. Under the new policy, most businesses will have a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. New Year's Eve fireworks have already been canceled for the second consecutive year, and crowds have been banned from sporting events.

These new restrictions led to riots in Rotterdam earlier this month. Protestors threw rocks and torched cars, and police shot and wounded two people.

Despite a nationwide vaccination rate of over 70 percent, one of the highest in Europe, the Netherlands' infection rate is still at its highest point since the beginning of the pandemic, with over 20,000 new cases per day.

This story has been updated to reflect the most current number of COVID-19 cases.

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University of New Hampshire President James Dean is seeking an apology from students protesting an alleged sexual assault on campus, for using profanity, jeering and ridiculing him when he tried to speak with them on Oct. 25.

DURHAM  The student-run Sexual Violence Action Committee is missing one important player: the school president.

UNH President James W. Dean Jr. wants students in the group, formed in response to sex assault allegations on campus, to apologize for the way they treated him and other administrators at a protest last month. And he won't meet with them until they apologize, according to two school officials.

President Dean attended a protest outside his on-campus home Oct. 25, held amid mounting frustration among students who felt UNH wasn't doing enough in response to alleged sexual violence.

Previously: UNH police investigate alleged sexual assault. Students protest, demand action.

UNH spokesperson Erika Mantz said students responded to the presence of the president and administrators with "disrespectful behavior."

When he tried to talk with them, he was met with profanity, jeering, ridicule of his name, and them turning their back to him," Mantz said in a prepared statement. "He would like to meet with these students once they apologize and take responsibility for their disrespectful behavior.

Mantz also defended the school's response to the allegations. "UNH condemns all forms of interpersonal and sexual violence, including sexual assault and harassment. UNH administrators, President Dean included, are spending considerable time and effort on this important issue, she said.

UNH Police Chief Paul Dean said last month police were investigating a report of an Oct. 15 sexual assault in Stoke Hall, the largest dorm on campus. The chief recently said the investigation has since been passed along to the Strafford County Attorneys Office for review.

What sexual assault allegations were made? Why did students begin protesting?

In October, an online petition addressed to the school accusing a UNH student by name of MULTIPLE acts of rape and assault against women began to circulate. Because the accused student has not been charged with a crime nor been cited as being under investigation by the school or university police, Seacoastonline will not publish their name.

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At the same time, an Instagram account with the username unhchicks, which is not affiliated with the university, named the same student in a post as being known around his residence hall (Stoke Hall) as someone who constantly gropes women. The same post wrote that the student has allegedly assaulted many women.

On Friday, Oct. 22, in light of the allegations, students led a protest outside of President Deans home before moving it to the front entrance of Stoke Hall. As students protested outside, Dean of Students Michael Blackman, a member of the schools police department and an official from the schools Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program were inside the residence hall meeting with residents about the sexual misconduct allegations.

The following week, on Monday, Oct. 25, President Dean wrote to the school community. He stated the school does not tolerate any form of sexual harassment, adding not everything seen or read online should be considered truthful.

For two reasons, it is difficult for people in our community to have an accurate understanding of what has happened and what the university has done in the aftermath of a report of sexual assault, President Dean wrote. First, the university does not publicly discuss the details of a sexual assault report because we respect the privacy of those involved, and so that we do not interfere with any investigation. Second, there is often a great deal of conversation on social media in the aftermath of a reported incident, and much of what is shared on social media is simply not true.

Freshman Kai Parlett, coordinator of the Sexual Violence Action Committee of New Hampshire, which announced its formation Nov. 3, said Wednesday that President Deans message didnt consider some survivors of sexual violence or misconduct share their stories on social media outlets.

Therefore, she believes his message essentially said, Dont believe the survivors stories you see on social media.

A lot of students were angry about that, specifically a lot of the survivors were frustrated because thats what the president was telling them, she said.

Second student protest led to clarification from President Dean

The second student-led protest was Oct. 25 in front of President Deans home. Flanked by other school administrators, the school president addressed the students about their ongoing concerns and frustration.

Nadine Petty, UNHs chief diversity officer, stated Wednesday, as Mantz had, that as the president spoke, there was back turning, there was profanity, there was making fun of his name, taunting and jeering."

Parlett acknowledged the students acted that way, saying it was because they were upset President Dean wasnt listening to their concerns.

What we were doing was gathering in front of his house and giving space for survivors to share their stories, she said. President Dean and other administrators came into that space and used that space for their own agenda and pushing forward of their message and a lot of students were really angry by that and really frustrated.

As reported by UNHs student newspaper, The New Hampshire, after several students voiced their concerns at the Oct. 25 protest, President Dean told the crowd, Of course I want you to feel safe and I understand that you dont. You told me that you dont feel safe and were going to have to see what we can do to try and change that.

Later in the week, President Dean released a subsequent message dated Oct. 29 to the school community titled Sexual Violence Has No Place at UNH.

In it, he wrote that he didnt intend to silence the stories of anyone alleging their being victims of sexual violence through his email sent earlier in the week.

He wrote, I said in the email that people should be careful about statements made on social media because they are often incorrect. What I did not fully appreciate then, but I do now, is that some survivors of sexual violence use social media to share their stories. Because of this, many people understood my message to be one of undermining the experiences of survivors. While this is not at all what I meant, I now understand why people interpreted it this way and were angry and disappointed at my statement. I am very sorry to have created the impression that I wanted to silence survivors.

On the contrary, my hope, and the hope of all university leaders, is that survivors will come forward, report their experiences and allow us to support them and to seek justice, he continued. Again, I want to express my regret to the university community for appearing indifferent to survivors stories and needs, which should be at the center of any conversation on these issues. To all survivors  I believe you, UNH believes you.

Petty reiterated Dean wont meet with the students of the Sexual Violence Action Committee until an apology is made for the behavior at the protests.

Committee coordinator: We won't apologize

Responding to the presidents wishes, the committee wrote in a letter to Petty and Senior Vice Provost for Student Life Kenneth Holmes stating the request for an apology is unreasonable." One reason given in the Nov. 19 letter is the committee formed Nov. 3, about a week after the second protest.

I think he (President Dean) really needs to look into that and put aside his own personal feelings of hurt and really step up as the president of our university and realize that students dont feel safe on campus, Parlett said.

Petty said she and other school administrators have already met twice in-person with the Sexual Violence Action Committee and have started discussing the action items the committee presented to school officials about creating a safer campus environment. UNH has agreed to allow students to carry pepper spray, which is legal in the state but was previously banned on campus. Other requests discussed are an expansion of the alert system, more funding for Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program and screening of student applicants for sexual violence in their history.

President Dean's office directed all requests for comment to Mantz.

Update on sexual assault investigation

Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi confirmed an attorney was reviewing the alleged sex assault at Stoke Hall and a victims assistance employee was in contact with the student who made the report. He said Wednesday it's not yet clear if charges will be filed.

Reviews can take anywhere between weeks and months depending on the complexity of the case and issues that could be part of the case, Velardi said.

If you need help

Seacoast Media Group provides the following information as a public service:

Victims of sexual violence who attend any of the University of New Hampshire's three campuses can contact the university's Title IX Coordinator, Laura Buchs, at (603) 862-2930 or by email at laura.buchs@unh.edu.

UNH's Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program offers support services for victims of sexual violence and can be reached at (603) 862-3494 or find information at unh.edu/sharpp.

UNHs Psychological and Counseling Services can be reached at (603) 862-2090.

The schools police department can be contacted at (603) 862-1212.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: UNH President Dean seeks apology from students fighting sex assault
Associated Press

The Maryland General Assembly voted Thursday to override Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of a redrawn Maryland congressional map, but the governor said the new boundaries make a mockery of our democracy and will be challenged in court. Republicans have done so in such states as Georgia and Texas and Democrats have done it in Illinois and Oregon. Democrats who control the legislature in Maryland said the map is an improvement over the current one, which has long been criticized for sprawling, gerrymandered districts favoring their party.




The Supreme Court is on the eve of arguments in what could be the most consequential abortion case in decades, Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization. For years, many analysts overhyped cases as possible death knells for Roe v. Wade. Despite annual columns questioning such apocalyptic predictions, which often seemed more political than legal, the granting of Dobbs led me to write my first "this could be it" column.

Dobbs has everything that you would need for a Roe-killing case. That does not mean the court will do so, but it could substantially reduce Roe's hold over states.

The more interesting question is not whether Roe will go but whether "viability" is still a viable basis for limiting states on abortion legislation.

There is no constitutional question that has left more lasting, continuing divisions in society and on the court. This case has attracted the third highest number of briefs in the court's history (after leading same-sex marriage case in Obergefell v. Hodges and the ObamaCare ruling in NFIB v. Sebelius); the majority supports Mississippi in its ban on abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.

Forty-eight years ago, the court held in Roe that "the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that this right is not unqualified and must be considered against important state interests in regulation." The court embraced a trimester system of escalating state authority, with little such authority in the first trimester but considerable authority - including possible bans - in the third trimester when a baby is viable outside of the womb.

Then, in 1992, a deeply fractured court upheld the "essential holding" of Roe, but a plurality dispensed with the trimester approach in favor of the current "viability" standard. Under this approach, a state could protect the "potentiality of human life" through legislation once a fetus has reached viability "except where it is necessary ... for the preservation of the life or health of the mother." That line was viewed as around 23 or 24 weeks. (The Washington Post confirmed that the United States is one of only seven out of the world's 198 countries that allow for abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.)

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Since then, abortion has remained a matter of deep divisions. Indeed, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a critic of Roe, seeing it as too sweeping in supplanting state laws. She later blamed the case for reversing the trend toward more pro-choice states.

To uphold Roe, the court likely will require more than the usual arguments of stare decisis, the doctrine that the court should generally stand by its precedents. Pro-choice members and advocates have insisted that Roe is a "super precedent" that cannot be set aside like other cases. (Worth noting is that senators denouncing even the thought of overturning Roe as judicial activism have demanded overturning cases like Citizen's United and Heller.)

However, putting aside the very existence of such a special category of "super precedent," the court has never found terra firma on abortion. For roughly 50 years, it issued a litany of plurality or 5-4 decisions. For example, in 2000, a 5-4 majority struck down a partial-birth abortion law in Stenberg v. Carhart but, two years later, voted 5-4 to uphold a ban on partial-birth abortion.

Today, the country remains deeply divided. Polls show strong support for Roe in principle but also support for limiting it. For example, a new poll out of Marquette University Law School showed 2-1 support for Roe, but a greater number of respondents (37 percent) supported the 15-week limit in Dobbs than opposed it (32 percent).

This term the court was presented with two pre-viability challenges. After Dobbs was accepted with its 15-week limit, advocates sought to enjoin a Texas law that banned abortion after just six weeks. The court ruled 5-4 to allow the Texas law to be enforced. The Biden administration returned to ask for an injunction from the same justices a few weeks later and for a ruling on the statute. As expected, the justices did not enjoin the law but they could address it, either by putting it on the docket for a ruling on the merits or rendering it moot in a decision under Dobbs. In the meantime, this coming week the United States Court of Appeals will hear an expedited appeal on the Texas law in Whole Woman's Health v. Jackson.

Abortion under ancient laws was treated as a criminal offense, and that status remained when our Constitution was written. The line drawn under many of these early laws was not viability but the "quickening." In writing Roe, Justice Harry Blackmun noted that "before 'quickening' - the first recognizable movement of the fetus in utero, appearing usually from the 16th to the 18th week of pregnancy - was not an indictable offense." The Mississippi law put the line along that earlier quickening stage.

Pro-choice advocates hope Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh can again be lured to the center to vote with the three liberal justices. Arguments over "super precedent" may have traction with Roberts, who is known as an institutionalist and incrementalist, uneasy about the court ordering transformative changes in society. Reversing Roe is the ultimate sticker-shock moment for Roberts. Yet, it was Roberts who wrote in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010): "We cannot embrace a narrow ground of decision simply because it is narrow; it must also be right."

Some justices are already on record questioning the constitutionality basis for Roe. Some of these justices do not agree with the sweeping privacy "penumbra" found in Roe. While he often sides with Roberts, Kavanaugh also said in Ramos v. Louisiana (2020) (a non-abortion case) that the court cannot maintain a precedent that is "grievously or egregiously wrong." In the same case, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote: "The doctrine of stare decisis does not mean, of course, that the Court should never overrule erroneous precedents."

So how viable is "viability" if a majority of justices do not see a constitutional privacy basis for the right to abortion?

First, these justices will have to decide whether Roe was flawed from the start or whether, as argued by some, such views of unconstitutionality must be set aside due to historical reliance. Then, unless they overturn Roe entirely, they will have to return to the maddening task of drawing a line between the relative authority of a woman and the state - a line that has wavered between the quickening and viability.

Of course, the court could reaffirm Roe, which - with a six-conservatives majority - would likely mean Roe will remain good law for the foreseeable future. However, it also could abandon viability, or otherwise increase the right of states to place limitations on abortions in the pre-viability stage.

Justice Ginsburg once noted that "it's hard not to have a big year at the Supreme Court." That is true - but Dobbs would make for a historic year, if the court were to find the one thing that has long evaded it on reproductive rights: Clarity.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. You can find his updates on Twitter @JonathanTurley.
A screenshot from the Posten Norge 2021 holiday commercial. Screenshot/Posten Norge

A new holiday advertisement from Norway's 375-year-old postal service puts a new spin on Santa.

The commercial celebrates the 50th anniversary of homosexuality being decriminalized in the country.

Posten Norge's "When Harry Met Santa" has already acquired more than 1 million views on YouTube.

Santa has a new helper this year.

Norway's 375-year-old postal service is celebrating the holidays and a significant LGBTQ anniversary in the country with a festive new commercial focused on inclusivity.

In a nearly 4-minute advertisement produced by Posten Norge, Santa Claus finds romance with Harry, a Norwegian man who waits up each Christmas Eve to spend stolen moments with jolly old Saint Nick.

The commercial, posted to Youtube and titled "When Harry Met Santa," is a riff on the 1987 rom-com "When Harry Met Sally," was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of homosexuality being decriminalized in Norway.

The short film begins with Harry catching a glimpse of Santa delivering presents to his home. They share a forlorn glance before the man in the red suit escapes up the chimney. The commercial continues to track the progression of their budding relationship; over the years, the two meet each Christmas Eve to share stories and laughs, with Harry carefully picking out his outfit before each reunion.

But Santa's holiday duties mean the duo only get to see each other once a year, and for a brief time, at that. So, Harry takes it upon himself to make his feelings known: He sends a heartfelt letter (via Posten) to Santa that reads "All I want for Christmas is you."

The following year, Santa taps Posten for some additional help delivering holiday goodies so he can spend some quality time with Harry. In the final clip, the two share a loving kiss.

"In 2022, Norway marks 50 years of being able to love whomever we want," the commercial reads as it comes to a close.

The country boasts some of the most progressive LGBTQ standards in the world. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1972 and civil partnerships have been legal since 1993. LGBTQ people have been allowed to openly serve in the country's military since 1979.

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The cinematic love story has gained traction on social media, and the YouTube ad has already been viewed more than 1 million times since it was posted Monday.

Posten Norge's marketing director, Monica Solberg, told LGBTQ Nation that some negative responses were expected, but the company was prepared to deal with any backlash.

"The right to love whoever you want is a fundamental human right, and is not considered a political issue in free democratic societies in 2021," she told the outlet.

"This year, Santa is happy that Norway Post can relieve him a little, so that he can be with the one he loves," she added."

Read the original article on Insider
Left-wing and right-wing protesters battle with tear gas, paintballs and rocks in downtown Portland in August 2020.

Rioters should be held to account

Over the last several weeks, a segment of our country followed closely the murder trial of a teenager. A jury was charged with deliberating whether to find him guilty of homicide during a riot.

Based upon evidence collected by the prosecutor, did the young man behave in self-defense or was he an assailant looking for someone to kill?

Not too surprisingly, a portion of the mainstream press, as well as many other progressives, rushed to judgment, finding him guilty.

More: How to send a letter to the editor

Regardless of Kyle Rittenhouses acquittal, one wonders about the mobs who have roamed the streets in many cities without specific cause, damaging private property, setting fires and looting shops. They have terrorized shopkeepers and caused millions of dollars to be lost by mom and pop businesses.

When will the terrorists, supported by the progressive mainstream media, be adjudicated in the courts? Who will reimburse the deserving shopkeepers who have been violated?

Perhaps the public should demand fundraisers initiated by the obstreperous left-leaning media, to compensate the shopkeepers.

Roland Piccone, Sarasota

Rittenhouse jury votes for gun rights

The jury in Wisconsin has chosen to protect the Second Amendment of the Constitution over the Bibles Ten Commandments, which state Thou shalt not kill.

Kyle Rittenhouse made a terrible decision to go to Wisconsin with his weapon. However, the people of Wisconsin said, No worries. We will make sure nothing happens to you.

What a shame that two people are dead and another injured. Our country is in serious trouble.

Susan Terry, Nokomis

Unless you enjoy the burn, vote for Dems

For those who thought this past summer was unusually hot, you were correct. Bob Bunting, CEO of the Sarasota-based Climate Adaptation Center, stated in the Nov. 23 Herald-Tribune that, currently, about 10 days a year reach 95 degrees or hotter.

Unfortunately, Mr. Bunting forecasts that in 2050 that number will rise to 60 days a year (Forecaster: Sarasota to see faster sea level rise, more very hot days in coming decades).

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Have any Republican legislators created a plan to deal with this coming disaster? I have not seen one.

If you believe climate change is real, you better vote Democratic.

Arnie Moskowitz, Sarasota

Forced redo on single-member districts

As evidenced at their Nov. 15 meeting, Sarasota County commissioners are adamant they must have us revote on the single-member district system we approved by a whopping 60%-plus just three years ago.

Their own 2021 Sarasota County Citizen Opinion Survey, conducted just a few months ago, reports over 60% of residents still prefer single-member districts. Despite this, the commissioners are pushing forward with a revote, apparently satisfied with having us revote until they get the result they want.

Single-member districts make it harder for the deep-pocketed special interests to spend whatever it takes to get their preferred candidates elected to serve their interests, not ours.

Since the commissioners apparently see themselves responsible for giving the voters a redo when they think weve had a change of heart or regret how we voted, then Id suggest they hold a revote of the last five county commissioner elections.

John Quinn, Englewood

Exempt trucks from Florida traffic laws

Im so glad that Gov. Ron DeSantis is helping Floridas businessmen by ensuring they dont have to follow the federal government's onerous vaccine rules. I have another idea, which also may require a special legislative session.

Small trucks, bearing company logos, can often be seen hurrying from one job to the next along federal roads. Knowing that the transit time must be annoying and valueless, I think Florida laws should exempt them from obeying traffic rules such as stop signs, red lights and speed limits. Think of the freedom for them.

I'm confident that my state House representative, Tommy Gregory, would be willing to vote for such legislation.

Susan Darovec, Bradenton

Welcome to our scary new world

Taking recent events into consideration, let's extrapolate where all of this could be headed.

The USA will save billions by shutting down the Department of Justice at the federal, state and local levels. The conservatives revile big government and want to shrink-wrap it, and now it's possible.

Vigilantes can now sue suspected abortion enablers and "law n' order" can be enforced by volunteer gunmen. Some very fine and passionate patriots there.

A new fairness doctrine will require the fake-news press to submit everything for review by the conspiracy theorists.

Liberals will go into hiding and white rule will resume. Welcome to our brave new world!

John Taylor, Venice

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hold rioters to account, Rittenhouse acquittal a win for gun rights
The search for the shooter who terrorized Tacoma Mall shoppers Friday night entered its second day Saturday as a victim recovered in a local hospital.

Tacoma police spokesman officer Gary Wurges offered no new information on the search for the suspect who allegedly shot one person. Police did not provide a description of the suspect.

Everything is status quo, Wurges said Saturday morning. Its an ongoing investigation and our criminal investigation division has been notified.

The shooting apparently followed a dispute between at least two people near the food court just after 7 p.m. The mall was immediately locked down as shoppers and employees sheltered behind closed doors and in store rooms.

The male victim was tended to by police officers who were working at the mall off-duty and heard the shots. The victim was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition, Wurges said Saturday afternoon.

Tacoma Mall, which is owned by the Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, said the mall opened at 10 a.m. Monday.

Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees, shoppers and retailers, a statement from the mall said. We are grateful to the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriffs Department, and other first responders for their swift response.

An employee at Macys, which opens earlier than the mall, said her store was back in business at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Everythings back to normal, she told The News Tribune.

City leaders condemned Friday nights violence.

Mayor Victoria Woodards and Deputy Mayor Keith Blocker thanked first responders who quickly converged on the scene.

A police office guards an entrance to the Tacoma Mall on Friday. Gunshots rang out in the shopping center earlier in the evening.

Because the impacts of gun violence ripple out community wide, we continue to place high priority on public safety, they said in a joint statement. As we learn more, we stand with everyone impacted by this event  we are stronger together.

Black Fridays incident comes 16 years after a mass shooting at the same mall.

On Nov. 20, 2005, Dominick Maldonado told 911 dispatchers to follow the screams before he opened fire in the mall with an assault-style rifle, wounding seven people.

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When a store employee, Dan McKown, tried talking him down, Maldonado shot him five times. McKown, a local stand-up comic, was permanently paralyzed by the shooting.

Maldonado then took four hostages but later surrendered. He was sentenced to 163 years in prison.

As with Fridays shooting, shoppers took refuge in stores and backrooms in 2005 as police cleared the scene. McKown lay for an hour, bleeding internally, before help arrived.
South Africa said Saturday it's being "punished" for detecting the new Omicron coronavirus variant as more countries rush to enact travel bans and restrictions.

Driving the news: The U.S. imposed air travel restrictions from eight countries Friday in response to the Omicron variant. Countries in Europe and Asia have also implemented their own travel restrictions in response to Omicron.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

The United Kingdom announced Saturday that two cases of the new variant were detected in the country with a "link to travel to Southern Africa."

The variant has also been found in Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

The big picture: South Africa, which has some of the world's top epidemiologists and scientists, detected the variant early on in its life cycle, Reuters reports.

The variant, known formally as B.1.1.529, was first reported to the World Health Organization on Nov. 24, which then designated it a "variant of concern" on Friday.

Early evidence suggests "an increased risk of reinfection with this variant compared to other" variants of concern, the WHO added.

What they're saying: South African officials said Saturday that although new variants have been detected in other countries, "the reaction to those countries is starkly different to cases in southern Africa."

"This latest round of travel bans is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker," the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said.

"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished," it said in a statement.

"Our immediate concern is the damage that these restrictions are causing to families, the travel and tourism industries and business," South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said in the statement.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Twitter on Saturday that he spoke to Pandor to "express our deep appreciation for the professionalism and transparency of the South African government and South Africas scientists."

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I spoke with South African Foreign Minister Pandor @DIRCO_ZA to express our deep appreciation for the professionalism and transparency of the South African government and South Africas scientists in our shared fight against COVID-19.  Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 27, 2021

Blinken "praised South Africas scientists for the quick identification of the Omicron variant and South Africas government for its transparency in sharing this information, which should serve as a model for the world," spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement following the call.

Go deeper: COVID-19 Omicron variant cases identified in Europe, U.K.

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MADRID (Reuters) - British tourists will be admitted to Spain from next month only if they can show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, according to a Spanish government bulletin published on Saturday as the country tightened travel restrictions amid concern about the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Until now, Britons were admitted to Spain if they could show proof they had been fully vaccinated against coronavirus or a negative PCR test result taken up to 72 hours before arriving.

"The appearance of new variants causing (coronavirus) obliges an increase in restrictions," with regard to people from the UK and Northern Ireland, said the announcement in the Bulletin of State.

The new measure comes into force from Wednesday, Dec. 1.

"This will affect British residents but not British people who are resident in Spain," a spokeswoman for Spain's Industry, Trade and Tourism said.

About 300,000 Britons have residency in Spain, making it the largest group of UK citizens in Europe outside Britain.

Spain restricted flights from South Africa and Botswana on Friday following similar decisions by other European governments.[L8N2SH3F2]

(Reporting by Graham Keeley; Editing by Frances Kerry)
By Miguel Gutierrez and Marco Trujillo

MADRID (Reuters) - Thousands of Spanish police officers marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest against a proposed reform of a security law which they say will hamper their ability to do their work.

Politicians from Spain's three main conservative parties joined police officers in the protest against proposed changes to the 2015 Citizens Security Law, which critics say violates the right to protest and limits free expression.

Dubbed the "Gag Law" by those who oppose it, the legislation allows authorities to fine media organisations for distributing unauthorised images of police, strictly limits demonstrations and imposes heavy fines for offenders.

Spain's leftist government has proposed reforms including no longer classifying the taking of photographs or making of recordings of police at demonstrations as a serious offence.

Under the changes, police will also have to use less harmful materials at protests after a number of people were seriously injured by rubber bullets fired by officers.

The time that suspects who are arrested at protests can be held in custody will be cut from six hours to two and fines will be proportional to how much offenders earn.

"They should either leave the current law as it is or make it better for the police and for the citizens," Civil Guard officer Vanessa Gonzalez told Reuters.

Ivan Espinosa de los Monteros, of the far-right Vox party, said: "There is strong opposition against (the reform) of this law. It is against our police and we will not let it happen."

However, Isa Serra, spokeswoman for the far-left Unidas Podemos party, said at a rally in Cantabria in northern Spain that the law had done a "lot of damage to Spanish democracy".

Organisers said 150,000 people took part in the Madrid demonstration but the government put the figure at 20,000.

(Reporting by Graham Keeley, Miguel Gutierrez and Marco Trujillo; Editing by Alexander Smith)
The musical theater titan Stephen Sondheim was known for bringing a modern intellect and fresh concepts to a staid, traditional Broadway. Some of those new ideas first got tried out in Connecticut on the way to New York.

Sondheim, who was 91, died Friday at his estate in Roxbury. Connecticut was not only the New York natives longtime home but had a role in some of his musical successes.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the first Broadway musical for which Sondheim wrote both the music and lyrics, had its world premiere at the Shubert in New Haven on April 7, 1962. It was at that pre-Broadway tryout in Connecticut that the shows creators realized audiences didnt know how to respond to its blend of ancient Roman comedy by Plautus and early 20th century burlesque clowning. Sondheim began work on a new song, the riotously self-explanatory Comedy Tonight!, and the show triumphed.

The musical Do I Hear a Waltz?, for which Sondheim provided the lyrics to Richard Rodgers music, also had its world premiere at the Shubert, on Jan. 30, 1965. Sondheim had gotten so much acclaim as a lyricist, for such hits as West Side Story and Gypsy, that he was fending off offers from major composers so he could establish that he could write music himself.

Do I Hear a Waltz? was the last time hed be solely a lyricist on a musical. From then on, with Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), Sondheim took a strong hand in all his projects, writing music and lyrics but also conceiving and shaping most of them, and choosing his collaborators carefully.

One of Sondheims most audacious experiments, The Frogs, was staged in the Yale swimming pool in 1974 by the Yale Repertory Theatre with then-Yale School of Drama students Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and Christopher Durang swimming in the chorus, to choreography by Carmen de Lavallade. The show, which starred comic actor Larry Blyden, reunited Sondheim with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum book writer Burt Shevelove, and like that show drew from ancient comedy (in this case the Greek playwright Aristophanes).

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The Frogs remains one of the most talked-about shows in the history of the Yale Rep, but had classic out-of-town troubles. It didnt make it to Broadway until 30 years later, in a revised version (on a stage, not in a pool) starring Nathan Lane.

Regional theater in Connecticut

Connecticuts major regional theaters have kept Sondheims shows alive over the years.

The Goodspeed Opera House did not stage a Sondheim musical until 1996, when Gabriel Barre directed the composers dark Sweeney Todd, about a murderous barber whose victims end up in meat pies. The Goodspeed also did a lavish, emotionally charged production of A Little Night Music (which features one of the composers biggest hits, Send in the Clowns) in 2001. The director this time was Darko Tresnjak, who a decade later would be artistic director of Hartford Stage. In 2009 the Goodspeed got silly with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Westport Country Playhouse did a lively magic-themed Into the Woods in 2012 that brought a cast member from the shows original Broadway production, Danielle Ferland, back to the show but in a different role.

Into the Woods, which finds anxious fairy tale characters interacting with each other (as well as a witch and a giant), has been performed frequently at colleges, high schools and (in a shorter, less psychologically intense version) grade schools throughout the state. Some lesser-known Sondheim works have also found favor at college theaters. Ambitious Yale students have tackled two exceptional yet famously difficult Sondheim works, Anyone Can Whistle and Merrily We Roll Along, numerous times each.

Hartford Symphony Orchestra did a pops concert tribute to Sondheim in 2013, with songs from Sweeney Todd, Follies, Into the Woods, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park with George.

In 2017, the Yale Repertory Theatre staged Sondheims controversial Assassins, which explores the psyches of people who have tried to kill American presidents, just months after the 2016 Presidential election. Sondheim and the shows book writer, Yale Law School alum John Weidman, took part in a live discussion about Assassins at the Yale University Theater. Sondheim joked that he shouldnt be here because he was hard at work on another show at the time.

When Broadway star Terrence Mann (from Cats and Les Miserables) became artistic director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatres Nutmeg Summer Series at the University of Connecticut, he took the starring role in an exceptional production of Sweeney Todd.

A Roxbury home

In September of 2020, during the COVID pandemic, the then-90-year-old Sondheim made a surprise visit to an outdoor production of Assassins which the Warner Theater presented at the Pleasant Valley Drive-In in Barkhamsted. The show had a single performance before about 200 people who were inside cars. Sondheims presence was kept a secret from the cast until after the show and because they were car-bound audience members didnt know he was there either.

West Hartfords Playhouse on Park chose Into the Woods as the inaugural musical in its new Connecticut Shakespeare Festival this past August. It was originally planned as an outdoor show at Auer Farm, then hastily moved indoors when the farm became unavailable.

Sondheims work is valued as highly as ever. A Broadway revival of Company, which innovatively makes the lead character in the show a single woman rather than a single man, has just opened after being stalled a year by COVID. A new movie version of West Side Story, the musical for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics, will be released Dec. 10.

Kenneth Fuchs, the Grammy-winning professor of composition at the UConn, had a correspondence with Sondheim that lasted over 40 years. Both Fuchs and Sondheim had studied, 25 years apart, with the distinguished composer and music theorist Milton Babbitt. The correspondence began, Fuchs says in an email to the Courant, in the summer of 1977, when I was still an undergrad student at the University of Miami. He replied to my first letter and told me he was writing a musical about blood and cannibalism titled Sweeney Todd. (!)

Fuchs spent time with Sondheim in New York in 1979, just after Sweeney Todd's Broadway opening. You can imagine how enthralled I was to be in the presence of a composer whom I admired so much, Fuchs says. Although Steve could be a complicated figure personally, he always took time to reach and support aspiring composers.

David Krane, a Connecticut-based composer/arranger/orchestrator for Broadway, movies and television, says My connection to Sondheim goes back to 1987 when I music directed the first off-Broadway revival of Company at the York Theatre. Steve wrote this note to me: Just a note to tell you I thought the musical aspects of Company were wonderful. Thanks  and congratulations! Krane would later be music director on the first Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd in 1989.

I moved to Roxbury in 2002, Krane says, as I knew that Steve loved it and for a while early in my career we shared the same agent, Flora Roberts, who also had a country home in town. He was very private, however, and I never had the opportunity to visit him while I was living there.

In 2013, I adapted music for the screen adaptation of Into the Woods and worked with Meryl Streep in my Roxbury home as she lives in Litchfield county. When Steve wrote a new song for the film to present to Meryl, I had the honor of accompanying Steve on the piano in his Turtle Bay home. He cheekily autographed the music to Meryl writing, Dont f*** it up. Love, Steve.

When Johnny Depp, who played the Wolf in the film requested a new arrangement for his song, Hello, Little Girl in a swing 1940s feel, I was thrilled to receive this note: I hate to say it, but I like it better than what I wrote. It brought tears to my eyes. Steve wrote me detailed and encouraging letters when I sent him early musicals that I composed, and when I had the opportunity to work on his incredible music, it was a thrill.

Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudan's former minister of cabinet affairs Khalid Omer Yousif was released from detention along with others less than a day after beginning a hunger strike, the country's information ministry said in a statement early on Saturday.

An army takeover on Oct. 25 halted a power sharing deal between the military and civilians from the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance, and a number of ministers and top civilian officials were detained.

Also released on Saturday were former Khartoum State governor Ayman Nimir and anti-corruption taskforce member Maher Abouljokh.

Several high profile politicians remain in custody.

Yousif and others had began the hunger strike, according to the Sudanese Congress Party, to protest their continued detention despite the signing of a deal between military leaders and civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok which provided for the release of all civilian detainees.

Several other prominent civilian politicians and activists had been released on Monday and Friday.

Protests calling for the military to exit politics and be held to account for the deaths of civilian protesters have continued https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/hundreds-sudanese-protest-against-deal-between-pm-hamdok-military-2021-11-25 since the announcement of the deal between military leaders and Hamdok.

A call has been issued for more mass rallies on Sunday.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said late on Friday that 63 people had been injured during the dispersal of protests on Thursday, including one by gunshot wound in the city of Bahri.

(Reporting by Nayera Abdallah, writing by Nafisa Eltahir, editing by Chris Reese)
In this article:

CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Saturday he dismissed the chief of police, Lieutenant-General Khaled Mahdi Ibrahim Al-Emam, and his deputy.

Lieutenant-General Anan Hamed Mohammed Omar was appointed as the new police chief and Major General Muddathir Abd al-Rahman Nasr al-Din as his deputy, Hamdok added in a post on Twitter.

(Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Enas Alashray; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
adamkaz / Getty Images

If you want to stretch your retirement savings as far as possible, don't focus solely on the cheapest places to retire. Pay attention to taxes in the places you're considering, too, because they can take a big bite out of your retirement income.

Narrow It Down: The Most (and Least) Tax-Friendly Cities for Retirees

Also: The Most and Least Tax-Friendly Countries

GOBankingRates looked at income, sales and property tax rates across America to find out whether Social Security is taxed, all to help you pinpoint the most tax-friendly states for retirees.

ShriramPatki / Getty Images/iStockphoto

25. Michigan

State sales and average local tax: 6%

State tax on Social Security: None

Effective property tax: 1.44%

Income tax rate (65+): 4.25

Retirees can benefit from Michigan's low income tax rate and no taxes on Social Security benefits. However, residents will pay 6% in sales tax.

Find Out: The Best Hidden Gem Destinations in Every State

StacieStauffSmith Photos / Shutterstock.com

24. South Carolina

State sales and average local tax: 7.46%

State tax on Social Security: None

Effective property tax: 0.56%

Income tax rate (65+): 7%

South Carolina has the fourth-lowest property tax rate, and Social Security benefits escape taxes. But the state's income tax rate is the second highest in our rankings.

What Do You Do? Most Popular Things To Do With Your Tax Refund -- and How To Do It Smarter

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

23. Massachusetts

State sales and average local tax: 6.25%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.44%



Income tax rate (65+): 4.25%

Despite its nickname "Taxachusetts," Massachusetts isn't even close to being the worst state for retirees when it comes to taxes. In fact, it beats out 22 of them. For starters, MA doesn't tax Social Security benefits -- and its 6.25% sales tax rate is lower than in the majority of states. However, its property tax rates are among the highest.

Watch Out: 35 Retirement Planning Mistakes That Waste Your Money

Michael Fitzsimmons / Shutterstock.com

22. Pennsylvania

State sales and average local tax: 6.34%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.51%



Income tax rate (65+): 3.07%

Pennsylvania's income and sales tax rates rank among the 12 lowest on our list. But its property tax rate is the 3rd highest.

Story continues

Decision Time: Key Signs You Should Sell Your Home When You Retire

welcomia / Shutterstock.com

21. Idaho

State sales and average local tax: 6.03%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.75%



Income tax rate (65+): 6.93%

Retirees benefit from a relatively low property tax and no tax on Social Security income in Idaho. But income tax is the 4th highest on the list.

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com

20. Texas

State sales and average local tax: 8.19%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.69%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Seven of the cheapest cities to retire are in Texas, a separate GOBankingRates study found. You won't pay any income tax or tax on Social Security, however, Texas doesn't make it into our top 10 most tax-friendly states for retirees because of its high sales tax and property tax rates.

digidreamgrafix / Shutterstock.com

19. North Carolina

State sales and average local tax: 6.98%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.85%



Income tax rate (65+): 5.25%

Social Security benefits aren't subject to state taxes in North Carolina. But the state's income tax rates are higher than the rates in more than half of the states.

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

18. Alabama

State sales and average local tax: 9.22%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.40%



Income tax rate (65+): 5%

Alabama has the second-lowest property tax in our rankings. But its sales tax rate is the third highest in the U.S.

f11photo / Shutterstock.com

17. Maryland

State sales and average local tax: 6%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.04%



Income tax rate (65+): 4.75%

Maryland ranks among the top 20 best states for retirement taxes because it doesn't tax Social Security benefits. Its income tax rate is relatively low, and its sales tax is lower than more than half the states on this list.

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

16. Virginia

State sales and average local tax: 5.73%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.86%



Income tax rate (65+): 5.75%

Virginia retirees benefit from no taxes on Social Security and the 10th-lowest sales tax. But the income tax rate is higher than more than half the states on this list.

Shutterstock.com

15. New Hampshire

State sales and average local tax: o%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 2.03%



Income tax rate (65+): 5%

New Hampshire is one of the best places to live for retirees to escape taxes. It has no sales tax, no state income tax and no tax on Social Security. The only reason New Hampshire isn't the No. 1 tax-friendly state for retirees is because its property tax rate is the third highest in the U.S. and the highest on this list.

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com

14. Mississippi

State sales and average local tax: 7.07%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.65%



Income tax rate (65+): 5%

Mississippi is one of the states that require the least amount of retirement income to live comfortably, a GOBankingRates study found. Retirees also benefit from low taxes on retirement income because Social Security income isn't taxed in Mississippi.

Shutterstock.com

13. Kentucky

State sales and average local tax: 6%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.82%



Income tax rate (65+): 5%

Although the income tax rate is higher in Kentucky than many of the states on the list, retirees don't have to worry about a state tax on Social Security.

Plus, Kentucky's largest city -- Louisville -- has one of the best neighborhoods for retirement in America thanks to a low cost of living, plenty of amenities and a relatively high percentage of adults 65 and older, a GOBankingRates study found.

Related: The Most and Least Tax-Friendly Countries

Davel5957 / iStock.com

12. Arizona

State sales and average local tax: 8.40%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.67%



Income tax rate (65+): 3.34%

There's a reason Arizona is a haven for retirees. They can escape the cold weather and a big tax bill by moving here. Its income tax rate is among the lowest in the U.S., and Social Security benefits aren't taxed.

In fact, one of Arizona's biggest cities -- Tucson -- is one of the best places to live on only a Social Security check, another GOBankingRates study found.

Arizona vs. Florida: Which Retirement Haven Is Right for You?

Ron_Thomas / Getty Images

11. Indiana

State sales and average local tax: 7%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.87%



Income tax rate (65+): 3.23%

Indiana's income tax rate ranks among the 20 lowest in the U.S. Plus, there's no state tax on Social Security. But Indiana's sales tax is higher than in more than half of these states.

Mike Liu / Shutterstock.com

10. Hawaii

State sales and average local tax: 4.44%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.30%



Income tax rate (65+): 8.25%

The cost of living is high in Hawaii, but retirees can hang on to more of their income to cover expenses because the tax bite is small in the state. Social Security benefits escape state taxes, and Hawaii has the lowest property tax rate in our rankings. Plus, its capital and largest city -- Honolulu -- is one of the coolest places to retire in the world.

GarysFRP / iStock.com

9. Oregon

State sales and average local tax: 0%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.98%



Income tax rate (65+): 9%

Oregon has the highest income tax rate in the U.S. However, it's still one of the more tax-friendly states for retirees because it doesn't tax Social Security income and has no sales tax.

Shutterstock.com

8. Washington

State sales and average local tax: 9.23%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.92%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Washington is one of the states with the lowest taxes for retirees because it has no state income tax or a tax on Social Security. Plus, the property tax rate is lower than in half of the states. However, it's state sales tax is the third highest on the list.

On top of that, Washington's capital -- Olympia -- is one of the most affordable cities for retirees who want an active lifestyle, a GOBankingRates study found.

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com

7. Tennessee

State sales and average local tax: 9.55%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.73%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Tennessee doesn't tax Social Security benefits. But Tennessee retirees need to watch out for the state's sale tax, which is the second highest in the U.S. and the highest on our list.

Nagel Photography / Shutterstock.com

6. South Dakota

State sales and average local tax: 6.40%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.22%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

South Dakota is another one of those states with no income tax. And Social Security benefits escape taxes in the state. But its property tax rate is higher than in a majority of states.

Read: Retirees Confess What They Wish They'd Done With Their Money

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

5. Florida

State sales and average local tax: 7.08%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.94%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

No taxes on income or Social Security benefits make Florida one of the most tax-friendly states for retirees. Its property and sales tax rates rank in the middle of states.

f11photo / Shutterstock.com

4. Nevada

State sales and average local tax: 8.23%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.66%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Nevada is one of the states that do not tax Social Security. Plus, it doesn't have a state income tax. However, the sales tax in Nevada is higher than in most states.

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

3. Delaware

State sales and average local tax: 0%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.58%



Income tax rate (65+): 5.55%

Delaware is one of the best states to retire taxwise because there is no state tax on Social Security or sales tax. Plus, its property tax rate is among the lowest in our rankings.

WitGorski / Getty Images

2. Wyoming

State sales and average local tax: 5.33%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 0.55%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Wyoming is the second-best state to retire to avoid a big tax bite.

There's no state income tax or tax on Social Security benefits. Plus, Wyoming's sales and property tax rates are among the lowest in the U.S. It's also one of the best states to retire rich thanks to a relatively low cost of living and competitive rates on interest-bearing savings accounts.

emperorcosar / Shutterstock.com

1. Alaska

State sales and average local tax: 1.76%



State tax on Social Security: None



Effective property tax: 1.02%



Income tax rate (65+): 0%

Alaska is the most tax-friendly state for retirees because it has no state income tax or tax on Social Security. And its sales tax rate is the fourth lowest on our list. But keep this in mind: The cost of living in Alaska is higher than in most states.

More From GOBankingRates

Cameron Huddleston contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: To determine the top 25 tax-friendly state for retirees, GOBankingRates examined data from the Tax Foundation on each state's (1) 2021 combined state and average local sales tax rate, (2) state tax on Social Security benefits, (3) effective state property tax rate, and 4) state marginal income tax rate that would apply to the 2019 national average income before taxes of consumers 65 and older, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The income tax rate was determined assuming the standard deduction in each state taken by a single filer. States were scored on each factor and then ranked against each other with no. 1 being the most tax-friendly state for retirees. State tax on Social Security benefits was weighted twice as much as other factors in the final scoring. All data was gathered on and up to date as of Feb. 17, 2021.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Surprising Data Reveals The Top 25 Tax-Friendly States To Retire




The Taliban prime minister said in his first public address that his government "wants good relations with all countries and economic relations with them" as Afghanistan grapples with an economic and humanitarian crisis, Bloomberg reported.

Taliban Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund during his Saturday address called for the release of billions of dollars in Afghan assets now sitting in U.S. banks in order to alleviate Afghanistan's economic and financial issues, according to the news outlet.

The insurgent group has claimed that the U.S. government has prevented it from accessing some of the country's assets. Bloomberg noted that concerns over human rights abuses, the lack of inclusivity in the Taliban's cabinet and the regime's terrorist ties have led the U.S. to withhold that money.

Akhund also assigned blame to former President Ashraf Ghani's government for the present-day turmoil that the country has been mired in, saying those issues started prior to the Taliban's rule.

"Nation, be vigilant. Those left over from the previous government in hiding are ... causing anxiety, misleading the people to distrust their government," Akhund said in his address, according to the AP.

Akhund said that his cabinet has started taking steps to address the economic crisis, including issuing government workers payments again after many of them had not received paychecks for weeks, the Associated Press reported.

The remarks come as international organizations sound the alarm on a worsening crisis within Afghanistan as the country has dealt with a wave of ISIS-K attacks last month, food insecurity and poverty.

Earlier this week, the United Nations's Development Programme cautioned in a report that Afghanistan's financial system could collapse in months due to a buildup of unpaid loans straining the country's banks.

Meanwhile, a report from the UN's World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization in October noted that roughly half of Afghanistan's population were facing "high levels of acute food insecurity." The UN also warned in mid-September that one million Afghan children were on the brink of starvation before the winter.

Akhund in his Saturday address called the lack of food "a test from God, after people rebelled against Him," and asked people to pray it would end soon.
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand said on Saturday it would ban the entry of people travelling from eight African countries it designated as high-risk for the new Omicron https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/japan-tighten-border-controls-s-africa-others-new-virus-variant-jiji-2021-11-26 variant of COVID-19.

Starting in December, travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, will be prohibited, senior health official Opas Karnkawinpong told a news conference.

Thailand will not allow travellers from these countries to register to travel to Thailand starting on Saturday, he said.

The announcement comes as other countries in Asia tighten borders https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/covid-19-japan-tightens-border-controls-arrivals-six-countries-2021-11-26 over worries about the B 1.1.529 variant. The World Health Organization designated it the latest "variant of concern," saying it may spread more quickly than other forms..

"We have notified airlines and these countries," Opas said adding that travellers from other African countries will not be allowed to use the country's quarantine-free travel scheme for vaccinated travellers.

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and William Mallard)
Nov. 27A major road construction project that's been slowing down traffic in the middle of Los Fresnos since May is still at least several months away from completion.

The Texas Department of Transportation is in the process of completely replacing a mile-long stretch of S.H. 100/Ocean Boulevard, including the part that intersects Paredes Line Road in what locals know as the "old part of town," said Los Fresnos City Manager Mike Milum.

TxDOT is projecting completion in April, he said, noting that construction was delayed in previous months due to rain.

"As of right now they haven't extended that April deadline," Milum said. "They're hoping to still finish it within the time without using weather days. Only time will tell whether they can do that."

Forecasters are predicting a drier-than-normal winter, which may help speed things along. Milum conceded that the traffic back-ups are annoying and that it's been difficult for businesses that are harder to get to because of the construction. Still, the project was badly needed, he said.

TxDOT is completely replacing the road base, which hadn't been done in "many, many years," Milum said. As the highway deteriorated over the decades, it was paved over so many times that the roadway was eight inches to a foot higher in the middle than at the edges, causing vehicles to bottom out and even sustain damage in some cases when accessing or leaving the road, he said.

With the extreme incline at the edges, heavy vehicles in the outer lanes were causing the pavement to fail, he said.

"The slope is too high," Milum said. "(TxDOT) is bringing that down. If you go look at it now you'll see the new finished part versus the old part. It's about eight inches to a foot higher than the new."

With long waits at traffic lights due to lane closures on S.H. 100, motorists are bypassing the main intersection using city streets, which are suffering wear and tear as a result and will have to be fixed too, he said. As for the negative impact on businesses along the stretch, Milum said the city is considering making the alleys in the area two-way to make those businesses easier to get to.

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"There's really not room for two-way, but we'll allow them to go both ways so that they can reach those businesses, so that way they can make it and have access," he said.

Milum urged the public to be patient as TxDOT proceeds with the project. When it's finished, Los Fresnos will have a level, solid and safe new road, he said.

"Our culture has gotten to where just all of us, we're always in a hurry," Milum said. "If we just relax a little bit I think we'll be OK. So what if you have to sit through a light for three minutes. In big cities you do that all the time. We're just not used to that. I'm not used to it. I don't like it. But, hey, relax a little bit and it'll work out."
The USO facility at the Fayetteville Regional Airport reopened in mid-November 2021, after closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After closing during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USO facility at the Fayetteville Regional Airport is now open.

The facility, located in the B Concourse of the airport, reopened during the third week of November, a city of Fayetteville news release stated.

The facility serves active-duty American service members and retirees.

It features a lounge area with a TV, charging area, kids' room, snacks and drinks.

The Airport USO, staffed by volunteers, offers information services and unit support for soldiers and their families.

We look forward to serving our nations finest as they travel from the center of the universe to wherever they are heading, said Brian Knight, USO center operations and programs manager for the Sandhills area.

The facility is open from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. daily.

More: First flight takes off on new Fayetteville to Dallas-Fort Worth route

All travelers must wear a mask while in the lounge and throughout the airport terminal, the citys news release stated.

I am extremely happy that the USO is open for the holidays, Airport Director Toney Coleman said. The airport ridership returned to pre-COVID levels in June of this year, and we are happy to see the USO return as well to serve our military travelers.

USO officials said as travel and demand increase, they hope hours for the facility can be extended back to pre-COVID 19 levels.

In the meantime, they are seeking volunteers to fill extra time slots required to open for afternoon and evening flights.

Anyone interested in volunteering can download the USO Volunteer Community app to register.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe'' link at the top of this article.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: USO facility at Fayetteville Regional Airport reopens after COVID
Wilfred Ndidi joined Leicester from Genk in January 2017 (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)

Wilfred Ndidi has paid tribute to Claudio Ranieri for giving him his Premier League shot.

The midfielder was Ranieris final signing at the Foxes when he joined from Genk for 17million in January 2017.

The Italian returns to the King Power Stadium with Watford on Sunday, the first time he has visited as a manager since he was sacked in 2017, just nine months after winning a shock Premier League title.

Ndidi has made 188 appearances for the Foxes, helping them win the FA Cup last season, and thanked Ranieri for having faith in him.

Im very grateful to him because he gave me the opportunity to come to Leicester and play in the Premier League for the first time, Ndidi said.

That was a really important move in my career, so Ill always remember it. Joining Leicester City has been fantastic for me. Its a great club.

The Nigeria international, 24, scored in Thursdays 3-1 Europa League win over Legia Warsaw which left the Foxes European destiny in their own hands ahead of their final Group C game at Napoli next month.

It was a welcome victory after an inconsistent Premier League campaign, with the side having won just twice in their last nine games to leave them 12th  although just four points off the top six.

Its really tight at the moment, which makes this busy period of games really important, Ndidi told the clubs official site. For us, as a team, this is the perfect time to turn things around.

Weve shown before how strong we can be when we have momentum and, if we can start putting that together in the Premier League, well see the benefits in the table. We know what were capable of and were striving to reach our top level.

Were expecting a tough game but one which provides a great opportunity to build confidence and pick up points.

They had a great result against Manchester United in their last game so we know they will be feeling good but were playing at home, in front of our fans, and we believe we can get the win.

Story continues

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Next week's World Trade Organization ministerial conference, the global trade body's biggest gathering in four years, was postponed at the last minute Friday due to the new Omicron Covid-19 variant.

The WTO hoped the four-day gathering in Geneva would breathe new life into the crippled organisation, which has been stuck for years trying to make progress on resolving issues like fishery subsidies.

New director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was also hoping, against the odds, to make progress towards a deal on lifting Covid vaccine patents, proving the WTO had a relevant role to play in combating the pandemic.

But the conference was postponed four days before it was due to start, hours after Omicron was declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization.

Fears surrounding the spread of the variant saw countries banning flights from southern Africa, where the strain was first detected on November 9.

"This has not been an easy recommendation to make," Okonjo-Iweala said.

"But as director-general, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants -- ministers, delegates and civil society. It is better to err on the side of caution."

WTO General Council chair Dacio Castillo called an emergency meeting of all 164 member states to tell them about the Omicron situation, including travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.

The members unanimously supported the postponement call.

Okonjo-Iweala said the travel constraints would have prevented many ministers from reaching Geneva, rendering equal participation impossible.

The beleaguered WTO's 12th ministerial conference (MC12) has already been postponed once before due to the pandemic. It was originally due to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan in June 2020.

The WTO intends to reconvene "as soon as possible when conditions allow", said Castillo.

- IP waiver must wait -

The conference normally takes place every two years.

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It was expected to draw more than 100 ministers to Geneva, where the organisation is based, including heads of state, plus 4,000 or so delegates.

The gathering was being seen as a test of Okonjo-Iweala's ability to fulfil promises to turn around the crisis-hit institution.

The Nigerian former foreign minister, who in March became the first African and first woman to lead the WTO, has been widely hailed for her revitalisation efforts.

She has helped kick-start blocked trade negotiations, and made reaching a long-elusive deal to end harmful fishery subsidies a top priority for the conference.

She also stressed the urgency of agreeing on how to remove trade barriers blocking access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Ministers were also due to discuss calls for a temporary waiver on intellectual property protections for vaccines and other medical tools needed to fight the pandemic.

But Covid caught up with the conference before Okonjo-Iweala could even start banging heads together on the subject.

"This new variant reminds us once again of the urgency of the work we are charged with," she said.

EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the WTO had made a "difficult but wise decision" to postpone.

"Rest assured: we will continue to work towards a successful outcome of the postponed ministerial in the meantime," he said.

- US, China tensions -

Besides fisheries and Covid, the meeting was also set to chart a way forward for the WTO, amid widespread calls for reform of an organisation that was already facing numerous daunting challenges before the pandemic.

In addition to its long inability to conclude major trade deals, it has grappled with rising trade tensions between the United States and China and a broken dispute settlement system.

"There was little optimism around the outcome of the negotiations over the coming days," said Elvire Fabry, a trade policy researcher at the European Jacques Delors Institute.

However, she said the postponement was a bad turn of events which "prevents us from underlining that the US non-engagement encourages the inertia" around reforming the WTO.

Okonjo-Iweala urged delegations to maintain the negotiating momentum of recent weeks.

But Dmitry Grozoubinski, director of the Geneva Trade Platform organisation, had little hope that extra time would provide results.

"Probably not," he told AFP.

"The benefit of a ministerial conference is it provides the chance of political movement on issues where technical solutions alone aren't enough."

apo-rjm/mtp
Xiaomi only announced its electric car plans in March, but it already has grand ambitions. According to Reuters, the economic development agency Beijing E-Town has confirmed that Xiaomi will build an EV factory in the city capable of producing up to 300,000 vehicles per year. The plant will be built in two phases and should start mass production in 2024.

The company will also set up its EV headquarters, research and sales divisions in Beijing, the agency said. Xiaomi already plans to use its retail stores to help sell cars.

There are still many unknowns for Xiaomi's car strategy, including the initial models and international expansion. The successful tech brand expects to invest the equivalent of $10 billion in the EV division over 10 years, but hasn't shared much detail beyond that. The Beijing factory says more  it suggests Xiaomi intends to become a mainstream (if initially small) EV manufacturer that competes not just with Chinese rivals like Nio and Xpeng, but significant foreign automakers like Tesla.
At his first troop review on Saturday, Fumio Kishida vowed to strengthen the countrys military and consider acquiring so-called enemy base strike capability.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday renewed his pledge to consider all options, including acquiring enemy base strike capability, and vowed to create a stronger Self-Defence Force to protect the country amid growing threats from China and North Korea. At his first troop review as prime minister, Kishida said the security situation around Japan is rapidly changing and that the reality is severer than ever, with North Korea continuing to test-fire ballistic missiles while advancing its capability, and China pursuing a military build-up and increasingly assertive activity in the region. I will consider all options, including possessing so-called enemy base strike capability, to pursue strengthening of defence power that is necessary, Kishida said in an address to hundreds of Ground Self-Defence Force members in olive-coloured helmets and uniforms. Kishida, who took office in October, served as top commander for the first time at Saturdays Self-Defence Force troop review held at the main army base Camp Asaka, north of Tokyo. About 800 troops gathered for the inspection, according to the Defence Ministry. The security environment surrounding Japan has been rapidly changing at an unprecedented speed. Things that used to happen only in science-fiction novels are todays reality, Kishida said. He said his government will lead calm and realistic discussions to determine what is needed to protect peoples lives and gain their understanding.
Cheap Japanese Food for under $2 at Izakaya "drinking restaurant" in Tokyo. These foods are what Japanese people commonly order at Izakaya restaurants that many travelers may not know about.

For the uninitiated, Izakaya restaurants are known as Japans drinking restaurants but its a lot different from standard western bars and pubs. People go here to drink but to also enjoy a wide selection of food served in small dishes. So you can get your drink on, but not completely fill your stomach on food. Today, Im at the Banpaiya Musashi Koyama store to give a quick breakdown on some ultra Japanese food, but wont break the bank.
The Upper East Regional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), recorded 65 defilement cases in 2020, 32 more than the 33 cases recorded in 2019.



Additionally, five cases were also recorded within the first quarter of 2021.



These were contained in a research conducted by the Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment Ghana (RISE-Ghana) and made known to stakeholders at Bolgatanga.



The research formed part of the implementation of a sexual and reproductive health project dubbed ENOUGH! by RISE-Ghana in partnership with Oxfam Ghana and Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and funded by the European Union.



The project aimed to empower women, girls, boys, and men in Mali, Ghana, and Liberia to take positive action to end sexual and gender-based violence in their respective countries.



The research was therefore undertaken to enable the implementing organisation and its partners to have a comprehensive understanding of the nature and pattern of SGBV cases in the region and to use the data for evidence-informed decision making and advocacy towards a satisfactory justice delivery for survivors of SGBV and activities to help reduce cases.



Ms Jaw-haratu Amadu, the Head of Programmes at RISE-Ghana who revealed these to the stakeholders stated that the research was conducted within the first quarter of 2021 in Regional offices of rights promotion offices such as DOVVSU, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, Department of Social Welfare and Community Development and their district offices in Kassena-Nankana and Bawku Municipalities and Kassena-Nankana West and Pusiga Districts.



She said the study uncovered that statistics from the GES showed that 764 students had dropped out of school in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality from 2019 to the first quarter of 2021 while at Pusiga, 447 students dropped out of school in 2021 alone.



One issue that has been in the cases reported was non-maintenance of women and children and teenage pregnancies. This runs through all the departments and the districts and it means education has to be intensified on responsible parenting and reproductive health rights, she added.



Ms Amadu said the situation was worrying and women and girls were the most vulnerable and called for collective efforts from all stakeholders to contribute to curbing the situation.



She said it was realized that the youth had little or no education on sexual and reproductive health and certain socio-cultural beliefs and practices were hindrances to drawing back the efforts of inculcating in the youth the right sex education.



Mr Abdulai Jaladeen, the Regional Director of CHRAJ, said traditional authorities needed to be involved in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence by abolishing all forms of dehumanizing cultural practices.



He said SGBV especially, defilement, teenage pregnancy, and child marriage had serious consequences on the development of the girl child and could derail the efforts of the country in achieving the sustainable development goals when not addressed urgently.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says about 170 cartons of expired Charme Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Red and White Grape Juice products have been retrieved from the Ghanaian market.



According to the FDA, these were being sold to the unsuspecting public.



But upon a tip-off, its officers in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service rounded up the distributor to assist in investigations.



The details of the products are as follows:



Charme Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Red Grape Juice with Best Before Date as October 25, 2021 and Charme Non-Alcoholic Sparkling White Grape Juice with Best Before date as August 6, 2021.



The public is hereby cautioned against consuming the above-mentioned products as FDA cannot guarantee their quality and safety, it said in a public alert dated Friday, November 26, 2021.



FDA will retrieve any of these products found during its market surveillance activities.



Also, persons in possession of these products should return them immediately to any FDA office across the country.



The Authority also cautioned the public on the wholesomeness of food products as the festive season approaches, particularly the need to be extra-vigilant.

Source: 3news









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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When the Zongo Development Fund was established by President Akufo-Addo, it's main focus was to bridge the development gap between Zongos and other deprived communities, and the rest of the country.



And when the ZoDF became fully operational in 2018 following the signing of the Act establishing it by the President, a vehicle for sustainable Zongo Development, had, for the first time in the history of Ghana, been established.



As one of special development authorities created, the ZDF's aimed to provide the Zongo community inclusive development through human capital development, infrastructure development, and also providing support for social integration.



After three years since becoming fully operational, the ZDF has undertaken several projects and initiatives in the areas named above. One key area the ZDF has prioritised is investment in education in both infrastructure and direct support to needy but brilliant students from Zongos and other deprived communities.



The reason is simple, as Suleman Arafat Abdulai, the Chief Executive Officer of the ZDF explains.



"Prioritising education is a major policy of the Akufo-Addo government, and as a special vehicle for inclusive development in the Zongos, we cannot do otherwise, hence our focus on investing massively in the education of Zongo youth."



Indeed, the ZDF has prioritised education in the Zongos, as checks by the Zongo Mail reveal remarkable infrastructure development in many Zongos, as well as many direct support.



Apart from the rehabilitation of of many schools in Zongo communities across the country, the ZDF has constructed brand new 12 and 6 unit classroom blocks in nearly 20 Zongo many Zongo communities including, Agogo Zongo, Aboabo Zongo, Offinso Kokoti Zongo, Offinso Abofour Zongo, Ntonso Zongo, Atakrom, Zongo, Kpando Zongo, Nkawkaw Zongo, Juanso Zongo, Savelugu, Dielia Zongo.



The CEO of the Fund explains that but for covid-19 which stalled construction works, many more would have been completed as a number of projects are ongoing.



"Many more of such schools are under construction, and are at different stages across the country. Covid-19 stalled our works but we are on course, and hopefully, we will have more School infrastructure."



Apart from main classroom blocks, the ZDF has also provided ICT centres in many Zongo communities across the country, and have also started a multi-purpose library project, with the first one completed at Nsawam Zongo.



For direct, support to brilliant but needy students, Arafat reveals, the support have come in two folds; fully-funded scholarship and grants, in order to be able to support more people.



"Through the instrumentality of His Excellency the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, 40 brilliant but needy students from Zongo and other deprived communities are currently in Cuba studying medicine," Arafat said.



"We have also provided tertiary educational grants to hundreds of students to enable them pursue tertiary education in many fields," he added.



For all the ZDF is doing in the areas of rehabilitation of roads, clinics, as well as building community astro turfs, bridges, water and drainage system, investment in education tops all, as the CEO reiterated.



The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia provided a much detailed insight why the Akufo-Addo government has prioritised education, especially in deprived communities such as the Zongo, when he recently spoke at the 2021 National Maulid.



"Governments focus and investment in education is unparalleled in the 4th Republic," DR. Bawumia said.



"The government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has prioritised and focused on education because we are well aware of what education does to our people. It enhances productivity, creativity, and technological advancement," he added.



"In addition, it plays a crucial role in securing economic and social progress. As I have always said, education is the greatest leveller. The only sustainable way we can transform our Zongo communities is through the education of our children."



More is in the pipeline, as the Akufo-Addo government plans to start the construction of its announced model secondary school for the zongo community next year.



The construction of three schools will start in Kasoa in the Central Region, Juaben in the Ashanti Region and Tamale in the Northern Region.

Source: Peacefmonline









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A purported rejection of the 2022 budget by the Minority side of Parliament, superintendent by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has been roundly condemned by legal luminaries and experts in parliamentary procedure.



The Speaker of Parliament, despite the house not meeting the legal requirement of having more than half of all members present, decided to call for a vote on the 2022 Budget with only the Minority side present.



The Majority side had staged a walkout, after it refused to countenance what it later said was open bias by the Speaker.



The absence of the entire Majority side meant the Minority side alone could not meet the legal threshold of 138 members to vote, but the Speaker ignored Order 104 of the House and called for a vote.



It is this decision by the Speaker that has attracted wide condemnation by legal luminaries, who have stated unequivocally that any vote by members less than 138 is illegal and null and void



ACE ANKOMAH

The respected lawyer has shared his opinion on his Facebook page, and he minced no words in pointing out what the law says.



Below is what Ace Ankomah posted:



"Parliament's quorum is just 1/3 of members . But to take a decision, Parliament needs more than 1/2 of members, which now is 138. So the issue is, at which point the matter was put to the vote. At that point, there should be at least 108 members in the house. If there wasn't, the decision is invalid. If there was, the decision is valid.

Life is very simple. Don't allow politicians to make it complicated."



DR. POKU ADUSEI



Another revered lawyer, Dr. Poku Adusei was also emphatic in his views, which faulted the Speaker's actions.



He wrote:



"The argument that after presenting your case on a matter in Parliament it was too late for the majority to walk out since the speaker was seized with jurisdiction to put it to vote is flawed. Parliament is not like the courts; the Speaker is equally not like a Judge. Whereas in Court, the Judge could deliver a decision if you walk out after submissions, the same cannot be said of the Speaker. The reason is simple: the power to decide matters in court lies with the Judge. But in Parliament, the power to decide matters lies with the members themselves. As such, if at the time of taking a vote, the total members present was not at least half of the membership of the House, that exercise is void; It is unconstitutional and thus of no effect."



Dr. Poku Adusei added: "the 'decision' of Parliament yesterday over the Budget Statement, even though is brutum fulmen, gives a cause of action in constitutional law, and same must be vindicated to forestall its recurrence."



MAJORITY SLAMS SPEAKER



The Majority side wasted no time in rejecting the Speaker's move by the Minority and the Speaker, which it describes as illegal.



Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is accusing the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, of partisanship in the manner which he handled the motion on Friday night by the Finance Minister.



We want to put it on record that the Speaker was totally wrong in what business he purportedly undertook in the House in our absence, the Majority Leader said.



Now, what exercise he led for our colleagues on the other side to take a decision on related to a request from the Minister to be allowed space to engage both sides of the House in order to have some consensus and the position that the two sides of the House had adopted.



SOCIAL MEDIA

Meanwhile a number of social media users have also slammed the Speaker of Parliament for going ahead to hurriedly call for a vote, knowing very well his action had no legal basis.



Some wondered how a man of such parliamentary experience, having served in the house from 1992 until his election as Speaker last year, could commit such a an obvious error.



Some slammed him for being overly partisan and pushing his NDC party agenda against the government.









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The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, is scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today Saturday, November 27 to undergo a medical review.



A fax message lists the wife of the Speaker, Mrs Alice Adjua Yornas, Head of the Parliamentary Clinic Dr Prince Pambo, and his Special Aide, Justice Norvor, as part of his delegation.



The fax to the Head of Mission of the Ghana Embassy in UAE said: Mr Speaker and his delegation will depart Accra on Saturday, 27th November 2021 at 18.50 hours and arrive in Dubai at 6.20 hours on flight EK788 the next day.



This comes a day after Speaker Bagbin ruled on a motion filed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on the 2022 budget statement.



Already, the Majority Caucus, whose members walked out a few moments prior to the ruling, is accusing Mr Bagbin of mischief in presiding over the exercise.



They have since declared their intention to have the illegality reversed.

Source: 3news.com









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The apparent rejection of the 2022 budget, despite being challenged by the Majority, has become the first time a budget has not been approved in the history of the Fourth Republic.



It is, however, not the first in the history of Ghana. In the preceding Republic, headed by Dr Hilla Limann, a budget statement was also rejected by Parliament.



Apparently, the motion to have that budget of 1979 rejected was moved by Jones Amoako Atta Ofori-Atta, who was then the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee.



He had served as a Deputy Minister of Finance in the Second Republic, which was toppled by the 1972 coup detat led by Lt. Col Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.



He was a Deputy to the late Joseph Henry Mensah.



Returning to the Third Parliament on the ticket of the Popular Front Party (PFP), Mr Ofori-Atta filed the motion to have the budget, presented by then Finance Minister Dr Amon Nikoi, rejected.



The motion was seconded by Dr G. K. Adama, the Parliamentary Spokesperson on Finance for the ruling Peoples National Party (PNP).



The unprecedented rejection of the budget led to the resignation of Dr Nikoi as Finance Minister. He was later replaced by Dr George Benneh.



Mr Jones Ofori-Atta later contested the 1996 Presidential Primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but lost to John Agyekum Kufuor.



But he served for a while in the latters government as Chairman of the Volta River Authority (VRA).



He became an Economics Lecturer at the University of Manchester, UK, where he had obtained his PhD.



Dr Ofori-Atta died in the UK on Monday, November 30, 2020.

Source: 3news.com









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FILE PHOTO: Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration

LONDON (Reuters) -AstraZeneca said on Friday it was examining the impact of a new coronavirus variant that is spreading rapidly in South Africa on its vaccine and its antibody cocktail, adding it was hopeful its combination drug would retain efficacy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday designated a new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, detected in South Africa with a large number of mutations, as being "of concern".

AstraZeneca has distributed 2 billion doses of its vaccine worldwide, although rollout of the shot was paused in South Africa in February after it was shown to offer minimal protection against mild to moderate illness caused by the Beta variant, which was dominant in the country at the time.

"As with any new emerging variants, we are looking into B.1.1.529 to understand more about it and the impact on the vaccine," AstraZeneca said in a statement, adding it was conducting research in Botswana and Eswatini to collect data.

"That will enable us to collect real world data of Vaxzevria against this new virus variant."

The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm emphasised that the vaccine has been shown to be effective against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

AstraZeneca said that it had developed a vaccine platform to respond quickly to new variants with Oxford University, where the vaccine was created. It has previously said it is working on a variant vaccine to better target the Beta variant.

The company has also developed an antibody cocktail which can be used both to prevent and to treat COVID-19.

Although some scientists have expressed concern that the spike protein mutations might hinder the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody drugs, the combination drug made by AstraZeneca might retain its efficacy, the company said.

"We are also testing our long-acting antibody combination AZD7442 against this new variant and are hopeful AZD7442 will retain efficacy since it comprises two potent antibodies with different and complementary activities against the virus," it said.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Elaine Hardcastle)
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The brother of a British socialite charged with helping Jeffrey Epstein exploit underage girls says her prosecution is the most over-hyped trial of the century, designed to break a woman targeted by authorities who are desperate to blame someone for the late financiers crimes
Hundreds of barges of illegal gold miners are navigating along the Madeira River in the Brazilian Amazon, and researchers said they pose a threat of pollution for the broader environment
As much of the world was worried about the new COVID-19 variant, there are increasing hints that omicron may have already started spreading around the world. Britain, Germany, and Italy all said they detected cases of the new variant on Saturday as Dr. Anthony Fauci warned omicron could already be in the United States. Even though there are no confirmed cases of the new variant yet, Fauci said he would not be surprised to learn it had already arrived. We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and youre already having travel-related cases that theyve been noted in Israel and Belgium and in other places, when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably, is ultimately going to go essentially all over, Fauci told NBC on Saturday.

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Even though there is lots that is still unknown about omicron, the new variant is concerning because of the large number of mutations that suggests it could be more transmissible than other variants, Fauci said. The mutations also suggest omicron could evade the protection of existing treatments and vaccines. These are all maybes but the suggestion is enough, Fauci said. This is something we got to pay really close attention to and be prepared for something thats serious. It may not turn out that way, but you really want to be ahead of it.

In Britain, the two omicron cases that were detected are linked to travel to southern Africa, Britains health secretary, Sajid Javid, said. Officials are now carrying out targeted testing in several locations where the variant could have spread. In the German state of Bavaria, two confirmed cases of the omicron variant were also detected. The two people entered Germany via the Munich airport on Nov. 24 and are now isolating. Italy, meanwhile, said a case of the new variant was detected in Milan in a person who arrived from Mozambique. Czech health authorities also said Saturday theyre looking into a possible case that involves a traveler who recently returned from Namibia. Cases had already been detected in Hong Kong, Israel, and Belgium.
Rep. Ilhan Omar is calling on House leadership to take appropriate action against Rep. Lauren Boebert after the Republican lawmaker told an anti-Muslim story about Omar during a public event. In a video that went viral over Thanksgiving, Boebert tells supporters in her home district that she has an Ilhan story for them. Boebert, the far-right Trump ally from Colorado, says the story began when she went into an elevator with a staffer. Were leaving the Capitol and were going back to my office and we get an elevator and I see a Capitol police officer running, hurriedly to the elevator. I see fret all over his face, and hes reaching, and the doors shutting, like I cant open it, like whats happening, Boebert told the crowd. I look to my left, and there she is. Ilhan Omar. And I said, Well, she doesnt have a backpack, we should be fine. 

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Boeberts audience was eating up the story and can be heard clapping and cheering in the video, which apparently pushed the lawmaker from Colorado to continue her Islamophobic rant. So we only had one floor to go and I say, do I say it or do I not? And I look over and I say, Look, the jihad squad decided to show up for work today,  she added. Dont worry, its just her staffers on Twitter that talk for her. Shes not tough in person.

Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. @GOPLeader and @SpeakerPelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress. https://t.co/A0VxI3uTmH pic.twitter.com/QTmqaGaZrM  Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 26, 2021

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As soon as the video started going viral, Omar was sure to make clear the whole story was a product of Boeberts imagination. This buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout, Omar tweeted. Anti-Muslim bigotry isnt funny and shouldnt be normalized. Congress cant be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation. She later went on to call on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to take appropriate action because normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims.

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Amid the uproar, Boebert sort of apologized. I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep Omar, Boebert said in a statement posted on Twitter.

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I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar. I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.  Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) November 26, 2021

Democratic leaders quickly made clear that Boeberts half-hearted apology was not enough. Racism and bigotry of any form, including Islamophobia, must always be called out, confronted and condemned in any place it is found, Democratic House leaders, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, said in a joint statement. Congresswoman Boeberts repeated, ongoing and targeted Islamophobic comments and actions against another Member of Congress, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, are both deeply offensive and concerning. The Democratic leaders went on to say that the failure of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other GOP leaders to condemn inflammatory and bigoted rhetoric from members of their conference is outrageous.
South Africa is reacting angrily to the way many countries around the world, including the United States, have imposed travel restrictions on travelers from southern Africa. South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla characterized the travel bans as unjustified as well as knee-jerk and draconian. In a news conference, an angry Phaahla said it looked like his country was being punished for being transparent about its findings and alerting the world to what has since become known as the omicron variant. COVID-19 is a global health emergency. We must work together, not punish each other, Phaahla said.

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Phaahla added that it seemed countries were more eager to put blame rather than figure out the best way to deal with this new concerning variant. Witch hunts dont benefit anyone, Covid-19 is a global health emergency. We must work together, not punish each other, Phaahla said. South Africa wants to be an honest player in the world, to share health info not just of benefit to South Africans and citizens of the world. The minister was sure to note that the travel bans violate standards set by the World Health Organization. The same countries that are enacting this kind of knee-jerk, draconian reaction are battling their own waves, he added.

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As many South African officials worried about the impact the travel bans on the holiday season after optimism there would be a much-needed tourism surge, health authorities are scrambling to figure out how to deal with a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases across the country. Omicron appers to have been key to South Africa going from a period of low transmission to a sharp increase in new cases, reports the Associated Press.

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Even though total cases across South Africa are still relatively low, health authorities are seeing a definite pattern in the people who are arriving in the hospital with serious illness: Theyre younger and largely not fully vaccinated. Were seeing a marked change in the demographic profile of patients with COVID-19, Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Sowetos Baragwanath Hospital, said at an online press briefing. Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65 percent are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated. There is growing concern that the countrys health care facilities could quickly become overwhelmed as the large number oof mutations in omicron has led to fears that it could be much more easily transmissible. Although for now the variant has mostly been detected in South Africas Gauteng province, some officials suspect its likely much more widespread.
Slovakia's Public Health Authority is working on new border rules.

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The Public Health Authority (UVZ) calls on all those who have come to Slovakia from countries where the new Omicron variant has been confirmed to report it to a special e-mail address.

Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.

The call is directed to people who in the last 14 days have visited South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Israel, Hong Kong or Seychelles, the UVZ spokesperson announced on November 27.

By Sunday evening, about 70 such people contacted the hygienists.

Travellers are requested to contact the authority at omikron@uvzsr.sk, and state their name, surname, phone number and the district where they are currently staying. They will be subsequently contacted by their respective regional public health office.

These people are "strictly recommended" to minimise their contacts, regardless of their vaccination status.

The UVZ is working on a new directive for incoming travelers from the aforementioned countries.

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Related article How to travel to and from Slovakia during COVID-19 Read more

"We request the public to adhere to the valid measures for incomers from abroad, until the new rules for crossing borders are issued," Dasa Rackova, the UVZ spokesperson, stated.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok asked Slovakia's inhabitants on Friday not to travel abroad unless necessary.

Meanwhile, the Czech authorities are investigating the first suspected Omicron case in the country, found in a woman who came to Czechia from Namibia.
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/alabama-ag-threatens-to-sue-city-officials-for-removing-confederate-presidents-name-from-avenue-1091058988.html

Alabama AG Threatens to Sue City Officials for Removing Confederate President's Name From Avenue

Alabama AG Threatens to Sue City Officials for Removing Confederate President's Name From Avenue

Last month, the Alabama capital city of Montgomery moved to rename its Jeff Davis Avenue, a street named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T03:47+0000

2021-11-27T03:47+0000

2021-11-27T03:47+0000

alabama

us

montgomery county

montgomery

confederate statues

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The office of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has invoked a 2017 law and fined the city of Montgomery $25,000 for changing the name of the street once known as Jeff Davis Avenue, according to a letter issued to city officials.Per the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, cities and counties in the state are prohibited from the removal or alteration of historic memorials and monuments, which includes memorial streets.However, the law does lay out what constitutes a memorial, or whether a memorial to Confederate troops and the Confederate States of America would be covered.Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed told the Associated Press that while many groups across the country have offered to pay the fine, the city official is not quite sure how to proceed with the matter at the moment.Montgomery, a city with a majority Black population and rich historical ties to the US Civil Rights movement, is not the first city in Alabama to potentially violate this recent law.Just last year, Mobile agreed to pay the $25,000 fine to remove a statue of Raphael Semmes, a Confederate admiral, from public property within the city. Prior to that, Birmingham was fined for the removal of the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Monument from Linn Park.Similarly, Montgomery County, which has Montgomery as its county seat, is also facing possible fines for choosing to rename three schools that are presently named after former Confederates.The schools subject to being renamed are Jefferson Davis High School, Robert E. Lee High School, and Sidney Lanier High School.

vot tak This marshall confederate, low life white trash has now just confirmed he is a traitor to the usa. Investigate. Prosecute. Hang, imprison, as appropriate. 3

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us

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alabama, us, montgomery county, montgomery, confederate statues
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/bidens-re-election-bid-should-us-politicians--justices-of-advanced-age-undergo-cognitive-tests-1091061152.html

Biden's Re-Election Bid: Should US Politicians & Justices of Advanced Age Undergo Cognitive Tests?

Biden's Re-Election Bid: Should US Politicians & Justices of Advanced Age Undergo Cognitive Tests?

A debate over Joe Biden's physical health and mental acumen is continuing to go on, with some Republican politicians arguing that top politicians of advanced... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T08:34+0000

2021-11-27T08:34+0000

2021-11-27T08:34+0000

joe biden

donald trump

mitch mcconnell

news

world

us

nancy pelosi

health

mental health

nikki haley

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Biden's reported intent to run again in 2024 has added to the conservative wrangle about the physical and mental capacity of the incumbent president who will be 82 on the next election day. On 23 November, former President Donald Trump suggested that his successor should have a "mandated" cognitive test.The remark came on the heels of a report describing Biden's first physical exam, released by the White House on 19 November. The examination was conducted by White House physician Kevin O'Connor who concluded that Biden "remains a healthy, vigorous, 78-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency".Yet, some medical experts cast doubt on O'Connor's report, suggesting that it left out some health issues. Dr Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine and a practicing internist at NYU's Langone Medical Centre, told Fox News that he is concerned about the gait issue Biden faces."I don't like that they ascribe his gait issues to a broken foot. First of all, why did he fall", Siegel noted. "They did a thorough neurological exam, but they also need to do a nerve conduction EMG, and they need to do an MRI of the brain and the spinal cord to try and explain where this gait problem comes from".Former White House physician Ronny Jackson, who served under both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, also argues that "there was a lot missing" from the Biden health report. Speaking to Newsmax earlier this week, Jackson presumed that it was a deliberate move by Biden's medical team to not test the president's cognitive abilities.The fuss over the president's mental health is not something new in US political discourse. The US mainstream media repeatedly claimed that then-President Donald Trump was in "mental decline", had "growing mental illness", and vigorously speculated about his "tortured syntax, mid-thought changes of subject, and apparent trouble formulating complete sentences".Even though Trump passed the cognitive test, the mainstream media continued to bash him suggesting that the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) he underwent was "not the hardest test".When Team Trump and Republicans gave the liberal camp some of their own medicine by questioning the cognitive abilities of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in conservative outlets, on air, and during election rallies, the mainstream media declared the narrative "Russian disinformation".Still, it appears that the problem is not limited to the political struggle for the White House. In early November, ex-US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called for a "cognitive test" for all Americans of advanced age in leadership roles when asked about her thoughts on the mental health of the current president.The politician underscored that this issue shouldn't be partisan, comparing it to how lawmakers disclose their tax returns.A month earlier, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, advocated cognition tests for ageing leaders of all three branches of government during his appearance on "Axios on HBO". The senator drew attention to that besides President Biden much of the nation's senior leadership is quite advanced in age: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 81, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is 79, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is 70. For his part, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is 83.Ahead of the 2020 presidential election YouGov conducted a poll wondering whether US presidential candidates should undergo a cognitive test. The survey indicated that over two-thirds of Americans strongly or somewhat support the idea that these candidates be required to take a cognitive exam (67%). Only 14% opposed the idea. Those who approve of cognitive tests for US politicians seeking top positions included 71% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 68% of Independents.

https://sputniknews.com/20211117/half-us-voters-doubt-biden-in-good-enough-mental-physical-health-to-perform-his-duties-1090808633.html

https://sputniknews.com/20200520/pelosi-trump-squabble-goes-on-as-speaker-calls-potus-sensitive-after-his-mental-problems-line-1079359366.html

https://sputniknews.com/20200908/us-2020-vote-why-russia-denigrating-bidens-health-story-unlikely-to-scare-off-trumps-supporters-1080393784.html

mijj all politicians, justices and corporate leaders should undergo sociopath tests 7

JohnD They should all have to take sanity tests. That would eliminate 99% of the lunatics now in office. 6

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Ekaterina Blinova

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https://sputniknews.com/20211127/china-reportedly-slams-double-standards-ahead-of-iran-deal-talks-over-nuclear-handoff-to-australia-1091064210.html

China Reportedly Slams Double Standards Ahead of Iran Deal Talks Over Nuclear Handoff to Australia

China Reportedly Slams Double Standards Ahead of Iran Deal Talks Over Nuclear Handoff to Australia

Under the AUKUS security pact inked in August, the US and the UK will hand over propulsion technology for nuclear submarines, including weapons-grade uranium... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T12:23+0000

2021-11-27T12:23+0000

2021-11-27T12:23+0000

aukus

world

china

iran

australia

iran nuclear deal

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Chinese envoy to the IAEA, Wang Qun, has suggested that the upcoming handover of nuclear submarine technologies to Australia under the AUKUS security pact is a pressing issue similarly worthy of the attention of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) like the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal, Bloomberg has reported, citing an obtained note. The latter was reportedly circulated by China among diplomats gathered in Vienna for a new round of Iran nuclear deal negotiations.Wang Qun accused western nations of following double standards as they push for a renegotiation of the nuclear accord with Iran that would ban the Islamic Republic from producing military-grade enriched uranium akin to that the US and the UK will be handing over to Australia as part of their security pact.Beijing has repeatedly insisted that this provision of the AUKUS security agreement, which is seen as directed against China by many political analysts, violates the principles of nuclear non-proliferation.Wang also stressed that AUKUS "constitutes serious risks of nuclear proliferation" and condemned the pact as a "small Anglo-Saxon clique" in his note, Bloomberg claims. The Chinese diplomat suggested that by handing over the submarine technologies to Australia, the US and UK will prompt more countries to go nuclear. He suggested that the pact should be scrutinised by the IAEA and the international community. The Russian Ambassador to the Vienna talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, echoed Wang Qun's statements.Australia's envoy to the IAEA, Richard Sadleir, rejected China's suggestion insisting that the transfer of nuclear technologies under the AUKUS deal does not fall under the purview of the international organisation, which monitors the use of nuclear energy by countries making sure they don't utilise the technology for military purposes. Sadleir insisted that it was not the IAEA's place to discuss the "full scope" of AUKUS. He also promised that his country will continue to provide the agency with all the necessary information.China has been opposing AUKUS since its announcement in August of this year and the next round in Beijing's fight against it comes right ahead of a new attempt by the signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, also known as the Iran nuclear deal) to revive the nuclear accord with Tehran. The last round of talks in Vienna in May did not result in a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US, who had jeopardized the 2015 accord by withdrawing from it in 2018 and slapping sanctions on the Islamic Republic.Since 2019, Tehran has been systematically backtracking on its JCPOA commitments to convince the US to change its course and lift the aforementioned sanctions. Washington under the new administration of Joe Biden suggested that the lifting of economic measures is possible but not until after Iran returns to compliance with the deal that was undermined by the US in 2018. Tehran has so far refused to do that, but a new round of talks in Vienna will be carried out with Iran represented by a new delegation and a new presidential administration following elections in June 2021.

https://sputniknews.com/20211126/israel-reportedly-concerned-us-may-strike-partial-nuclear-deal-with-iran-1091027693.html

Terranian The 1st Not to mention the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile of the notorious racist Zionist War-Criminal + State-Terrorist Apartheid Regime - The Usual BS Hypocrisy + Double Standard. 14

koursk koursk the gang of billionaire looters, owner of the nato zone, thinks he owns the entire planet *** we are sorry for them, because the russian federation, and the people's republic of china do not intend to be looted by the organized crime that reigns in washington and brussels *** all the more so as more and more inhabitants of the planet see in the russian and chinese states, the guarantors of the general interest of the world *** iran can allow yourself everything the big mafia allows itself 9

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china

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world, china, iran, australia, iran nuclear deal
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/frances-barnier-urges-retaliatory-measures-over-migrant-crisis-with-uk---report-1091075680.html

Barnier Says France Has to 'Be Ruthless With the British' Amid Migrant Crisis - Report

Barnier Says France Has to 'Be Ruthless With the British' Amid Migrant Crisis - Report

Barnier's involvement comes amid yet another UK-French diplomatic controversy, already strained by the ongoing post-Brexit row, over the deaths of 27 migrants... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T21:59+0000

2021-11-27T21:59+0000

2021-11-27T22:29+0000

france

migrants

border

migrant camp

migrant crisis

border controls

uk

michel barnier

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Former EU Brexit negotiator and now a potential center-right candidate in the French presidential election Nichekl Barnier has supported enacting countermeasures against the UK and deporting asylum-seekers across the English Channel.In a Friday interview, Barnier accused the UK of violating the Brexit agreement and leaving the EU and France with no choice but to devise retaliation tactics, including France's possible withdrawal from the Treaty of Touquet, which governs Anglo-French border relations.He also accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of a provocation in regard to his recent letter to French leader Emmanuel Macron, in which Johnson urged Paris to reach a bilateral readmission deal allowing migrants who crossed the English Channel to be returned to France.According to Barnier, this state of affairs and London's reaction were "absolutely inadmissible."Barnier noted that "you have to be ruthless with the British" in matters such as this one. In particular, France should request the British side to "welcome all migrants who want to come to the UK and not elsewhere, and to process asylum applications" on their own territory.Moreover, Barnier stated that "retaliatory measures and compensatory measures", ranging from tariffs on British goods to "controlling more British ships", should come in place as a backlash for violating elements of the Brexit agreement, adding that the EU can "cross-suspend parts of the agreement."Both the UK and France have immigration control points at Dover and Calais, as per the conditions of the 2003 treaty on migration. The UK is in charge of funding and maintaining security at its northern French border crossings. In exchange, France must prevent migrants from entering the UK illegally.France has repeatedly protested the British border with continental Europe being managed by them in practice. They further allege that as a result of the treaty, large numbers of migrants have built up camps near Britain's ports on French soil.Macron, who has had a running feud with Johnson over a variety of issues including fishing rights, claimed that the PM's open letter was a breach of French sovereignty. He retaliated by excluding Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary, from vital migrant crisis negotiations.The migrant crisis between the EU and the UK has already exceeded the absolute figures of the last few years in terms of the number of illegal immigrants trying to enter the UK. According to official estimates, more than 25,600 persons unlawfully crossed from France to the United Kingdom in 2021, which is more than triple the level of the previous year.

https://sputniknews.com/20211125/johnson-proposes-to-have-all-migrants-who-cross-channel-to-be-immediately-returned-to-france-1091026152.html

TruePatriot Not at all. But the UK needs to be ruthless with France over the invaders. Perhaps they should load them on trebuchet's as soon as they land and send them right back with a hearty au revoir. Or just patrol France's coast and put a round or two in any boat full of invaders and sink it close enough to shore for them to swim back to France. Enough is enough. 4

Hess Many African nations do not have their own currency. They are forced to use French currency to prop-up the French economy. The Nazi occupiers were not so brutal as the French today. Many people rightly criticising the US for its military intervention and terror across the world, but France is worse. In Africa, the French are the German Nazis. France is an imperialist coloniser destroying nations, extracting their natural resource and leaving them impoverish and living in misery. They are forced to migrate. 3

4

france

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Kirill Kurevlev

Kirill Kurevlev

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Kirill Kurevlev

france, migrants, border, migrant camp, migrant crisis, border controls, uk, michel barnier
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/grounded-macron-tells-uk-to-get-serious-if-it-wants-to-discuss-resolve-illegal-immigration-issue-1091068197.html

Grounded: Macron Tells UK to 'Get Serious' If It Wants to Discuss, Resolve Illegal Immigration Issue

Grounded: Macron Tells UK to 'Get Serious' If It Wants to Discuss, Resolve Illegal Immigration Issue

The two countries have for months been accusing each other of failing to deal with the problem of illegal immigrants trying to cross over from France into the... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T14:12+0000

2021-11-27T14:12+0000

2021-11-27T14:12+0000

france

boris johnson

emmanuel macron

europe

uk

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French President Emmanuel Macron has snapped back at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for publishing his letter with a proposal of a bilateral deal on immigration on Twitter, stressing that this is not the way to conduct diplomacy. Macron suggested that London should change its attitude and noted that France will once again be ready to discuss the issue with the UK once it gets "serious".Macron's rebuff comes as the two countries trade accusations of being responsible for the continuing flow of illegal migrants from France to the UK that has frequently led to tragedies at sea. On 24 November, a boat with migrants capsized near the coast of Calais, France leading to the death of at least 27 people.Priti Patel was invited to a meeting of EU ministers aimed at finding a solution to the ongoing illegal immigration flow from France to the UK. The latest numbers suggest that some 25,776 crossed the English Channel in 2021, as opposed to 8,461 a year ago and 1,835 in 2019.However, several days ahead of the meeting, Boris Johnson published an open letter to Macron in which he called on Paris to sign an agreement so that London could return detained migrants to French soil. He also proposed to organise joint patrols along France's shores as London continues to accuse Paris of a lack of oversight over its waters and what is leaving them  specifically smugglers' boats.France responded by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin uninviting Patel from the upcoming meeting of EU ministers. Darmanin added that Paris was "fed up with [the UKs] double-talk". The rest of the attendees from EU member states are still expected to meet on the appointed date to discuss ways of curbing illegal immigration flows.

https://sputniknews.com/20211126/french-interior-minister-darmanin-cancels-talks-with-uks-patel-as-bojo-publishes-letter-to-macron-1091032809.html

Barros UK is a poor US slave colony. 9

vigilante The UK represented by a decayed queen and a clown want to show strength against the EU and continue to poison the relation between the EU and Russia and Iran. The queen will due soon and the UK will have a king. The compensate the absence of a woman, Bo Jo will be kicked out and replaced by Priti Patel.. long live Priti! 8

8

france

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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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france, boris johnson, emmanuel macron, europe, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/indian-farmers-postpone-tractor-march-to-parliament-but-protest-to-continue-until-their-demands-met-1091063707.html

Indian Farmers Postpone Tractor March to Parliament But Protest to Continue Until Their Demands Met

Indian Farmers Postpone Tractor March to Parliament But Protest to Continue Until Their Demands Met

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws that sparked off enormous protests by farmers across the country over the... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T13:28+0000

2021-11-27T13:28+0000

2021-11-27T13:28+0000

farmer

protest

law

rally

protest rally

public protest

political protest

new law

india

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Indian farmers on Saturday called off their "march to Parliament", two days before the government is to introduce a bill cancelling three farm laws that have caused protests nationwide.The leader of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha union further announced that they plan to continue the protest on the outskirts of Delhi until the governments fulfills their demands to pass a new law guaranteeing them minimum support price on their produces."We are postponing the 'Parliament march' for November 29th. The government has promised us that the laws will be repealed in parliament on the 29th", farmer leader Dr Darshan Pal told the Indian media.The farmer leaders have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding their pending demands as well and said that they will be waiting for a reply until 4 December and thereafter will announce their next action."We had written a letter to the prime minister, in which we had made many demands. We had demanded that (police) cases against farmers should be quashed... MSP (minimum support price) to be guaranteed... (families of) farmers martyred in this movement should get compensation... (cases filed against farmers for) stubble burning and electricity bills should also be cancelled", Pal said.Thousands of farmers in India have been agitating against the three farm laws since 26 November 2020 on the outskirts of the capital Delhi at the Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders.The farmers feared that these laws would do away with the minimum support price (MSP) system and leave them at the mercy of big corporations. The three contentious farm laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2020.Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government intends to revoke the laws and will introduce a new bill in the upcoming winter session of the Indian Parliament, which starts on Monday.

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farmer, protest, law, rally, protest rally, public protest, political protest, new law, india
Fauci: Omicron Coronavirus Strain to Spread 'All Over'

The new Omicron coronavirus variant has not been detected in the United States yet, but the strain is highly likely to spread far and wide, top US infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Saturday.

"We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you are already having travel-related cases that they have noted in Israel and Belgium, and other places; when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over..." Fauci told the NBC broadcaster.

When asked if the strain can already be in the US, Fauci said that he "would not be surprised."

Earlier in the day, the chairperson of council of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, expressed concern that the new coronavirus strain might be as dangerous as the Ebola virus, and as contagious as the Delta coronavirus variant.
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/media-reveals-contents-of-safe-holding-secret-documents-of-uk-royal-family-1091069904.html

Media Reveals Contents of Safe Holding Secret Documents of UK Royal Family

Media Reveals Contents of Safe Holding Secret Documents of UK Royal Family

The news comes two days after local media reported that Queen Elizabeth II was feeling "far better" after suffering back injury and being admitted to King... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T15:46+0000

2021-11-27T15:46+0000

2021-11-27T15:46+0000

uk royal family

uk

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A secret safe in London holds documents written by senior members of the UK royal family, People Magazine reported, citing High Court Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane, in whose care the strongbox is.According to Mr McFarlane, among other things the depository contains the will of Queen Elizabeths late husband Prince Philip and testaments of other deceased royals  the Queens sister Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, King Edward VIII, who abdicated from the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, as well as Prince Philips uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten of Burma.All in all, the safe contains over 30 testaments of senior members of the royal family. The latest addition was Queen Elizabeths will, which the monarch submitted in 2002 at the age of 76, Mr McFarlane said. The High Court judge said it is highly unlikely that the content of any document will be revealed, as the royal family is entitled to an enhanced level of privacy "to protect the dignity and standing of the public role of the sovereign and other close members of her family".Mr McFarlane also noted that any requests to have the wills unsealed could be submitted only 90 years after a royals death, adding that any documents submitted prior to that date were "highly likely to fail in the absence of a specific, individual or private justification relating to the administration of the deceased's estate".The news comes several days after The Mirror reported that Queen Elizabeth II was feeling far better and likely to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham with the rest of the family. According to the outlet, the monarch has told other royals that she is "looking forward" to the traditional festive event. Her Majesty took several weeks of rest following doctors' orders last month. The 95-year-old was also admitted to King Edward VII's hospital for what Buckingham Palace said were "preliminary investigations". Due to the health scare, the Queen missed several important events, including the 26th UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow as well as the Remembrance service at the Cenotaph.

luca " Mr McFarlane also noted that any requests to have the wills unsealed could be submitted only 90 years after a royals death...". Do you think anybody cares about the wills of parasites ? 2

hp b The sun never sets on the crimes of the British Empire.. 1

2

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Max Gorbachev

Max Gorbachev

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Max Gorbachev

uk royal family, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/outgoing-uk-chief-of-defense-staff-describes-russia-as-most-acute-threat-1091058668.html

Outgoing UK Chief of Defence Staff Describes Russia as Most Acute Threat

Outgoing UK Chief of Defence Staff Describes Russia as Most Acute Threat

LONDON (Sputnik) - Outgoing UK Chief of Defence Staff General Nick Carter said that from his point of view Russia poses the most acute threat to the UK... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T03:34+0000

2021-11-27T03:34+0000

2021-11-27T10:55+0000

uk ministry of defence

russia

threat

military

uk-russia relations

nick carter

chief of staff

uk

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"I became head of the Army in the summer of 2014, and we were arguing at that stage as to whether the threat was from violent extremism or whether it was a state threat from Russia. At that stage, the violent extremism argument just about won. But then, in 2018, we had the attack on the Skripal family in Salisbury, and it became blindingly obvious that Russia was the most acute threat to our country, Carter told The Telegraph.He stressed that the threats related to Russia and China were not conventional.Former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in March 2018 in the UK city of Salisbury. The United Kingdom believes that Russia played a role in what it calls a murder attempt, an allegation Moscow has denied. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there was no evidence incriminating Moscow.

TruePatriot Good riddance Carter. Take your stupidity with you as you go. 15

Marl Surfer That's true. NATO is forced to mass their Barborassa II armies next to Russia because Russian military is staying within Russia. 12

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uk ministry of defence, russia, threat, military, uk-russia relations, nick carter, chief of staff, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/poking-the-bear-us-warns-russia-all-options-on-table-1091064654.html

Poking the Bear, US Warns Russia All Options on Table

Poking the Bear, US Warns Russia All Options on Table

The Biden administration has threatened Russia with signature rhetoric for belligerence, declaring that the US has the right to use all options on the table. 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T12:03+0000

2021-11-27T12:03+0000

2021-11-27T12:03+0000

russia

columnists

ukraine

us

invasion

nato

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This is the menacing formula of words that Washington usually deploys to mean it is weighing military attack on targeted nations like Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.But to apply such rhetoric to Russia, a nuclear power, is reckless war hysteria. It is taking aggression to an insane threshold.The warning came from Karen Donfried, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs. She is a deputy to Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, America's top diplomat.This comes days after the US top military commander General Mark Milley had private telephone discussions with his Russian counterpart, General Valery Gerasimov, on the increasing tensions over the Ukraine conflict and Black Sea region.It suggests that the State Department  which is institutionally close to the White House and the CIA in setting policy  is taking the lead in raising the stakes with Russia. It seems the Pentagon is being dragged along.The all options warning coincided with more alarmist rhetoric from the US-backed Kiev regime. Its Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba declared that Ukraine was ready to hold the front line for Europe against the Russian invasion. Kiev has repeatedly urged the United States and Europe to prepare for war with Russia.The hyperbole and hysteria are spinning out of control. Russia has vehemently dismissed US and Ukrainian claims that it is planning to invade its western neighbour. Moscow supports self-defence forces in southeast Ukraine who are in a civil war with Kiev regime forces since 2014 when Washington backed a coup detat against an elected government, bringing to power a Neo-Nazi cabal. The Kiev regime has been heavily supported by US and NATO weapons. Washington has supplied $2.5 billion worth of arms since 2014 and $400 million worth since Biden became president. The latest consignment includes Javelin anti-tank missiles. NATO member Turkey has also supplied aerial attack drones.Russia has little to gain from an invasion of Ukraine. The resulting rift with Europe would almost certainly include the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 gas project for exporting Siberian natural gas to Germany in which Russia has invested billions of dollars to develop over several years. Would Moscow really jeopardise that for a tenuous gamble to invade Ukraine?What of the so-called evidence that Russia is conducting a military buildup on Ukraines border? This claim has been echoed repeatedly by US and Western media. But what is the provenance of the data?The claims rely on satellite images released by a private US-based company Maxar Technologies. Suspiciously, Western media have widely published the same images in a concerted fashion. But they are far from convincing. The satellite photos purport to show Russian battalions allegedly near the border with Ukraine, but what they show are Russian forces at two locations, at Yelnya and Voronezh, which are hundreds of kilometres from Ukrainian territory.Mason Clark, a Russia expert at the US-based Institute of the Study, said the satellite imagery does not show anything unusual or portending a mobilisation for invasion, according to VOA reporting.Yet Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his aides have repeatedly claimed the opposite: that there is a large and unusual buildup of Russian military forces near Ukraine. Blinkens claims do not match the data.Russia's foreign intelligence service, SVR, last week rubbished the accusations of Russian military buildup.Moscow is more in tune with reality. The actual military escalation in the region is by the Kiev regime supplied with US weapons, as well as NATO forces increasing their patrols of warships and warplanes in the Black Sea near Russias borders. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stated last week that US nuclear-capable bombers had practised 10 attack sorties against Russia during this past month alone. That is an unprecedented threat to Russian national security.What is going on here seems to be a repeat of the WMD hype by the US and Britain to justify their criminal war against Iraq in 2003. In that infamous scenario, intelligence (in other words, propaganda and lies) was contrived to bolster policy. The policy was to attack Iraq, a crime of aggression.The policy of the Russophobic and unhinged Kiev regime is to drag the US and NATO into a war with Russia. What is the policy of the United States? All the indications are not good. The Biden administration is going out of its way to provoke the Russian bear. Using lies, hysteria and belligerent talk about all options on the table is not a way to de-escalate dangerous tensions.President Biden is reportedly going to have a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week. The stakes are dangerously high because of Washingtons reckless gambling on Russias patience.*Views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.

NoGo Russian bear poses a hypersonic weapon, so your home and you will go to dust! 26

Rossco Russia , most assuredly does not want a war,but it has red lines and if Kiev invades the Donbass or Lugansk that will set off a war with Ukraine. The US is currently dependant on Russia for oil imports so why would they risk losing this vital resource at a time when they are desperate? And if the US were to defend Ukraine militarily this would be disastrous . Unfortunately like all cowards they might provoke NATO to go it alone. The US under estimates the power of Russia and with China as a now strong ally any mistake by the US could initiate a major war ,with the US the loser. Putin is smart and holds many cards and even if he sat and did nothing there is a good chance Ukraine will implode. Its broke and struggling . The US is on the brink of financial collapse so why not just sit it out? It seems like the US is doubling down here is an act of desperation and diversion ,but this could go horribly wrong as the Ruskys will be waiting for them and are fully prepared. 14

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russia, columnists, ukraine, us, invasion, nato
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/russia-hopes-aukus-will-abandon-nuclear-submarine-project-envoy-in-vienna-says-1091071085.html

Russia Hopes AUKUS Will Abandon Nuclear Submarine Project, Envoy in Vienna Says

Russia Hopes AUKUS Will Abandon Nuclear Submarine Project, Envoy in Vienna Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow expects that Australia, the UK and the US will abandon plans to implement the project on nuclear submarines as part of the AUKUS... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T15:35+0000

2021-11-27T15:35+0000

2021-11-27T16:25+0000

aukus

world

russia

aukus

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We hope that in the long run common sense will prevail and following the 18 months that the AUKUS participants took for additional discussions of the nuclear submarine project, they will come to the conclusion that it is necessary to curtail the implementation of the project, with the opinion of the international community in mind, Ulyanov said at a discussion of the IAEA Board of Governors on AUKUS, as cited by the Russian Foreign Ministry.He also said that it was fundamentally important for the IAEA chief to regularly inform the Board of Governors on the agency's interaction with AUKUS."It is necessary to ensure maximum transparency and accountability. Member states have the right to receive a complete picture of what is happening," Ulyanov stressed.Moscow voices concern about the secrecy around the AUKUS alliance between the US, the UK, and Australia, and is waiting for answers to its questions, Ulyanov added.Russia's representative mentioned that Moscow keeps monitoring the situation around AUKUS, and stresses that it is obvious now that the partnership holds significant risks for the international security."The plans to construct nuclear submarines for Australia's Navy with assistance of the US and the UK, as part of AUKUS, have a destabilizing impact on the Non-Proliferation Treaty," Ulyanov said, adding that Moscow is still waiting for an exhaustive answer on what fuel will be used in nuclear propulsion reactors in the submarines.In mid-September, Australia, the US and the UK announced the new trilateral defense partnership, which forced Canberra to give up on a $66 billion contract with France to develop 12 state-of-the-art conventionally powered attack submarines, as the alliance promises to enhance Australia's fleet with nuclear-powered submarines.The announcement led to a diplomatic spat between France and the alliance members, with Paris notably temporarily withdrawing its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra. Earlier in November, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that he was certain that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had lied to him.

https://sputniknews.com/20211127/china-reportedly-slams-double-standards-ahead-of-iran-deal-talks-over-nuclear-handoff-to-australia-1091064210.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20211127/russia-is-not-going-to-attack-anyone-ambassador-to-us-says-1091073757.html

Russia is Not Going to Attack Anyone, Ambassador to US Says

Russia is Not Going to Attack Anyone, Ambassador to US Says

Previously, Washington expressed concerns over reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, vowing to respond if Moscow were to launch an... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T18:32+0000

2021-11-27T18:32+0000

2021-11-27T19:13+0000

us

russia

ukraine

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Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has stated in an interview that Moscow is not going to attack any country first. He stressed that all the hysteria over the alleged Russian threat to Ukraine is artificially whipped up in the US with the goal of justifying the failures of President Volodymyr Zelensky.Antonov also shared that Russia has repeatedly asked the US about how it plans to help with the establishment of peace in Ukraine's east  a desire that Washington has expressed more than once this year. The diplomat noted that so far, the US has only been expanding the assortment of military equipment and weapons it is supplying the Ukrainian Army with.The Russian ambassador noted that the White House keeps insisting on sending only defensive equipment to Ukraine, while including such strike weapons as Javelin anti-vehicle missile launchers.Antonov's statements come hot on the heels of numerous reports in the US media claiming that Russia is building up its military forces at the border with Ukraine. Several American officials have expressed concerns that the Kremlin might be planning an attack on Ukraine, while US lawmakers have proposed to respond harshly to any such attempts.The Kremlin, in turn, has condemned the allegations as more "anti-Russia hysteria" and slammed the media reports as a "fake news campaign". Moscow further stressed that movements of Russian troops within the boundaries of the country's borders should not concern anyone and denied claims that an attack on Ukraine is imminent.

https://sputniknews.com/20211111/russia-slams-back-over-us-warning-against-making-mistake-in-ukraine-amid-alleged-military-buildup-1090654900.html

Barros US is a country that deserve no respect. 12

Sorvad Kelad Washington builds perception, not reality. 10

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us, russia, ukraine
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/solomon-islands-gripped-by-anti-china-protests-as-us-keeps-largely-mum-1091073415.html

Solomon Islands Gripped by Anti-China Protests as US Keeps Largely Mum

Solomon Islands Gripped by Anti-China Protests as US Keeps Largely Mum

Washington has repeatedly accused Beijing of trying to "buy" regional powers with cash and investments while vowing to deter China, which the White House calls... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T18:54+0000

2021-11-27T18:54+0000

2021-11-27T18:54+0000

us

asia & pacific

china

solomon islands

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Protests and riots have gripped the capital of the Solomon Islands, a small state in the Pacific, north of Australia, in recent weeks. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare over a peculiar reason  his alleged ties to China. The demonstrators claim that the central government has bent to Beijing's will in exchange for taking "Chinese money".The Solomon Islands did indeed change the course of its foreign policy not so long ago. Back in 2019, it made a U-turn by announcing the diplomatic recognition of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) instead of Taiwan. Unconfirmed reports even suggested that Beijing was planning on building a military base on Tulagi Island, but, in fact, it was only chartered to a private Chinese company, not the military.However, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare strongly rejected the claims, while alleging that the protests were orchestrated from abroad, purportedly hinting at the US. The latter, though, has been conspicuously absent from the scene  Washington does not even have a diplomatic representation in the island nation.The White House has under several administrations been systematically accusing China of "bribing" regional powers in Asia. By "bribing", the US means the enormous amounts of money that Beijing has invested in these countries' economies, in large part to support its Belt and Road initiative. Washington insists that China plans to use these investments and credits as leverage one way or another.And yet, surprisingly, they have not rushed to condemn the government of Manasseh Sogavare and support the protesters once they accused it of striking a covert deal with Beijing. Instead, Washington simply called for a return to peace.The lack of a US reaction looks even stranger in light of the Solomon Islands' strategic location. While it is far from the only patch of land in the Pacific to deploy forces, its strategic importance is hardly deniable  especially for the American military, which fiercely fought there against Japanese troops during the Second World War.Instead, the US is seemingly focusing on boosting Australia's defensive capabilities by handing over nuclear submarine propulsion technology under the provisions of the AUKUS security pact and arming Taiwan in defiance of warnings issued by Beijing. Washington also continues to routinely send its warships to the disputed waters of the South China Sea that remain firmly under the control of Beijing's forces. The US takes these steps all the while calling China one of the most likely potential adversaries in the future and announcing plans to limit its influence and deter it militarily.

https://sputniknews.com/20211127/solomon-islands-opposition-plans-no-confidence-vote-against-prime-minister-reports-say-1091064092.html

Hess Australia and its US master are the culprit in the ongoing violence and chaos in the Pacific. 7

Kiwi US fingerprints all over this. Standard operandi. 6

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us, asia & pacific, china, solomon islands
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/solomon-islands-opposition-plans-no-confidence-vote-against-prime-minister-reports-say-1091064092.html

Solomon Islands Opposition Plans No-Confidence Vote Against Prime Minister, Reports Say

Solomon Islands Opposition Plans No-Confidence Vote Against Prime Minister, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Solomon Islands' opposition leader, Matthew Wale, announced on Saturday that he would be filing a motion of no confidence against the... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T11:49+0000

2021-11-27T11:49+0000

2021-11-27T11:49+0000

protests

solomon islands

no confidence motion

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The long-standing animosity of the most populous Malaita island toward the central government on the Guadalcanal island escalated in 2019 when the Sogavare government switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. Tensions rose further as the country plunged into the pandemic crisis and Malaita people accused the government of neglect and failure to curb unemployment. Earlier this week, thousands of people, many of whom travelled from Malaita, tried to storm Sogavare's residence in Honiara and demanded him to resign. Over 100 people were arrested.According to Solomon Times, Wale reached out to several members of Parliament in search for a solution to the riots. The opposition leader also asked people who were involved in violence to stop.Wale thanked the police commissioner who had done everything in his power to calm down the protests, as well as the Australian government, which sent troops to the islands that supported the police.Sogavare blames foreign powers for the unrest.

vot tak Obviously this wale is an israeloamerican quisling. The article is biased and a regurgitation of zio-media propaganda, thumbs down. 1

Gone I don't know why anyone would want to fight over that piece of garbage. 0

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protests, solomon islands, no confidence motion
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/squid-game-successor-new-s-korean-netflix-tv-series-hellbound-hits-new-record-1091070291.html

'Squid Game' Successor? New S Korean Netflix TV Series 'Hellbound' Hits New Record

'Squid Game' Successor? New S Korean Netflix TV Series 'Hellbound' Hits New Record

South Korean dramas continue to make hits and impress audiences worldwide. 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T14:17+0000

2021-11-27T14:17+0000

2021-11-27T15:23+0000

south korea

netflix

tv series

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Hellbound, a new Netflix drama, has been at the top since 20 November, just a day after release.It topped the ratings in 80 different countries within 24 hours of premiering. The plot is built around a near future where some celestial creatures appear after condemning a person to hell and killing him.People start to live in fear and everything descends into chaos, but a religious group founded on the idea of divine justice, led by Jung Jin-soo played by renowned actor Yoo Ah-in, restores some control and a sense of hope to people during their darkest times. But the nature of supernatural phenomenon is not clear, the cult leader says, so this secret needs to be investigated.The drama brings up questions about human nature, greed, beliefs, and the power of cults that are so common in South Korea, as well as the place of God in human hearts and lives.Based on the short animation Hell: Two Lives made in the early 2000s, hit-maker director Yeon Sang-ho (Train To Busan, Peninsula) recently created a thrilling and intense K-drama that became the king of TV series, Squid Game. The series is available already on Netflix.

https://sputniknews.com/20211124/north-korean-student-to-reportedly-face-firing-squad-for-smuggling-copy-of-squid-game-into-country-1090996851.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20211127/the-us-deep-state-is-excited-about-more-agitation-between-ukraine-and-russia-1091053316.html

The US Deep State is Excited About More Agitation Between Ukraine and Russia

The US Deep State is Excited About More Agitation Between Ukraine and Russia

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan and co-host John Kiriakou discussed current events. 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T12:38+0000

2021-11-27T12:38+0000

2021-11-27T12:38+0000

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film

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The U.S. Deep State is Excited about More Agitation Between Ukraine and Russia On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan and co-host John Kiriakou discussed current events.

GUESTVivian Kubrick - Composer, Filmmaker | Stanley Kubrick, The Making of a Documentary, and Conspiracy TheoriesJohn Cardillo - Former NYPD Officer | January 6th Committee, Ron DeSantis, and Republican WeaknessScottie Nell Hughes - Journalist, RT News Anchor, and Political Commentator | Rush Limbaugh, Talk Radio, and Russian MediaIn the first hour, Lee and John spoke with Vivian Kubrick about her father's legacy, The Beatles, and Peter Sellers. Vivian discussed the legacy of her father's films and the conspiracies surrounding his last film. Vivian described her youth on movie sets and created her first documentary.Lee and John spoke with John Cardillo about his time with the NYPD, moving to Florida, and the 2024 election. John discussed the election fraud in Florida and the performance of Governor DeSantis. John talked about the 2022 midterms and how the establishment Republicans continue to show weakness to voters.In the second hour, Lee and John spoke with Scottie Nell Hughes about her start in journalism, feminism, and school board meetings. Scottie talked about her views on the 2024 election and the Republican strategy. Scottie spoke about the Russian media and contrasted it with the American mainstream media.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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https://sputniknews.com/20211127/us-backs-restoration-of-peace-in-solomon-islands-after-pm-accuses-foreign-powers-of-fuelling-unrest-1091063196.html

US Backs Restoration of Peace in Solomon Islands After PM Accuses Foreign Powers of Fuelling Unrest

US Backs Restoration of Peace in Solomon Islands After PM Accuses Foreign Powers of Fuelling Unrest

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is supporting the restoration of peace and security in the Solomon Islands engulfed in riots, spokesperson for the US... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T10:47+0000

2021-11-27T10:47+0000

2021-11-27T13:49+0000

protests

solomon islands

us

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He thanked Australia and Papua New Guinea for the assistance provided to the government of the Solomon Islands in dealing with the riots.Previously, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare accused foreign powers of fuelling the mass demonstrations, saying that certain countries do not want the island nation to have ties with Beijing.The civil unrest in the Solomon Islands started on Wednesday with disturbances in Honiara and demands for Sogavare's resignation. The government of Malaita Province in the Solomon Islands opposed the decision of the country's central government to develop ties with Beijing instead of Taipei.The Solomon Islands requested the Australian government to assist in tackling the unrest. The unrest has so far left three people dead and more than 100 have been arrested.

Thomas Turk Mat be a bit embarrassing for Oz to be called to help out.. but maybe them Solomon Islanders know how to play these games.. especially so if Oz were in on the sh1r-stirring with the usual actors.. Limeys and Murikans. 6

Alba1970 America's goal is always to undermine the democratic values of nations that do not follow the American road map to subjugation so America's way of dealing with this is to sow internal chaos by funding rebellion to overthrow democratically elected governments normally via NGO groups 6

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protests, solomon islands, us
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/us-may-pause-lethal-aid-to-ukraine-to-reduce-risk-of-confrontation-with-moscow-1091068366.html

US May Pause Lethal Aid to Ukraine to Reduce Risk of Confrontation With Moscow

US May Pause Lethal Aid to Ukraine to Reduce Risk of Confrontation With Moscow

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the White House fears that Moscow might be preparing an attack on its immediate neighbour Ukraine... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T14:36+0000

2021-11-27T14:36+0000

2021-11-27T14:36+0000

russia

ukraine

us

dmitry peskov

invasion

antony blinken

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confrontation

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The US is looking into an array of options to reduce the risk of a confrontation with Moscow amid Washingtons concerns over about large and unusual Russian troop movements near Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal has quoted unnamed sources as saying.On the other hand, the US may take steps to strengthen Ukraines defence capability, including providing more air defences and other military support, and imposing tougher economic sanctions on Russia, according to the insiders.The claims came as Karen Donfried, the top State Department official for European affairs, said that theres a tool kit that includes a whole range of options on the matter.This was preceded by CNN reporting last week that the Biden administration is considering the deployment of military advisers and shipment of military equipment - including weaponry - to Ukraine amid a purported build-up of Russian forces along the border.In a separate development last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov lambasted the ramping up of hysteria in Western countries pertaining to purported Russian plans to invade Ukraine, and warned of possible foreign provocations related to those claims.He condemned the US and NATO for building up provocative activities near Russia's borders by moving their military infrastructure and armed forces closer to the area. Peskov cautioned NATO countries against providing Ukraine with modern weaponry, noting that by doing so these countries inspire Ukraine to reckless behaviour and attempts to resolve pressing issues with the use of force.The remarks followed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement that Washington is concerned over alleged Russian military activity near Russias border with Ukraine. According to Blinken, Washington fears that Moscow might invade its neighbour, even though the Kremlin has repeatedly ruled out such a scenario.At the same time, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley stated earlier this month that the Pentagon sees nothing that would suggest that Russian troops plan to invade Ukraine in the coming week. His comments came amid US media reports that Washington warned the EU of this alleged invasion plan and proposed to work out a joint response  both an economic and military one.Moscow slammed the claims that it intends to invade Ukraine soon as a fake news campaign against Russia. The Kremlin dismissed the reports of a Russian military build-up along the border with Ukraine and recalled that similar allegations of a Russia invasion proved to be wrong in the past as well.

https://sputniknews.com/20211123/us-reportedly-mulling-lethal-aid-package-for-ukraine-amid-invasion-concerns-1090940689.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211122/scholars-us--eu-using-ukraine-invasion-story-to-divert-attention-from-growing-domestic-problems-1090937354.html

4Justice The warmongers in Washington & Brussels hopefully have one brain cell left in their demented brains, enough to stop their reckless game of "chicken" with Russia. They push the Kiev junta into confrontation with false hopes of backing them in an all out war. The crazy maniacs in Kiev could easily pull another Saakashvili move and start WW3. 9

TruePatriot Winky blinky, that's like trying to unring a bell. Are you really that stupid? Or just a zio compromat? 5

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russia, ukraine, us, dmitry peskov, invasion, antony blinken, military exercises, confrontation
https://sputniknews.com/20211127/why-washingtons-russian-invasion-scare-is-cover-for-kievs-new-offensive-against-donbass-1091072603.html

Why Washington's 'Russian Invasion' Scare is Cover for Kiev's New Offensive Against Donbass

Why Washington's 'Russian Invasion' Scare is Cover for Kiev's New Offensive Against Donbass

The US media is continuing to speculate about Russia's alleged plans to invade Ukraine, despite Moscow repeatedly shredding the groundless rumour and warning... 27.11.2021, Sputnik International

2021-11-27T18:27+0000

2021-11-27T18:27+0000

2021-11-27T18:27+0000

black sea

world

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Washington is bracing for an "imminent invasion" of Ukraine by Russia: former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has released a series of tweets claiming that Ukrainian civilians will fight to the bitter end against Russian "occupiers". For his part, Hollywood star Sean Penn arrived in Ukraine to film a documentary about "Russian aggression", being photographed in combat gear and a helmet as he visited Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region last week.While peddling the "Ukraine invasion" story, the Western media nevertheless admit that they have no idea of Russia's genuine intentions. Thus, Bloomberg claimed on 21 November that a 100,000-strong Russian contingent is preparing "a rapid, large-scale push into Ukraine from multiple locations", adding below that "America and others are not saying a war is certain, or even that they know for sure Putin is serious about one". Similarly, Militarytimes.com acknowledges that it's unclear whether the troop concentration in Russia's western regions really "heralds an imminent attack" against Ukraine. Moscow has consistently rejected the US allegations, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denouncing them as "artificial hysteria".Why 'Russian Invasion' Hysteria Doesn't Hold WaterThe military veteran emphasises that there is no threat of an "imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine". He explains that Ukraine is a country of some 40 million people with armed forces in excess of 250,000 strong, which means that "any substantial Russian military intervention in Ukraine would require an amassed force of some 300,000-500,000 troops just to start". However, Western media reports are talking about a Russian buildup of forces "somewhere near Ukrainian borders (or at least closer to Ukrainian borders than to China's borders) of some 90,000 Russian troops"."Careful observers will note that this is approximately the same number of Russian troops that have been in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border since the US-backed Maidan Putsch overthrew the democratically elected government in Kiev in 2014 and began a civil conflict to subjugate east Ukraine to that seizure of power", the security analyst says.Moreover, in the wake of the US media fuss, the Kiev regime's military, state border service, and Sergei Nikiforov, the spokesman for President Zelenskiy, have denied any Russian military buildup on the country's borders in the last month, Sleboda notes.Meanwhile, EU participants of the Normandy Four, France and Germany, have not only failed to pressure the Ukrainian leadership to begin discussions with the breakaway Donbass republics under the Minsk Accords, but have repeated unsubstantiated claims of a potential Russian "invasion" of Ukraine and warned Moscow of "serious consequences".Sleboda notes that at the same time, the US and its NATO allies have recently stepped up the delivery of lethal arms to Kiev. The US and the UK are currently assisting Kiev in the construction of new military bases on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, pledging to send more military "advisers" and special forces to the East European state. For its part, the Pentagon has revived discussions of Ukraine's admission to NATO.It's hardly surprising that Moscow regards the actions by the US and its European NATO allies as an effort to destabilise the region, torpedo the Minsk Agreements, and turn Ukraine into a de facto NATO protectorate and forward military post against Russia, according to the US military veteran.NATO Buildup in Ukraine May Lead to Undesired ResultsNATO's recent joint military games in close proximity to Russia's borders as well as earlier instances of the alliance violating the county's territorial waters in the Black Sea, are only adding to Moscow's concerns.Apart from this, 10 US strategic bombers rehearsed the option of using nuclear weapons against Russia almost simultaneously from the Western and Eastern directions during the Global Thunder drills, according to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. The defence minister highlighted on 23 November that the US planes had come within 20 km (12.4 miles) of the Russian border. In the course of the drills, US strategic aviation conducted 30 flights over the month, which is 2.5 times more than the same period last year, Shoigu said.Moreover, they are apparently trying to make the Russian government reconsider the strong and growing strategic partnership that Russia has with China, the security analyst notes. However, the continual abysmal state of "Russian expert" analysis in Washington "will of course only lead to the exact opposite reaction by the Russian state - ever more resolute defiance and alliance with China", he suggests.Thus, during a Tuesday video conversation, Russian Defence Minister Shoigu and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe emphasised that the US' provocative behaviour poses a military threat to both Moscow and Beijing and agreed to intensify joint strategic exercises and patrols.Kiev's Potential Offensive Against DonbassMeanwhile, Kiev has engaged in increasing military provocations against eastern Ukraine in the last month in flagrant defiance of the Minsk II accords, according to Sleboda. The circulation of the fake news about the "Russian invasion" of Ukraine in the US media is part of Washington's plan to push Kiev to reinvigorate the military conflict in Donbass, according to Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). Speaking to the Rossiya One broadcaster on 27 November, the Russian intelligence chief said that the US is intentionally feeding its allies with false information about Russia's preparations for military action in Ukraine.While the US is trying to fan the military standoff in Donbass, Sleboda doubts that the US-backed Kiev regime "truly believes that it can subjugate the Donbass in east Ukraine":"The goal of any Kiev regime military provocation in Donbass would be to spur lagging Western political, military, and economic support and to try once again to get the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline - which would deprive Kiev of billions of dollars of subsidisation by Russia every year in gas transit fees - killed by the new German government. Call it a tantrum and desperate cry for Western attention by a spoiled Kiev client state", the security analyst suggests.

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keyboardcosmetics For my entire life I have seen corporate media sell us war after war. Always telling us who our enemies are, which countries need saving and which governments need to be overthrown. And every single time it turns out they lied. ~ Abigail Martin American journalist. 18

Joy boy Russia could push a strong message, like 'the more ukraine build up near borders, less gas will transit through ukraine. They need us, but we don't need them. 18

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black sea

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For the 83rd time in his fledgling career, Jason Bertolini lined up behind the starting gate in a pari-mutuel purse start. Since 2017, the 24-year-old has been knocking on the door, picking up five second-place finishes and 14 third-place finishes along way. On Friday (Nov. 26), Bertolini finally rang the cash register, finding his virtual stairway to heaven with his own Led Schneppelin in 1:59.

Scoring from post five, Bertolini was in no mood to let anyone go today. He left alertly and made the top just past the eighth pole with the 10-year-old son of Memphis Flash. From there, Led Schneppelin and Jason Bertolini got every call, widening their margin on the field at every well-rated stanza. By the head of the stretch, they were on top by three and never had an anxious moment.

Bertolini was quick to credit both of his mentors, Aaron Hall, and his mother, Kirsi, for much of his harness racing education.

They both gave me plenty of opportunity to drive and helped give me the experience I needed, noted the aspiring reinsman. Yes, today was a great day. But like Kevin Switzer Jr. told me, One day youre a hero, one day youre a zero. So I try to stay humble.

The oldest of five siblings, Bertolini has been going to the barn since he was an infant. His mother is very proud of her sons strong work ethic and his horsemanship skills. The elder Bertolini stated, Everyone in Maine wants him to warm up their horses because he gets along with anything.

Led Schneppelin belted out $11.00 to win. Wagering favourite Colorful Speech (post 1, Zach Vickerson) finished second, American Fighter (4, Alex Richardson) was third.

Benson Merrill won the $4,500 MADC A with Jet Aviation, paying $7.40 to win. The third split, the $3,200 MADC C, was captured by Ryan Hall with his own Librado Hanover, kicking back a whopping $19.40 to his backers. The Maine Amateur Driving Club is sponsored by Blue Seal Feeds.

Racing resumes on Saturday (Nov. 27) with a full 10-race card, followed immediately by Cumberlands first of five Sunday (Nov. 28) cards. Post time remains 11 a.m.

(First Tracks Cumberland)
As the curtain came down on the 2021 harness racing meet at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (Nov. 26), Vesuvio Bi snuck in one more win after making a late dash to the wire in the $22,500 Winners-Over Trot.

Bruce Ranger left for position from post five with Vesuvio Bi and dropped in third behind Golden Kronos (Drew Monti), who bolted from post nine and grabbed the lead. After a :28.1 quarter and :58.1 half, Vesuvio Bi was ready to partake and tipped out first-over, motoring towards the front on the backstretch.

Golden Kronos still maintained the lead at three-quarters and around the far turn, but Vesuvio Bi eventually collared him at the top of the stretch. From there, Ranger fed him line and Vesuvio Bi trotted home in front by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.1.

The win was the seventh of the year for Vesuvio Bi ($10.40), owned by Michele Nelson and Eric Everett. Joe Nelson trains the winner.

Ranger doubled his win total for the day in the next race -- which was the $17,500 co-featured pace --- after he went wire-to-wire with Frontier Rollo ($4.80) in 1:53.2 and won by five lengths for the gelding's second straight victory. Frontier Rollo is owned by his trainer, Melissa Beckwith.

Ranger was also honoured at the track as the top dash-winning driver of the current meet. Ranger finished with 181 wins and $1,982,636 in earnings.

The trainer of the meet was Jimmy Nickerson, who garnered 60 wins and $797,640 in purses.

Live racing will return to Plainridge Park on April 11, 2022 with 110 racing dates that were assigned by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

(With files from Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts)
Longtime Standardbred industry participant David (Dave) Rankin of Sarnia, Ont. passed away on November 23, 2021 at the age of 56.

Dave was born in Montreal on September 5, 1964. Dave was the first born child of Scottish immigrants who arrived in Canada in the mid 1960s. Dave was very proud of his Scottish heritage.



Dave worked many years in retail support for various business in Sarnia and was a lifelong employee at Hiawatha Horse Park, having a career spanning 36 years as a mutuel ticket seller. Dave will be missed by the patrons of the harness racing community of Sarnia.

Dave was a music lover especially Rock bands of the 1980s, attending many concerts in his lifetime. He was also an avid movie lover. His movie collection was massive and spanned many genres. He enjoyed sharing his passion for movies with his children. Dave had a fascination with roller coasters. He loved spending his summer family vacations at Canadas Wonderland, in Toronto, Ontario and at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

Dear father of Kimberly and Matthew (Amanda). Spouse of Ann Rankin (Steven). Survived by his mother Euphemia (Fay) Rankin (Kerr), his brother James (Jim) Rankin (Brenda) and nephew Tyler. Predeceased by his father William (Bill) Rankin.

Dave was also a lover of animals having several cats and dogs as pets throughout his life. Donations are being accepted in his name for the Sarnia Humane Society.

A private family visitation occurred on Saturday, November 27, at McCormack Funeral Home in Sarnia, Ontario. Cremation and internment to follow.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dave Rankin.
The U.S. abandoned laser-guided artillery shells because of high cost and their need for someone to point a laser designator at the target. Laser guidance provides better accuracy than GPS or INS. Despite that Russia stayed with and improved its laser-guided shell technology and now has these shells available in several different calibers; 120mm and 240mm mortars, as well as 122mm, 152mm and 155mm artillery.

The first laser-guided shell was the American Copperhead 155mm shell developed in the 1970s. Copperhead didnt see any combat until the 1990s and there were no export customers. The Copperhead had too many shortcomings. It was too expensive ($300,000 per shell) and required someone close to the target to use a laser designator to identify the target. All laser guided weapons had problems with fog, mist, and smoke because that diminished the quality of the laser signals. Copperhead failed to gain widespread acceptance, even though it worked. In practice there was little demand for Copperhead except in Russia and China, which developed the tech and still make laser guided artillery shells. Russia developed that tech in the 1980s and China a decade later, before GPS guided GMLRS rockets and Excalibur 155mm shells showed up. The Russians and Chinese copied GMLRS but not the GPS guided shells.

Excalibur shells entered service in 2007 but soon lost most of its demand because of the cheaper, if not quite as accurate, M1156 Precision Guidance kit fuze. This became available in 2011, cost one fifth what Excalibur does and is screwed into the front of any unguided shell, just like any other fuze would be. A similar M395 GPS guidance fuze for 120mm mortar shells was introduced soon after and has been popular (and successful) with the troops.

For the Russians, 120mm mortars are attached to brigades and controlled by the brigade commander. In the U.S. battalions have the 120mm mortar. Russia developed 120mm laser guided shells to increase brigade firepower.

The M395 equipped 120mm shell lands within six meters of the target at 7,000 meters (max range of most 120mm shells). Both these fuzes used the same tech and were from the same manufacturer.

Russia has found that laser-guidance is good enough, especially after the capabilities of their laser designators and laser seekers in the shells were improved in the late 1990s. Russia simply did not have the money to develop something like Excalibur and the Precision Guidance kit fuze. Both required unique manufacturing equipment and skilled workers to manufacture these items affordably and reliably enough to justify their higher cost.

Since the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 Russia has much less money for developing new weapons. Russia has instead improved its more promising Cold War era weapons and successfully used them in combat, mainly since 2014 in Ukraine and a year later in Syria. Russian troops continue to fight in both these areas.

An example of how Russia gradually improves these laser-guided shell technologies can be seen in what happened to their first laser-guided shell, the Daredevil. This was developed in the 1970s and entered service five years after Copperhead. While the U.S. went on to develop GPS guided shells, Russia continued improving their laser guidance system, which was first developed for their Cold War era 240mm era self-propelled artillery system because some of them had been exported to Syria and proved useful there. This is the 2S4, a self-propelled version of the 240mm towed mortar first seen during World War II as the M240. The 2S4 is the four-ton towed M240 mounted on an armored chassis that also carries the same nine-man crew used by the M240. Both mortars fired the same ammunition, like the 130kg (286 pound) high-explosive shell that contained 34 kg (75 pounds) of explosives. The 30-ton self-propelled 2S4 appeared in the 1970s and remained in production until 1988, with 588 delivered to the Russian army as well as several export customers, including Syria. Russia developed the Daredevil laser guided 240mm shell for the 2S4 during the 1980s. Laser grade accuracy was important for a weapon like the 240mm mortar because weapons of this type have a short range. For 240mm it was normally 9,700 meters. It usually required two or three unguided shells to hit a target. Accuracy was critical because heavy mortars are mainly useful against fortifications or in urban areas. With laser guidance, one shell can destroy a target that might have required two or three and do it with the first shot. This is important because after the first shell, surviving enemy troops quickly take cover.

The 240mm mortar fires a shell that can carry a variety of payloads. The basic high-explosive version can create lethal fragments out to 150 meters. But what has kept the 240mm mortar in use is the anti-fortification shell can go through several meters of earth and concrete to destroy an underground bunker or troops firing from the basement of a multi-story building. One of the incendiary shells can set fire to most of a large structure, which is useful when firing at warehouses or factory buildings. There is a rocket assisted 240mm shell with a range of 20 kilometers using a smaller warhead which achieves acceptable accuracy by using laser guidance. This was one reason why a 240mm laser guided shell was developed. On the downside the 240mm has a low rate-of-fire (one round a minute) despite being breech-loading, rather than dropping the shell down the barrel of most mortars. The 2S4 crew had to use a built-in crane to lift the 130 kg shells up and position them so they could be inserted into the breech loading mechanism.

The Russian 2S4s were also used during the 1980s in Afghanistan, where they provided field testing for the first laser guided artillery shell to enter service; the Daredevil. Both Russia and the United States began developing laser guided shells in the 1970s.

The American 155mm Copperhead entered service in 1982 and five years later the less sophisticated, but workable, Daredevil appeared. The problem with the Daredevil was that its laser detector in the shell had a narrow field of vision, so you often had to fire one or two unguided shells at a target so the forward observer with the laser could be sure his laser beam would be detected by the Daredevil guidance system. This guided shell was used successfully in Afghanistan and in the early 1990s in Chechnya. By the 1990s Russia had also developed a more effective laser guided 120mm mortar system, based on Krasnopol, their version of the American Copperhead. Krasnopol entered service at the end of the Cold War and in the 1990s improved versions were developed that were small enough for 122mm artillery shells and 120mm mortar shells. It appears that this tech is being applied to Daredevil because this 240mm guided shell is now used without the narrow field-of-view restrictions the first Daredevil suffered from. That tech also made a rocket assisted, 20-kilometer range 240mm shell more useful because of laser guidance. Krasnopol is effective on the first shot and the laser designator has a range of five kilometers, meaning the longer range 240mm shell could be used much more effectively.

Both Russia and the Americans found that the more expensive guided shells justified themselves because less ammo had to be used. The expense of buying and transporting a lot of unguided shells to a combat zone is less than the cost of far fewer guided shells. While laser beams and GPS signals can be jammed, the GPS equipped shells and rockets have a less accurate INS (Inertial Guidance System) and recent improvement in INS has made this tech nearly as accurate as GPS.
It's almost the end of the year, and it seems like there's nothing much exciting left for the smartphone industry, except the new Qualcomm 4nm chip and the first smartphone to use it, Xiaomi 12. However, this latest information might bring a plot twist to the story. According to it, HUAWEI and OPPO are each dropping a foldable device by the end of 2021.

It all started from reputable tipster Ice Universe hinting at a new "powerful killer" coming to the foldable phone market. Not long after, analyst Ross Young replied and confirmed that new foldable models from HUAWEI and OPPO are indeed on their way in 2021. Considering these two had provided accurate insights before, this might be happening.

Furthermore, Young also responded to some comments by saying that HUAWEI will announce a clamshell-style foldable. On the other side, OPPO could launch an in-folding foldable, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. It's worth mentioning that this is not the first time for HUAWEI to present a foldable smartphone, but it is the first for OPPO.

It's just a few days until we enter December, so there are only a few weeks left for us to find out the truth! Are you excited about what's coming? Leave a comment to let us know and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more smartphone news.
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Cloudy with a few showers. High near 60F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

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A few clouds. Low 43F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
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(TBTCO) - Khong kich thich kinh te thi khong co hy vong kinh te som phuc hoi, nhung kich thich the nao e sau bao dich khong la bao gia? ay la bai toan can nao ma Quoc hoi, Chinh phu ang ban cach giai va ap so phai co vao may tuan toi khi Quoc hoi trieu tap Ky hop bat thuong.
WHEN the new coronavirus variant Omicron was first detected in Botswana, it was as if Dr Nicole Ramlachans worst nightmare had come true.

For the past eight months the geneticist and associate professor at UTT had been warning that if there wasnt an uptick in vaccination rates, the chances of the virus mutating would be higher. Her fears were confirmed on November 26 when the World Health Organisation officially declared Omicron a variant of concern.
Watson Duke has been given three months to relinquish his position as president of the Public Services Association (PSA).

This is according to Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, who also said yesterday, for the first time in the history of the THA, the position Duke holds as Deputy Chief Secretary will be a titular one.
Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights. However, racism, discrimination and intolerance are still very present in all societies.

We in T&T must stand up for our rights, and the rights of others.

Equality, injustice and freedom empower us all, and prevent violence and sustain peace.
Vietnams agriculture minister on Wednesday called on his Japanese counterpart to accelerate quality assessment process for longan exports from the Southeast Asian country to enter the East Asia market in 2022.

Le Minh Hoan, Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, joined a working session with Kaneko Genjiro, Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Vietnamese agriculture ministry reported on Thursday.

During the discussion, Hoan urged his Japanese counterpart to accelerate procedures at Japanese appraisal authorities in order for Vietnamese longans to enter Japan in the 2022 harvest.

The Vietnamese minister also suggested that Japan apply online inspection or facilitate procedures for enterprises to ship heat-treated poultries to Japan.

Mechanisms for Vietnams pomelo and Japans grape harvests to enter the other market will also be devised, the two ministers concurred.

Vietnam is promoting agriculture development to ensure food security, create jobs, and generate income for the 33 percent of the countrys workforce, or 63 percent of the domestic rural population, Hoan stated.

As the two countries have similar starting points, namely the wet rice civilizations and farming-oriented populations, Vietnam may learn a lot from Japan in terms of cooperative economic growth, community spirit, agro product branding, and high technology application, among others, he added.

The two ministers also reiterated their commitments to developing and executing the bilateral agricultural cooperation over the 2020-24 term.

Also during his trip to Japan, Minister Hoan also met with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Vice President Shinichi Yamanaka, where he expressed his gratitude to Japan for assisting the growth of Vietnam's agriculture sector.

In the first cooperation period from 2015 to 2019, Vietnam benefitted from 10 Japanese official development assistance (ODA) projects, including loan programs and technical support frameworks, in various sub-sectors of agriculture.

The Vietnamese official reached an agreement with JICA on a serious review to speed up the progress of ongoing projects, as well as proposals for further JICA support in the future.

Although Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports tripled in the 2013-18 period, most products are still exported through informal channels at inferior prices due to inadequate application of quality standards, the International Finance Corporation reported.

In 2020, Vietnam officially exported fresh lychees to Japan for the first time after five years of negotiations and preparations to meet quality standards.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The operator of a building in Ho Chi Minh City has taken legal action against Highlands Coffee, a popular cafe chain in Vietnam, for failing to pay nearly five months of rents, shortly after a similar controversy between the coffee shop brand and another building owner in Hanoi.

In its denunciation letter sent to the police bureau of Ward 25 in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoa Binh House Corporation (HBH) accused Highlands Coffee Service JSC of illegally trespassing on Pax Sky building, which belongs to HBH, disrupting security and order, and hindering HBHs business activities at the building.

Highlands Coffee has owed up to VND500 million (US$22,000) worth of rents from July to date for the space of its outlet inside Pax Sky building, which is located at 26 Ung Van Khiem Street in Ward 25, Binh Thanh District, according to a sales manager of HBH.

Before submitting the denunciation letter, HBH had discussed the issue with representatives of Highlands Coffee by documents and phone calls for several times.

While the coffee brand tried to negotiate for a 50-percent rent reduction from July 1 to 8 and a rent-free period between July 9 and 15 during the respective applications of prime ministers Directives No. 15 and 16 in Ho Chi Minh City to curb the COVID-19 spread, HBH only agreed to a 20-percent cut for a three-month period.

Prime ministers Directive No. 15 specifies that non-essential businesses and services will remain closed and all citizens must only go outside when necessary, while Directive No. 16 requires all residents to stay home and can only go outside to buy food, supplies, medicine, and other essential goods and services.

As the negotiation failed, HBH sent an official dispatch announcing the termination of the leasing contract between the two sides from November 12, after which HBH started cutting off electricity and water supplies and recovering the leased space.

However, Highlands Coffee then used a generator to continue the operation of its outlet at Pax Sky building, according to HBHs denunciation letter.

With a large number of strangers in the building, Highlands Coffee continuously threatened, obstructed and protested fiercely when Hoa Binh House's staff attempted to recover the space that Highlands Coffee was using in the building, HBH stated in the letter.

A representative of HBH said that the firm has yet to seal off the venue to avoid another attack similar to the previous incident that previously occurred at Artemis building in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, where another Highlands Coffee store is located.

HBH forced the closure of the Highlands Coffee store at the Artemis building after the coffee brand had also failed to pay rents for six months, which have amounted to around VND1 billion ($44,000).

After the shutdown, many people, believed to be Highlands Coffee employees, gathered in front of the lobby of the building to clash with its security guards.

A representative of Highlands Coffee refused to talk with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper regarding the issue, just saying that the chain was working with its partner on the case.

According to Tuoi Tre correspondents observation, the Highlands Coffee store at Pax Sky building was still in operation on Saturday, using a generator for electricity supply.

Few customers used its in-store service, while more food delivery workers picked up online and take-out orders.

Meanwhile, the buildings security guards turned away both people intending to park their motorbikes at the venues parking lot to seat down at the cafe and the food delivery workers.

Originating as a packaged coffee business in Hanoi in 2000, Highlands Coffee currently operates 160 cafes under its brand across Vietnam, according to its website.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
As their photos and video clips go viral on social media and are embraced by local and international animal lovers alike, a rising number of pets kept by people in Ho Chi Minh City and the neighboring province of Dong Nai have been catapulted into fame and are even generating income for their owners.

Photos and videos of these adorable, four-legged idols bring smiles to social media users with their cuddliness, playfulness and smiley demeanors.

These furry stars popularity has been growing steadily in recent years, as adorable dog- and cat-themed channels have been sprouting up on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube and enjoy a large following.

The owners of these pets, who run the channels, have thousands or even millions of followers, and have been showered with praise and encouraging comments.

Many of these young people might not think their pets would enjoy stardom when they first posted photos and video clips capturing the furry balls in their happiest, naughtiest moments and also throughout their rehoming and recuperation journeys.

As the posts were embraced with enthusiasm by netizens, these animal lovers stepped forward and launched their own channels.

Before they knew it, their beloved canines and felines achieved celebrity pet status and are now permanent fixtures on the channels or their own profiles and began bringing home an income.

Earning their own living

Bo, a three-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi owned by Hoang Nhat Ha, has acted in several advertisements for different brands since he stepped into her life.

The 30-year-old woman, a resident in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly shared that her well-groomed pup, who indulges in quite a lavish life, has appeared in advertisements for around nine brands.

The pooch earned between VND2.5 and 4.5 million (US$110-199) for a six-hour shoot at his owners negotiation.

According to Ha, her pets debut is a role in a commercial for a center offering math lessons to children.

Bos acting skill in the commercial earned him instant recognition as he played a member of the family who is always there for his young owner.

Ha is proud that her pet can showcase his well-groomed appearance and charisma while earning her some money as well.

I let Bo do some work so he can cover his own living expenses, the young woman said with a smile.

Huge following

A TikTok page named Candy the Corgi currently has more than 610,000 followers and 8.2 million likes.

Candys Instagram account draws more than 27,000 followers and his Facebook page also garners nearly 100,000 likes per post.

These are accounts that Dinh Tri Quang, from Go Vap District, also in Ho Chi Minh City, opened in a bid to shoot his dogs into the spotlight.

Gody Thanh Long, who fills social media users hearts with love when a post of the coddled Corgi pup, his coat smeared with blood-like stains after gnawing a red-fleshed dragon fruit went viral in March 2020, is seen in this photo, supplied by his owner, Dinh Tri Quang.

The two most promising faces among his pack are Keo (Candy) and Gody Thanh Long (Gody the Dragon Fruit).

Gody Thanh Long got his/her name from an incident in March last year, when the pup, then two months old, was found on the floor with his coat smeared with blood-like stains.

The sight gave his owners a fright before they found out that the stains came from the juice of a red-fleshed dragon fruit which Gody had eaten.

The post was a big hit among animal buffs in Vietnam and other countries.

Each of my posts approaches around 100,000 users and is liked by about 5,000 users, Quang said, adding he plans to launch a fan page dedicated to Gody.

Unlike Candy and Gody, who are mini celebrities in their own right thanks to their playfulness, Ver (Vo), another Corgi dog, has melted social media users hearts with his happiness-seeking journey.

Vo was adopted by Huynh Thi Thao Hien from Dong Nai Province, neighboring Ho Chi Minh City, the moment she spotted him at a pedigree breeding farm.

The dog was diagnosed with severe dermatitis and bladder stones when Hien decided to add him to the lot.

His chronicle of treatment and recovery has received a lot of love from netizens.

Together with Det, another Corgi pooch kept by Hien, Vo now enjoys being the center of attention and is showered with gifts, including food, toys, snacks, clothing and even accessories and jewelry from good wishers.

Another Internet sensation is Moca, a Ho Chi Minh City-based Husky dog whose TikTok channel (mocachodien) has drawn nearly six million followers.

Each of this poochs clips is viewed thousands and even millions of times.

Moca is a hit on the Internet for his silly demeanor, uncommon steely grey eyes and disappearing into thin air magic tricks which he performs alongside his owner.

The adorable pooch and his owner remain quite active on social media and keep the fans, both local people and foreigners, updated about his latest tales with English subtitles.

Mocas pack leader is 29-year-old Nguyen Quang Dat, a resident in Cu Chi, a suburban district in Ho Chi Minh City, who keeps a brood of seven pups.

Though Moca came into Dats life in 2017, it was not until two years later that the young man posted the poochs first video clip onto TikTok.

Moca, a Husky dog, often has a scarf on in viral video clips featuring his magic tricks, with many viewers commenting on his eyes as adorably silly. Photo: Ngan Ha / Tuoi Tre

The man took his hobby to another level when he found himself working remotely during the first COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 and thus making more videos of his beloved companion.

It clicked. The following of Mocas channel has since rocketed to thousands and even millions from only hundreds at the beginning.As the channel makes quite a splash, I began receiving offers for advertising shows from pet shops and pet-related apps, Dat shared, adding he is giving a shot at a namesake Youtube channel for extra passive incomes.

Dogs and cats: to be loved and remembered A dog show running on the 27th and 28th of October, 2018 at Dam Sen Theme Park, located in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, proved a magnet for animal enthusiasts who brought in their pooches of different breeds and enjoyed the overdose of cuteness. The paw-some event was where animal keepers could get together to share tips in properly raising animals and behold and interact with their adorable furry pals. Similar festivals and memorial days dedicated to the fluffy pals have been celebrated in some countries. International Dog Day, held on August 26 each year, has been created so that all breeds of dogs are celebrated. The day also helps raise public awareness in recognizing the number of dogs that must be rescued on a yearly basis, from pure breed rescuers, rescues, and public shelters. Mans best friend and heroic contributions of service and therapy dogs are also honored on this day. In several countries, especially the U.S., many occasions have been dedicated to man's best friend as these little bundles of joy deserve to be celebrated every day and for all their lives. Among them are National Walk the Dog Day (February 22), National Puppy Day (March 23), National Take Your Dog to Work Day (celebrated annually on the Friday following Father's Day), Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs (August 1), and World Spay Day (celebrated annually on the fourth Tuesday in February.) Others include World Stray Animals Day (April 4), World Pet Memorial Day (every year on the second Tuesday in June), International Homeless Animals Day (on the third Saturday in August), International Cat Day (a celebration which takes place on August 8 of every year), and National Hug Your Cat Day (June 4, whether the feline companion likes it or not!)

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A PhD degree holder in fish farming techniques has spent years working on artificial breeding of marine fish before supporting local farmers in techniques and regular guidance. His work is recognized by colleagues and has inspired generations of students.

Simplifying the steps is crucial in the research and development of the production line and commercial fish farming, said Ngo Van Manh, a 44-year-old lecturer at the Nha Trang University (NTU) in central Vietnam.

That way, the local fish farm owners can easily apply the techniques in their actual practice.

Currently, the establishment for researching fish breeds and farming techniques within the Aquatic Farming Institute, a part of NTU, is under the administration of Dr. Manh.

There is no science without finance

Trachinotus blochii, commonly known as the tropical pompano, is suitable for long-term commercial breeding, according to a recent PhD proposal in the field of fish farming.

This fish, once mass produced in coastal provinces, can create jobs for thousands of people. It has become a major marine species for fish farmers.

Over time, farm owners have been trained to raise and breed this type of fish. Also, products from it have been put on trial for customers feedback.

Ngo Van Manh, a 44-year-old lecturer at Nha Trang University, has his mind on helping the local community. He is seen performing an artificial breeding technique for the tropical pompano. Photo: Hai Luan / Tuoi Tre

According to a government scheme, the tropic pompano is to be commercially raised until 2030, with a vision until 2045.

The tropic pompano meets all the needs for large tank farming under the marine industry guidelines, said Vo Thien Lang, vice president of the Vietnam Fisheries Association.

There is a farm in Nha Trang City of Khanh Hoa Province with 300 tanks for fingerlings, parent fish and fish for sale.

This establishment researches and transfers technology to farmers in the raising of such fish like the Trachinotus blochii, red drum, groupers, giant trevally, golden trevally, and blackspotted croaker.

One can see dozens of fish tanks of different sizes in the breeding center.

There are so many fish in the tanks, a visitor can easily pick up a bunch of tiny fish.

This lot of fish will serve the fish farmers in Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces, said Nguyen Van Vinh, a technician at the premises.

For the last year of COVID-19, fish keepers experienced a boost in fish feed prices, while the earnings from their produce was lowered.

However, we maintained the scope of our production and even dropped the prices in order to support these fish farm owners, Vinh said.

By 2006, coastal people from central Quang Binh Province to Kien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta had no experience with the tropical pompano.

At that time, it was piloted only by Marine Fams ASA Vietnam, a Norwegian company in the Van Phong Bay, Van Ninh District, Khanh Hoa Province.

In 2007, Associate Professor Dr. Lai Van Hung, dean of the aquatic farming department at NTU, paid the Norwegian company a visit, said Dr. Manh.

He saw that the fish was doing well with them, and realized their potential, so he purchased 50 specimens of two to three kilograms for breeding as parent fish.

After a while, he selected a group of highly prolific parent fish and rented a shrimp farm as a place for the larval stage. The fish were prolific at birth, but due to low experience in techniques, only 2 percent survived in the small tank.

After that, they were raised in larger tanks. The first crop was 10,000 specimens. Dr. Hung called for feed donations for the fish through his contacts.

When they had grown, there were no buyers though. For the interns working in these tanks as their part-time job, the department had no money to support them, he added.

Seeing that finance has to be a fundamental part of the scientific path, Dr. Manh came up with an idea.

He created tiny fish info leaflets and distributed them himself to tourists coming to the Cau Da tourist destination in Nha Trang City.

Over time, a few buyers from Ho Chi Minh City placed their orders. They gave us positive reviews and spread the news to their friends.

Once again, we attempted to sell these fish to seaside restaurants in Nha Trang.

With growing numbers of orders, we contacted merchants and distributors so that we ourselves can focus on the scientific side.

Working with the fishermen

Before its popularity with diners, the tropical pompano that could breed in captivity was unknown to the fishermen in Khanh Hoa Province.

To a scientist, breeding the fish and commercially producing it are only half the job well done.

The vital task is for fishermen themselves to be able to access high quality breeds and make profits from them.

Dr. Manh went on friendly trips to each local farm where he introduced the fish and provided guidelines to farmers.

He reassured these people that the fee for him would be collected only if the fish can yield a profit.

Some were ignorant, while others were keen on the new species. They put in efforts and strictly followed Dr. Manhs instructions.

Every time a fisherman asks him about fish farming techniques, he can go on and on.

Sometimes, he even writes down the whole process of fish farming instructions in the friendliest manner for them to bring home.

Dr. Manh keeps close contact with anyone who tries out the fish in their farm.

He goes on field trips to see how they are actually doing.

Thanks to all this support, many farmers began to make profits.

We worked with him from the toughest days after graduation. We had our degrees, but did not want to leave him, said Nguyen Van Vinh, a farm manager.

All the money he earned was poured back into machinery upgrades, renting farms and expanding the scope of production.

There are 24 staff members in his facilities, 18 of whom are his students.

We run the farm and even manage its finance and administration, even the buying and selling of fish.

We trust each other.

The teacher that inspires

Besides the Trachinotus blochii, Dr. Manh has successfully bred many other like Trachinotus falcatus, Caranx ignobilis, Gnathanodon speciosus, Protonibea diacanthus, Sciaenops ocellatus, and Lates calcarifer.

These types of fish are being reared in the small tanks, so the profits are meager.

According to his colleagues, Dr. Manh is a good teacher who brings about good students and is passionately sharing his work.

Some have even said that students take pride in helping him wash the dishes.

In Vietnam, respecting the teacher is a deep-rooted tradition.

Dr. Manh is a dedicated scientist who is willing to share his experience in breeding fish for the people of Khanh Hoa Province, said Pham Dung Phuong, director of the Advanced Marine Breeding Facility, part of the Aquatic Farm Research Institute 1.

He has a clear understanding of the theoretical principles, so the students find it easy to follow his lectures. On the practical side, he is the one who can actually do what he preaches, said Tran Duc Phu, head of the Institute of Marine and Fishing Technology under the NTU.

Students were barely missing in his classes. Every time he had a point to discuss, he illustrated with vivid pictures and told his anecdotes from actual practices, said Bao Van Ty, one of Manhs former students who currently lives in Thuan Nam District in Ninh Thuan Province.

For the internship, the students were fighting for the jobs. Some were feeding the fish, some were replacing the water, some were cleaning the tanks. Even dishwashing was an honorable task.

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Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

The art form is so popular that it attracts people from all ages in the Mekong Delta
Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had talks with his Swiss counterpart Guy Parmelin on Friday as part of his ongoing visit to the northern European country to boost the bilateral relationship to a new height.

The meeting took place after an official welcome ceremony conducted in Bern on Friday morning (local time) for the Vietnamese leader, who had arrived for a four-day official visit at the invitation of the host countrys leader.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction that the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Switzerland have been growing fruitfully over the last half century in multiple fields including politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, investment and science and technology.

The Vietnamese State and people always treasure the precious support and assistance that Switzerland has given to their struggle for national independence in the past as well as its national development at present.

The two sides had extensive, comprehensive and substantive discussions in all fields of cooperation and reached a consensus on many specific measures to promote the bilateral relations in commensurate with the potential and advantages of the two countries.

President Parmelin highly valued Vietnams outstanding achievements in socio-economic development and COVID-19 containment, and asserted that Vietnam is an important economic partner of Switzerland in Southeast Asia.

President Phuc asked the Swiss government to encourage Swiss enterprises to invest in the Southeast Asian nation, especially in the fields of Switzerlands strength and Vietnams needs, such as finance and banking, insurance, manufacturing industries, and pharmaceutical production.

He assured his host that the Vietnamese government is improving the business and investment climate and create favorable conditions for foreign firms, including those from Switzerland, to do business in Vietnam.

Currently, Switzerland ranks 20th out of 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, and the potential for cooperation between the two countries is still very large.

The northern European country is also the sixth largest European investor in Vietnam, with 167 projects with a total registered capital of around US$2 billion.

The two leaders agreed to boost the early conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to open up new cooperation opportunities.

President Phuc thanked the Swiss government for providing official development assistance (ODA) aid for Vietnam while the Swiss President assessed Vietnam as an effective ODA using partner and said his government will provide Vietnam with 70 million Swiss francs (US$75.8 million) worth of ODA for the 2021-24 period.

As the year 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Swiss ODA program in Vietnam, President Phuc sincerely thanked the Swiss government for providing Vietnam with valuable ODA capital that has been used on various fields, helping Vietnam achieve many socio-economic achievements and fulfill many of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule.

The Vietnamese leader also thanked the Swiss government for its donation in medical equipment worth around $5 million for Vietnams COVID-19 fight on the occasion of Swiss Vice President Ignazio Casiss visit to Vietnam in August.

He proposed the two countries promote cooperation in the development, production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and drugs.

The host and guest agreed to strengthen cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organizations such as the United Nations and the Asia - Europe cooperation mechanism.

Vietnam agreed to act as a bridge for Switzerland to promote its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), President Phuc said.

He thanked the Swiss government for facilitating Vietnamese communities in Switzerland to integrate into local society, and hoped the host will continue with this in the future.

Regarding the East Vietnam Sea issue, Switzerland emphasized the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation, compliance with international law, and settlement of disputes via peaceful measures based on transparent dialogue and trust building.

As part of his visit to Switzerland, President Phuc on Friday afternoon had a meeting with President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi, at which the two sides agreed to further step up cooperative ties, especially in economy, trade, and investment.

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Check out the news you should not miss today:

Politics

-- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday, beginning his official visit to the European country at the invitation of his Swiss counterpart Guy Parmelin as the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of ties this year.

Society

-- A batch of 2,074,410 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. to Vietnam touched down in Hanoi on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam.

-- A court in Hanoi on Friday condemned a 38-year-old man to life in prison for appropriating VND74 billion (US$3.2 million) when he was working as an investment fund manager of a bank.

-- Designated agencies in Ho Chi Minh City are calculating property damage caused by a fire at a well-known bar on Hai Ba Trung Street, District 3 on Friday afternoon.

-- Two high school students in the northern province of Bac Giang have been hospitalized after getting vaccinated against COVID-19 on Wednesday.

World News

-- The World Trade Organization (WTO) became the first major diplomatic casualty of the new coronavirus variant on Friday when it postponed its first ministerial meeting in four years due to the deteriorating health situation, Reuters reported.

-- The discovery of a new coronavirus variant named Omicron triggered global alarm on Friday as countries rushed to suspend travel from southern Africa and stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic suffered their biggest falls in more than a year, according to Reuters on Friday.

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Four high school students have suffered post-vaccination anaphylaxis, with two of them having been hospitalized, after getting inoculated against COVID-19 in Vietnams northern province of Bac Giang on Wednesday.

The prognosis of one of them was very poor.

The two children with more severe reactions have been treated at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi after they and other students at two high schools in Bac Giang's Son Dong District received the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday morning, according to Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the Bac Giang Department of Health.

During the vaccination process, four students at these two schools showed signs of dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, and pale skin due to anaphylaxis.

These are undesirable complications due to the bodys reactions to the vaccine, Huong said.

Two of the children suffered grade-3 reactions.

Right after the incident, the Son Dong District Medical Center gave them first aid on the spot, while the Bac Giang Department of Health sent doctors and nurses from Bac Giang General Hospital to Son Dong to give further support.

After that, we transferred the two children to Bach Mai Hospital for treatment.

The two children with severe complications have been put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), or outside-the-body life support.

As of Friday afternoon, one of them had their complications reduce, while the other was still in a very serious condition.

Meanwhile, the other two students in the four are in stable health and are being monitored at the Son Dong District Medical Center, according to Huong.

Bac Giang authorities have launched a campaign to vaccinate 173,977 children from 12 to 17 years old against COVID-19.

A nurse tends to people suffering anaphylaxis after receiving the second doses of Vero Cell COVID-19 vaccine at Thanh Hoa General Hospital in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, November 2021. Photo: Ha Dong / Tuoi Tre

On Friday afternoon, the Department of Health of north-central Thanh Hoa Province also said that ten local adults, who had suffered reactions after the injections of Vero Cell COVID-19 vaccine earlier this week, had their health conditions improved.

They were among a group of workers at Kim Viet Shoe Company that had been vaccinated with the second doses of Vero Cell COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday in Thanh Hoas Nong Cong District.

A number of the workers suffered severe reactions within 30 minutes after their vaccinations.

Four of them died of anaphylaxis while ten others have been treated by medical experts from Bach Mai Hospital at Thanh Hoa General Hospital.

After three days of treatment, the ten were in relatively stable condition on Friday afternoon.

They do not need oxygen support and are able to move on their own.

Their test results were also within normal limits.

With this health development, they are expected to be discharged from the hospital in the next few days.

Following the four deaths after the vaccinations, health authorities in Thanh Hoa halt the administration of Vero Cell vaccine jabs from batch B2021103398 pending the Ministry of Healths guidelines on handling the batch.

They also sent samples of the doses in question to the National Institute for Control of Vaccines and Biologicals for testing.

Thanh Hoa has recorded some 2,100 COVID-19 cases since the fourth coronavirus wave flared up in Vietnam in late April, including around 1,100 recoveries and 12 deaths, according to the provincial health departments statistics.

More than 2.4 million vaccine shots have been given in the province, which has a population of 3.6 million, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

Health workers in Nong Cong District had administered over 10,000 out of the 29,900 doses of Vero Cell COVID-19 vaccine planned for its current inoculation round before the four fatalities.

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The United States has additionally offered Vietnam over two million Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine jabs, bringing its total donations to the Southeast Asian country to more than 18 million doses.

Another shipment of 2,074,410 doses of Pfizer vaccine arrived in Hanoi early this morning, the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam said in its verified Facebook page on Friday.

The U.S. has so far donated over 18 million vaccine doses to Vietnam through COVAX as part of its steadfast commitment to support Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19, the embassy said.

And more are on the way! it added.

The two countries have cooperated to improve Vietnams capacity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on their long-term cooperative relationship, according to the embassy.

The U.S. has aided nearly US$1 billion to Vietnam over the past years for develop health infrastructure development, and the former has also committed $26.7 million as support for Vietnam to respond to the pandemic.

In October, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi received 77 refrigerators among the 111 deep freezers for storage of Pfizer vaccine, funded by the U.S. government for Vietnam through the U.S. Department of Defense.

At the Global COVID-19 Summit held two months ago, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to provide 500 million more doses of Pfizer vaccine to 92 low- and middle-income countries around the world and the African Union, bringing its total global commitment to more than 1.1 billion doses.

Vietnam has been a leading recipient of these doses, the embassy said in a press release.

In addition to the U.S., the largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam so far, the Southeast Asian country has received vaccine donations from other countries including Japan, Australia, the UK, France, Italy, Russia, the Czech Republic, and China, among others.

Vietnam has so far received around 140 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines out of the 200 million shots that had been contracted.

Vietnams health workers have administered about 68.93 million first vaccine doses and 47.39 million second shots to people nationwide since immunization was rolled out on March 8, according to official figures.

With the current vaccination progress, the country is likely to cover 70 percent of its population aged 18 and older with two full doses of vaccine by the year-end, the Ministry of Health said.

The Southeast Asian country has recorded 1,181,337 patients, including 955,256 recoveries and 24,544 deaths, since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year, the health ministrys data shows.

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Huge waves crash the against the sea wall and Roker Lighthouse (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

Three people have been killed as Storm Arwen brought gusts of almost 100mph, causing road closures, train delays and power cuts across the UK.

The Met Office said amber and yellow warnings for wind remained in place across large swathes of the country.

Some regions in England and Scotland saw snow, and a yellow warning for ice has been issued for parts of both countries until Sunday.

At least three people died during the storm on Friday as trees were blown over.

Marco Petagna, a Met Office forecaster, told the PA news agency: Weve seen some pretty severe gusts overnight with the highest speeds hitting 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

Elsewhere, exposed sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland also surpassed 90mph, with 70-80mph seen more widely in the north of the UK, though parts of southern England and Wales also felt the effects of the storm.

This has been coupled with a few inches of snow which has fallen in some areas.

In the higher ground areas of Scotland we expected to see up to 15cm falling but the strong winds meant the snow blew around and created a blizzard in some parts.

 Yellow weather warning issued 



Ice across parts of England and Scotland

Saturday 1700 - Sunday 1100



Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs

Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/K3Us0b1qHs  Met Office (@metoffice) November 27, 2021

Police Scotland said a 35-year-old man died when his pick-up truck was struck by a falling tree on the B977 Dyce to Hatton of Fintray Road in Aberdeenshire at about 5.45pm on Friday.

Cumbria Police said a man from Lancaster died in Ambleside after a tree fell on him just before 11pm.

In Northern Ireland, a man was killed when his car was hit by a falling tree in County Antrim.

Story continues

Wind speeds reached 87mph in Orlock Head, Co Down.

Major disruption has been seen across the UK (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

Inverbervie on the north-east coast of Scotland had gusts of 78mph, while Aberporth in Wales saw speeds of 77mph.

People were advised to be wary of travelling, as train networks across the UK reported disruption to services.

All Avanti West Coast services North of Carlisle were cancelled on Saturday, with customers strongly advised not to attempt to travel on the route.

ScotRail services were disrupted between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, Dunblane and Stirling after a barn was blown on to the line close to Polmont, near Falkirk.

 #LNERUpdate Owing to severe damage to the line from #StormArwen, no trains will run north of #Newcastle throughout Sunday 28 November. There will be significant disruption across our entire route.



Please DO NOT TRAVEL.



Live updates can be found at https://t.co/fUHB14tQxa. pic.twitter.com/1yysPi1RcY  London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) November 27, 2021

Passengers travelling on an Aberdeen-bound train on Friday had to wait 17 hours at Huntly railway station in Aberdeenshire due to the extreme weather.

TransPennine Express customers were urged not to travel, with services between Newcastle and Edinburgh cancelled.

South Western Railway services were disrupted on Saturday due to multiple trees and obstructions blocking the railway, while London North East Railway warned customers not to travel north of York due to significant damage.

Dorset Council reported trees and power cables on roads in the area, while road closures were reported more widely in the worst-affected parts of northern England and Scotland.

Social media footage showed a number of lorries and cars stuck on snowy roads, with ploughs being used in a number of areas.

In Scotland, one person posted a photo of a caravan that had blown into a garden.

Homes across all parts of the UK were damaged as the gusts struck.

Energy Networks Association, which represents the UKs energy network operators, urged customers to stay clear of any fallen power lines and report them immediately.

Falling trees caused road closures and train delays (Adrian OBrien/PA) (PA Media)

Northern Powergrid said severe gales had caused power cuts for more than 55,000 customers, mainly in the Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear areas.

A number of councils in Scotland also reported power cuts, and Electricity North West responded to a high number of cuts affecting thousands of properties in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said more than 100,000 homes were left without power when the storm hit on Friday.

The utility firm said a significant number of customers were facing electricity outages throughout Saturday due to the damage caused by the storm.

More strong winds will be seen on Saturday morning (Les Cooper/PA) (PA Media)

Mr Petagna said: There has been plenty of disruption caused by these severe gales, stretching down from south-west England and as far as northern parts of Scotland.

But I have to say weve seen the worst of the weather and things will start to fizzle out over Saturday, though people will still see snow and fairly strong gales.

The Met Office said the north of Scotland, north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands and the East Midlands will experience cold weather until Monday, with ice warnings in place for the rest of the weekend.

Read More

Coldest night of the season could bring temperatures as low as -10C

Immunity could cushion effects of Omicron, health experts say

Omicron variant may lead to further restrictions, Nicola Sturgeon warns
European Poker Tour Prague Postponed

November 27 2021 Calum Grant

EPT Prague, scheduled to run December 8-19 in King's Casino at the Hilton Prague, has been postponed into the next year. The decision was made by PokerStars due to recent restrictions put in place by the Czech Republic government. The restrictions were put into place again due to growing coronavirus concerns in the country, which is facing a rapidly rising number of cases similar to more European countries.

The European Poker Tour (EPT) event, which was due to start on Wednesday, December 8, will now go ahead at a later date when it is safe to do so. PokerStars declared they must follow the guidance of the government and put the safety of its staff and players as a top priority.

Details regarding players refunds can be found on the PokerStars blog, which released the statement.

@Franchi2b Hello Pierre-Jean. We are currently reviewing the ongoing situation in the Czech Republic and will be fo https://t.co/d3nO573abb  PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE)

The announcement came just a few hours after PokerStars LIVE tweeted they were reviewing the ongoing situation.

Czech Republic Government Announces State of Emergency

On Thursday, November 25 the Czech Republic government announced a State of Emergency due to the growing number of coronavirus cases in the country. It was reported that there were over 25,000 new cases on Wednesday, November 24.

This follows similar patterns and comes off the back of bordering nations, Austria and Slovakia, imposing their own lockdowns.

Cultural, sporting and educational events have been imposed with an 1,000 person cap while restaurants and bars will be operating under a 10 p.m. curfew.

EPT Prague 2019: Mikalai Pobal Makes History; Becomes Second EPT Two-Time Champion

Postponement Marks Two Years Without EPT

It was only towards the of September 2021 that PokerStars confirmed that the European Poker Tour would be returning to Prague after a two year hiatus. Fans of the long-running poker series will have to wait a little longer for their favorite series to return, with both 2020 and 2021 remaining void of any stops.

EPT Prague was scheduled to host several events with the main attractions being the 1,100 EPT National, 5,300 EPT Main Event and 10,300 EPT High Roller.

EPT Prague History

EPT Prague has a rich and storied history dating back to December 2007. Since then, the festival has grown to be one of the most popular stops on the European Poker Tour.
It may have taken an extra day, but it was well worth the wait for Antoine Vranken who captured his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet in Event #6: 1,650 PLO/NLH Mixed. Vranken will also take home the first-place prize of 113,000 after overcoming 339 total entries en route to his victory.

Vranken entered the final day as one of the short stacks but he remained patient throughout the day and managed to move his way up the leaderboard.

"I just waited for good cards today. I think I only bluffed once or twice," Vranken said after his victory. "Last night I was looking up my opponents and they were all pretty good so I just had to stay patient."

Vranken also entered the heads-up battle with Moncef Karoui with a chip deficit but managed to find an early double-up to take the lead. Just moments later, the players got all of their chips in the middle again while playing pot-limit Omaha.

Vranken held pocket kings with one suit while Karoui had pocket aces with no suits. However, Vranken used his other two cards to flop a full house and Karoui was unable to spike an ace on the turn or river. The Dutch rail cheered as Vranken let out a sigh of relief but a big smile showed just how much this victory meant to him.

"I can't believe it. It's real now," Vranken said enthusiastically as his eyes could barely leave the WSOP bracelet sitting in front of him.

Final Table Payouts

Place Player Country Prize (EUR) 1st Antoine Vranken Netherlands  113,000 2nd Moncef Karoui Tunisia  69,831 3rd Carter Newhof United States  47,286 4th Claudio Di Giacomo Italy  32,787 5th Stanislav Koleno Slovakia  23,296 6th Mikkel Plum Denmark  16,971 7th Manuel Fritz Austria  12,685 8th Fahredin Mustafov Bulgaria  9,734 9th Julien Sitbon France  7,675

It was a mixed event that Vranken didn't have a lot of experience in as he mostly plays the no-limit hold'em variant, but he did get some practice recently. "I just started playing Omaha tournaments last week," Vranken laughed. "I played some cash games before but I prefer playing tournaments and I've done well."

Final Day Action

There were 10 players who returned to the felt for an unscheduled Day 3 of this tournament. It took a while for the action to get rolling but Danny Covyn became the first casualty to bring the field down to an official final table of nine. Julien Sitbon, Fahredin Mustafov, and Manuel Fritz all fell short of running up their short stacks as they exited the tournament in order.

Mikkel Plum entered the day as the shortest stack of them all, and at one point had less than three big blinds on Day 2, but managed to spin up a stack and even take the chip lead. However, a couple of tough coolers did not go his way and he eventually hit the rail in sixth place. Stanislav Koleno and Claudio Di Giacomo were grinding the short stack for quite some time but eventually, the blinds caught up with them. Koleno fell on the river to Carter Newhof and Di Giacomo got an unlucky river against Karoui.

Moncef Karoui finished in second place

That left the final three players to battle for the bracelet and they all took their swings. Newhof took down the first big pot to take the lead but he then doubled up Vranken which left him as the short stack. He then got in a coin flip against Karoui but came out on the losing side which eliminated the American in third place.

Vranken and Karoui took a few heads-up photos which actually took longer than their heads-up match. Vranken won both of the big pots the two players decided to play and he ended the match in a timely fashion.

That wraps up the coverage of this event but the PokerNews live reporting team will be around to bring you more updates throughout the WSOP Europe series.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) will likely strive to build a constructive relationship with Turkey. This, in turn, will lead to tension within the German coalition government, Daily Sabah writes.

In the Angela Merkel era, a few high points and many low phases were observed in German-Turkish relations. In the period of the new coalition government comprising of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), relations will not improve, they may even become worse. A survey conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations in June 2021, which was also conducted in Germany, found that Germany views Turkey as a greater rival or opponent than Russia and China. This result may seem surprising, as Russia and China are undisputed influential global players in contrast to Turkey, which is more of a regional actor. However, this survey demonstrates how important Turkey is in public opinion and politics in Germany and Europe.

Merkel's Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) was largely distanced in its attitude toward Turkey. In comparison to the SPD-Green government from 1998-2005, the Gerhard Schroder-Joschka Fischer government was very friendly toward Turkey and one of the main initiators of the country's European Union accession process in 2005. At that time, Merkel, in opposition with the CDU, had clearly positioned herself against Turkey's EU accession.

Several years later, one could observe a clear change in the SPD and the Greens toward Turkey. In 2017, the SPD candidate for chancellor at the time, Martin Schulz, had stated that if he were elected chancellor, the EU accession process with Turkey would be abandoned. The Greens have made their position clear before. In 2013, the Green politician and current Bundestag Vice-President Claudia Roth had taken part in the Gezi protests and demonstrated against the government. The FDP was and still is sticking to the CDU line with regard to its Turkey policy with its distanced attitude. Therefore, from Turkey's point of view, one should be prepared for a diplomatic partner with whom it will be rather difficult to find a consensus in negotiations.

The party programs

The coalition members' party programs mention Turkey in several thematic areas, including migration, security policy and NATO. In their party programs, the SPD and the FDP promote the need to create safe routes for refugees to Europe in view of migration problems, defending the Geneva Refugee Conventions and preventing pushbacks as these violate human rights. The latter is very paradoxical, since on the part of the EU, first and foremost the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the harsh actions of Greek soldiers against refugees in March 2020, thus legitimizing their actions. Furthermore, it is also very striking that the SPD and the FDP do not mention Turkey in the context of migration problems, although Turkey is the most important partner of the EU and Germany with regard to migration cooperation.

The Greens, on the other hand, mention Turkey quite explicitly in this context. Their party program states that the EU-Turkey deal must end, as this deal would undermine international asylum law. Nevertheless, the Greens supported financial and logistical support for third countries like Turkey. The Greens are known for standing up for the rights of refugees. But they are also known for taking a tough stance on Turkey. By ending the EU-Turkey deal, the Greens aim to further limit Turkey's ability to act and reduce the EU's and Germany's dependence on Turkey.

Security, NATO and Turkey

In their party program, the FDP makes it clear that Turkey is a very important, "indispensable" partner in NATO and pleads for "security policy tensions" to be reduced. They also add that there would still be "a Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan." The SPD does not explicitly mention Turkey in its party program, but they give concrete examples of military operations in Libya and Azerbaijan, strongly criticizing them and saying that NATO as a community should punish such operations in the future. The Greens also criticize Turkey's military operations without naming them explicitly and add that German arms exports to war zones and "dictatorships" should be stopped. Furthermore, the Greens say that they want to "raise the issue of Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria, which is against international law, in NATO."

In security policy, one can see a consistent line among the three coalition parties toward Turkey. However, the SPD should be highlighted in this context. The SPD and future Chancellor Olaf Scholz, despite their distanced attitude, will most likely lead a security policy toward Turkey that is based on rational foundations. Although the Greens may provide the foreign minister, the party policy of the SPD will most likely predominate. The reason is simply that, usually, in the Federal Republic of Germany, the chancellor makes the foreign policy decisions and the foreign ministry is more of a symbol without real decisive influence. That is why the Greens' calls should not be taken too seriously.

Compared to the Merkel period, the future coalition government will pursue a much more ambiguous policy toward Turkey. While in the Merkel era Germany was interested in finding solutions to problems with Turkey, this cannot be expected from the future coalition government. The liberal FDP and social-liberal Greens will have different approaches towards the Turkey policy than the SPD. However, it can be expected that the SPD will prevail in most cases. This can be seen as a problem for Turkey. However, it will be a bigger problem for the coalition government, as disagreements will create tensions and these tensions will also negatively affect other areas of the government.
In the article for Global Village Space, Nabya Shahid, a producer at a leading Pakistani channel narrates how Armenia tried its best to eliminate Azerbaijan's cultural traces. However, it failed. Azerbaijan successfully took back its territories and started a series of projects to revamp the areas destroyed by Armenia. Azerbaijan fought its way out despite Armenias hatred for it. Azerbaijan did not war for a piece of land but fought for the restoration of its culture, heritage, history, sovereignty, and above all, its dignity. Armenias tactic to wipe off Azerbaijan by vandalizing its dynasty and culture would have easily wiped off Azerbaijan from the world map. However, Azerbaijan realizing that, gathered all its zeal and excitement and fought with great enthusiasm and passion. It not only got its territories back but also succeeded in restoring its prestigious culture and history.

Right after liberating illegal Armenian-occupied territories, the Government of Azerbaijan efficiently started a series of projects to revamp the whole infrastructure that Armenia had demolished completely.

How Armenia turned Fuzuli into a ghost town

The town of Fuzuli, once a prosperous agricultural area, has become a forest after the Armenian occupation. The area was completely wrecked by Armenias government during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, the city of Fuzuli was liberated by Azerbaijan on 17th October 2020 and Azerbaijan did a fantastic job in the reconstruction and restoration of destroyed buildings. The excruciating part is, the Armenian government did not even try to invest in the infrastructure or for the betterment of residents, instead they only vandalized the lands. The Armenian government destroyed the entire infrastructure of Fuzuli. Not a single building left behind is in normal shape. As for the Fuzuli Airport, it is one of the countrys seven international airports. In 1993, Armenians took over this place and turned it into a ghost place. Azerbaijan, post-liberation turned the ghost place into an international airport within months. On 14 January 2021, the groundbreaking ceremony for the future airport took place. Fuzuli airport has one 3,000 M long runway and a capacity of almost 200 passengers an hour. It is located 100 KM southeast of Shusha. The government of Azerbaijan believes that the airport will boost the regions economy and primarily service Shusha. President Ilham Aliyev, during his visit, said: The construction of this airport started this year, possibly no airport in the world has been built at this speed.

Clearing out land mines from Horadiz village

Our next stop Horadiz, which is another liberated territory by Azerbaijan, was destructed by Armenians. They not only destroyed the village but also installed land mines in the region. Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) and the engineering unit of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, with the help of Emergency Situations Ministry, Border Services Command, and Special Mine Clearance teams of Turkish Armed Forces, fearlessly and effortlessly cleared the mines from Karabagh Region and surrounding areas. The land mines are found manually through hands, sniffing dogs, and machinery and technical support. The Mine Team also demonstrated an explosion of mines for Pakistani Journalist Delegation.

Ganja: Armenias attack on civilians

Ganja is the second largest city in Azerbaijan which was attacked by Armenia targeting civilians. The attacks on Ganja alarmed the Azerbaijan Government since no military base was targeted but the aim was to attack civilians. Armenia carried out almost 8 missile attacks on Ganja, killing several innocent civilians. The missile attacks destroyed various buildings and houses, deteriorating the map of Azerbaijan. We have been living in fear for days, we tried to hide from the attack but it was useless. Family of the deceased person expressed.

Military Commanders should pick out a method of attack that is strictly directed at Army objectives so it will minimize incidental harm to civilians. If the weapons used are so misguided that they cannot be directed at military objectives without any substantial threat to civilians, then they should not be used in the first place. The main motive behind attacking civilians was to exert pressure on Azerbaijans government. The purpose was to scare off the Azeri civilians so they ask their government and military to back off, but they didnt and fully supported their government. Today, with this very trust and bravery of residents, Azerbaijan has liberated its illegally occupied territories.

The missile attack on Victory Park

I got a chance to visit the Victory Park in Ganja, which was attacked at 2:00 AM via rocket missile by the Armenia Military. The sight of this park was no lesser than a cemetery. The deteriorated buildings and their remains, shattered glasses, toys, and teddies broke my heart. When Azerbaijans forces went to the spot to rescue the victims, they found an Armenian woman who was wounded terribly in the attack. Azerbaijan showed empathy towards the Armenian woman and took care of all her treatments. I also met a cute and intelligent boy named Bakhtiyar, one of the most prominent survivors of this missile attack. Armenias barbaric attack on Victory Park killed 26 civilians including 6 children. In addition, 127 civilians, including 29 children were seriously injured.
For more than a millennium, Egyptian pharaohs had pyramids constructed and often were buried beneath or within the massive monuments, Live Science writes. Egyptian pharaohs constructed pyramids between the time of King Djoser (reign 2630 to 2611 B.C.), who built a step pyramid at Saqqara, to the time of King Ahmose I (reign 1550 to 1525 B.C.), who built the last known royal pyramid in Egypt at Abydos. These iconic pyramids displayed the pharaohs' power, wealth and promoted their religious beliefs. So why did the ancient Egyptians stop building pyramids shortly after the New Kingdom began?

In ancient Egypt, pyramid construction appeared to wane after the reign of Ahmose, with pharaohs instead being buried in the Valley of the Kings near the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes, which is now modern-day Luxor. The Theban Mapping Project notes on their website that the earliest confirmed royal tomb in the valley was built by Thutmose I (reign 1504 to 1492 B.C.). His predecessor Amenhotep I (reign 1525 to 1504 B.C.) may also have had his tomb built in the Valley of the Kings, although this is a matter of debate among Egyptologists.

It's not entirely clear why pharaohs stopped building royal pyramids, but security concerns could have been a factor. "There are plenty of theories, but since pyramids were inevitably plundered, hiding the royal burials away in a distant valley, carved into the rock and presumably with plenty of necropolis guards, surely played a role," Peter Der Manuelian, an Egyptology professor at Harvard University, told Live Science in an email.

"Even before they gave up on pyramids for kings, they had stopped placing the burial chamber under the pyramid. The last king's pyramid  that of Ahmose I, at Abydos  had its burial chamber over 0.5 km [1,640 feet] away, behind it, deeper in the desert," Aidan Dodson, an Egyptology professor at the University of Bristol, told Live Science in an email.

One historical record that may hold important clues was written by a man named "Ineni," who was in charge of building the tomb of Thutmose I in the Valley of the Kings. Ineni wrote that "I supervised the excavation of the cliff tomb of his majesty alone  no one seeing, no one hearing." This record "obviously suggests that secrecy was a major consideration," Ann Macy Roth, a clinical professor of art history and Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University, told Live Science in an email.

The natural topography of the Valley of the Kings could explain why it emerged as a favored location for royal tombs. It has a peak now known as el-Qurn (sometimes spelled Gurn), which looks a bit like a pyramid. The peak "closely resembles a pyramid, [so] in a way all royal tombs built in the valley were placed beneath a pyramid," Miroslav Barta, an Egyptologist who is vice rector of Charles University in the Czech Republic, told Live Science in an email.

For Egyptian pharaohs the pyramid was important as it was a place "of ascension and transformation" to the afterlife, wrote Mark Lehner, director and president of Ancient Egypt Research Associates, in his book "The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries" (Thames and Hudson, 1997).

The topography of Luxor, which became the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom (1550 to 1070 B.C.) may also have played a role in the decline of pyramid construction. The area is "far too restricted in space, with also lots of lumps and bumps," Dodson said. In other words, the ancient capital may have been too small and architecturally challenging to serve as the home for new pyramids.

Religious changes that emphasized building tombs underground are another possible reason the Egyptians ditched grand pyramids. "During the New Kingdom, a concept of the night journey of the king through the Netherworld became extremely popular, and this required sophisticated plans of the tombs hewn in bedrock below ground," Barta said. The underground tombs hewn into the Valley of the Kings fit this concept well.

While pharaohs stopped building pyramids, wealthy private individuals continued the practice. For example a 3,300 year-old tomb at Abydos, which was built for a scribe named Horemheb, had a 23-foot-high (7 meters) pyramid at its entrance, archaeologists announced in 2014.

During the first millennium B.C., pyramid building also became popular in Nubia, an area that includes what is now Sudan and parts of southern Egypt. The Nubians built pyramids for both royalty and private individuals. How many they built is not clear, Lehner noted in his book that there are about 180 royal pyramids while recent archaeological research reveals that there were many more pyramids constructed for private individuals. The rulers of Nubia continued building pyramids until around 1,700 years ago.
Zurab Abashidze, Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia for relations with Russia, expressed condolences over the tragedy in the Kemerovo region, as a result of which 51 person died.

"I express my deep condolences over the tragedy in the Kemerovo region in Russia, which claimed the lives of many people. I express my sincere support to the victims families and beloved ones, Sputnik Georgia quotes the diplomat as saying.
Unmanned aerial vehicles ANKA, produced in Turkey, will be acquired for the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan.

The drone manufacturer (TUSAS) signed a contract with Kazspetsexport (on behalf of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan).

Until 2023, the Kazakh Air Force will receive 3 ANKA UAVs, 2 ground bases, and a logistics support package.
Iraqi Airways has doubled the number of export flights for Iraqi migrants in Belarus.

"Two more outbound flights to Iraq will be operated on November 28 and 29 by Iraqi Airways. On November 28, the plane will arrive at Minsk National Airport at 21:45 and fly to Erbil at 22:45," the airport informs.

The 2nd plane will take out the migrants on November 29.

In total, over a 1,000 people have already been evacuated from Minsk to Iraq.
The Military Medical Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has requested Sputnik M vaccine for vaccination of cadets, the director of N.F. Gamaleya National Center, Alexander Gunzburg, informed.

It is no secret that when children's vaccine was registered, the military medical department was the first to apply to our institute with a request to provide for those military personnel, minors, for whom our army is responsible, in the cadet corps, in the Nakhimov corps, in the Suvorov schools, in order to provide the necessary amount of vaccine for children to vaccinate them in the first place. A very correct and responsible approach, the scientist said in an interview with the Russia-1 TV channel.
Major Russian private Sovcombank intends to acquire Uzagroexportbank. Thus, 100% of the unprofitable enterprise will be sold by Uzbekistan.

"At the moment, the parties are negotiating on the terms of the deal. Several million dollars are on stake, the first deputy chairman of the board of Sovcombank, Sergei Khotimskiy, said at the 2nd International Financial and Banking Forum of the CIS member states.

Sovcombank has long been an investor in the largest corporations and banks in Uzbekistan, the license will help better control credit risk, Khotimskiy explained.
Director of the N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center Alexander Gunzburg announced the beginning of clinical trials of a nasal vaccine against coronavirus.

Gunzburg recalled that a few days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin was revaccinated and tested a nasal vaccine. "Vladimir Vladimirovich became the very first test subject in the course of research, which is now really starting at the Gamaleya Center, the scientist said on Saturday in an interview to the Vesti program host on the Russia 1 TV channel.
At least 67 people were detained during protests against water shortages in Iran's Isfahan, the Commander of the Special Units of Irans Police, Hassan Karami informed.

According to him, the total number of protesters ranged from 2,000 to 3,000 people. They shouted slogans, threw stones and threatened with knives. They also set fire to the farmers' tents.

It is clarified that the organizers of the protests were local farmers facing problems due to water shortages, some of them set up a small tent camp within the city.
Yesterday's trilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan turned out to be an important new stage on the way to a peaceful future for the South Caucasus. The parties simultaneously summed up the results of the work done over the year, discussed all the latest issues of the post-war settlement and formed a single official position on further peace processes.

Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia reaffirmed their commitment to the opening of transport communications, including the Zangezur corridor between Zangilan and Nakhchivan described in the 1st November Statement, positively assessed the work of the Russian peacekeeping mission and agreed to start the process of delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, which is the first important step towards a peace agreement between the two republics.

It is extremely important that the nature of the trilateral interaction is changing in the new Statement: the commission on delimitation and demarcation of the border will be bilateral, and Russia will only play the role of a consultant. The first emergency post-war year, when Moscows tight control was required on Yerevan, drowned in political chaos, has passed, Nikol Pashinyan's regime confirmed the legitimacy of his power back in June, and now the time has come for direct interaction between the state structures of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and not exclusively through an intermediary. Thanks to this, in particular, the destructive forces in Yerevan will no longer be able to shift the responsibility for their actions onto the shoulders of Russia and hide behind its back. Russia does not leave the South Caucasus, but now the Armenian authorities will interact primarily with Baku. The moment is the most convenient for this.

Azerbaijan, in turn, did not allow the erosion of the negotiation process with a false agenda. This task is one of the central at the political and diplomatic level - both Baku and Moscow are well aware of how Yerevan is able to slow down a peaceful dialogue with fake accusations and extraneous claims, and a year after the surrender, the Armenian state created a whole system of such claims and accusations. After the war, it is fundamentally important that the practical work on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations does not stop. As a result, there is not a single wording convenient for revanchists in the text of the 3rd Statement. Although the war is over on the ground, those who oppose peace in the South Caucasus continue to be subversive and must be fought day after day. On November 26, in Sochi, Baku with Moscows support once again defeated the destructive forces.

But Armenia also won. Although Nikol Pashinyan clearly looked lost and outsider against the background of the complete mutual understanding between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, as if Russia and Azerbaijan were allies, and Armenia was a conflicting party with them, in fact, the Armenian prime minister also returned home with a victory. Pashinyan has exactly the same opponents in the South Caucasus as Putin and Aliyev: the revanchist forces of the Karabakh clan presented by Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan opposing both him, Azerbaijan and the peacekeeping efforts of Russia. Since the Pashinyan regime still does not fully control the power in Armenia, especially the army, the revolutionary prime minister is constantly faced with the dilemma of how to resolve problems with neighbours without losing power and eliminating internal enemies. The 3rd Statement gives him such an opportunity: on the one hand, in order to safely return to Yerevan, he can say that the false agenda he voiced was not included in the document at Moscow's insistence; on the other hand, he once again accepted all previous obligations and took new, which in a direct dialogue with Baku can no longer be delayed. And the people of Armenia benefit even more from the opening of communications, the delimitation of the border and the future peace treaty with Azerbaijan.
The latest draft of the eighth national power development plan in 2021-2030 shows considerable reductions in coal-fired power and increases in wind power, following Vietnams strong commitments at COP26.

The eighth plan still has not been issued after many debates.

The draft plan continues to be amended after Vietnam made strong commitments at COP26 on the goals and ambitions in obtaining Net Zero by 2050.

Because of the commitments, the Ministry of Investment and Trade will have to reconsider the countrys electricity generation sources.

In an operating scenario released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in November, the total capacity of power sources to be installed by 2030 is 155,722 MW, lower by 24,305 MW than the 180,027 MW shown in March scenario.

With the scenario, coal-fired electricity capacity would decrease by 6,694 MW, while LNG-fired electricity by 18,550 MW and Vietnam would increase electricity capacity from wind power.

Onshore wind power capacity is expected to reach 17,338 MW by 2030, a rise of 1,258 MW compared with March scenario. Meanwhile, offshore wind power would go up by 1,000 MW to 4,000 MW by 2030.

As such, if compared with March plan, the proportion of coal-fired power would decrease slightly, accounting for 25.49 percent of total electricity sources (it was 26.7 percent in March plan), while LNG-fired electricity would account for 9.49 percent (9.9 percent), onshore wind power 11.13 percent (10.7 percent) and offshore power 2.57 percent (2 percent).

Praising Vietnams commitments to reach Net Zero in emission by 2050, Mark Hutchinson from Global Wind Energy Council said this a positive sign showing the interest and belief of the Government of Vietnam on the development of the wind power industry.

He showed support for Vietnams plan to have 17,000 MW of onshore wind power by 2030, but said the goal for offshore wind power in the eighth plan is still being considered.

We believe that 10 GW is a reachable goal for Vietnam, based on the calculations by the World Bank, he said, adding that the early start in developing offshore wind power will give an impetus for the development of offshore wind power, thus helping reduce investment costs in the future.

He stressed that as coal-fired power capacity would be reduced in the new draft of the eighth plan, wind power will serve as an ideal source of power to offset the coal-fired power capacity decrease.

Using wind to generate electricity means using indigenous inexhaustible resources. The development of offshore power will help protect the Vietnam power sector from the risks of fuel price fluctuations in the world market.

Though the fund for wind power is plentiful, there are still a number of barriers that need to be addressed, including the licensing mechanism, support to investors, and others.

Luong Bang

42 wind power projects permitted to operate commercially A total of 42 wind power plants featuring a total capacity of 2,131.3MW have been approved for commercial operation as of mid-November, according to data released by Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).
Tan Binh Covid-19 Field Hospital currently has only 10 doctors for every working shift in charge of 200 severe cases being treated at the third level, the highest of the three-level hospital model.

Dr Ho Huu Duc, Deputy Director of the hospital, said the number of Covid patients brought to the hospital has been increasing since mid-October, especially in the last two weeks.

The hospital receives 70-100 cases daily for all three levels  mild, medium and severe cases. There are 10-20 severe cases a day. Meanwhile, there were fewer than 10 severe cases a day in early October.

In the area for severe cases (level 3), there is one ECMO machine, and two dialysis and 10 periodic hemodialysis machines for Covid-19 with kidney failure.

There hasnt been a single day when the machines have had a break. They have been running continuously, Duc said.

According to the doctor, in off-peak days, the hospital had 350 patients, including 100 severe cases. The current number of severe cases is double out of total 850 patients being treated.

Explaining the overloading, Duc said medical workers sent by central hospitals in the north, including Bach Mai and Vietnam - Germany Friendship Hospital, have returned to their routine works after fulfilling their tasks in HCM City, while other hospitals in the city have returned to the new normal. As such, there are only seven hospitals treating severe Covid-19 cases in the city.

Tan Binh Field Hospital is assigned by the HCM City Healthcare Department to receive Covid-19 patients from Phu Nhuan and Tan Binh Districts. However, the hospital also receives patients from other hospitals if they are overloaded, or if patients are brought by Emergency Service 115 so as to be sure that patients can get treatment as soon as possible.

The patients from districts Go Vap, 12, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon and Binh Tan are also being treated there.

The number of patients is high and so is the number of severe cases, Duc said.

On November 24, the hospital reported seven deaths, including six patients over 70 years old with underlying health conditions, and one patient, 42, with cirrhosis, HIV infection, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Four out of the seven people were unvaccinated.

Some relatives of the four patients said the patients were contraindicated for vaccination because of underlying diseases, while others said they feared immunizations. Some thought that older people who do not go out regularly would not contract Covid-19.

Most of the deaths were older, unvaccinated, with underlying health conditions.

Field Hospital No 3 in HCM City is also overloaded because of the increased number of patients, including severe cases.

According to Vo Duc Hung, Deputy Director of the hospital, 50-60 mild cases are discharged while 10 severe cases are hospitalized each day.

The hospital was designed during the pandemic peak days, with 2,500 beds. There are only 400 cases now, but there are over 50 severe cases.

Hospitals need doctors

We are overloaded. There are 200 severe cases, including the ones who need ECMO and dialysis, but there are only 12 doctors for every working shift, Duc said.

At Field Hospital No 3, there are only four doctors and five nurses for each shift.

Duc said the most worrying problem is the increase in number of severe cases. Lacking workers, the intensive care unit is having difficulties. The hospital can only receive patients transferred from Le Van Thinh Hospital or from Thu Duc City.

Field Hospital No 3 once had 180 medical workers, but now has 40 doctors. Hung has been working there since the establishment of the hospital.

I have not returned home since I began work here, he said.

As the number of severe cases have increased sharply, the hospital has asked the citys healthcare department for more workers. The volunteers working can only help take samples for testing and enter data into computers, so they cannot help ease the pressure on doctors.

Tan Binh Field Hospital has 220 beds for third-level treatment, and there are 200 patients. However, there are only 54 doctors and 90 nurses.

The third-level treatment at the field hospital is under the management of Thong Nhat Hospital. Some doctors have left the field hospital and returned to Thong Nhat to receive non-Covid-19 patients. Others are still working at Field Hospitals No 8 and 6.

Previously, the workload was shared with doctors from private hospitals. However, these doctors left the city after HCM City lifted lockdowns.

At the Covid-19 Resuscitation Center under the management of Hue Central Hospital, the number of patients has increased rapidly at all three treatment levels, according to Dr Nguyen Dinh Khoa, Deputy Director of the center. The city healthcare department has sent more workers from Nhan Dan115 Hospital, Tu Du Hospital and Childrens Hospital No 1.

Doctors are also looking forward to getting booster shots to feel more secure because their second shot was given six months ago.

As many as 1,663 new cases and 77 deaths were reported on November 24.

Linh Giao

HCM City begins to close field hospitals at dormitories, schools The HCM City Department of Health has begun to close COVID-19 field hospitals located at dormitories and schools as the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped in recent weeks.
It has been warned that in the 4.0 revolution, robots will gradually replace humans in some fields. But under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this process has occurred faster.

Since early 2021, Do Anh Tuan, the owner of a coffee shop in Hanoi, no longer has to queue to get a number and wait at the offices of banks to make transactions because he can use banking applications on his smartphone or go to the ATM stall in his apartment building for these transactions.

I am now used to the new technology of Vietnamese banks. This big change will probably cause many banking staff to be jobless, Tuan said.

According to a report from the State Bank of Vietnam, many banks have achieved over 90% of transaction value on digital channels. Since March 2021, more than 1.8 million payment accounts have been opened under the new eKYC method out of more than 100 million active payment accounts in Vietnam.

A recent survey by consulting firm Mckinsey shows that Vietnamese users are considered to have the fastest acceptance of digital banking and digital payments in the region, up 41 percentage points, reaching 82% in 2021.

In the insurance sector, technology is considered number one in insurance businesses, as virtual assistants are holding an important position. At Vietinbank's insurance company, the chatbot system on its website and facebook page enables 24/7 customer interaction with personalized answers to each user. Thanks to technology, this firms customer service productivity has increased by 38%, while customer satisfaction score is 4.5/5 points and up to 97% of customer requests are solved.

For FWD, its virtual assistant can deal with 150,000 calls/month, increasing labor productivity by 40% and maintaining high customer satisfaction. In addition, the system can process 35 types of documents in the insurance industry. Paper processing time is only 0.5-1 seconds and accuracy is up to 95%.

According to McKinsey, the difference in profit between companies that use AI well and the industry average is 5%. In the insurance sector, according to Gartner, AI is pervasive in all aspects of the business. In particular, the most prominent is helping to save costs, improve operational productivity, and have new experiences for customers.

The trend of 'robots taking people's jobs' has 'spread' to large Vietnamese companies. This is understandable, because large companies and corporations have huge workloads that need the help of machines.

Robots replacing humans

It has been warned that in the 4.0 revolution, robots will gradually replace humans in some fields. But under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this process has occurred faster.

In Singapore, Furama Hotel uses robots to clean rooms. Meanwhile, Far East Hospitality, which operates 24 hotels and serviced residences in Singapore, said it would use robots to clean corridors and lounges. Singaporean Ministry of Home Affairs' Science and Technology Agency has used two robots to detect bad behavior such as violating Covid-19 prevention measures, smoking in prohibited areas, and improperly parking bicycles.

In China, the pandemic has boosted demand for contactless services, prompting online retailers to use more robots for deliveries. Alibaba, Meituan and JD.com are expected to use 2,200 delivery robots next year, four times more than the current level.

The use of robots is also expected to reduce pressure on delivery staff, who have had to work continuously during the epidemic period. Experts say the goal of using robots is not to completely replace humans but to reduce simple tasks so that employees can focus on serving customers better.

Lower production costs are also contributing to the trend of using delivery robots. According to Alibaba and JD.com, the production cost of each of their robots is less than 39,000 USD, and is still decreasing. Retailer Meituan said that each robot costs 62,000 USD and thus will be cut in half within the next four years.

In Taiwan, Foxconn has cut up to 60,000 workers, or more than half of their existing workforce to be replaced by robots. And the same is entirely possible at Samsung, which currently employs more than 100,000 Vietnamese workers.

A study work by the International Labor Organization (ILO) predicts that in the next two decades about 56% of workers in five Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, are at risk of losing their jobs because of robots.

Future perspective

Hoang Nam Tien, Chairman of FPT Telecom, said that in reality, the negative side of the digital economy is that in the next 5-7 years, millions of young Vietnamese will be at risk of losing their jobs.

"We have been seeing very clearly that 2.7 million garment workers, 1.7 million footwear workers, and 1 million electronic assembling workers are at risk of losing their jobs within the next 10 years. The reason is very simple because they are being replaced by robots, Tien said.

"Before the pandemic, business owners still wondered about using robots in their factories in Vietnam but after the epidemic, I would like to affirm that a series of robots will be brought into Vietnam," said Tien.

He added that the price is getting cheap, which has dropped from about 300,000 USD/robot to only 40,000 USD.

To deal with this risk, Tien suggested that millions of young people must be trained to become global citizens, equipped with modern knowledge, communication skills, language and working habits, and global discipline. This is the task of the Government and ministries with a more strategic and long-term vision.

Vietnam currently has more than 20 million students and the most important thing is to change the mode of training and education. Tien said: "Covid-19 has shown us that there must be a new regime for training and adapting to a new environment. This is not only the task of the education sector but the issue of the country, businesses and society as a whole.

Truong Bich Dao, Human Resources Director of Nestle Vietnam, said: What employees learn from school affects only 10% of their work, and what they learn from their colleagues accounts for 20% and self-development at work makes up the remaining 70%. Therefore, two important factors for an employee are the willingness to learn and adapt to change. Similar to businesses, workers also need to change, which can help them survive in the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Duy Khanh

The medical 'butler' who never wears protective gear Many patients at the COVID-19 resuscitation hospital in HCM City, managed by Hue Central Hospital, are receiving meals and medication from a robot.
Professor Dr. Phan Van Ngan, a famous scientist in oceanography, is well-known among the Vietnamese community in Brazil.

Brazil's Antarctic Research Center on King George Island in the Antarctic Peninsula (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Having settled for nearly 50 years in Brazil, Ngan has devoted most of his life teaching and guiding students at the Oceanographic Institute under the University of Sao Paulo to study marine biology in the Antarctic.

Ngan was born in 1936 in northern Hai Duong province. He won a scholarship to study in Japan in 1958. After earning his doctorate in fisheries at the University of Tokyo and working in Japan for several years, he received support from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development to join research about fish at the Oceanographic Institute under the University of Sao Paulo in 1974.

Ngan gained the professor title in 1979 and began teaching and guiding graduate and doctoral students to write theses on the physiological condition of marine species. He became the head professor in the marine biology faculty at the university nine years later.

As Brazil joined the group of countries studying the Antarctic under the Antarctic Treaty in 1981, the Oceanographic Institute under the University of Sao Paulo was selected to establish the Antarctic Research Team to carry out some research projects in the programme. Ngan was assigned to lead the team twice.

After the Antarctic Research Team stopped its operations, Ngan continued to research and teach in Brazils Antarctic Research Programme and work at Brazil's Antarctic Research Center on King George Island in the Antarctic Peninsula until 2016.

During that time, Ngan also represented Brazil in the International Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources from 1989 to 1998.

Ngan has retired. However, the professor has still been participating in seminars or presentations on scientific issues. He also likes to cook Vietnamese food during his free time.

He said a few Brazilians know about Vietnam and vice versa. Ngan suggested increasing exchange activities in the fields of culture, sports, arts and tourism to boost bilateral relations between the two countries./.

Source: VNA
Most managers believe that VND3.5 billion is a reasonable spending level and PhD students will perform well if they choose suitable schools.

Under a proposed financial mechanism for Project 89, a Ministry of Education and Training project aiming to produce 7,300 lecturers with doctoral degrees, a scholarship of up to $25,000 a year and a stipend of $390-1,300 a month would be given to each PhD student studying overseas.

The scholarship will be provided for no more than 48 months to PhD students and no more than 24 months for masters degree students.

Nguyen Xuan Hoan, Rector of the HCM City University of Food Industry, said: This is a very good regime that the Party and State offers with an aim to prioritize the development of high-quality Human Resources.

He said the support is attractive enough for candidates who want to study for a doctorate overseas.

According to the head of a training division of a university in HCM City, most Vietnamese who study abroad do so with scholarships, which cover from 25 up to 100 percent of fees and stipends.

He believes that if the draft spending level is approved, it will be able to attract talented people who dont have opportunities to study for a doctorate abroad.

Huynh Luu Duc Toan, a lecturer of HCM City Economics University, who is a PhD student with full scholarship at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany, said his tuition is 5,000 Euros a year and 20,000 Euros for four years. The cost of living, with economical meals, is 800 Euros a month. Meanwhile, he has to spend 1,000 Euros a year for seminars or articles. As such, he spends 15,000 Euros a year on average, or VND400 million.

I think the cost of study for a doctorate depends on the school. My school in Germany is a private school and the cost is relatively high. If I had not received this scholarship, I would not have been able to study, he said.

Toan said that the support level suggested by the Ministry of Finance (MO)F is relatively good, but whether it can attract learners will depend on each persons purpose.

PhD students will be okay with the support if they can manage well and choose suitable schools, he said.

Phung Minh Tuan, Member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, said he supports the level suggested by MOF. However, he noted that universities need to seek foreign partners for international cooperation to share the financial burden with the State.

Le Huyen

Over 2,500 lecturers register for doctoral programs under State-funded project According to the Ministry of Education and Training, more than 1,200 lecturers registered to study for a PhD under the State-funded Project 89 in 2021 and over 1,300 registered in 2022.
With travel just beginning to open families are looking for getaways around Vietnam again.

However, with many still a little reticent to fly, according to Agodas Return to Travel Survey, which indicated a quarter of travelers in Vietnam are looking to nearby and drivable destinations for the time being, the digital travel platform has compiled a list of drivable getaways for people in each of Vietnams three largest cities.

Southern escapes

Dalat Palace Heritage Hotel in Dalat  Photo: Agoda





Southerners have always had two choices  flee to the sea or head for the hills!



Dalat is the obvious hilltop choice, and if traffic is any indicator, Saigonese have already worked this out, with the mountain retreat fully open and reporting high occupancies  so instead of joining the Highway 20 chaos, why not take the scenic route and spend a night in the Tue Uyen Ta Dung Homestay stunning Dak Nong Lake District. Once in Dalat, travelers choices run from the stunning and historic Dalat Palace with its gorgeous lakeside vistas to cozy and friendly options such as The Kupid Homestay.

As for the beaches, Vung Tau and Phan Thiet are hotspots for good reason, but why not check out the road in between, offering an assortment of options in Ho Tram such as the InterContinental Grand Ho Tram as well as emerging destinations around Lagi with its cool homestay culture at places such as Lara Homestay or the breathtaking new Azerai Ke Ga Bay.

Central getaways

Aside from its heritage listed neighbor in Hoi An  and its own natural blessings of its famed coastline  people looking to mount-up on their motorbikes or pile-in to their cars from Danang have one of the worlds great drives just north of the city center. So skip the tunnel and take the long-way-round to take in the breathtaking vistas that long draws tourists to Hai Van Pass from around the world.

With the Pass passed, various options for overnight stays await. The first involves the nearby beaches of Lang Co, where the barefoot luxury of Banyan Tree Lang Co and its sister hotel Angsana Lang Co are ready to welcome travelers looking to break their journey home.

For those looking to get off-the-beaten track head further north to historic town of Hue. Situated on the Perfume River and boasting some of the nations most storied imperial architecture  not to mention its standout cuisine  check yourselves in and check that town out! Some of your best choices for lodgings include La Residence Hue, or a host of boutique options including Forest Tag homestay with hosts keen to showcase their hometowns to all comers.

Driving the north

Legacy Yen Tu  Photo: Agoda



For people who call the Capital home, Ha Long Bay and the mountains of Ba Vi have long been the default getaways, but dont forget to look further at other gems close by.

The later months of the year see Ha Giang in full bloom, with Buckwheat Flowers lighting up the hillsides between October and the years end. The breathtaking scenery of Ha Giang are welcoming visitors now, with the warm hospitality of the regions peoples more than making up for the chillier climes of its autumnal and winter months. Look to stay like a local with Agoda Homes including The Art - Golden Jungle House or Hoang Su Phi Lodge for a breathtaking view from your bungalow.



New on to the visitors radar is the stunning Yen Tu. Just two and a half hours from Hanoi, Quang Ninh Provinces Yen Tu boasts some of the nations most famous religious attractions that draw pilgrims from Vietnam. Known as Vietnams home of Buddhism, the area is famed for its picturesque landscapes and its ancient pagodas. Guests can feel local heritage and spirituality by staying at Legacy Yen Tu - MGallery, which offers a secluded getaway for discerning visitors to the area.

No matter where you reside in Vietnam, the nations famed travel destinations are all re-opening now, and offering safe, hygienic travel experiences for Vietnamese people looking to hit the road and take in the sights. Check with local authorities or accommodation to confirm any Covid tests or protocols that your destination may need.

While getting there is definitely half the fun  the other half lays in finding the perfect destination and the perfect place to stay when you are there.

Mai Lan
E+/ Getty Images

En espanol

After feasting at Thanksgiving and capitalizing on the string of sales in the days following, Giving Tuesday (GT) presents itself as the global generosity movement that focuses on philanthropy instead of consumption.

"Giving Tuesday began as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good, says Asha Curran, who led the team that launched GT at the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center in New York City. But it has taken a life of its own and is so endlessly creative and generative that it constantly evolves and changes."

The name first circulated on the internet in 2012 with its hashtag, #GivingTuesday. It is intentionally not connected to a particular charitable cause and designed to be accessible to diverse communities, Curran says.

The day now has more than 240 local GT movements in the U.S., official campaigns in 75 countries, and other activities that have been tracked in nearly every country.

"At the end of the day, generosity connects us all in an ever more divided world, says Curran, who is now also CEO of the GT organization. In 2020, at least $2.47 billion were donated in twenty-four hours in the U.S. alone with an estimated 13% of adults participating by donating their time, skills, goods, money and other acts of kindness, says the organization.

The movement doesn't aim to take away from other opportunities to give during the year. It creates a giving spike but with no corresponding dip, Curran writes in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.
Yes, Virginia, there are three branches of state government.

The state Supreme Court affirmed that bedrock constitutional principle last week in one of its most consequential rulings in decades.

Faced with what plaintiffs called a constitutional emergency of generational importance, the states high court shot down Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams assertion that she alone can allocate federal stimulus money.

The optics of a Journal photo taken during the Nov. 17 hearing spoke volumes. Seated at one table were state Sens. Jacob Candelaria, Joseph Cervantes and Daniel Ivey-Soto, all Democrats. Candelaria represented a bipartisan coalition of state senators seeking to rebalance the scales of power and protect the Legislatures important yet fragile power over the purse strings of state government.

Seated at the other table were the Democratic governors three lawyers, none of whom has been elected or empowered by the people. The governors chief counsel, Holly Agajanian, argued unsuccessfully that previous legal precedent supported Lujan Grishams handling of federal relief funds.

During oral arguments, it became clear the justices werent buying it. Chief Justice Michael Vigil asked the governors attorney: Didnt you just rewrite the Constitution? Yes, she had. Justice David Thomson was even more blunt, saying he learned in second grade that lawmakers control the purse strings.

Back in April, Lujan Grisham used her line-item veto authority to strike legislative earmarks for more than $1 billion of federal stimulus dollars from the state budget bill. Lawmakers had earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act to fix highways, expand broadband access and replenish the states unemployment insurance program.

Two state lawmakers  Candelaria and Republican Sen. Greg Baca  filed a petition with the state Supreme Court challenging Lujan Grishams authority to unilaterally decide how to spend the $1.7 billion of ARP funds the state was allocated. Even Democratic state Treasurer Tim Eichenberg sided with Candelaria and Baca.

After hearing oral arguments, it only took about an hour of deliberations for the Supreme Court to decide the case. The court ruled the governor cannot spend the remainder of the $1.7 billion without legislative approval.

It was a rare rebuke of the governor by the Supreme Court, which has upheld all of her pandemic-related public health orders. The Supreme Court also ruled in her favor last week when it correctly halted citizen-led grand juries intended to investigate the governors handling of the pandemic.

Baca, the Senate Republican floor leader, called the ruling about spending federal funding monumental. For the past 18 months, Gov. Lujan Grisham has exercised virtually unchecked power in New Mexico. Thankfully, some of that power was finally reined in, he wrote in an op-ed. Candelaria told reporters the day is a huge victory for the Constitution.

The governor has already allocated $600 million of the $1.7 billion to shore up the states unemployment fund. Lawmakers werent trying to roll that back. They simply want to appropriate the states remaining $1.1 billion of ARP funds.

The governor retains the authority to fully or partially veto any legislative spending plan. Thats an awesome power in itself. But the court made it clear thats the extent of the governors appropriation powers.

The governor should take the Supreme Courts ruling to heart and learn from her self-inflicted overreach: Its better to work with state lawmakers than to circumvent them. The money belongs to New Mexicans, and it should be appropriated by their elected representatives after extensive public input.

There is a good reason we have 112 legislators: to provide a check and balance to the executive branch. And theres a good reason we have a Supreme Court: to provide a check and balance to the executive and legislative branches and settle such disputes. This case was a rare instance of Democratic and Republican lawmakers working together to assert their powers of the purse. And the ultimate winner was democracy itself.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
LOS LUNAS  After a public feud with the now-permanently suspended Los Lunas Board of Education, former Superintendent Dana Sanders settled her lawsuit with Los Lunas Schools in September for $600,000 in lost wages and other damages.

The district paid Sanders $105,226  $200,000 before taxes  for back wages since she did not complete the full term of her contract before being discharged from employment in June 2020. Months prior, the board placed her on administrative leave, and she remained on the district payroll until she announced her retirement last August.

The settlement also included a $400,000 payout to Sanders, via her attorney at Western Agriculture, Business and Resource Advocates, designated as compensation for emotional distress, harm to reputation and attorneys fees and costs.

The lawsuit states the $400,000 was to be paid in conjunction by Los Lunas Schools and the New Mexico Public School Insurance Authority, however, the school district said the payment was made by the insurance company.

This Release of Liability and Settlement Agreement (Release) does not constitute an admission by any party of the merit or the lack of merit of any claims or defenses of the parties, nor does it constitute an admission of liability by any of the Releasees, the settlement reads.

In November 2020, Sanders filed the lawsuit against the Los Lunas Board of Education, with former board members Bryan Smith, Eloy Giron and Steven Otero mentioned in the suit directly in their capacities as board president, board vice president and board secretary, respectively.

The initial complaint alleged Smith, Giron and Otero engaged in improper employment practices and retaliation against Sanders for her refusal to use her position to fulfill certain members personal desires and/or vendettas against district employees.

I am just trying to make sure the community is apprised of the concerns regarding actions of the board, and hold them accountable for their retaliation against me, Sanders said in a statement to the News-Bulletin last November regarding the lawsuit.

Sanders said she could not legally comment to the press about the settlement, which was signed on Sept. 21, however her attorney, Blair Dunn, said she is happy to move on and to continue on with her life.

About six months after Sanders filed the civil lawsuit, the entire Los Lunas Board of Education, including Smith, Giron and Otero along with Frank Otero and David Vickers, were permanently suspended from their positions in May 2021.

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, the board was suspended due to credible evidence that certain board members have persistently violated procurement and public access laws, the state Public School Code, and professional ethical standards.

The complaints made in Sanders civil suit were similar in nature to NMPEDs findings of fact, which led to the Los Lunas Board of Educations permanent suspension.

After a two-day hearing earlier this year, PED decided to make their suspension of the board permanent, resulting in the legal representation for Bryan Smith and Eloy Giron to submit an intent to appeal the decision.

Vickers was reelected to the District 3 seat on the board during Novembers election, and will resume his position in January.

Steven Otero also made a reelection bid for his seat, but proved to be unsuccessful against Bruce Bennett, the current appointee to the Los Lunas Schools Governing Committee for District 5.

I am glad that both Ms. Sanders and Los Lunas Schools can move on to the next chapter, Los Lunas Schools Superintendent Arsenio Romero told the News-Bulletin. Los Lunas Schools is ready for what is to come.
LAS CRUCES  The city is looking at changing the name of a street in the Foothills neighborhood because it uses a term thats offensive to Native Americans.

The idea to change the name of Squaw Mountain Drive was recently proposed by City Councilor Johana Bencomo when she brought the issue up during a council discussion on an Indigenous land acknowledgement resolution earlier this month. But she said she first learned of the derogatory name when the council was looking at a zoning issue in the area this past winter.

The reason I brought it up was because I was so shocked that we had this name in one of our streets, Bencomo told the Sun-News.

Squaw is considered an ethnic slur, particularly against Native American women. Last week, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Indigenous person to lead a Cabinet agency, declared squaw a derogatory term and announced steps to remove it and other terms like it from federal geographic place names.

Haaland issued an order Nov. 19 which, in addition to formally labeling squaw a slur, creates a federal task force which will find replacement names for geographic features that currently use the word.

Another order issued by Haaland that same day creates a federal advisory committee that will evaluate and recommend changes to other derogatory federal geographic names. The committee will feature tribal representation and civil rights, anthropology, and history experts.

Larry Nichols, director of the citys Community Development Department  the department charged with overseeing the potential street name change  said the process to consider a name change has been initiated.

Since the process was begun by the city, Nichols said, the name change proposal requires the consent of 75% of residents who live on or live adjacent to Squaw Mountain Drive. They will receive notification of the proposal by mail, Nichols said, and will have about 30 days to respond.

If fewer than 75% agree, Nichols said the municipality must wait a year before it suggests a name change again. If enough residents agree, Nichols said the name change would still be subject to city council approval.

I know that people will see (the name change) as trivial, Bencomo said. I know people will say theres more important things to be done. But again, there is something simple about doing the right thing.

Bencomo said she hopes a new name could be created with input from current Squaw Mountain Drive residents and from the local Indigenous community, since those are the two groups most impacted.

You may not see yourself reflected in these words (or) in these terms, but theres a lot of people in our community that are, Bencomo added.

The road sits in District 6, represented by City Councilor Yvonne Flores. During a recent council meeting, Flores indicated she supported the change.
FARMINGTON  A New Mexico judge has ruled that a district attorneys office must be replaced as prosecutors in a homicide case in which Farmington police violated the defendants constitutional rights by recording him talking with his attorney.

However, state District Judge David Pederson declined in his Nov. 5 ruling to also dismiss charges against John Johnny Marlowe Davidson in the 2020 fatal shooting of Justin Tapaha, saying that would be too harsh as it could deprive the victims family of justice, the Farmington Daily Times reported.

Davidson is charged with second-degree murder and of shooting at or from a motor vehicle and causing great bodily harm.

In addition to ordering the San Juan County District Attorneys Office to hand off the prosecution of Davidson, Pederson granted defense motions to suppress illegal interview room recordings of Davidsons calls to his attorney and to suppress evidence from Davidsons cellphone and its contents.

Davidsons attorneys filed an Aug. 2 motion to have the case dismissed, arguing that the Farmington Police Department violated their clients constitutional rights by recording a privileged 30-minute conversation involving Davidson and the attorney he had at the time.

Pederson said Farmington police intentionally misled Davidson to believe he was not being recorded and that removing the DAs office was needed to provide Davidson a fair trial free of tainted evidence.

The illegal eavesdropping by FPD has tainted the entire process of prosecuting the case and in the modern era it is almost unfathomable that law enforcement would do it, Pederson wrote.

Theres no way to determine what illegally gathered information Farmington police shared with the DAs office because information from the call is included in multiple court documents and police reports, Pederson wrote.

The Farmington Police Department said in a statement that providing justice for Tapaha and his family was a paramount priority for the agency but also said there was no intent to deprive Davidson of his constitutional rights.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin OBrien said in a statement that the DAs office did not believe disqualifying the office was necessary but that litigating the judges ruling would delay prosecuting the case.

Defense attorney Steve Murphy said the judges decision was appropriate.

Its just a shame to me that in this day and age, that anyone would ever think it would be appropriate to record anyone talking to their attorney, Murphy said.

Pederson ordered the DAs office to designate another prosecutor by Dec. 6 or he would reconsider the dismissal of the homicide case.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Randy Sanchez woke up Friday at 6 a.m., checked his email and headed to work.

This, he hoped, would be his busiest day of the year.

Sanchez is the general manager of Albuquerques Coronado Center  the largest mall in New Mexico  and it was Black Friday.

This Black Friday was even more important than usual.

A year ago, the states pandemic shutdown closed the mall on Black Friday. This year, it wasnt just a major shopping day  it was a glimpse of what may lie ahead for the retail industrys busiest season.

Retailers get about 40% of their annual sales this time of year, according to the National Retail Federation. And this year, the association predicted a jump of between 8.5% and 10.5%, to between $843.4 billion and $859 billion nationally, during November and December.

Last year, the high was $777.3 billion.

Last year we were closed, Sanchez said. I think shoppers and consumers are ready to come back. Theyve been cooped up.

For many families, he said, Black Friday shopping is a tradition.

By 10 a.m., the mall was teeming with shoppers wearing masks.

A few stores, because of a labor shortage slamming the country, had lines at the entrance to ensure that the limited number of employees could serve customers.

Cinnabon was busy, with shoppers chowing down on their famous sweet rolls. A small train rolled by with a few passengers, its bell ringing, on the second floor by Macys. One man played Space Invaders on a big-screen TV at a kiosk.

Linda Montano, who arrived at the mall at about 11 a.m., said she was there to pick up a present for her father Pat.

Its his birthday today, said the Albuquerque resident.

But after picking up his gift, she planned to take advantage of the days deals.

It is quite amazing, she said. Everybody is out shopping on Black Friday. Its interesting that people are here. You get to actually talk to people.

This was the first Black Friday for Tina Walters and Lindsay Smith, both of Albuquerque.

Ive never done this before in my life, Walters said, adding that she was having a good time. It was the first time, she said, that she could afford it.

Smith had scored a couple of presents for her kids.

The deals, she said, were OK deals.

For Sanchez, who walked from entrance to entrance checking for litter, the day was about making sure the customer experience is ideal.

Touch points, whats your first impression when you first walk in? Whats the customer experience? Is the mall clean? Are the entrance areas clean, he said. Its not uncommon that people who live in the outskirts of Albuquerque  Tucumcari, Roswell, come here. Its a tradition.

During his litter patrol, he encountered Catalina Mendoza, a mall employee who had the same mission, picking up litter. Altogether, the mall has 3,000 store associates, Sanchez said. So far this Black Friday, things were going right on target, Sanchez said.

Indeed, many of the malls stores had seen sales increase the past two months.

Shoppers went out and bought early, Sanchez said. Its a new day and things that give me goosebumps include seeing the foot traffic at 10:30 in the morning, which will only get heavier between 2 and 4 p.m.

Nationally, the story was largely the same. Black Friday sales  including online  were up 12.1% by midmorning, as measured by Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all types of transactions including cash and credit cards, according to The Associated Press.

National retailers said fears of not being able to get the items they want helped drive people back to physical stores.

If you see it, buy it, Sanchez said. You dont know if it will be there later.

As far as forecasting what lies ahead for the Coronado Center, the days busy showing reinforced Sanchezs notion that brick and mortar is alive and well.

We like to call this r-commerce, like real commerce,' he said. You hear about e-commerce; were calling it real commerce.'

As the day went on, the mall got busier as Sanchez predicted. Activity was everywhere and Sanchez was a happy man.

A 28-year employee of the mall, it is in his blood.

This is my home away from home, Sanchez said. Its like when you have guests at your house, you make sure the house is clean, you know, and this is kind of my big house. Its a little big. About 1.2 million square feet, but this is my home away from home.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

When it comes to gripes about public restrooms, it may have been a first.

The traveler in Stephanie Kitts anecdote did not contact the Albuquerque International Sunport to grumble about insufficient toilet paper, a streaky mirror or general griminess.

Quite the opposite, actually: the floors were so shiny, a traveler once complained that a woman in the stall next to her could see her reflection, recalled Kitts, the airport spokeswoman.

The bathrooms at New Mexicos largest airport garnered some widespread attention last month when an awed Alec Baldwin extolled their cleanliness in a video he posted on Instagram, where the actor has over 2 million followers. The floors gleamed in his footage.

But the city of Albuquerque employees who hustle to keep the Sunport spick-and-span say compliments are not rare. They frequently hear directly from visitors wowed by the conditions.

A lot of them say  theyre the cleanest restrooms theyve ever seen. Theyve been to many airports and theyre not as clean as ours, Sunport custodian Valerie Marquez said.

Marquez is part of the 59-person custodial staff that toils literally day and night to keep the Sunport so tidy that visitors are often compelled to say something, whether that means sending a positive comment through the website, stopping airport leaders during their walkthroughs or asking what product crews use on the floors.

A lot of the time its people that have done the same kind of work (we do), so theyll compliment it because they kind of like know what we have to deal with, Cassandra Dominguez said.

But sometimes its also a movie star or a high-ranking government official.

Custodian Lester Barboa  who had cleaned the bathroom featured in Baldwins video  said he remembers the time he encountered the late Albuquerque City Councilor Ken Sanchez on the airport concourse.

I saw him standing out by the bathroom, said Barboa, who recognized Sanchez from the councilor photographs hanging in the Sunport.

He went in and swung back out and said, Hey, thats a nice bathroom.'

At the airport, each custodian assumes responsibility for their assigned area of the terminal. That, of course, includes restrooms where some visitors have been known to brush their teeth, shave and just generally treat them like their own personal space.

Kenneth Selman  a retiree who joined the Sunport as a second career and likes his work so much he routinely arrives 45 minutes early  said maintaining that Sunport sparkle takes constant attending due to the high level of activity.

Because, while traffic may have fallen during the pandemic, there are still over 300,000 travelers a month coming and going.

About every 30 minutes you should be in the bathroom, because something (in that interval) can happen, Selman said.

His colleagues say restroom upkeep is sometimes about minding the small details, like keeping the toilet stalls outward-swinging doors from hanging ajar when not in use.

But as the people charged with cleaning all of the airport terminals more than 500,000 square feet, some of their biggest headaches are not in the bathroom at all  like the dreaded smoothie mishaps.

When they say Keva Juice (spilled), Im like Oh, no,' Marquez said.

Sunport facilities manager David Urioste said it is no small feat to keep the airport so notably clean, but the custodial team manages to pull it off.

Our entire staff from all shifts take a lot of pride in what they do, he said.
A woman is dead and a man hospitalized with gunshot wounds following a lengthy chase and gunfight with authorities that started Tuesday afternoon in Santa Fe and ended near Clines Corners.

State Police spokesman Ray Wilson said the pair were suspects in the armed robbery of a coffee shop in Santa Fe before State Police officers and deputies from Torrance Santa Fe counties. During the 50-mile chase, he said, the woman exchanged gunfire with pursuing authorities.

Wilson said the man is in unknown condition after being airlifted to a hospital and he did not say how the woman died. He said no officers or deputies were injured.

Agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews, Wilson said. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the district attorney for their review and consideration.

It began around 2:30 p.m. when State Police were alerted to a car fleeing Santa Fe after the occupants had robbed a Starbucks at gunpoint. Wilson said an officer saw the car traveling north on Cerrillos near Jaguar and gave chase along with a a Santa Fe County Sheriffs deputy.

The pursuit led southbound on U.S. 285 and authorities were joined by other State Police officers and Torrance County Sheriffs deputies near Clines Corners. Wilson said during the pursuit the woman in the passenger seat fire multiple rounds at authorities.

He said the State Police officer, Torrance County deputy and Santa Fe County deputy fired back before the car crashed off the road north of Clines Corners. Wilson said the suspects ignored the initial commands to get out of the car before the driver crawled out the window.

He said the man, who had multiple gunshot wounds, was taken into custody and the woman was found dead inside the car. Wilson said the Office of the Medical Investigator was called to the scene and will determine the womans cause of death.

The New Mexico State Police acts solely as factfinders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters, he said. That decision rests with the district attorneys office.
CHICO, Calif. - A local dance sensation is making his way to the big stage.

12-year-old Lincoln Blakley has been dancing in Chico at Hype Dance Studio for seven years.

Last month, he got his big break.

Blakley headed to Hollywood to dance with the legendary Kelly Clarkson for her Christmas special.

"It was my first job that I have ever booked, Blakley said. It was pretty crazy. I was shocked. I was like how did I do this. It was amazing."

Blakley said it was an intense five days with two days of rehearsals and three days on set with the filming of the show taking place on the last day.

"It was tiring for sure, Blakley said. "It was long, probably the longest dance I have ever done."

Blakley says he got to do these moves right alongside Clarkson.

"I met her, I told her my name and I was like 'she knows my name,' Blakley said. It was crazy."

Blakely said coming from a small city like Chico, making it to Hollywood was an experience he will never forget.

"It felt like I was special and felt like I don't blend in anymore and I felt that before that and now I feel like I am out there and now I have more opportunities that I can get," Blakley said.

He has one message for those planning to chase their dreams too.

"Don't be shy or scared because if you are shy or scared, they are not going to accept you, Blakley said. You have to be outgoing and you have to put yourself out there."

Blakley says he will continue to train to be ready for the next big thing.

For those who want to see Blakley dance, he will be performing in Believe which starts on Friday, Dec. 10. Tickets are be purchased here.
Flipkart, Indias homegrown e-commerce marketplace, launched the 9th edition of the India Ka Fashion Capital campaign in a new avatar, with a focus on being a complete lifestyle destination. Featuring Bollywoods favorite couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, the campaign encourages customers to upgrade not only their fashion wardrobes but everything else that encapsulates their daily lifestyle from beauty & personal care to home furnishing & decor.

Close on the heels of the wedding season, the new campaign showcases the latest influencer-inspired ethnic fashion along with exotic choices for home furnishing and decor, targeting aspirational customers who may be fence-sitters when it comes to making a purchase online. Conceptualized in collaboration with McCann World group, the campaign truly captures the essence of Flipkart being Indias Fashion Capital that is delivering on an unparalleled range, quality, price, and access to the widest range of brands.

Speaking about the campaign, Prasanth Naidu - Director, Marketing, Flipkart, said, Flipkart has a strong understanding of customer needs, which has helped us provide them with best-in-class offerings over the years. Todays shoppers prefer to live a fashionable lifestyle that is both accessible and value-driven. With this campaign, our aim is to establish Flipkart as a value lifestyle destination that caters to various needs and appeals to a diverse demographic across the country. We are sure that Ranbir and Alia will create a unique connection with our target audience and inspire them to look at Flipkart as a one-stop-shop for all their lifestyle needs.

The campaign is live on television and digital platforms for a period of 14 weeks. Set on a college campus, these TVCs are aimed at the youth whose aspirations for high-quality fashion are ever evolving but their doubts at times, come in the way of their desires. The TVCs feature characters portrayed by Ranbir and Alia as college friends, showcasing their fun relationship with their quirky professor.

Credits:

Agency: Team McCann

Production House:

Dreampunk Films: Director - Shekhar Kamble, Executive Producer - Sahil Jadeja
Voice-based payment solutions 'MissCallPay' announced the appointment of Soumitra aka Raju Wadalkar, who has joined the team as an advisor for technology & telecom operations.

A senior Technology and Engineering Professional and IIT-B Alumnus with over 40+ years of experience, Raju brings in extensive knowledge of operations and scalability of Tech and Telecom industry. He will guide MissCallPay with his rich experience to make highly scalable, secure and fault tolerant application enabling the potential billion users to transact over Innovative MissCallPay running over revolutionary UPI rails.

Raju has been credited as the tech person who brought to life the telecom aspirations of the Ambani Family. He is among the first employees of Reliance Industries in the newly formed Telecom Business unit, Raju worked closely with Shri. Anil Ambani to launch the low cost and high quality GSM and CDMA based Mobile Networks in the country. He was tasked with designing the first GSM networks in the entire North East, Himachal and MP, which covered almost a third of the population and area of the country. After successfully accomplishing this task, Raju shifted his focus to Gujarat circle and created an innovative first approach of using CDMA mobile technology for Fixed Line local wireless access network.

After his contribution to Reliances vision and Shri. Dhirubhais dream of making the cost of a phone call cheaper than that of a postcard, Raju co-founded 3GENESIS where he created and invented Mobile Pre-paid system. It was later acquired by Apar/ NESS Technologies, which even today powers the Mobile Pre-paid systems of leading telecom companies across the world. Post that, Raju joined Tech Mahindra as Sr. VP and climbed up ranks to lead Tech Mahindras Telecom domain as CTO and Global Head of Innovation and continued his work with major telecom companies across the world enabling TechMs strong team of 50,000+ engineers spread across geographies to launch / upgrade and maintain mission critical telecom infrastructure.

After his stints at Tech Mahindra as a powerful influencer in the telecom industry, Raju now advises select path breaking startups like Hygge Energy, FortyTwo42 Labs and MissCallPay.

MissCallPay Founder Mitesh Thakker said: "It is an honour to welcome Raju, who has a wide spectrum of experience in the tech and telecom industry. Particularly when we plan to take the NPCIs UPI revolution to the billion, his expertise & experience will be instrumental in helping MissCallPay to take digital payments to every nook and corner of Bharat and thus bringing the benefits of formal cashless economy to billion+ Indians, and fulfilling the dream of our PM, Shri Narendra Modi.

Raju Wadalkar commented: "It is my pleasure to join MissCallPay as an advisor and work with the innovation that will take the UPI revolution to the interiors of Bharat, I personally feel that voice will be the new de facto standard for payments in India as it is more secured as well as convenient than the mobile app based payments. It is great working with Miteshs team in their grand vision to bring financial inclusion to the under-served billions. I am sure MissCallPay will play a significant role in the growth of the Indian economy.
With positions open across different levels, Sociowash plans to aggressively expand their team with more than 50 openings across different designations. Founded in 2015, Sociowash is currently one of the leading creative digital agencies in the country. Having worked with 200+ brands and 130+ team members across Delhi and Mumbai, Sociowash is growing exponentially. The agency is currently inclined towards expanding its team across all levels and departments.

In an industry where going viral and getting more eyeballs is key when it comes to strategizing content for brands, Sociowash successfully did the same with their recent hiring campaign. The creatives are lighthearted, relatable and whether you need a job or not, they make you want to work here.

Commenting on the campaign for mass hiring, Pranav Agarwal, Co-founder, Sociowash said, As a creative agency, we were glad to have the impact we intended. Having worked with brands like Tinder, Nykaa, Voot, Hero Lectro & Zomato to name a few, and aligning with our growth strategy, we needed more than just a regular post for hiring and thats when we chose to go forward with a quirky approach just like we did back in 2017 and it created a quite a buzz and worked very well for us. This campaign, for us, is like going back to the roots (people would call it The OG) and building it multifold and giving a push to attract the right talent. We took this opportunity to give a glimpse of our companys culture, create a benchmark, and of course try and attract the best creative talent at the same time. Keeping in mind our long-term growth plan, we want to expand in every way, whether its our team size or the number of clients. There is a change in strategy and goals and this is just the start to it.

Sociowashs creativity has benefitted many brands where their campaigns did not just shine but won them many awards in multiple categories. This campaign is another testament to their craft.

Sociowash is sizing up at the moment and if there is a good time to get on the wagon, the time is now. If youre someone who is as creative as their hiring campaign or looking for growth in the creative sphere, they might be THE agency for you.
Recording companies and global music industry Warner Music Group scores multiple nominations in various categories for its eclectic artists and music at Grammy 2022. The nominees were announced at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

This year definitely narrates a story of six decades of the creative excellence of the Warner Music Group. With a career spanning over 17 nominations, Joni Mitchell Will be honoured as MusiCares Person of the Year and has also won a nomination for Historical Album.

Brandi Carlile continues her ascension to superstardom with 5 nominations including Record of the Year and Song of the year while the phenomenal debut from Atlantics Silk Sonic racked up four nominations bringing Brunos GRAMMY total to 31 nominees.

With her new album launching in the year 2022, Saweetie has received two nominations including Best New Artist nominee. Other multiple nominees include Nonesuchs Rhiannon Giddens, Mac Millers Swimming in circles, David Guettas Hero, Rufus Du Sols Alive, Illeniums Fallen Embers, Mastodons Pushing the tides, Reprises Deftones, Brandy Clarkss Same Devil for Best American Roots Performance & Song of the Year for A beautiful Noise. Andra Day bagged the nomination for best compilation soundtrack for visual media while Griff & Mike Shinoda bagged the nominations in the same category that of Best Remixed Recording. Deftones grabs two nominations as well in the Best Rock & Best Metal performance.

Coldplay has been nominated in Best Pop duo group category and Cardi B bags the nominations for best rap performance. Also landing in the Big Four categories are Atlantics Ed Sheeran for Song of the Year and ADAs Jimmie Allen for Best New Artist.

Warner is a place where quality and diversity matter. It brings to the world stage original artists with an amazing span of categories  Pop, Rap, R&B, Rock, Country, Dance/Electronic, Latin, American Roots, Blues, Folk, Classical, Musical Theatre, Soundtracks, Historical, and more. Congratulating all the nominees at GRAMMYS 2022.
The removal of a statue of Thomas Jefferson from New York City Hall on November 22nd raises troubling questions. That the statue had been there unmolested since 1833 reconfirms that ours is a harsh era of savage reassessments without the tempering influence of context. Whose fault is it that Thomas Jefferson's statue is, for many Americans, no longer acceptable for public display?

Rejection of American heroes of the past is an essential element of Democrat revolutionary ideology. One can only observe in astonishment as slaveholding Founding Fathers like Jefferson are strongly rejected on "moral grounds" by the very same Democrats who shout their approval of and support for abortion.

Until recent years, a semi-sophisticated acceptance of the contradictions of American history was understood, so that people like Robert E Lee and Thomas Jefferson could be appreciated despite their errors; for their excellence of character in Lee's case, and for the extraordinary vision of freedom they espoused in Jefferson's case. There is an implied demand from the political and cultural left that our heroes must be stainless and without flaws. There were, and are, no such people.

The Democrat party was founded by Thomas Jefferson in the late 18th century as the Democratic-Republican party as a foil to the Federalists. Fundamentally, this new party was meant to ensure the rights of the states versus the federal government. Founders like Washington and John Adams were astonished that such an opposition party would arise because they understood, as Jefferson did not, that unity of purpose and a shared vision of the nation as a unified country of formerly independent states was essential to American success. This party would later be called, simply, the Democratic party.

The United States, founded as it was on the concepts of the supremacy of the individual over the government, was a stunningly new concept on this planet. The new American ideas of freedom and the value of the individual were, in many ways, world-changing. The existence of slavery undermined these concepts because it exposed the new country to charges of hypocrisy and racism, charges generally warranted. Over time, these errors were corrected -- even requiring a civil war in which almost one million Americans died to finally eradicate the grotesque slavery institution.

Pragmatists like John Adams knew that slavery could not be ended and a new country created at the same time. The issue was left for future generations to resolve.

Jefferson was presented with an opportunity by his friend and fellow Virginian, and then secretary to President Madison, Edward Coles, to end slavery. Coles, himself a slaveholder, promised Jefferson that he would free all of his slaves and leave Virginia; he did both. He implored Jefferson in a strong letter, rightly invoking the Declaration of Independence, that ending slavery was Jefferson's duty. Coles wrote on July 31, 1814, it is a duty, as I conceive, that devolves particularly on you, from your known philosophical and enlarged view of subjects... Replying to Coles in a letter that, to modern eyes, looks pathetic, weak, and shameful in comparison to Coles's, Jefferson discouraged Coles and refused any assistance to him. Jefferson never freed his slaves (with a few notable exceptions). Coles later became the second governor of Illinois.

Jefferson's failure to personally involve himself in the fight to end slavery in any substantive way beyond rhetoric would later have catastrophic consequences for the country that he was instrumental in founding. Had Jefferson joined Coles to fight against slavery, perhaps the Civil War might not have been fought at all. Perhaps by 1861 slavery would already have been dismantled -- an ending to a grotesque institution brought about by Jefferson and Coles, themselves participants in it.

The removal of the longstanding Jefferson statue from the City Hall of New York City in recent days, in a decision supported by the Democrat outgoing mayor, his activist wife, as well as the incoming Democrat mayor-elect, signals a ramping up of the pressure on Jefferson and on the principles of individual freedoms that he espoused.

In this era of rigid ideological thinking in certain quarters, general ignorance of history, and a widespread misunderstanding and rejection of fundamental truths about humanity (that people can both make mistakes and be heroes) the principal fact of the contradictions of people and of history are rejected. The foundations of morality and ethics rely on an acceptance of the truth of the contrary nature of the past and of life itself, so that forgiveness and redemption are possible. Such things are now out of favor.

In this not-at-all-brave new era of rejectionism and confused morality in which the murder of children is embraced and encouraged by the very same people who condemn historical slavery and those who supported it, the absolutist leftist view is that America and its founders failed and the country itself corrupt and unworthy.

Whose fault is it that Jefferson's statue was removed and that Jefferson himself is rejected despite his championing American independence at the risk of his life? It is Jefferson's fault.

The extraordinary current situation of the world, combined with the radicalization of the political party that he founded, means that Jefferson can no longer be abided for his elevated rhetoric about freedoms all the while buying, selling, and holding slaves at Monticello.

These concepts of freedom, opportunity, and equality of all under the law are not bankrupt ideas even though Jefferson, one of freedoms greatest champions, would not live according to his own guidelines. Only with a full capacity to understand and accept contradictions such as this one and so many others, can American history and the country itself be understood and appreciated.

That the United States has learned from its historical mistakes and failures is undeniable. It is -- despite its contradictory past -- the standard-bearer of freedom and, yes, equality. Confirming this are the millions arriving at our southern border, where people risk their lives to illegally enter and live in the United States.

In a letter to John Adams of August 1, 1816, Jefferson wrote that bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. education & free discussion are the antidotes of both. we are destined to be a barrier against the returns of ignorance and barbarism.

We are moving swiftly toward a future of ignorance and barbarism as ideological rigidity, intolerance of political differences, and deep-seated resentments and hatreds drive our politics. It is an extraordinary moment of global and national crisis.

Lincoln took it upon himself to prove Jefferson wrong, that slavery could be eradicated and the country advance into the future in unity and toleration. It is now upon us to prove Jefferson right -- that ours is a country that is a barrier against ignorance and barbarism. This is our American national mission and our destiny.

Daniel Mallock is the author of Agony and Eloquence: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and a World of Revolution.

Image: Pixabay

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French President Emmanuel Macron is embroiled in a dispute with Britain over French fishing boats and permits. The dispute is related to the Brexit arrangement between the UK and the EU by which EU nations need permits to fish in UK waters. Several permits have been given to French fishing boats, but the French want more. Macron has insisted on continuing the fight to get licenses in British territorial waters, 6-12 nautical miles off the UK shores and in the sea off the Jersey coast. The issue is complicated by the fact that Jersey has granted only temporary licenses while the negotiations continue, but France insists they must be permanent. We did not get what we wanted. They are playing with our nerves. Macron has been adamant, we are going to continue to fight. We will not abandon our fishermen.

French fishermen, not satisfied by Macron, are unhappy at the announcement by French maritime minister Annick Girardin that the government was preparing a rescue plan of more than 60 million euros, in essence, a financial compensation package, for owners of boats remaining in port. On the other hand, Jersey insists that French fishermen were already making catches of fish in its waters.

On November 3, 2021, a French court freed a British trawler impounded in the quarrel between the two countries over fishing rights. It overturned an earlier demand that the British captain pay a 150,000 euro bond since the trawler had been caught fishing for scallops in French territorial waters without a proper license.

Paris says the UK was denying fishing licenses to which they were entitled. France threatened to ban UK fishing boats from unloading in French ports.

Macron claims to be acting for Europe, not simply for France. When he emerged politically Macron proposed great plans for Europe, for both instrumental and personal reasons. In his campaign in 2017 he called for a strong France in a strong Europe. He favored a deeper monetary union, more military capacity, called for Europe to increase its defenses, and technological independence. In 2020 he persuaded Germany to agree to a 750-billion-euro plan to aid other members of the EU. It seemed as if Macron was eager to succeed Angela Merkel as the virtual leader of the EU. He took a hard line with Britain in the Brexit negotiations.

But Macron is less willing to be involved in the character of the EU now that the Polish Constitutional Court has rejected the Court of Justice of the European Union as the dominant judicial body. In this debate between Brussels and Warsaw, the question for Macron is whether to stress the primacy of the French constitution and laws over legislation of the EU. It raises again the issue that was present in 2005 when a referendum in France rejected a proposed European constitution.

Macron has internal problems, with lockdowns, COVID-19 difficulties, and increasing gas and oil prices, but also external ones with the U.S. and the UK. He remains unhappy about the American-British-Australian consortium responsible for the AUKUS contract, to help Australia build nuclear submarines, which meant Australia rejected the 56 billion euro French submarine contract that Macron had proposed. The rejection of the French contract comes at a time when the French national debt is more than 130% of GDP. Perhaps even more significant is the hurt to pride. Macron said he was blindsided by the arrangement and was given no prior notice of it. He recalled the French ambassador from Washington. President Joe Biden did not apologize but termed the event clumsy and not done with a lot of grace.

For Macron, the ambitious world statesman, the would-be iconic leader of European liberals, and with overtones of delusions of grandeur, the AUKUS deal also seemed to ignore Frances claim to be a player in the Indo-Pacific area in which it possesses several French departments, and in which it can be a partner in an alliance to contain China.

A second dispute with the UK, other than fish, concerns the arrival of migrants into Britain. About 15,400 migrants attempted to cross the English Channel in small boats in the first eight months of 2021, of whom 3,500 had been picked up because of difficulties at sea and brought back to France. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, we continue to work extremely closely with the French to prevent these crossings... we need to do more.

All these issues are relevant to Macrons reelection campaign for president in the elections in April 2022, and his claim that he needs more time to complete the transformation of France. His thrust is that he can drive the country forward while his opponents sow division and doubt. He argues that the two candidates from the far-right, Marine Le Pen, head of the National Rally, and Eric Zemmour, TV pundit, focus on immigration and crime while he is a centrist concentrating on unifying a divided nation. The message of Macron is that his detractors fall into the sickness of the century, which is demagoguery... we wallow in talk of division. We have to work collectively to build pragmatic solutions.

Image: Pictorem

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Climate change prophecy hangs its hat on computer climate models. The models have gigantic problems. According to Kevin Trenberth, once in charge of modeling at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, [None of the] models correspond even remotely to the current observed climate [of the Earth]. The models cant properly model the Earths climate, but we are supposed to believe that, if carbon dioxide has a certain effect on the imaginary Earths of the many models it will have the same effect on the real earth.

The climate models are an exemplary representation of confirmation bias, the psychological tendency to suspend ones critical facilities in favor of welcoming what one expects or desires. Climate scientists can manipulate numerous adjustable parameters in the models that can be changed to tune a model to give a good result. Technically, a good result would be that the climate model output can match past climate history. But that good result competes with another kind of good result. That other good result is a prediction of a climate catastrophe. That sort of good result has elevated the social and financial status of climate science into the stratosphere.

Once money and status started flowing into climate science because of the disaster its denizens were predicting, there was no going back. Imagine that a climate scientist discovers gigantic flaws in the models and the associated science. Do not imagine that his discovery would be treated respectfully and evaluated on its merits. That would open the door to reversing everything that has been so wonderful for climate scientists. Who would continue to throw billions of dollars a year at climate scientists if there were no disasters to be prevented? No, the discoverer of any flaw would be demonized and attacked as a pawn of evil interests. Richard Lindzen and Roy Spencer come to mind. There are many more skeptical scientists keeping quiet in varying degrees.

Testing a model against past history and assuming that it will then predict the future is a methodology that invites failure. The failure starts when the modeler adds more adjustable parameters to enhance the model. At some point, one should ask if we are fitting a model or doing simple curve fitting. If the model has degenerated into curve fitting, it very likely wont have serious predictive capability.

A strong indicator that climate models are well into the curve fitting regime is the use of ensembles of models. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) averages together numerous models (an ensemble), in order to make a projection of the future. Asked why they do this rather than try to pick the best model, they say that the ensemble method works better. Why would averaging worse models with the best model make the average better than the best? This is contrary to common sense. But according to the mathematics of curve fitting, if different methods of fitting the same (multidimensional) data are used, and each method is independent but imperfect, averaging together the fits will indeed give a better result. It works better because there is a mathematical artifact coming from having too many adjustable parameters that allow the model to fit nearly anything.

One may not be surprised that the various models disagree dramatically, one with another, about the Earths climate, including how big the supposed global warming catastrophe will be. But no model, except perhaps one from Russia, denies the future catastrophe.

There is a political reason for using ensembles. In order to receive the benefits flowing from predicting a climate catastrophe, climate science must present a unified front. Dissenters have to be canceled and suppressed. If the IPCC were to select the best model, dozens of other modeling groups would be left out. They would, no doubt, form a dissenting group questioning the authority of those that gave the crown to one particular model. With ensembles, every group gets to participate in a rewarding conspiracy against humanity.

Fitting the model to climate history comes up against the fact that past climate history is poorly documented or unknown. There are scientific groups that specialize in examining and summarizing the vast trove of past climate history. Their summaries improve on the original data in ways that always seem to support global warming catastrophe. The website realclimatescience.com specializes in exposing this tampering with climate history.

Because so much of climate history is unknown, for example, climate influencing aerosols, the modelers have to make up the missing history. Each modeler is free to make up his own history, so the various models fit different assumed past climates. It would be very surprising if modelers werent manipulating their fabricated climates to make their models behave better.

Scientists are always cautioned not to fall in love with a theory or method. If they do, they will lose their objectivity. Facts that support their love will be celebrated, facts that cast doubt on their love will be ignored or forgotten. But if you spend years, or decades, married to a modeling methodology, divorce becomes less and less likely.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization in Washington, DC that touts itself as the science advisor to the government. Their advice has some common threads. They never criticize the scientific establishment and they always promote spending more money on science. Like the teachers unions, they pretend to support the common good but actually promote their constituencys special interests.

The Academy sponsored a report on the future of climate modeling. They apparently saw nothing wrong with staffing the study committee with professional climate modelers. The report advocated more money for climate modelers and urged hiring professional public relations people to present results to the public.

The purported climate catastrophe ahead is 100% junk science. If the unlikely climate catastrophe actually happens, it will be coincidental that it was predicted by climate scientists. Most of the supporting evidence is fabricated. There Is no out-of-the-ordinary climate change taking place. The constant comparisons of the current climate with preindustrial climate are nonsense because according to climate theory and the models, the effect of CO2 was extremely minor before 1975. Since 1975 nothing points to a climate catastrophe or a new long-term trend.

The fake climate catastrophe has spawned a fake energy paradigm  replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar electricity. Wind and solar are claimed to be cheaper than traditional sources of electricity but non-fake accounting reveals that wind or solar electricity costs five or even ten times more than traditional electricity, exclusive, of course, of government subsidies and mandates. The reason it costs so much is that the erratic nature of wind and solar requires maintaining the traditional electricity generating system intact and ready to operate when wind and solar fail. Solar fails every night, every cloudy day, and more often in winter. Wind fails at random times, or somewhat predictable times, and often has a seasonal cycle. If the renewable energy advocates were logical, they would be advocating for nuclear. Nuclear is reliable and does not produce CO2.

Climate change and wind and solar electricity are a snipe hunts, diverting the country from serious problems in favor of imaginary problems with imaginary solutions that enrich the promoters and their political friends with status and money.

Photo credit: Pixabay license

Norman Rogers spent 10-years studying climate change and climate change scientists. He is the author of the book Dumb Energy, about wind and solar energy. He is on the board of the CO2 Coalition and was formerly on the board of the National Association of Scholars. He holds a masters degree in physics.

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Much has been made of the news that Joe Biden has shut the door to eight countries over the new "omicron" COVID variant. AT deputy editor Andrea Widburg has an excellent piece today on that here.

Some of the implications are vaguely comical. Biden's White House medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the so-called "expert" and voice of "science" he touted, was last seen recommending against the closure of air travel.

Joe did it anyway, signaling that Fauci's expertise to him is all about what's politically useful. Apparently, this wasn't.

After all, country after country was shutting its air travel from countries where that variant is present. According to Axios:

Countries across Europe and Asia are rushing through new travel restrictions in response to a new COVID variant identified by scientists in South Africa. The big picture: Israel, Japan, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Singapore are moving to restrict entry from countries in the south of Africa, AP reports. Many are also adding quarantines for their own citizens upon return from the region. The U.K. ban targets "South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe," per the N.Y. Times.

The European Commission on Friday recommended EU countries "activate the emergency break" on travel from countries in southern Africa and other nations affected by the new variant.

"All air travel to these countries should be suspended ... until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "Travelers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules."

For Joe, it's all about being part of the "in" crowd  never mind that his administration seems to be of multiple minds on the matter and that historically, pandemic variants tend to be weaker than whatever came before them.

Fauci's calls not to shut the air traffic got left by the wayside.

Joe, meanwhile, left himself looking like a fool.

Via Instapundit's Ed Driscoll, these Biden wokester tweets show what he was claiming earlier:

Funny how he can change his tune.

There's just one problem with all this purported concern from Biden about the variant and tune-changing: he hasn't said a thing about the wide open border. In fact, he's still leaving the border open to all comers. Thus far, he has said nothing about shutting the border, which this year has seen a record 1.6 million illegal "border encounters" in the U.S. in the past year, a record high, with tens of thousands more on their way.

Illegal migrants from Central America's top three migrant-exporters alone, which is far from the only group coming, have shelled out nearly $2 billion for the illegal journey to the states, with 92% coming for economic reasons, according to a new survey. The bulk of that cash goes to cartel human-smugglers. African migrants, who first made an appearance with a splash in 2019, have also increased in numbers, with at least some coming from the southern countries of the continent which harbors the omicron variant.

Where's Joe Biden on Title 42, a law that requires the expulsion of illegal migrants based on COVID concerns? Well, the Biden administration may be nominally fighting for it in court, based on CDC recommendations, but the law doesn't seem to be getting any enforcement, what with the busloads and planeloads of illegal migrants being spread about the country. That includes African migrants in particular, some of whom come from countries where the COVID omicron variant has been detected.

He hasn't said a thing at all, let alone done any work, to ensure that every illegal, unvetted border-crosser gets sent back. No bully pulpit from him as he dramatically cuts legal travel, despite the fact that it might actually raise his poll numbers. He's still got a policy of every migrant an exception to the rule.

It pretty well makes a mockery of his recent vax mandate for all legal border-crossers coming in January, and now his shutdown of legal flights from Africa. Seems that some get rules and enforcement, and others do not.

If there is a variant issue, all of the measures to shut down the U.S. to outsiders will be useless, because illegal migrants, welcome packets in hand, are continuing to enter and be released to roam about the country, spreading the disease. What's the point of these shutdowns? Biden hopes you don't notice. But we do, and what we see is that he isn't serious about these travel restrictions, not until he takes some serious steps to shut down the border to all illegal immigration  bar none.

Image: Screen shot from VOA video via shareable YouTube.

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Prior to the establishment of jails and prison systems, punishment included whipping, branding, and execution for a range of offenses not limited to murder and treason. (There were also stocks, and dunking, I believe.) Imprisonment was intended to abolish inhumane punishment and give the convicted criminal time to reflect on the error of his ways (as well as to protect the law-abiding from being victimized by criminals).

Do the woke district attorneys want to end imprisonment and return to the use of the lash and branding iron, if not capital punishment for theft?



Source: Krimminal Museum, Vienna, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.

This New York Times story concludes with a quote from Wisconsin state representative David Bowen, said to represent largely African-American areas of Milwaukee: "The narrative gaining traction in white suburban communities now is all about being tough on crime."

Are we to infer that unless one is soft on crime, the individual is a racist? After all, the argument is now being made that the term "looting" connotes racism. (Note that last July, the Los Angeles Times barred the term "looting" used in the context of...shall we call them "snatch the swag soirees"?)

One word comes to mind when a societal consensus is shredded as to what constitutes criminal behavior. That word is "anarchy."

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"You can't handle the truth," the famous line uttered by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, could well be the motto of many educrats. Sheltering students from the truth when it offends the politically correct sentiments of favored minorities is all too common. And this phenomenon is not limited to the United States. Consider this from the U.K. Daily Mail:

A Canadian school has cancelled an event with ISIS survivor Nadia Murad, saying her visit would be offensive to Muslims and foster 'Islamophobia'. Murad was scheduled to sit down with students from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) - the largest school Board in Canada with nearly 600 schools - to discuss her book The Last Girl: My Story Of Captivity in February 2022. Murad's graphic expose detailed how she escaped the Islamic State, where she was ripped from her home and sold into sexual slavery aged just 14 years old, according to The Telegraph. She uses the book to talk about how she was raped and tortured before finding her way to a refugee camp in Durhok, in northern Iraq, and then to Germany where she now lives. But before the event could happen the superintendent of the Board Helen Fisher said that her students would not participate. She has since issued an apology but refused to allow her students to attend. Fisher expressed that she believed the book would 'promote Islamophobia' and cited how offensive the book was to her Muslim students as her reason for cancelling the event.

Isn't it more offensive to censor the reality of radical orthodox Islam? ISIS, a fundamentalist group that enforces the literal application of sharia, is a significant actor and may soon be (if not already) operating in Afghanistan, where Canadian troops were, until recently, stationed. Is this part of reality censored? A presentation by a Nobel Peace Prizewinner, no less.

Radical orthodox Islam is a big factor in world politics in this era. Hiding students from its reality makes them ignorant of an important part of the world in which they are being prepared to live.

If censoring historical reality that may cause a group of students to feel shame or to feel hostility from others is to be the practice, then how about censoring discussion of slavery in the United States? Or, to take a Canadian topic, the treatment of the indigenous population  who are called "First Canadians"  by Europeans?

Or are the feelings of Muslim students more important than the feelings of European-heritage Canadians?

I am afraid that the answer to that question is all too obvious.

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The big news today  the one that sent oil prices and stock markets plummeting  is that there is a new variant of COVID emerging in South Africa. It's been christened the "omicron" variant. Currently, it's hard to tell if it's really something to worry about or if it's a variation on the theme. It's enough to know that world governments are reacting as if it's Spring 2020 all over again, plus more pressure for vaccines, all of which is ironic, considering there's no evidence that anything we did last year or this year helped stop COVID's rampage.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle has a mixture of fact and opinion that seems representative of the whole omicron phenomenon. First, the known facts:

The variant was discovered in South Africa, when cases suddenly spiked from an average of about 200 a day to 2,465 on Thursday. Scientists studying samples of the virus to try to explain the outbreak discovered the variant. That doesn't necessarily mean the variant originated in South Africa, which has among the world's best viral surveillance systems and may simply have been the first country to identify it. [snip] Omicron has many more mutations than the currently world-dominant delta variant  more than 30 on the spike protein alone, which is considered key to the virus' ability to infect human cells. The large number of mutations has scientists concerned that omicron could be more infectious than delta, and possibly able to evade immunity generated by previous infections or vaccines. The WHO wrote in a report on the variant that preliminary evidence suggests that omicron might have "increased risk of reinfection." Among omicron's many mutations are sequences associated with increased infectiousness and reduced vaccine effectiveness. [snip] Scientists still don't know how omicron matches up with delta  a variant so transmissible that it essentially wiped out other variants of concern like alpha and beta. In the United States, delta still makes up 99% of cases that undergo genomic sequencing.

So far, as best as I can tell by looking at information from the World Health Organization's page on South Africa, which has the most current data, while omicron is surging, deaths haven't spiked...yet:

Despite lambasting the Trump administration for his "xenophobic" decision to close America to flights from China last year in the face of an unknown, highly contagious virus, Biden banned travel to America from eight African countries. It's the right decision in an information vacuum, and he owes Trump a big apology.

Once COVID finally hit America's shores, we got lockdowns and mask mandates. We were told they would allow hospitals to prepare for the coming contagions, but they became permanent fixtures and seem to have made no difference whatsoever to the virus's spread. It seems that constantly reusing paper and cloth masks is voodoo medicine, not science. We also got vaccines that have an unusually high risk of side-effects and that don't stop people from catching, spreading, or dying from COVID.

Despite those facts, the powers that be are once again ready to reinstate 2020 (although, maybe, with Trump ousted from the White House, the Democrats will skip the race riots)  and again, we still know nothing about how deadly omicron is.

New York's governor, Kathy Hochul, has already declared a state of emergency and canceled all elective surgeries. Of course, it was her vaccine mandates that left hospitals without employees. It's lack of staff, not lack of beds, that's a problem for hospital functionality.

The Chronicle article insists that everyone get vaccinated, even while admitting there's no evidence that the vaccine works against omicron:

Regardless of what scientists learn about omicron over the coming days and weeks, the discovery of another variant should lend new urgency to global vaccination efforts, health experts said. Variants are more likely to emerge in environments with high viral transmission  the more the virus is spreading, the more likely it is to develop mutations that could lead to a new variant.

That's right: double down on a vaccine that's not working to prevent a virus that we don't understand.

There is no word as to whether ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine works against the new variant. I strongly recommend that you research ways to keep your immune system functioning optimally. That seems like the first and most obvious line of defense.

One last point in the space remaining. Although the delta variant has swept America, the variants have run up through the Greek letter "nu." Now they're calling the new one "omicron." But here's something funny: There's a Greek letter between nu and omicron: "xi." I wonder why they're not using that one...

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Too many of the "wrong" people are gaining admission to the University of California's nine campuses. The racial bean-counters are therefore altering the process by which applicants are judged. The nation's premier public university system is not going to base its admissions process on standardized testing of any sort. "Test-free admissions" is to be the rule:

For the foreseeable future, standardized testing will not be a part of freshman admissions for the University of California. That became clear Thursday during a meeting of the university's board of regents, as top administrators essentially shut the door on the possibility of the university finding a new standardized test to replace the SAT and ACT, which are no longer part of the admissions process. Earlier this year, UC President Michael Drake asked the university's Academic Senate to consider whether to allow students to submit their 11th grade Smarter Balanced exams, the state's annual standardized tests, for admissions consideration. But the Senate has rejected that proposal, a decision that was endorsed by Drake's office. "UC will continue to practice test-free admissions now and into the future," Provost Michael Brown said during Thursday's meeting.



U.C. president Michael Drake.

The decision this week reaffirms a controversial decision earlier:

The latest trick among progressives is to enter into lawsuit "settlements" that accomplish the goal they wanted all along, in the guise of ending a lawsuit brought by a body that shares their same goal.

Admission will now rely on grades, student essays, and teacher recommendations. All of these factors seem much more vulnerable to bad actors and manipulation. The end of testing is brought to you by progressives, who are convinced that standardized tests help maintain white supremacy.

In 2019, more than 40% of new freshmen at U.C. Berkeley were of Asian descent. One wonders how the SAT can be white supremacist if Asian students are so good at it. People are supportive of getting rid of the SAT not despite, but in part because of this.

It's racism, a thumb on the scale to racially engineer a student body that pleases the reigning political faction in California. Too many Asians, not enough Blacks and Hispanics, with tests that objectively compare students' level of learning and scholastic aptitude.

It's also a recipe for dumbing down the quality of education.

Thanks to a voter initiative, racial discrimination is illegal in the state's universities. Standardized tests provide evidence that some groups of applicants bring superior levels of preparation to others, becoming evidence of racial discrimination. U.C.'s response is to destroy the evidence to facilitate the discrimination.

Photo credit: Gmartineau86, CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Englands chief medical officer has urged people to raise a glass to scientists this Christmas, as the Prime Minister said this festive period will be considerably better than the last.

Professor Chris Whitty, speaking at Saturdays Downing Street press conference in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK, said those who have worked on the vaccine should be honoured.

Prof Whitty said: If I can make one Christmas plea, it would be that when people raise their glasses this Christmas, they do so to the extraordinary scientists who produce the vaccines, the diagnostics, the drugs, which will allow this Christmas, if possible, to be in a very different place to what it would have been without them.

Boris Johnson also said temporary and precautionary measures to protect against the Omicron variant, including face coverings, are to be made mandatory in shops and on public transport.

However, all hospitality settings are exempt from this rule, meaning Christmas parties in pubs and restaurants are able to go ahead as normal.

Asked about this years festivities, the Prime Minister said: We continue to be in a strong position largely thanks to the speed of the vaccine rollout, another booster rollout, and I think Im going to stick with the formula Ive used before, which is Im pretty confident to absolutely confident this Christmas will be considerably better than last Christmas, if that will do for the time being on that one.

He said the country is in a strong position ahead of the festive period but the best thing to do is to keep being jabbed.

Last year, people in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were allowed to form a Christmas bubble with up to three households, and meet up from December 23 to 27, while in Wales it was two households.

The bubble had to be exclusive, meaning people could not swap between them, and pubs and restaurants were closed on the day.
Scotlands Health Secretary has revealed how his mother asked him if he had annoyed Nicola Sturgeon when he was appointed to the job.

Humza Yousaf, who took on the health portfolio after Mays Holyrood election, spoke about the challenges of his role.

He also revealed his first call after being made Health Secretary was from his mother  who was keen to find out what job he had been given in the Holyrood Cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Yousaf, speaking at a fringe event at the SNP annual conference, recalled: I told her Mum its a big one, its Health Secretary.

But he said his mother responded by saying: What have you done to annoy Nicola?

Mr Yousaf, who had been justice secretary prior to taking on the health portfolio, told the meeting he regarded his current role as a vote of confidence and trust from the First Minister.

Speaking about the job, he said: Its difficult, theres no getting away from that, its stressful, its hard but genuinely hand on heart, the first six months of the job I have met the most incredible people, first and foremost, on the frontline who are doing some brilliant work.

Also its why we get into public service  you get into public service to make a difference, and my goodness in the midst of a pandemic, with these winter pressures, I have got the ability to make a huge, huge difference.

There will be some mistakes along the way, I dont doubt it for a minute. But I have it in my power to make life just a little bit easier during a really, really pressured situation for the staff.

He added: I like a challenge and I dont think it gets much bigger than this.

Speaking about being in charge of the NHS in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Yousaf told how there is an immediate issue every single day you have to get your head round and make sure you are absolutely on top of.

But he also said: You would not be doing our job correctly if you did not lift your head above that and look at the longer term.
Two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in the UK.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how the variant went from an emerging cause for concern in southern parts of Africa to arriving in the country.

November 23:

UK scientists first become aware of the new strain after samples are uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana.

November 25:

Downing Street said the variant will be kept under close investigation.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said early indicators show it may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and the vaccines may be less effective against it.

We have been made aware by @UKHSA of two UK cases of the Omicron variant. The two cases are linked and there is a connection with travel to southern Africa. These individuals are self-isolating with their households while further testing and contact tracing is underway.  Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) November 27, 2021

It is announced that from the next day, six southern African countries  South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana  will be added to the travel red list, meaning flights are suspended.

People arriving before then are told to self-isolate at home and take a PCR test on day two and day eight. Anyone who arrived up to 10 days prior are also told to take tests.

Mr Javid said scientists are deeply concerned about the variant, and mentioned turning to Plan B of coronavirus restrictions.

November 26:

Scientists describe the variant as very serious, with Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, declaring it will almost certainly make the vaccines less effective.

Mr Javid updates MPs in the Commons on the variant called B.1.1.529, saying it is highly likely that it has now spread to other countries.

The Health Secretary tells of very live discussions over the prospect of adding further countries to the red list.

Flights from the African countries were suspended (John Walton/PA)

He confirms the Government is still following Plan A for managing Covid-19 in the autumn and winter but warns if we need to go further, we will.

Downing Street later urges those who have recently returned from one of the six southern African countries not to wait for NHS Test and Trace to contact them before getting tested.

On the back of the news, around 72 billion is wiped off Londons top shares as FTSE 100 drops by 3.6%, one of its biggest points fall since the early days of the pandemic in March 2020.

Later in the day, it is designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation, and named Omicron.

Boris Johnson speaks to South Africas president Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the challenges of the variant.

November 27:

Two cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant are discovered in Brentwood and in Nottingham, the Department of Health & Social Care said.

Mr Javid said two cases had been detected in the UK (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The individuals that tested positive, and all members of their households, are retested and told to self-isolate.

Mr Javid said the two cases are linked, as Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola are added to the travel red list.

It is announced that the Prime Minister will host a press conference in Downing Street alongside chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
A Home Office minister has insisted that relations between France and the UK are strong despite Boris Johnson and President Emmanuel Macron clashing over how to deal with migrants crossing the Channel in small boats as they flee war, poverty and persecution.

Damian Hinds, whose brief covers security and borders, defended the Prime Ministers letter to the French leader as exceptionally supportive and collaborative after Paris was enraged by Mr Johnson making it public.

A full-scale diplomatic row between the two nations erupted as the first of the 27 victims of a capsizing on Wednesday was named as a young Kurdish woman from northern Iraq.

Relatives identified 24-year-old Maryam Nuri Mohamed Amin, known to her family as Baran, as one of the people who died on the deadliest day of the Channel migration crisis.

The student was said to have been trying to join her fiance who already lives in Britain, and her cousin urged the British and French governments to help people resettle rather than force them to take this route of death.

As families mourned the loss of their loved ones, politicians argued about how to stem perilous crossings of the Channel.

Paris withdrew an invitation to Home Secretary Priti Patel to attend a meeting of ministers from key European allies in Calais on Sunday.

France was angered by Mr Johnson releasing a letter he sent to Mr Macron setting out his proposals, including reiterating a call for joint UK-French patrols by border officials along French beaches to stop boats leaving, which Paris has long resisted.

French police at the coast (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Johnson also called for talks to begin on a bilateral returns agreement, saying it could have an immediate and significant impact on attempts to cross the Channel after the UK left a European Union returns agreement with Brexit.

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal rejected the proposal as clearly not what we need to solve this problem as he said the Prime Ministers letter doesnt correspond at all with discussions Mr Johnson and Mr Macron had when they spoke on Wednesday.

We are sick of double-speak, he added, and said Mr Johnsons decision to post his letter on his Twitter feed suggested he was not serious.

But UK ministers said strained British-French relations remained intact.

My letter to President Macron. pic.twitter.com/vXH0jpxzPo  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 25, 2021

Mr Hinds told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: British and French officials have been working together throughout, in fact weve been working together for years, on these really important issues. The partnership is strong.

He insisted nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty amid concerns over the request for UK officials to join patrols on French beaches.

The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions, he added.

French police at a beach near Wimereux, believed to be used by people trying to get to the UK (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Hinds acknowledged the challenges of policing the French coastline, but added: There is more that can be done and clearly we cant just say its difficult because its hundreds of miles of coastline, we have to do whats necessary to save human life.

In a statement reported in French media, the interior ministry said the meeting on Sunday would go ahead with interior minister Gerald Darmanin and his counterparts from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany and representatives of the European Commission.

Although the meeting with Ms Patel has been cancelled, the No 10 spokesman said Home Office officials had travelled to France for talks on Friday with French counterparts as planned.

Amid the diplomatic storm, Krmanj Ezzat Dargali identified his cousin among those who died on Wednesday.

Migrants in Grand Synthe near Dunkirk (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

He posted a tribute to Ms Amin on social media and told Sky News: The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life.

I understand why so many people are leaving for a better life, but this is not the correct path. Its the route of death.

He said he hoped the British and French governments would accept us in a better way, adding: Anyone who wants to leave their home and travel to Europe has their own reasons and hopes, so please just help them in a better way and not force them to take this route of death.
The recent announcement by South African scientists of a new COVID-19 variant has sparked fears across the globe, leading to a market sell-off and heightened anxiety about a pandemic entering its second winter.

The variant, currently referred to as B.1.1.529, was discovered in Botswana and has already been reported in South Africa, Belgium, Hong Kong, and Israel.

There have been numerous variants since the coronavirus first emerged, but the B.1.1.529 has drawn considerable attention because of how significantly it has mutated.

What it has is a cluster of several mutations, more mutations than weve seen in that spike protein part of the coronavirus, and the spike protein is important because thats what our vaccines target, Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said on Yahoo Finance Live (video above). Thats how the virus enters ourselves.

Following the discovery, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared B.1.1.529 a "variant of concern" on Friday and later named the variant omicron.

When we see mutations there, and there are some that are concerning, we worry: Is this more transmissible? Is this something that might be able to escape some of our vaccine protection? Is this something that might escape monoclonal antibody protection? Adalja said. All of these questions are going to be answered in the next couple of days or weeks, and that will allow us to fully characterize how much we should worry about this.

People leave the Regal Airport Hotel at Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong on November 26, 2021, where a new Covid-19 variant deemed a 'major threat' was detected in a traveller from South Africa and who has since passed it on to a local man whilst in quarantine. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

The three dimensions

Dr. Lakshman Swamy, an ICU physician at Boston Medical Center, said that while there are reasons for concern, its not time to panic yet.

There are three dimensions to this, Swamy said on Yahoo Finance Live. The first is: Is this variant going to spread more quickly, more like wildfire than Delta? Is it going to overtake Delta?

He noted that theres a reason were all talking about this current variant and that it should be closely examined to see how similar it is to the highly contagious Delta strain, which now accounts for almost all current COVID cases in the U.S.

The other two important questions to ask, Swamy said, are: Will it hurt and kill a lot of people? And will current vaccines work against it?

I think we have nowhere near the numbers to know that right now, Swamy said, but added that concerns over the effectiveness of the vaccines are valid. Theres reason to worry because of the new mutations in the spike protein but theres no reason to assume our vaccines wont offer significant protection there.

The important caveat, though, is making sure everyone is vaccinated. Currently, 59.1% of those eligible in the U.S. are fully vaccinated while 69.7% have received at least one dose, as of Nov. 24. And, all three vaccines available in the country are now offering booster doses as a result of the Delta variant.

The vaccine does a lot of things, Adalja said. Its not just antibodies and its not just preventing mild illness. The goal is really to prevent severe illness. Its a very high bar for any variant to be able to cause severe disease in a vaccinated person. So I dont think were going to see a season as bad as last year because we really had nothing except for basic supportive care and remdesivir and dexamethasone. Weve got so many more tools so I think that really protects us from having as bad of a winter. But it doesnt mean it wont be rough and that it wont be hard. Hospitals may feel pressure, thats probably inevitable.

Eight year-old Sofia Palacios gets her coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a clinic at La Colaborativa, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S., November 9, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

'Travel bans don't work

On Friday, the White House announced that the U.S. will begin restricting travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi starting on Monday.

Both Swamy and Adalja criticized travel bans, however.

Travel bans dont work, Adalja said. They end up stigmatizing a country. The countries that isolated this virus and reported it are now going to get penalized for being transparent. What is the implication for future variants if people get punished this way with travel restrictions? We have tests, we have tools, so its not as if were helpless the way we were back in January of 2020.

Other countries have started implementing travel restrictions as a result of the new variant. Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Croatia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Singapore have all either halted or restricted flights from South Africa.

I dont think travel bans should be initiated or even be on the table, Adalja said. But unfortunately, its easy for politicians to put those into place because the general public will clamor for them, and it makes the politician look like theyre doing something when they actually make things worse.

A health worker wears a face mask as he walks past a taxi after the announcement of a British ban on flights from South Africa because of the detection of a new variant, in Soweto, South Africa, November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Swamy compared travel restrictions to using a white picket fence to keep out mosquitoes.

It doesnt make that much sense to me, he said. I think weve seen over the past year and a half, two years, that it really hasnt made that much of a difference. I would love to see data that says that to the contrary but in my opinion, I dont think these travel restrictions and travel bans really have that much of an impact on it. Weve already seen it spreading.

And, Adalja added, the variant has likely spread to even more countries that officials aren't yet aware of.

"So how do we counter that?" he said. "We counter that the same way weve been countering it all along. We get more people vaccinated and we stick to the same basic precautions. We dont have to go to the extreme of quarantining and locking down everything if we can take precautions that are a little bit less than that earlier on.

Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com.

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Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 52F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low near 45F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 51F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low near 45F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev summed up the results of the trilateral meeting in Sochi and made statements for the press.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyans statement runs as follows,

Vladimir Vladimirovich,

Let me thank you once again for the invitation, and of course, for the positive working atmosphere.

I want to confirm that we had a very positive meeting, conversation, actually discussed all the issues on the agenda. This was not a meeting to hide the problems, but a meeting where we openly discussed all the issues. And I would like to positively assess the fact that we clarified the positions on many issues, and it turned out that we do not have any misinterpretation on a number of issues, opposite to what it seemed before this meeting.

I would like to mention that, in fact, in connection with the opening of all transport and economic communications in the region, we registered that we have a shared idea of how those communications will operate.

The topic of starting the process of delimitation and demarcation is not new, we have discussed that issue. We also adopted a trilateral statement, in which we stated that before that the necessary conditions should be created, that is, security mechanisms should be created on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Of course, humanitarian issues were also touched upon.

In general, I assess today's conversation and meeting very positive. I would like to once again thank our strategic ally, the Russian Federation, for the initiative. I think that if we manage to establish certain dynamics of our dialogue on the basis of this meeting, we can also expect concrete results.

I reaffirm the readiness of Armenia and the Government of Armenia, which has received a mandate from the people of Armenia, to open an era of peaceful development for our country and our region. We are interested in that, and of course, today's meeting contributed to the fulfilment of that agenda.

Thank you.
The idea is in voyage for the last five decades but has not been tested

President Ram Nath Kovind with Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana during the valedictory ceremony of the 'Constitution Day' celebrations, organised by the Supreme Court, in New Delhi, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Referring to the issue of judicial appointments, the President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday favoured creating an All-India Judicial Service for the recruitment and appointment of judges at all levels of judiciary, saying that the idea is in voyage for the last five decades but has not been tested.

Reiterating that the independence of judiciary is non-negotiable, and without diluting it to the slightest degree, Can a better way be found to select judges for the higher judiciary?

For instance, there can be an All-India Judicial Service which can select, nurture and promote the right talent, right from the lower levels to the higher levels. President Kovind added that there could be other, better suggestions for reforming the system. Ultimately, the President said, that the aim should be to strengthen the justice delivery mechanism.

The President batting for AIJS assumes significance as on October 16, 2015, a five-judge Constitution bench of top court had struck-down the Constitutions 99 amendment that had paved way for the creation of National Judicial Appointment Commission replacing the existing collegium system of appointing judges to the high courts and the top court. The National Judicial Appointment Commission had fingerprints of the Central government on it.

In his valedictory address on the conclusion of two-days' deliberation on the 72nd Constitution Day, President Kovind addressed a number of issues including judges making observations, in the course of the hearing of the matters, discomforting the government, pendency of cases, the judiciary, the legislature and the executive working harmoniously and in in unison.

Pointing to the high bar that the top court judges have set for themselves, President said, hence, It is also incumbent upon the judges to exercise utmost discretion in their utterances in the courtrooms. Indiscreet remarks, even if made with good intention, give space for dubious interpretations to run down the judiciary.

To buttress his point, the President referred to a profound observation by US Supreme Court judge Justice Frankfurter who had in a judgment said, Courts are not representative bodies. They are not designed to be a good reflex of a democratic society. Their essential quality is detachment, founded on independence. History teaches that the independence of the judiciary is jeopardised when courts become embroiled in the passions of the day, and assume primary responsibility in choosing between competing political, economic and

social pressure.

In the recent months, the top court had made some critical observations in the Pegasus matter, handling of investigation in Lakhimpur Kheri in which farmers were mowed down, handling Delhi air pollution and the Centre dragging its feet in judicial appointments.

Removing the smog over the misconception that courts make laws and are responsible for liberal acquittals and adjournments, Chief Justice of India, Justice N.V. Ramana, took a dig at the investigating agencies asserting that the courts could not be blamed for acquittals due to faulty investigations. On frequent adjournments, CJI said that the public prosecutors, lawyers and the investigating agencies have to co-operate in the trial of cases.

CJI Ramana said that attorney general K.K. Venugopals suggestion on restructuring the judicial system and altering the hierarchy of the courts to address the issue of huge pendency needs to be considered by the government. He said that since Independence, there has been no serious study to consider what exactly should be the structural hierarchy of the judiciary in India.
by Emanuele Scimia

The new relationship is a response to the dual containment by the United States and its allies. China and Russia are expected to conduct more strategic exercises and joint patrols in the Asia-Pacific region. For expert Alexey Muraviev, this is not a de facto alliance. Joint operations in the South China Sea are not yet on the cards, and the Kremlin is not ready to sell its submarines to Beijing.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  China and Russia will expand their military cooperation with strategic exercises and joint patrols in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. To this end, the two countries signed an agreement recently.

According to several analysts, the pact turns relations between the two countries into a "de facto alliance". For China, this is remarkable step since Beijing has always pursued a diplomatic policy of non-alliance.

Recently, both Beijing and Moscow have intensified their political, economic and military cooperation in order to counter pressure from the United States and its allies. One example is the recent agreement to jointly develop coal deposits in Russia.

Long gone are the days of the Soviet Union; the Sino-Russian relationship is now skewed in favour of China. A nuclear superpower with a third-world economic structure, Russia now seems resigned to playing a subordinate role as an exporter of raw materials to Xi Jinpings China.

Alexey Muraviev, Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies at Perth's Curtin University (Australia), does not go so far as to refer to the Moscow-Beijing relationship as a de facto alliance; instead, he prefers to describe the current state of political-military relations between Russia and China as a near alliance.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Muraviev said that the strengthening of the Sino-Russian partnership could become a major factor shaping the Indo-Pacifics geopolitical and geostrategic landscape in the coming decades.

For the expert, the status of near allies of Russia and China stems from the convergence of geopolitical and strategic-military interests. The two authoritarian governments have in fact an interest in countering Washingtons dual containment.

Muraviev does not believe, however, that the Russians and Chinese will commit to joint air and naval patrols in the disputed South China Sea. Beijing claims almost 90 per cent of that body of water.

For now, Russia-China joint activities will be limited to areas of the Western Pacific. But joint aerial and naval deployments would be regularised, Muraviev said.

Still, the scholar does not rule out the possibility that these operations could move further south, near Guam (where the United States has military installations), and go perhaps as far as the Indian Ocean.

The Russians exercise caution in showing support of China's activities in the South China Sea," Muraviev explained, noting that the two countries have not conducted naval exercises in the region since 2016.

Should Moscow and Beijing decide to challenge the AUKUS pact, the South China Sea may become an area of geostrategic competition, added the Curtin University professor.

AUKUS is a three-party agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia that will allow Canberra to build nuclear-powered submarines for its fleet using US technology and know-how.

For many observers, this is seen as a new tool to contain China's geopolitical rise, and could lay bare the limits of cooperation between Moscow and Beijing.

Unlike the United States with Australia, the Kremlin is reluctant to sell its best (nuclear) submarines to the Chinese, who can deploy noisier and less advanced subs than their Russian and US counterparts.
Acting as a tourist, Guanguan travelled to various locations to check on detention camps existence. He found 18 different locations in operation and one abandoned. Ethnic Han Chinese have confirmed the existence of forced labour. The EU renews its sanctions against Chinas repression of its Turkic speaking population.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  A 30-year-old Chinese vlogger has filmed a number of detention centres in Xinjiang, ostensibly holding hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims.

Pretending to be a tourist, Guanguan reportedly travelled to the province in 2020 to verify the existence of the concentration camps as claimed by western media.

According to the United Nations, various humanitarian groups, and independent researchers, China placed more than a million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and Kyrgyz in camps, described by local authorities as vocational training facilities, starting in 2017.

In his video, which has been on YouTube since 1 October, Guanguan says he wants to fill in the gaps caused by the lack of information about Xinjiang. Owing to Chinese restrictions, foreign journalists cannot easily report or conduct interviews in the autonomous region

The vlogger went to the locations named by researchers, identified as re-education camps, detention centres or prisons.

In addition, he used the GPS coordinates of 260 detention sites identified by Buzzfeed, and used satellite images and information found on the web as part of his research.

In the provincial capital of Urumqi and other places in Xinjiang, the "citizen journalist" filmed some highly protected sites, with walls extending for hundreds of metres, plus watchtowers and barbed wire.

Guanguan also looked at the issue of forced labour, which he had also heard about from ethnic Han, Chinas majority ethnic group, living in Xinjiang.

Since he risked prison time for divulging state secrets, Guanguan fled to the United States.

According to Nathan Ruser, a researcher with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the Chinese vlogger filmed 18 different concentration camps in operation and one abandoned facility.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union have imposed sanctions on China over its repression against the Uyghurs.

On Wednesday, the permanent ambassadors to the EU gave the green light to renew punitive measures against four senior officials and a government body in Xinjiang.

The decision will be formally adopted next month, but for now it excludes the ratification of an investment treaty signed in December 2020 by the European Union and China.

The Chinese government responded to EU sanctions with its own countermeasures against European officials and entities.
Father Romanelli notes that for now only an announcement has been made. Hopefully, words will be followed by deeds. This year no age restriction is expected. Gaza Catholics are waiting for Patriarch Pizzaballa for the celebrations. A solemn Mass will be held for those unable to get an exit permit.

Gaza (AsiaNews)  This year, Israel has decided to grant hundreds of exit permits for the Christmas holidays to Gaza Christians.

This is good news as well as a positive sign for Christians living in the Strip, although for now, it is only an announcement. Hopefully it will soon become something concrete, said Fr Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentine priest of the Incarnate Word and pastor of the parish of the Holy Family, speaking to AsiaNews.

If confirmed, Gaza Christians will be able to visit friends and family in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan.

The good thing is that, according to what weve heard, Israel plans to grant a permit to all age groups, not only to children and older adults as they did in the past, said the clergyman. It now seems that people 16 to 35 years will get the green light with at least 500 permits for all age groups on the occasion of Christmas.

If this happens about half of all local Christians (about a thousand), from all denominations, will be able to travel to Israel and the West Bank for the holidays, taking also advantage of Israels loosened COVID-19 restrictions.

Similar concessions were made in the past, but everything was put on hold last year because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Travel was further restricted following the brief war last May between Israel and Gazas ruling force, Hamas. Eventually, the tight grip around the Strip was reduced thanks to Egyptian mediation.

The Gaza Strip has been often referred to as the largest open-air prison in the world, home to two million people living on the threshold of survival with unemployment at 60 per cent, and poverty at 80 per cent.

This affects local Christian families, about 300 in all for about a thousand people, including just over a hundred Catholics, 34 per cent of whom have no source of income.

In the past, the Orthodox Church handled permits, but since 2016 the Catholic Church has also dealt with the issue of permits for Christmas and Easter.

It is up to the Israeli military at the Erez checkpoint to evaluate whether to grant a permit on religious grounds. However, most of the times, applications have been turned down, especially for young people under the age of 35.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a body within Israels Defence Ministry responsible for Palestinian civil affairs, explains that Palestinians with permits will be allowed to visit the holy places and relatives living in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and other places in the Holy Land.

Access to the holy city will also be made easier for West Bank Christians while 200 Gaza residents will be able to travel to Jordan via Israel.

The permits will run from 24 December to 19 January, Fr Romanelli explained. We hope that they issue it for a few days earlier because celebrations will be already underway before Christmas Eve, perhaps by 21 and 22 December.

Meanwhile, Gaza Catholics are waiting for the visit by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from 17 to 19 December, for the traditional celebrations and festivities.

We are planning some events with the patriarch, including a solemn Mass, a visit to families and the school, Fr Romanelli noted, then a Mass for those unable to get an exit permit.
Damascus (AsiaNews)  The street riots in March 2011 during the Arab Spring protests have creating a tragic situation. The country has been devasted with millions of refugees, while 60 per cent of the population is food-insecure. A local crisis has turned into a proxy war between regional and world powers waged on the backs of the people. Here are the main stages of the Syrian conflict:

March 2011  Uprising

Protests break out after years of repressive rule by Assad.

Despite the regimes violent crackdown protests continue.

An armed rebellion erupts with support from Western and Arab countries. The rebels seize large swathes of territory, including the centre of third city Homs and a chunk of Aleppo, Syria's business capital.

In October 2011, Syrian opposition leaders meet in Istanbul to declare the creation of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC).

Hundreds are killed and thousands wounded.

2012  Proxy war

In March 2012, the regime retakes Homs.

FSA fighters launch the battle for Damascus in July, but the regime retains control of the capital, with rebels seizing some suburbs.

In July, Kurdish militias take control of Afrin, Kobane, and Amuda.

World powers meet in Geneva and agree on the need for a political transition, but their divisions undermine UN-sponsored peace efforts.

SNC turns into the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. More than 100 countries recognise it as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

Aid agencies are overwhelmed with refugees in Lebanon and Iraq.

2013  Ghouta and chemical weapons

Regime helicopters and planes begin air strikes, often with barrel bombs, on opposition and rebel areas.

Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah deploys fighters to back the Syrian regime.

Iran also boosts its support for Assad.

A chemical attack on two rebel and opposition-held areas in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus reportedly kills more than 1,400 people. The regime denies responsibility.

US and Russia (Obama and Putin) agree to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.

An estimated 1.5 million Syrians have become refugees.

2014  Islamic State group

An al Qaeda splinter group seizes eastern Raqqa city in June 2014 before grabbing swathes of territory across Syria and Iraq, declaring a new caliphate and renaming itself the Islamic State (or Daesh).

Washington builds an anti-Daesh coalition under the Syrian Democratic Forces, primarily driven by the Kurdish YPG. This creates friction with its NATO ally Turkey.

Syria's war grows bloodier with the UN estimating that 6.5 million people are internally displaced, and more than three million displaced out of Syria.

2015  Moscow joins in

Assad's forces lose ground to armed opposition while rebel groups seize Idlib.

Dissidents and rebels come together in Saudi Arabia to form the High Negotiations Committee (HNC). It does not however include separate opposition groups in Cairo and Moscow.

Russia joins the war on Assad's side, deploying warplanes and giving military aid that soon, with the help of Iran. turns the course of conflict decisively against the rebels.

Three-year-old Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi drowns along with his brother and mother in the Mediterranean Sea off the Turkish coast.

Images of his body washed ashore spark global outcry, turning him into the symbol of the refugees trying to leave Turkey for Europe.

2016  Erdogan, the new sultan

Alarmed by PKK/YPG advances nears its southern border, Turkish President Recep Erdogan launches Operation Euphrates Shield with FSA rebels, carving a new zone of Turkish control that is extended in 2018 to northwestern Afrin.

The Syrian regime and its allies defeat rebels in their biggest urban base of Aleppo after months of siege and bombardment.

War has displaced almost six million Syrians.

2017  US and Israeli missiles

Israel acknowledges having conducted air strikes against Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in Syria, to reduce Irans influence in Syria and the region.

Washington launches a first cruise missile attack on a Syrian regime airbase near Homs after an alleged poison gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Kurdish and US forces defeat Daesh in Raqqa. The caliphate is left with few cells and isolated groups in desert areas.

The Cairo and Moscow opposition groups join the Saudi-based HNC, which is renamed the Syrian Negotiation Commission.

2018  Russian-Turkish deal over Idlib

After months of blockade and intensive aerial raids, the Russian-backed Syrian regime recaptures Eastern Ghouta.

A Russian-Turkish deal over Idlib and the rebel-held northwest freezes the frontlines and areas of influence. Hundreds of civilians die in the last major opposition bastion.

Turkey along with mercenaries and extremist Islamic groups seize Afrin from Kurdish forces.

The number of displaced people reaches 6.2 million.

2019  Partial US pullout

US forces retake the last Daesh-controlled area, in the east. The US decides partial withdrawal, but leaves some troops in oil-rich north-eastern Syria. Some analysts expect more violence following Trumps disengagement.

A Russian-Turkish summit in October reduces fighting but truce doesnt last as Moscow resumes the assault against last bastion of the anti-Assad opposition.

Ankara launches Operation Peace Spring in October targeting PKK/YPG forces in Syria, taking control of a 120-km-long strip along its border that runs 30-km into Syria.

Approximately 11.7 million Syrians are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. There are more than 6.2 million internally displaced Syrians.

A whole generation of children was born during the war and has known only war.

2020  Turkey escalates in Syria

President Erdogan ratches up Turkeys military involvement in Syria, deploying armed drones after 34 Turkish soldiers are killed by Syrian forces. The Assad regime suffers heavy losses, including over 3,000 soldiers, 151 tanks, eight helicopters, three drones, and three fighter jets.

A ceasefire is finally reached in March 2020 in Idlib that still holds, despite occasional violent incidents.

Some 6.7 million Syrians are displaced. The humanitarian and economic crisis, tied to that in Lebanon, gets worse.

2021  A heavy toll

Since the first uprising in March 2011, 12 million Syrians have become displaced. Some 5.6 million refugees are spread around the world, mostly in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Around 6.2 million people are internally displaced. Some 12.4 million Syrians, nearly 60 per cent of the population, are now food-insecure.

More than 400,000 people are dead.
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ABS

With desirable features likeand traction control, the bike well be analyzing below is often praised for being an exceptionally smooth ride. The first iteration of Ducati s esteemed Monster 1100 Evo saw the light of day back in 2011, sporting top-notch suspension goodies, Brembo brakes and an air-cooled 1,078cc L-twin powerplant.The desmodromic juggernaut is paired with a hydraulic wet multi-plate clutch and a six-speed transmission, which spins the rear V-spoked hoop through a chain final drive. When prompted, the twin-cylinder engine can deliver up to 100 hp and 76 pound-feet (103 Nm) of crushing torque, thus enabling its bearer to hit a top speed of 140 mph (225 kph).A tubular steel trellis skeleton is tasked with holding the powertrain componentry in place, and its front end sits on 43 mm (1.7 inches) upside-down Marzocchi forks. At the opposite pole, suspension duties are handled by a single progressive shock absorber from Sachs. The Duc draws its stopping power from dual 320 mm (12.6 inches) brake discs up north and a 245 mm (9.6 inches) rotor at six oclock.This articles photo gallery showcases an untarnished 2012 MY Monster 1100 Evo with just under 5,900 miles (9,500 km) on the clock. As you examine this spotless creature, youll be greeted by a tasty selection of aftermarket modules, including a Bitubo steering damper, red-anodized fluid reservoirs and a Termignoni exhaust with dual carbon-clad mufflers.Furthermore, the bikes owner flushed the engine oil and installed Michelin Power 5 tires to bring about plentiful grip on the tarmac. This sublime piece of Italian machinery is searching for a new home on Iconic Motorbike Auctions, but the top bid of 1,000 bucks is far from meeting the reserve. Should you be feeling inclined to submit yours, make sure you pay the IMA platform a visit within the next few days, as the bidding deadline is set for December 2.
Such a model would inevitably take up the space left by the demised Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe , and while it may not exist in the real world, it does in the digital realm. Abimelec Design is behind these renderings that imagine what a hypothetical two-door variant of the Genesis G90 would look like.The front end design, complete with the big grille and split headlamps, is identical to that of the sedan , up to the doors that stretch further back. The rear quarter panels had to be readjusted as well, and a Genesis badge adorns the C pillars. Look at the rear end, and you will see that it has remained untouched. The same goes for the wheels, and pretty much everything else too.In order to improve ingress and egress at the back, the digital illustrations portray the car, registered in sunny California, with no visible B pillars. Nonetheless, as the artist chose not to open the doors at all, you will have to use your imagination for that. And while the blacked-out windows, with chrome surrounds, dont exactly help, at least you can partially see the interior in one of the pics.Now, while certain people spent time rearranging the pixels of the current G90, Genesis has been working on the new generation. Camouflaged prototypes of the companys BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class fighter have been spied in different environments, looking more evolutionary than revolutionary. A fully-electric version is in the pipeline too. The official unveiling date is yet unknown, though it might show its naked skin before the end of the year or in early 2022 in its home market of Korea.
Case at hand, meet one angry lady tasked with guarding one of the gates at the SantAgata Bolognese factory, who takes her job a bit too seriously.According to the video uploader, known for sharing clips of many Italian supercars testing in the open on his YouTube channel , he got a bit too close to the gate looking to snap the rear end of the new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 as it was driving in. At that point, the employee saw him, demanding that he leaves the perimeter ASAP, even if he was standing closer to the opposite sidewalk.Looking to deescalate the situation , the car spotter moved away immediately, noting that she is the only Lamborghini employee that he has had problems with, as the other ones are either friendly or ignore him altogether. Guess the car spotting job comes with its perils, doesnt it?As for the model in question, its a rebodied Sian FKP 37, which in turn is based on the Aventador, and was shown earlier this year, reviving the iconic Countach moniker. Production is capped at 112 units, and all of them have been spoken for, leaving interested parties having to look on the used car market for one.Power comes from a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine, aided by a 48-volt electric motor housed inside the seven-speed gearbox. The 803 hp and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm) of torque bouncing off the walls enable a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint in 2.8 seconds, and a 221 mph (355 kph) top speed.
kW

SUV

Previewed by the Rubicon 392 Concept , the production model boasts a very decent 470 hp (476 ps / 350) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque from its 6.4-liter unit. Its mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, enabling a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in 4.6 seconds. The quarter mile is dealt with in around 13 seconds, the automaker claims.But why revisit the Wrangler Rubicon 392 around a year after it officially broke cover? Thats because we found an example for sale in Europe that makes the Porsche Cayenne look affordable. The Mobile ad reveals a sticker price of 177,890, equaling to a little over $200,000 at the current exchange rates. Thats almost as much as the 670 hp (680 ps / 500 kW) Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, which can hit 62 mph (100 kph) in 3.8 seconds, and a 183 mph (295 kph) top speed.By comparison, one could basically reach out to their local Jeep dealer in Germany and get no less than three (yes, you read that right, three!) base Jeep Wranglers for the price of this one. To better put that number into perspective, we will remind you that a British company has started importing the model to the United Kingdom, from 105,500 ($141,590). And just for laughs, we have to mention the fact that the Wrangler Rubicon 392 carries an MSRP of $74,640 in the United States; and we thought that was too much when it first launchedAnyway, back to the said Wrangler, which is in the possession of a German used car dealer that mostly sells vehicles born on the left side of the Atlantic Ocean, and is brand new, with only the delivery miles under its belt. You may have noticed the satin brown finish, which was applied by a tuner, together with the electric running boards, 20-inch alloys shod in chunky rubber, and Brute badging all around.The same tuner was also responsible for giving the cabin a makeover. Opening the door reveals that the seats were wrapped in diamond-quilted leather, and feature Brute embossed headrests. And just in case you forget the name of the company, all you have to do is take a look at the steering wheel.Elsewhere, this Jeep has all the bells and whistles, from the infotainment system with smartphone integration, sat-radio, navigation, and reversing camera, to the dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, ambient lighting, Wi-Fi hotspot, USB port, and others. A selection of driver assistance gear is on deck, and even with everything up and running, we still cannot see beyond the huge markup.That said, this writer would most likely stick to the Mercedes-AMG G 63 , if he had $200,000 burning a hole in his pocket, that is. The super, which is basically a truck equipped with a fancy body, is powered by a 577 hp (585 ps / 430 kW) twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine, and is a 162,702.75 ($183,236) affair in its home market.At 4.5 seconds needed to hit the 62 mph (100 kph) mark from a standstill, its also one tenth of a second quicker than the Wrangler Rubicon 392. The 416 hp (422 ps / 310 kW) G 500 sounds more appealing too, especially with a 118,619.20 ($133,589) starting price.So, if you had a 200 grand budget to blow on a set of wheels, what color would your supercar/super SUV have?
kW

A true unicorn on four wheels that used to cost 5 million ($5.6+ million) net when it was presented at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance in 2018, the Divo stunned bystanders at an event hosted by Bugatti in Croatias capital, Zagreb The car gathering, which brought together several customer-owned Bugattis, as well as a Chiron Pur Sport that had former racing driver Andy Wallace behind the wheel, was eclipsed by this grey and blue Divo. The hypercar drew a massive crowd, and almost everyone had their phones out, immortalizing the moment, likely to the delight of the driver.Throughout the almost 6-minute long video embedded at the bottom of the page, you can see the Divo being unloaded from a truck , doing a bit of driving in the open, and inevitably joining the exotic car pack. Speaking of which, this included models made by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Koenigsegg, and McLaren, built in different eras. And if these normally get your heart racing, then you should definitely scroll down and watch the vid.Dont do so just yet, because we have to remind you that the Bugatti Divo , which builds on the Chiron and features a bespoke body, enhanced aero, and modified chassis, is capable of sprinting from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in a neck-snapping 2.4 seconds. Weighing 77 pounds (35 kg) less than the Chiron, it has a 236 mph (380 kph) electronically capped top speed. Power is provided by the same quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine that feeds 1,479 hp (1,500 ps / 1,103) to the all-wheel drive system via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
A 33-year-old mother of three from central Texas is escorted down the hall by clinic administrator Kathaleen Pittman prior to getting an abortion in Shreveport, La. The woman was one of more than a dozen patients who arrived at the abortion clinic, mostly from Texas, where the nations most restrictive abortion law remains in effect.
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Executive Editor Christine Peterson answers your questions and takes your complaints about The Californians news coverage in this weekly feedback forum. Questions may be edited for space and clarity. To offer your input by phone, call 661-395-7649 and leave your comments in a voicemail message or email us at soundoff@bakersfield.com. Please include your name and phone number; they wont be published.
Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/dan-walters.
Astoria Shipwrecks and the Graveyard of the Pacific on N. Oregon Coast

Published 11/21/21 at 10:14 PM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Astoria, Oregon) - They call it the Graveyard of the Pacific, and for good reason. The mouth of the Columbia River, near the towns of Long Beach, Washington and Astoria, Oregon, is one of the most dangerous stretches of ocean water in the world. The graveyard itself spans from the tip of the Washington coast down through Tillamook Bay, with some 2,000 shipwrecks believed to have occurred here through 1981 and some 1500 lives that were lost. That's a number that includes tiny private vessels along with explorers and commercial vessels, documented a few hundred years back, but with the bulk since 1800 or so. (Above: the Galena, courtesy OSU. It wrecked near Gearhart on November 13, 1906. It still resides beneath the sands, likely never to be seen again.)

Shoals of sand hiding beneath the river mouth and along this shoreline have been the culprit, but thanks to various dredging projects since the 80s, bar pilots and modern tech it's been less of a major killer. Of course, wild winds and chaotic seas have had much to do with the deadly formula as well.

Most ships were bound for either Astoria or Portland as they headed inward over the last two centuries, but many never made it inside the mouth and were wrecked somewhere well north or south of Astoria.

The wreck of the USS Shark on September 10, 1846 is among the most famous along the Oregon coast, helping to name two towns with the moniker of Cannon Beach, keeping another town from starving, and creating one of the more unique shipwreck memorials of the entire region.



Cannon from the Shark found in 2008 in Arch Cape

Under the command of a Captain Schenck, the schooner was ordered away from its fleet in Hawaii to do some surveying of the Pacific Northwest and map out - among other things - the dangerous bar of the Columbia. Initially, the ship managed to enter the mouth of the Columbia with some trouble, but it made it. While in the Astoria area, tensions were still high between the U.S. and the British over territory boundaries, and local settlers and tribes saw the Shark as an agitating force. Thus, friction between locals and the crew was also edgy.

It didn't help that numerous crewmen went AWOL and left the ship after simply being sick of being at sea for so long. The captain grew anxious in such surroundings and decided to abandon the mission rather suddenly, making the decision to leave on that fateful day.

On the way out, the Shark hit the bar, stranded and broke up within a day under the heavy waves of a typical Oregon coast / Washington coast storm. Parts of it floated down to a spot later known as Arch Cape, where the cannon, capstan and other ship items found helped get that place called Cannon Beach. In the early 20th century it changed its name to Arch Cape and ten years later what we now know as Cannon Beach took the name. Quirky Oregon Coast History: How Cannon Beach Got Its Name

Meanwhile, in the 1850s, a group of settlers sat starving in the coastal forests of future Tillamook County and began constructing a wooden ship to retrieve supplies from Astoria up north. Yet at first they had no metal bolts or other such necessities to build. Luckily, local tribes gave them the heads up on chunks of the Shark that lay in the Tillamook area, and they were able to utilize the materials to construct just such a vessel, thus saving lives.

Some time after the wreck itself, one survivor carved all the names of the crew on a rock in the Astoria area, called Shark Rock, which is now seen at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.



Wreck of the Iredale in the '50s

By far and away the most famous shipwreck of the Oregon coast is the wreck of the Peter Iredale near Warrenton at Fort Stevens State Park. It lodged here due to its run-in with the Columbia River bar and weather. Wrecking the Peter Iredale: How Oregon Coast History Played Out in 1906

The British vessel City of Dublin ran aground on the bar in 1878, after an unwise captain did not wait for a bar pilot. Even after dropping three anchors before skidding the bottom, the ship drifted and crashed on the spit, quickly taking on water and then self-destructing in the onslaught of the waves. All men escaped alive.

A little farther up the Washington coast, at Grays Harbor, one of the most tragic incidents in maritime history took place on September 18, 1914. The steamer Francis H. Leggett left the harbor with some 67 passengers and a full load of railroad materials. Some sixty miles down the Oregon coast, in the Oceanside area, it hit a massive storm and was eventually engulfed by waves after taking on water.

All aboard died; only one body was recovered.

A sampling of other wrecks:





1874  the Sidi. A French brig that was later salvaged and returned to service.

1875  Architect. The barque wrecked on Clatsop Spit after winds calmed, causing her to lodge on the sand bar. Captain and crew spent the night hiding from the elements in the rigging, and eventually all were rescued by a lifeboat.

1947 - Two barges named PT&B 1684 and PT&B 1685. As they were being towed in from Honolulu, heavy seas and high winds hit, causing the tugs to cut the lines. Both smashed into the spit, and one eventually was lashed up against North Head. All the cargo was lost.

1960 - Bell Buoy. The fishing vessel built in 49 and based out of Astoria took on water and sank a ways from Cape Disappointment.

1964 - George Olson. The 3,321-ton lumber barge broke lose from its tug crossing the bar on January 30, and even after Coast Guard ships got hold of her she started sinking due to damage from the bar. To prevent this, the rescue vessels stranded her aground somewhere on the north jetty.

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Behind the Bridge at Depoe Bay: Deeper Oregon Coast History

Published 11/21/21 at 5:44 AM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Depoe Bay, Oregon)  These days it's a kind of forgotten icon. People ramble over it tens of thousands of times per day and don't notice much of its graceful lines. They are, understandably, more absorbed by the ocean view that whizzes past.

Yet this is a rather distinctive Oregon coast landmark, one that achieved status on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, and it won't be long before it will be celebrating 100 years. The Depoe Bay bridge was designed by famed architect Conde B. McCullough back just before 1927, the man who helped create Highway 101 as we know it and who designed famed bridges at Coos Bay, Otter Crest Loop and a now-replaced bridge at Waldport.

There's some history to this architecture  and in turn this landmark has witnessed some curious history.

McCullogh was head of the highway department at that time and spearheaded much of the construction of what was then called the Roosevelt Military Highway as it was slowly getting hammered into place in the 1920s and 30s, piecing together a disparate set of little communities along the Oregon coast that often didn't have any contact with each other if they were more than a few villages away.



Depoe Bay in the '40s, courtesy North Lincoln County History Museum, Lincoln City

At the time, Depoe Bay wasn't even an official town  it wasn't incorporated until 1973, by the time the Beatles had already broken up, King Crimson was just producing its best material and World War II was almost three decades in the rearview mirror. The little Oregon coast hotspot was still barely anything but a fishing village in the '20s.

It was the Kuckenberg-Wittman Company of Portland that built the original span, a reinforced concrete deck with arches that was finished in 1927. It was and still is considered one of McCullough's finest artistic feats, stretching 312 feet in length and with 150-foot rib arch decks. However, it was only 18 feet wide and had no sidewalks.



Depoe Bay in the '40s, courtesy North Lincoln County History Museum, Lincoln City

Once it was completed, and 101 on the central Oregon coast was decently connected together, tourism slowly exploded. Something called the Sunset Investment Company started promoting the development of the playland facilities along the Roosevelt Highway, and very soon people started wandering parts of the bridge, turning the watching of boats going through the tiny channel into a big pastime.

It didn't take long for this and for major traffic to start creating problems on the Depoe Bay bridge, and in 1940 the state set about building a newer, wider one. But no one wanted McCullough's creation to suffer, so it was carefully widened to actually recreate the design on the new portion of the bridge that was built on the seaward side.

This construction was done by the Oregon City Construction Company, started in February of that year and completed before the end of 40. Machine shops and tool sheds were built nearby for the work. One newspaper article at the time (Jan. 29) noted how Footings for one pier have been completed and other work is going forward at a rapid pace.

It was now almost 50 feet wide and had a sidewalk, along with that engaging stairway down to a viewing area. This is still an enormously fun place to watch the boats and whatever else is happening in the bay. During winter storms, it's not a bad place to watch wild waves smack the channel exterior.

At the end of the construction project, tragedy struck. A civilian defense guard on the bridge was pinned by an automobile that veered out of control on December 9, 1940. Driven by Jerry Sittser, publisher of the News-Guard back then, the car pinned Orville Garrison of Taft up against a railing, killing him (he presumably died later). Sittser himself was also injured.

The Depoe Bay bridge saw the growth of the Depoe Bay Aquarium (which had preceded the Seaside Aquarium's start in 37 by a few years), and it saw World War II patrols play out just a couple years later. In fact, the military regularly launched out of Depoe Bay to cruise up and down the central Oregon coast, looking for enemies but also checking the blackout policies of the region. Homes were required to block out all light coming from windows at night to keep the enemy from being able to navigate well.

Local military authorities had to threaten marshal law once or twice on the local population because some were not complying, thereby giving any possible enemy more than enough clues.

The Depoe Bay bridge was then witness to Depoe Bay becoming the attraction it is now, even if its magnificent beauty isn't noticed much except by those who take the time to pause while wandering close on foot.

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Former President Donald Trump told Fox News Tuesday that he had met with Kyle Rittenhouse, calling the teen who was recently found not guilty of homicide, attempted homicide and other charges related to the fatal shootings that rocked the city of Kenosha last summer, "really a nice young man."

The Rittenhouse trial gripped the nation and many outside the United States who followed the divisive case in which the teen testified that he had acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, now 27, during mass protests in Wisconsin against police violence last year.

Rittenhouse had traveled to Kenosha from his home in Antioch, Ill., to join armed civilians who took to the city's streets amid unrest sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was wanted for alleged sexual assault. Blake survived the shooting but was left partially paralyzed.

Rittenhouse, 18, visited the former president with his mother in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, on Monday, Trump said - just days after jurors acquitted him on all counts after more than three days of deliberation.

"Kyle I got to know him a little bit. He called," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. "He wanted to know if he could come over and say hello because he was a fan."

"He should never have been put through that," Trump said of Rittenhouse. "That was prosecutorial misconduct, and it's happening all over the United States right now with the Democrats."

Hannity shared a photo of the meeting which showed a smiling Trump making a thumbs up gesture while posing for a photo alongside Rittenhouse.

Following the verdict last Friday, Trump had sent his well wishes to the teen writing in a statement: "Congratulations to Kyle Rittenhouse for being found innocent of all charges. It's called being found not guilty - and by the way, if that's not self-defense, nothing is!"

President Joe Biden had said after the verdict that while the acquittal would "leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included, we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken."

The Rittenhouse case has attracted global attention and re-energized searing national debates over guns, race, vigilantism and self-defense.

Many on the political right have hailed Rittenhouse as a hero who sought to protect Kenosha from violence, while many on the left have viewed Rittenhouse as a trigger-happy teenager who recklessly escalated a chaotic situation - and say his acquittal is a sign of deep bias in the justice system.

The parents of Huber, one of the men shot dead by Rittenhouse, said they were "heartbroken and angry" over the acquittal, adding that it sent "the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street."

Black residents of Kenosha say justice remains elusive and that attempts in the city to confront systemic racism and police brutality have proved underwhelming. The acquittal of Rittenhouse simply highlighted why African Americans felt the whole system was guilty, said Justin Blake, Jacob's uncle.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Police in Las Vegas help federal officials capture undocumented immigrants jailed for nonviolent crimes, a shift in practice that critics say was never made public.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department also has instructed jail officials not to record on inmate booking logs that they were picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to department documents obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Illegal immigration is a top campaign issue for Republicans heading into competitive primaries in 2022, including Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who is running for Nevada governor. Many support deporting undocumented immigrants with any kind of criminal record, while Lombardos campaign promotes a zero-tolerance policy for violent criminals.

When immigrants come to this country illegally and commit violent crimes in our communities, they need to be removed, the campaign wrote in a statement, adding that the sheriff was unequivocally pro-legal immigration.

But local immigration advocates say the Las Vegas police policy toward nonviolent offenders runs contrary to Lombardos public position. They also say the departments record-keeping practice is not transparent.

The Review-Journal obtained the policy through a public records request after Lombardo reportedly boasted at a July campaign event that he was involved in deporting 10,000 people.

The policy change became effective one day after the sheriff announced in October 2019 that the county jail would exit its 287(g) partnership with ICE. The elected sheriff heads the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which also operates the jail.

Officer Aden OcampoGomez, a department spokesman, confirmed the practice while describing how the Clark County Detention Center helps ICE take inmates into federal custody.

Whoever theyre interested in, well give them a call, he said.

The policy instructs jail staff to contact ICE 24/7 about inmates wanted for deportation.

ICE agents are told when the inmate will be released so that agents can wait outside to take them into custody, OcampoGomez said. The pickups are not recorded on inmates booking logs, a practice that diverges from record keeping under the 287(g) program.

In this case, were not transferring custody. Were releasing this individual, OcampoGomez said.

ICE has flagged more than 800 inmates since the current policy took effect, OcampoGomez said. Las Vegas police do not track how many inmates the federal agency actually takes into custody.

Some critics of the process, including Michael Kagan, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said the policy allows Nevadas largest law enforcement agency to obscure its coordination with ICE.

Its not as if Metro is a passive actor here, said Kagan, whose clinic defends people facing deportation. Theyre actively involved in the process and choosing to be actively involved. That means that they certainly have a responsibility to keep records to let the public know what theyre doing. Thats a basic requirement of transparency.

But one national organization seeking to reduce overall immigration said it found the two agencies coordination acceptable.

Theres nothing in the law that states you have to meet a certain threshold of crime to be remanded to ICE, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman at Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington D.C. Weve seen countless examples in the past where a local police department has had someone in custody and released them when ICE asked them to hold them, and they went on to commit more crimes. That could have been totally avoided.

State Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, said he believed such a policy helps keep undocumented immigrants wanted by ICE from eluding capture.

Theres no motivation (for them) to stick around for a week and wait to be put in jail again, he said. I think we will always do better if we have cooperation between the state, the county and federal officials.

ICE officials declined an interview, but regional agency spokeswoman Lori Haley wrote in a statement that arrangements with local jails and police departments are crucial to taking undocumented immigrants into custody in a safe and secure setting.

Haley added that the vast majority of people ICE takes into custody have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

Some members of the Clark County Commission, who determine the county jails annual budget, currently more than $250 million, said they were unaware Las Vegas police help ICE apprehend inmates accused of nonviolent crimes.

If they changed the policy internally I would hope they would let us know, because before we were clear that this was about violent crimes, Commissioner Tick Segerblom said. To the extent we can keep families intact is best for Las Vegas.

DEPORTATION DATA NOT AVAILABLE

City jails in the Las Vegas area also collaborate with ICE, but some report keeping more records about apprehended inmates.

The city jail, called the Las Vegas Detention Center, reports more than 160 people have been taken into custody since October 2019, when it also exited the 287(g) program.

The North Las Vegas Detention and Corrections facility could not provide the number of inmates handed over since the jail reopened in July 2020. However, individual inmates files do indicate if they were picked up by ICE, city spokesman Patrick Walker said.

Las Vegas police do not track how many county jail inmates ICE apprehends, OcampoGomez said. Emails from ICE notifying the jail about inmates of interest are also deleted after one year as a matter of department policy.

Local immigration attorney Dee Sull said when representing immigrants facing deportation, not knowing their chain of custody between law enforcement agencies can make it harder to determine if there was any wrongdoing in the process or subpoena an officer in the case of civil litigation.

After reviewing the Las Vegas police policy, she added: Theyre removing themselves from being dragged into a lawsuit.

FORMER 287(g) PROGRAM

Under the now abandoned 287(g) program, Las Vegas police employees were deputized to act as immigration officers and alert ICE of inmates wanted for deportation. The jail also honored ICE detainers, which allowed them to hold an inmate for 48 hours after their release date at the federal agencys request.

Unlike today, a transfer of custody to ICE was recorded on inmates records because federal agents would schedule a pickup inside the jail, OcampoGomez said.

Las Vegas police suspended the 287(g) program after a federal district court ruled that ICE detainers could only be honored in states with laws that specifically address civil immigration arrests. However, police officials wrote in a statement they would continue to work with ICE at the Clark County Detention Center in removing persons without legal status who have committed violent crimes.

ICE contacted the jail about inmates at least 24 times since late October 2020, according to emails obtained by the Review-Journal. The correspondence does not state whether an inmate was taken into ICE custody.

Las Vegas police refused to release to the Review-Journal documents in its possession from ICE that contain information about why the inmates were wanted for deportation, stating the federal agency must release them.

But the police departments own records show at least five of those inmates were arrested for non-violent crimes before ICE inquired about them. Generally they were charged with some combination of traffic violations, drug and theft charges.

LOMBARDO STATEMENT

Lombardo brought renewed scrutiny to Las Vegas police practices after the July campaign comment that he had helped deport 10,000 people, reported by The Nevada Independent. In September, his campaigns Twitter account tweeted the sheriff developed an internal system to identify and report illegal immigrants.

Lombardos campaign website states that after he suspended the 287(g) program the sheriff used extra personnel and dedicated scarce resources to working directly with ICE to determine the identity of violent criminals in other ways.

ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah said he viewed the new policy as a distinction without a difference from the 287(g) program, outside of no longer holding inmates up to 48 hours for ICE.

Theyve found a workaround, he said. And even within that workaround, they dont have to track any numbers, statistics or data.

Lombardos campaign did not respond to repeated inquiries about the internal system or the 10,000 deported claims.

Officer Larry Hadfield, a police spokesman, said the department could not determine how many inmates were taken into custody under the 287(g) program because it no longer has access to ICE records.

An estimated 180,000 undocumented immigrants lived in the Las Vegas metro area as of 2016, according to the Pew Research Center. That was about 8.2% of the population, one of the highest rates in the U.S. and more than double the national average.

While ICE typically apprehends undocumented immigrant inmates as they exit the jail, there is no rule forbidding agents from taking them into custody inside the jail, Hadfield said.

If they are there and the inmate is being released, they can take them into custody, he said.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Violence receded Friday in the capital of the Solomon Islands, but the government showed no signs of addressing the underlying grievances that sparked two days of riots, including concerns about the country's increasing links with China.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare sought to deflect attention from domestic issues by blaming outside interference for stirring up the protesters, with a thinly veiled reference to Taiwan and the United States.

External pressures were a very big ... influence. I dont want to name names. Well leave it there, Sogavare said.

Honiaras Chinatown and its downtown precinct were focuses of rioters, looters and protesters who demanded the resignation of Sogavare, who has been prime minister intermittently since 2000.

Sogavare has been widely criticized by leaders of the country's most populous island of Malaita for a 2019 decision to drop diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of mainland China. His government, meanwhile, has been upset over millions in U.S. aid promised directly to Malaita, rather than through the central government.

Those issues are just the latest in decades of rivalry between Malaita and Guadalcanal, where the capital, Honiara, is located, said Jonathan Pryke, director of the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank's Pacific Islands program.

"Most of the drivers of the tension have been in the country for many decades and generations, and a lot of it is born out of the abject poverty of the country, the limited economic development opportunities and the inter-ethnic and inter-island rivalry between the two most populous islands," he said.

So everyone's pointing fingers, but some fingers also need to be pointed at the political leaders of the Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands, with a population of about 700,000, are located about 1,500 kilometers (1,000 miles) northeast of Australia. Internationally they are probably still best known for the bloody fighting that took place there during World War II between the United States and Japan.

Riots and looting erupted Wednesday out of a peaceful protest in Honiara, primarily of people from Malaita demonstrating over a number of grievances. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators, who set fire to the National Parliament, a police station and many other buildings.

Protesters defied a lockdown declared by Sogavare on Wednesday to take to the streets again on Thursday.

Critics also blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals.

Since the 2019 shift in allegiance from Taiwan to China there has been an expectation of massive infrastructure investment from Beijing  locally rumored to be in the range of $500 million  but with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after the shift, none of that has yet materialized.

Malaita threatened to hold a referendum on independence over the issue, but that was quashed by Sogavare's government.

Sogavare said Friday that he stood by his governments decision to embrace Beijing, which he described as the only issue in the violence, which was unfortunately influenced and encouraged by other powers.

Im not going to bow down to anyone. We are intact, the governments intact and were going to defend democracy, he said.

More than broad geopolitical concerns, however, Pryke said the demonstrations really boiled down to frustration over the lack of opportunities for a largely young population, and the concentration of much of the country's wealth in the capital.

I guarantee you the vast majority of the people involved in the rioting and looting couldn't point China or Taiwan out on a map, he said. They were there as opportunists because they have had very limited economic opportunity. It's a very poor country with high youth unemployment, and this just shows how quickly these things can spiral out of control in a country that's volatile.

Andrew Yang, a professor at Taiwan's National Sun Yat-sen University and former deputy defense minister, said China's efforts to win diplomatic recognition from the Solomon Islands government are part of a competition for regional dominance.

I think its part of the power competition between United States and China because China also is extending its influence into the Pacific region and also taking advantage of this opportunity to compromise the U.S. so-called Indo-Pacific security strategy," he said. So island countries in the South Pacific regions are a vitally important part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific security umbrella.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been following the protests with concern, said his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

(Guterres) calls for an end to the violence and the protection of hard-won peacebuilding gains. He urges dialogue and peaceful means to address differences, Haq said in a statement on Friday.

A plane carrying Australian police and diplomats arrived late Thursday in Honiara to help local police restore order.

Up to 50 more Australian police as well 43 defense force personnel with a navy patrol boat were scheduled to arrive on Friday.

They were requested by Sogavare under a bilateral treaty with Australia, and the presence of an independent force, though small, seemed to help quell some of the violence.

Australia has a history of assisting the Solomon Islands, stepping in after years of bloody ethnic violence known as the tensions in 2003. The Australian-led international police and military force called the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands helped restore the peace and left in 2017.

The Australian personnel are expected to be on hand for a matter of weeks," according Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Payne told reporters on Friday that she had no indication that other countries had stirred up the unrest.

We have not indicated that at all, Payne said.

Australia is not assisting in the protection of the National Parliament and the executive buildings, in a sign that it was not taking political sides.

Weve been very clear. Our view is we dont want to see violence," Payne said. We would very much hope for a return to stability."

Local journalist Gina Kekea said the foreign policy switch to Beijing with little public consultation was one of a mix of issues that led to the protests. There were also complaints that foreign companies were not providing local jobs.

Chinese businesses and (other) Asian businesses ... seem to have most of the work, especially when it comes to extracting resources, which people feel strongly about, Kekea said.

Protesters were replaced by looters and scavengers on Friday in Chinatown, Kekea said.

Its been two days, two whole days of looting and protesting and rioting and Honiara is just a small city, Kekea said. The capital has 85,000 residents.

So I think that theres nothing much left for them to loot and spoil now, she said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison questioned whether Chinese citizens and businesses were being targeted. He described the unrest as a bit of a mixed story and noted Chinatown was the scene of rioting before Australias 2003 intervention.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday condemned the violence and stressed Beijing's support for the Solomon Islands government. He said China was taking measures to safeguard the safety and rights of Chinese people and institutions in the country.

We believe that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare, the Solomon government can restore order and stabilize the internal situation as soon as possible, he said.

The establishment of diplomatic ties with Beijing has won sincere support of the people," and "any attempts to undermine the normal development of China-Solomon relations are futile, Zhao said.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok.
MADRID (AP)  Tens of thousands of Spanish police officers and their supporters marched in Madrid on Saturday to protest against government plans to reform a controversial security law known by critics as the gag law.

Critics of the Citizens Security Law passed by the previous conservative government in 2015 have for years said that it gave too much power to security forces in detriment of civil liberties. Powerful police unions, however, say that the proposed changes to the law will make their job more difficult.

A new version of the law sponsored by the small Basque Nationalist Party, or PNV, recently won the support of Spain's governing left-wing coalition. Amnesty International and Spains Ombudsman Office have called for the law to be altered.

The proposed law could still undergo changes during negotiations in the parliaments lower chamber, but as it now stands it would eliminate some of the most contentious parts of the current law. Those include the article that banned holding protests in the immediate vicinity of Congress or Senate buildings and the article that allowed border guards to push back migrants who had crossed the frontier.

A new tweak that is supported by the government is the allowance for spontaneous protests that now commonly arise from quick organization of a march, for example, to respond to a case of gender violence. Currently, organizers of protests or marches should tell authorities beforehand.

Police unions are against other planned modifications, above all one to remove a requirement for citizens to request permission from authorities before filming and publishing video of officers at work. Last year, Spain's Constitutional Court ruled that such a requirement for previous approval was unconstitutional.

But police fear that could make their officers easy to identify and thus put them at risk for reprisals. The proponents of the law deny this, promising that the new law is about striking a better balance between liberty and safety.

The reform that the government is preparing will only benefit violent protesters and criminals, Pablo Perez, spokesman of the JUPOL union for Spains National Police. It puts citizens and especially police officers in serious danger because it ties our hands and feet when facing violence.

Right-wing opposition parties backed the police protesters. Both the far-right Vox party and the Popular Party that passed the original security law while in power sent their leaders to the rally.

Socialist Party spokesman Felipe Sicilia said that government wants to adapt the law to a new era and rewrite it so as to reduce doubts about the right to gather in public and to protest.

This law is to improve our way of handling public security, Sicilia said. And, of course, it means to protect our members of the security forces so that they can work in a professional manner and with legal guarantees.

___

Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona.
A letter sent Monday to Border Patrol agents informed them most complied with the Nov. 22 vaccine mandate deadline, according to a copy obtained by The Monitor.

Federal agencies were instructed to create a program requiring COVID-19 vaccination for all their employees, with exceptions only as required by law, via President Joe Biden's executive order issued Sept. 9.

The agency set a deadline for Monday, Nov. 22. On Monday, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul L. Ortiz sent a letter informing agents that by then, 79 percent of all employees were fully vaccinated, according to the latest data provided as of Nov. 17.

About 16 percent of employees, who are not fully vaccinated, had submitted a reasonable accommodation request that was pending.

Overall, 5 percent of Border Patrol agents were out of compliance with the deadline  3 percent were not fully vaccinated and had not filed a reasonable accommodation request, the other 2 percent were unresponsive to the agency.

Employees were advised of their requirement to comply with the mandate through previous efforts that included a letter sent to by the Department of Homeland Security.

"Employees who do not comply with the requirement to become vaccinated will be subject to formal discipline, up to and including removal from federal service," Randolph D. "Tex" Alles, DHS deputy under secretary for management, wrote in an email addressed to all employees on Nov. 8.

Customs and Border Protection, the agency comprised of Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, and the White House declined to comment.

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Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Weve criticized the Beaumont City Council once or twice in this space  OK, maybe a bit more than that  but these seven men and women deserve praise for what they are doing today. Council members are holding a vision work session on a variety of topics  all put on there by council members. The meeting kicks off at 9 a.m. at City Hall and will probably last into the afternoon. The agenda includes big-picture items and more daily concerns. This is an interesting way to clear away some of the cobwebs that can surround these issues and make real progress on them. Its smart and innovative, and the council hasnt done something like this in a long time  or maybe ever.

Mayor Robin Mouton and Councilmember Albert A.J. Turner requested discussion on the following topics:

Building trust

Image and beautification

Thriving economy  Grow diverse and innovative economy with increased commerce and employment opportunity.

Youth engagement

Infrastructure plan

Major events

Paying for city services electronically

Riverfront development

Councilmember Randy Feldschau and Mayor Mouton requested discussion of the Battleship Texas proposal.

Councilmembers Mike Getz and Taylor Neild want to talk about placing defibrillators in city buildings.

Thats a full agenda, and its easy to see why members expect to be in council chambers most of the day. City residents might not be able to catch all of it, but we urge them to attend the meeting in person for an hour or two or watch parts of it livestreamed on the citys website.

None of these items are particularly new, but this method could approach some topics in different ways and thus yield better results.

We are particularly encouraged by the coming discussion about building trust and youth engagement.

Trust and collegiality are vitally important for every public board. Members dont always have to agree with each other  and often they will not. But they should treat each other with mutual respect and listen to what they have to day. Few members are appointed to a City Council when a vacancy suddenly occurs. Most are there because they filed for this office and then campaigned diligently to win. They persuaded enough of their constituents to give them a chance to represent a ward or an at-large position. It takes a lot to do that, and any person who takes on this challenge should be respected.

Youth engagement is also overlooked often by many public boards. We often tend to think of city issues as something that affects adults only. Their impact is broader, affected every child and teenager in a city directly or indirectly also. Residents over 18 can vote, and Beaumont has thousands of older teens and people in their 20s. Their concerns are vital to a city, whether the topic is career opportunities or quality of life. At a more basic level, no city can thrive if too many of its young residents move somewhere else after graduating from high school or college. Thats a problem in Beaumont, and the council is right to address it and try to provide more opportunities for our young residents here.

Other city councils and county commissioners courts in the region should look at what the Beaumont Council is doing and consider whether something like this would benefit them too. We bet it would. Sometimes, the view is better from 20,000 feet.
The ports of Port Arthur and Sabine Pass are doing something that almost every taxing entity in Southeast Texas should be doing  thinking about ways they might qualify for some of the money from the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law recently.

This is the biggest boost to federal funding for ports, airports, highways, bridges, etc. in years, and some of those needs undoubtedly exist right here in our region. But cities, counties and ports wont get any of that funding unless they apply for it, so they need to get moving now if they believe they qualify.

The ports of Port Arthur and Sabine Pass are already getting started. The projects identified so far include repairing highways and railroads that serve the ports as well as improving drainage and developing infrastructure to move cargo better. Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie said that within the next 90 days, the U.S. Department of Transportation will announce more than $475 million in funding for port and marine highway infrastructure, and he wants his city to get some of it.

Port Arthur Port Director Larry Kelley also pointed out the many ways his facility could benefit, noting, We export ultraload sulfur diesel, renewable energy wood pellets and kraft linerboard. We import and export military cargo, and we import forest products like eucalyptus pulp. Thats used for making paper towels, tissue products, and the like. We also import significant volumes of dimensional lumber, stuff you can find at Home Depot or Lowes.

Better infrastructure funding could clearly help the port do its job better, and its not the only potential project in Southeast Texas. Local taxing entities are used to applying for state or federal aid, but this is a special opportunity that shouldnt be overlooked.

Most Texas Republicans in Congress opposed this bill, even though some GOP members of the House and Senate voted for it. Politically, that wont help proposals from Southeast Texas. But we hope that the Biden administration will look past those partisan issues and approve the projects that make the most sense for the national economy.

For each taxing entity, it will require some time and money for this kind of grant-writing, and its not a process that should be undertaken lightly. But most public managers have a sense of what kinds of projects might qualify, and they should pursue this round of infrastructure funding if they think they have a chance.

A trillion dollars is a lot of money, but this is a huge country with thousands of taxing entities. Many of them will be seeking these funds, and competition for the money is going to be spirited. Not every request will be approved  probably a majority of them. But theres only one way to hear good news, and it starts with a detailed application backed up with reasons why it would be appropriate. We urge every public board in Southeast Texas to study this opportunity closely.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials deserve credit for helping convince Samsung to locate a massive semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, on the northeast edge of Austin. But in the coming years, these same state officials must make sure that the hefty incentives bestowed on the company actually pay off for taxpayers.

In Texas and other states, some of these deals based on generous incentives never quite produce the jobs or tax revenues promised by the company. The goal now is to ensure that the Samsung deal will be a model for future agreements  not a fiasco that everyone tries to forget.

The new plant in Taylor will significantly add to Samsungs sizable presence around Austin, where it has a large complex that employs more than 3,000 workers and produces some of the countrys most sophisticated chips. The South Korean tech giant now plans to invest an additional $17 billion in the new factory, which is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs.

The project has considerable potential, but public officials gave up a lot to land this big fish.

The deal includes waiving 90% of property taxes for a decade, which is unfortunately common these days, but an incredible 85% of property taxes for the following 10 years, a boost that is almost unheard of. Another incentive program would reduces the taxes Samsung would pay to schools by $314 million.

In addition to those lures, the state is giving Samsung a $27 million grant from its Texas Enterprise Fund, which is designed to attract projects that create jobs. The company could also get help with the construction and operation of the new plants, such as further exemptions on sales taxes for materials used for construction.

The city of Taylor also plans to issue about $18 million in revenue bonds, supported in part by Samsungs utility payments, to cover the cost of new infrastructure that will be needed.

Its a sweet package, and many towns in Texas  and other states  would have jumped at the chance to offer the same deal. But in the meantime, every tax dollar abated for a company is a dollar that must be made up by local taxpayers to cover the costs of roads, parks, police, etc. And is so often the case, the beneficiary is a large multinational corporation like Samsung that probably could afford to build the new plant wherever it wants without any incentives.

Taxpayers really need Congress to set a realistic limit on these abatements, such as for a maximum of five years, for any project that would involve interstate commerce, which is almost all of them. Some companies have been known to shut down their facility once the abatements expire, depriving local residents of the tax revenues they thought would be coming some day.

Good Jobs First, a Washington-based policy resource center, estimates that Texas given out nearly 6,300 incentive awards totaling $8 billion in subsidies. Thats a big investment in attracting jobs, and average Texans need to be confident that these agreements benefit them as much as the companies involved.
John B. Scott, the new Texas secretary of state, believes that a full forensic audit (of last years elections) will restore faith in Texas voting. Someone should tell him that most Texans already have faith in Texas voting. That group should include most Texas Republicans, because their party did very well in the 2020 elections. Former president Trump carried the state easily, the GOP won all statewide races and maintained its control of the state House and Senate.

Its hard to see what they are concerned with  maybe not winning by large enough margins?  and what problem has to be fixed. Apparently they dont realize how disappointed Texas Democrats were with the 2020 results. Members of that party truly thought they would break through last year; if any party should be questioning the results, it would be them.

Instead, in Texas and across the nation, it is some Republicans pushing the baseless theory that last years elections were riddled with fraud and somehow the shenanigans must finally be uncovered and exposed. That is why Scott is boasting about the ongoing top-to-bottom examination of election records in the two largest counties with Democratic Commissioners Courts  Harris and Dallas  as well as the two largest counties with Republican Commissioners Courts  Tarrant and Collin by his office.

Again, its not clear what this expensive and unnecessary exercise is supposed to prove. Scott cited one poll which said that 79 percent of Americans in both parties believe there sometimes is cheating in elections. That may be true, but the word sometimes is important there. Nothing in life is absolutely perfect, and that includes elections where millions of people vote. And to the extent that some Americans believe larger fraud exists, its because Republican officials like Scott and Gov. Greg Abbott have been promoting this baseless theory for months. It all comes from President Trump, of course, and too many Republicans are publicly going along with his fantasy when they privately admit its bonkers.

Scott and Abbott should have noticed similar claims in Arizona, where not one but two official audits of the 2020 election were held, finding no fraud. State officials then contracted with a sketchy company with no relevant experience to conduct a third audit, and the results were the same. Well, except for a few more votes added for President Biden, which certainly wasnt the goal. Oh, and no evidence of phony paper ballots imported from China with telltale bamboo fibers.

Whenever and wherever it occurs, voter fraud is serious. Any perpetrators should get serious punishment. But when large numbers of votes are cast in large counties or a huge state like Texas, some small counting mistakes are likely, if not inevitable. Thats not widescale fraud, however, which is what Scott and Abbott are talking about.

Scott hopes that this audit will that show Texans that voting in our state is fair and secure, and that only legal votes are cast and counted. We hope so too; in fact, theres no reason to think otherwise.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right on screen) speaks as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (left on screen) and government officials listen at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) via video conference, in Phnom Penh, Nov. 25, 2021.

Leaders from some 50 Asian and European countries called on Myanmar Friday to return to the democratic transition that was halted by a military coup, release arbitrarily detained prisoners, and accept a Southeast Asian envoy to mediate the 10-month-old political crisis.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member Myanmar did not attend the two-day virtual Asia-Europe Meeting  the third time ASEAN had sidelined junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing over the violence and repression in the wake of the Feb. 1 overthrow of the countrys elected government.

Leaders expressed deep concerns on the situation in Myanmar and affirmed their strong support for ASEANs efforts to de-escalate the crisis, the group said in a statement after the meeting, hosted by Cambodia, the 2022 ASEAN chair.

They called on all parties concerned in Myanmar to engage in peaceful dialogue, immediately cease violence in Myanmar and exercise utmost restraint; and called on Myanmar for the early release of all those arbitrarily detained, including foreigners, and return to the path of democratic transition, national reconciliation and sustainable development.

The sticking point  which also kept Myanmar out of an ASEAN-China special summit this week and the 10-member blocs leaders meeting in Brunei last month  was the military regimes failure to honor a pledge made in April to allow an ASEAN special envoy to meet deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and lawmakers ousted in Februarys coup.

Fridays statement said the ASEM leaders urged Myanmar to facilitate the visit of the ASEAN special envoy to meet all parties concerned.

Asked about the snub of Min Aung Hlaing by ASEAN, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the junta spokesman told Radio Free Asia, with which BenarNews is affiliated: Our stand is clear that if the one who truly and rightfully represents the nation is not allowed to attend, we wont attend.

If there were objections regarding the one who represents the nation, or he were not allowed to attend, or it treats us with downgraded status, we have no reason to attend, he added.

The civilian death toll since the military takeover is nearly 1,300 while more than 7,000 people remain detained, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Hundreds of thousands are internally displaced in the country of 54 million people, amid food shortages and the coronavirus pandemic.

Myanmar military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing attends the IX Moscow Conference on International Security, in Moscow, June 23, 2021. [AFP]

South China Sea

The Asian and European leaders, marking the 25th year of the grouping, did not specifically refer to territorial disputes in the South China Sea in the summit statement, but stated a shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability and ensuring maritime security and safety, to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities at sea.

The statement, which did not mention China, urged nations to act in full compliance with international law, in particular the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the interest of all.

ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam  as well as Taiwan  all claim parts of the South China Sea but China cites historical rights to almost 90 percent of the sea despite rejection by international law.

At a leaders retreat Friday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte brought up the issue of the disputed South China Sea for the second time in a week.

He did not mention China or Beijing by name, but his comments came after he publicly rebuked China at an ASEAN-China meeting on Monday for Chinese coast guard ships firing a water cannon on Filipino supply boats in the South China Sea.

ASEM leaders renewed commitment to open and inclusive multilateralism and the rule of law was exactly what we need in this time of profound change and uncertainty, Duterte said.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Asia-Pacific. Ours is a region that is full of promise but fraught with potential flashpoints. These include disputes in one of the worlds most important sea lanes of communication, a statement issued by the presidents office quoted him as saying.

There can be no other acceptable basis for a just maritime order but the law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

[RFA]

Reported by the Myanmar Service of Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews, and BenarNews.
People line up to get on the Air France flight to Paris at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday Nov. 26, 2021. A slew of nations moved to stop air travel from southern Africa on Friday in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible COVID-19 variant that has been detected in South Africa. Scientists say it is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the country's most populous province.
In this June 25, 2013, file photo, Ghislaine Maxwell, founder of the TerraMar Project, attends a news conference on the Issue of Oceans in Sustainable Development Goals, at United Nations headquarters.
Allen Harris is the owner of Berkshire Money Management in Dalton. He can be reached at aharris@berkshiremm.com.
The United States and the United Kingdom have both instituted travel restrictions in response to the newly emerged (and newly named) Omicron variant. The variant, which was first detected in the southern region of Africa, has raised concerns around the world because of its high number of mutations. Scientists are currently working to learn more about the variant. The big three unanswered questions: How quickly does it spread? How dangerous is it to those infected? And how well do existing vaccines hold up against it?
Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century, has died at age 91. Sondheim's death was announced by his Texas-based attorney, Rick Pappas, who told The New York Times the composer died Friday, at his home in Roxbury, Conn.
Some juniors at Mount Everett High School took their yearbook photos while wearing tank tops. But, the administration wasn't having it.
It may be related to the development of dementia in some way

New research suggests that anxiety symptoms in late-middle-aged adults may be an indicator of the earliest stage of Alzheimers disease.

The study, led by Australia's Monash University Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health researchers, examined the relationship between symptoms of depression and anxiety, and memory and thinking, in 2657 middle-aged adults.

Higher anxiety was found to be related to poorer attention and memory. Individuals with high depressive and anxiety symptoms also reported more concerns about their own memory and thinking.

As per the researchers, the findings suggest that anxiety symptoms in midlife may increase a persons risk of developing dementia later in life.

Screening for these symptoms may be a means of identifying people experiencing, or at risk of, cognitive decline. More research is needed to understand exactly what is happening in the brain that links depression and anxiety symptoms to cognitive decline and ultimately, the development of dementia, said the researchers.
The Pentagon is creating a new office to investigate unidentified flying objects amid concerns that after broad probes it cannot explain mysterious sightings near highly sensitive military areas.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, working with the US director of national intelligence, ordered the new investigatory body to be established in the US Defense Department's intelligence and security office, the Pentagon said late Tuesday.

The order came five months after a classified US intelligence report on possible alien UFOs came up inconclusive: it could explain some reported incidents but was unable to account for other phenomena, some filmed by pilots near military testing areas.

The new office will focus on incidents in, or near, designated "special use airspace" (SUA) areas strictly controlled and blocked from general aviation due to security sensitivities.

The US military is worried some of the unidentified aerial phenomena spotted by military pilots in the past may represent technologies of strategic rivals unknown to US scientists.

"Incursions by any airborne object into our SUA pose safety of flight and operations security concerns, and may pose national security challenges," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Defense Department "takes reports of incursions -- by any airborne object, identified or unidentified -- very seriously, and investigates each one," it added.

The new office was dubbed the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG), the successor to the US Navy's Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force.

It will be overseen by a panel of experts from the military and intelligence community.

A mostly classified official review of UFO reports released in June determined that most of around 120 incidents over the past 20 years could be explained and had nothing to do with unknown or secret US or foreign technology.

But it could not explain some beguiling reports and videos made by military personnel.

Last year, the Pentagon released a still inexplicable video taken by navy pilots of objects moving at incredible speeds, spinning and mysteriously disappearing.

China's July test of a globe-circling hypersonic vehicle that was able to launch a separate missile while traveling at more than five times the speed of sound alerted Washington that Beijing might have technologies the United States has yet to develop.
The level of lawlessness continues to surge as a rash of looting is happening across the country. The latest occurred on Friday evening when 30 people robbed a Best Buy store in Burnsville, Minnesota.

CNN affiliate WCCO said the group of people arrived at the Best Buy store in the south metro area, approximately 15 miles south of Minneapolis, around 8 pm local time and looted the store.

No one in the mob brandished a weapon, nor were any injuries reported. No arrests have been made, and thieves made off with thousands of dollars in electronics.

Burnsville Police confirm to @WCCO that a group of 20-30 people robbed a Best Buy store near Burnsville Center mall around 8pm this evening. All of the suspects fled before police arrived. Police say no weapons were involved; unclear how much was taken.  Nick Streiff (@nickstreiff) November 27, 2021

WCCO also reports a flash mob hit another Best Buy in the metro area on Friday. The number of flash mobs robbing retailers has unleashed a shoplifting epidemic that is plaguing this country.

Last week, Best Buy shares crashed after the company reported margin compression due to organized thefts.

"We are seeing more and more particularly organized retail crime," CEO Corie Barry said on a conference call with analysts. "You can see that pressure in our financials, and more importantly, frankly, you can see that pressure with our associates. It's traumatizing."

Just last week, a mob of at least 80 people ransacked a Nordstrom in an upscale community in the outskirts of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Flash mobs have also targeted Louis Vuitton stores in Democrat cities where penalties for thefts have been eased.

According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime costs retailers $700,000 per $1 billion in sales every year. Another industry group, Buy Safe America, estimates shoplifting costs retailers billions of dollars in lost economic activity each year.

Criminal-justice reforms in some Democrat cities reduced penalties for shoplifting. This has allowed looters to have no fear of being confronted as they would only get a slap on the wrist if they are caught and won't be charged with a felony.

Some of the most common consumer goods looters are targeting this year are high-end purses, clothing, and handbags, top-shelf liquor, laundry detergent, allergy medicine, razors, and pain relievers.

"At the end of the day, it's still about supply and demand," said Tony Sheppard, director of loss prevention solutions at ThinkLP. This software developer helps retailers prevent theft and manage its impact. "The demand for product online skyrocketed, and as a result, so too did the demand for stolen product."

Meanwhile, approximately 10 looters in California hit a Home Depot in a Los Angeles suburb and stole hammers, crowbars and other tools, according to CNN.

The incident took place at approximately 8 p.m. local time in Lakewood, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Deputy Miguel Meza told CNN. Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County. The thieves made off with hammers, sledgehammers, crowbars and other tools. After grabbing the items, they ran out of the store and got into a getaway car parked outside, Meza said.

The nation, under the Biden administration, is quickly descending into total lawlessness this holiday season.
Fury Over Lockdowns

Global markets are reeling in the wake of more lockdowns and threats of them.

The Economist (paywall) notes surge of deadly covid cases in Europe is met by popular fury over lockdowns.

The sight of 40,000 unvaccinated Austrians marching through their capital, Vienna, in recent days was troubling twice over. The tightly packed opponents of lockdown measures were at risk of spreading the coronavirus. They also threatened to stir up an already tense political situation. Karl Nehammer, Austrias interior minister, warned that anti-vaxxers in the Alpine republic are growing more radicalised. He called the demonstrations mood incensed and aggressive. Some protesters were extremely provocative, carrying placards likening Alexander Schallenberg, Austrias new chancellor, to Josef Mengele, the sadistic physician at the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz. The protesters were marching against Austrias increasingly tough measures against anti-vaxxers. On November 22nd the government imposed a full lockdown once again, to last for at least ten days. That compels Austrias 9m people to hunker down at home, leaving only for work, essential shopping and exercise. Austria is also the first Western democracy to make covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all, starting on February 1st 2022. For a long timemaybe too longI and others assumed that it must be possible to convince people in Austria to get vaccinated voluntarily, said Mr Schallenberg when he announced his very difficult decision.

Let Our Guard Down

The Washington Post (paywalled) reports We let our guard down: Frustrated Europe heads into second pandemic winter

Life was finally starting to feel normal. An online flier for an October party in this Belgian beach town cursed the coronavirus and invited people to dance and drink again, to get your clacker back from the attic and kick off Carnival season. Hundreds attended that event and another Carnival party the next night. Most of the town is vaccinated, and people were required to show proof, or a recent negative test, to enter. But it wasnt enough. Coronavirus cases spiked the week after. Officials worried about pressure on the local hospital. And soon the town found itself under semi-lockdown once more. As Americans catch up with family and friends this holiday week, with some trepidation about enduring risk, Europe is facing another wave of the virus  and a gloomy and frustrating second pandemic winter.

New Heavily Mutated Covid Variant

CNBC reports Belgium Confirms Case of New, Heavily Mutated Covid Variant.

The emerging variant arrives in Europe amid an already devastating Covid surge linked to the delta strain. Europe saw more than 2.4 million new Covid cases over the week ended Nov. 21, an increase of 11% from the previous seven days, according to the WHOs most recent epidemiological update. Europe represented 67% of all Covid cases reported globally during that span, the WHO measured. Belgium tightened restrictions this week to stop the spread of the virus, requiring people to work from home four days a week through the middle of December. Austria started its fourth lockdown of the pandemic on Monday, with a nationwide vaccine mandate scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1. Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg has said that the lockdown will last for at most 20 days.

New Lockdowns and Restrictions

Slovakia declared a two-week lockdown on Wednesday. People can leave home for a limited number of reasons, including buying groceries, going to work and to school, and getting vaccinated. And starting next week, all workers will have to show theyve been vaccinated, recovered from the coronavirus or had a recent negative test.

Austria, imposed a lockdown that will last at least 10 days and up to 20.

The Netherlands ordered bars and restaurants to close at 8 p.m.

Belgium has mandated that all but essential employees work from home four days a week. Belgium also reinstituted an indoor mask mandate this month.

Merkel pushed for a German lockdown as its death toll passed 100,000.

The U.K. halted flights from six countries in the region, and European Union member states have collectively agree to pause travel to and from southern Africa.

Singapore banned flights from southern Africa

Japan is increasing border controls for travelers from the region.

Italy requires proof of vaccination or recovery for access to many parts of public life. Vaccination restrictions fcome into effect on December 6 and last until January 15.

Mess in Germany

Eurointelligence comments on Germany's Federal Virus.

The massive outbreak in Covid-19 hospitalizations and fatalities in Germany raises disturbing questions about who is in charge. Having failed to achieve the right levels of vaccine procurement early on during the pandemic, the German authorities have repeated the same mistake. They did not procure the booster shots they needed. They have not set up a network of vaccination centres to deliver them rapidly. As of this weekend, only 11.4% of the population has received booster shots. It is very difficult to get an appointment. Only doctor's surgeries are allowed to deliver them. The network has not been expanded to pharmacies. So why is this happening again? The answer is that the German healthcare system, well-funded as it is, is not set up for a pandemic, or indeed for public health emergencies in general. This is a publicly-funded, but privately run, healthcare system. The states are in charge of the local healthcare administrations and hospitals. Health insurance is a matter for the federal government, but states supervise the health insurance companies. What can possibly go wrong?

Message From German Stats

In Germany, over 45% of people hospitalized for Covid-19 are fully vaccinated.

That last stat sounds more shocking than it really is. Germany is 68% fully vaccinated. Thus 55% of the hospitalizations cases come from 32% of the population.

Only 11% of Germany received a booster. Given vaccinations wear off, the proper take away is get a booster, not flout the stats.

Vaccine Mandate US

In the US, the Biden administration imposed a vaccine mandate vis OSHA on companies with more than 100 employees.

On November 15, I noted Appeals Court Blocks Biden's Vaccine Mandate in a Blistering Rebuke

The rebuke was a huge attack on the competence of Biden's mandate. My position, upfront was the mandate was unconstitutional.

Given multiple attacks on the mandate, jurisdiction, the case moved from the 5th Circuit to the 6th Circuit, where Biden doubled down.

On November 23, I commented Biden Doubles Down on Vaccine Mandate With Another Circuit Court

The justice department files an emergency motion with the 6th circuit court arguing the 5th circuit's postponement of the OSHA vaccine mandate was unjustified

I strongly suspect the 6th Circuit will reaffirm the previous ruling.

Meanwhile, protests or not, mutations go on and on.

What Covid Lockdowns and Disruptions in Europe Signal to the U.S.

False Promise

"Take two shots and we will reopen society. That turned out to be a false promise."

It's been one false promise after another, by Dr. Fauci, by Trump, by Biden, by Merkel, globally everywhere.

Trust is essentially gone and rising protests are proof.

* * *

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A Brandon University adjunct professor has received a research and creation grant designed to help fuel his exploration of the long-term effects of large-scale resource extraction through the unique lens of disruptive art.

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SUBMITTED Brandon University adjunct Prof. Ben Davis' art project "extracted." The project is designed to help fuel exploration of the long-term effects of large-scale resource extraction through the unique lens of disruptive art.

A Brandon University adjunct professor has received a research and creation grant designed to help fuel his exploration of the long-term effects of large-scale resource extraction through the unique lens of disruptive art.

Ben Davis, who began teaching as a sessional instructor for the IshKaabatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg Department of Visual Art at Brandon University in 2008, has created a multi-model project unpacking, exploring and encouraging discussion about the devastating impacts of resource extraction in natural spaces. He recently received a $21,800 Research and Creation grant from the Canada Council of the Arts to support his ongoing project "extracted," which focuses on the consequences of resource removal in Uranium City, a town in northern Saskatchewan.

"Its important to try and find avenues which might interest many different people. You cant just hit them with one style of painting or one sculpture. I think you have to create footholds or doorways which they can sort of gradually move into and feel some inclusion," said Davis, who currently teaches in BUs English for Academic Purposes program and supervises education practicums.

"It has a common critical framework and the idea is that Uranium City is just one instance of something that is taking place everywhere."

While he cannot speak directly for the people affected by the activity, he can speak more generally about the consequences of climate change for people in many different communities around the world.

Action is needed to mitigate the damaging effects of the climate change crisis  including the gradual phasing out of fossil fuels. He added it is an important moment for Canada as there is a convergence between truth and reconciliation, and the climate.

There is a responsibility to address climate change, especially because Indigenous communities will be the first affected by the crisis and communities can offer insights on how to live in harmony with the land.

SUBMITTED Davis' "extracted" project.

"The rest of us have a massive duty to learn and catch up."

Davis art project, "extracted," began out of a conversation with criminal justice scholar Kevin Walby.

"We realized that the way we were speaking about land intersected. We talked about layers and history and the stuff that you cant see  the social terrain of land which often is missed in the photographs that people take," Davis said.

"Dr. Walby looked at the site through lenses of social and environmental justice. Land has long been a central focus of my practice, as I purposefully unsettle the physical and socially constructed terrain of a location, also through lenses of social justice, eco-aesthetics, and postcolonial theory. It intersected well with Dr. Walbys research."

He was inspired to capture these experiences in a multimedia format based on his interest in counter-visual methodology, a practice of upending the reliance of photographs alone to explore a theme, story or topic.

"You begin to think about ways to aggregate visual images. You begin to think about how you can make people question what theyre looking at and what they assume."

Walby shared some of his photographs of mining sites and the land surrounding Uranium City. The images presented beautiful and "pristine" land that appeared untouched, Davis said, but data showed the land and water in the area were toxic.

The destruction of the environment was the consequence of large-scale resource extraction, including uranium and gold, and in turn, came to affect the people living in the area.

SUBMITTED Davis' "extracted" project.

"I was interested in not only this idea of these photographs [that] really dont show the reality of what has taken place, but also the impact on this place for people as well," he said.

His goal was to create art that inspired people to dig into what they are seeing. This involved using less obvious and untraditional materials.

Davis said this way of thinking inspired him to use bitumen, an extracted resource, in his art.

He has put the funds from the grant toward his studio and is using the space to experiment with the product, but it is challenging because bitumen never dries and can create cracks and fissures in a painting, slowly destroying the creation.

"I thought what ... if we use bitumen so it slowly destroys the paper, and people can question why the painting is being destroyed, and they relate that to bitumen," Davis said.

An added layer to encourage people to unpack the images presented has been engaging in the history of arsenic  an element used in Victorian times and beyond, even though it was known to be poisonous, Davis said, in a situation very similar to what resource extraction does to the earth.

"Thats a very colonial way of seeing the world. We know its wrong to oppress people. We know its wrong to take their land. But you know what? It benefits us financially and it helps us."

He references this through collages made of Victorian wallpaper designs. The Victorian designs also subtly encourage people to think about colonial history in Canada and the efforts to cover up the impacts of resources extraction by the provincial and federal governments.

SUBMITTED Davis' "extracted" project.

"Essentially, they were trying to wallpaper over the damage they had caused," Davis said.

"It also had me thinking about the whole dirty history of colonialism where they force their own particular understandings and their ways of being onto Indigenous people. They reimagined land as they understand it and dont honour and respect the understandings, the rituals and the beliefs of the Indigenous people."

One of the featured images of "extracted" was created using satellite images of an area near Uranium City and Victorian wallpaper.

The final strand of "extracted" was incorporating recordings provided by Walby documenting the experience of those affected by Uranium City, including a contemporary Indigenous community member and a settler.

The resident spoke to the impact of the mine, the loss of community and the ongoing effects on the environment caused by resource extraction. It was critical to include these voices because they are living through the events and he wanted to ensure their stories are heard by others.

These recordings are included in the project for guests to listen to when visiting "extracted."

The Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Final Report noted there is much to be gained by listening to those most affected by environmental damages such as those caused by human decisions. The project served as a way to bring voices, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, together to showcase the slow death of Uranium City to a wider audience.

"Rather than just admiring the finesse of a painting or sculpture, its actually questioning the materiality of it," Davis said.

To draw visitors into the project when exhibitions of "extracted" open, participants actively engage in the artistic process by tracing images of Uranium City.

While some parts of the project have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tracing has begun as collaborative projects during Davis residencies in Hospitalfield House in Scotland and at Banff, Alta.

The planets unfolding environmental crisis is an emergency, he said, and he wanted to create artwork that would slowly vanish like the land disappearing because of resource extraction.

"I saw some photographs of the peeling wallpaper in Uranium City, in the school and in homes, and I thought about tracing paper.

"I devised this way of using tracing paper where people come together and collaboratively trace from images, which look like beautiful untouched land but actually are toxic."

As participants trace, they listen to the lived experiences of Uranium City residents through recordings.

Davis said the exhibition prompted a deep discussion between tracing participants. With their permission, Davis recorded those discussions for others to hear as they themselves interact with the project.

"Im making some pieces that I have authorship to, but at the same time, one of the big goals is actually to create opportunities for participation in discussion. It can happen many times with different people and gradually these pieces grow and these rolls of tracing accumulate."

Davis hopes the engagement will inspire small steps in acknowledging, engaging and tackling climate change.

"They participated in this really important conversation about the environment and climate crisis.

"Its meditative, but its also a very positive thing because you feel like youre quietly accomplishing something."

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
The province is expanding the list of cancers firefighters are covered for under the Workers Compensation Act, a move a Brandon union leader calls a big step for women and men in the job.

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SUBMITTED Premier Heather Stefanson (centre) is joined by Brandon firefighters Friday.

The province is expanding the list of cancers firefighters are covered for under the Workers Compensation Act, a move a Brandon union leader calls a "big step" for women and men in the job.

Thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and penile cancer are now on the list of presumptive cancers caused by fighting fires. That means the cancers will be presumed to be related to a firefighters work if they are diagnosed and apply for benefits with the Workers Compensation Board.

"Each and every single day, firefighters in every community of our province put their lives at risk to help those in need and for that we are deeply grateful," Premier Heather Stefanson said.

"We recognize firefighters are at a heightened risk of contracting various cancers due to the nature of their work and the inevitable exposure to carcinogens on the job, despite all efforts to prevent and mitigate exposure risks. We are pleased to work with the [Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association] to make these changes that will enhance supports and benefits for their members."

The change also applies to at-risk personnel working with the Manitoba Fire Commissioners Office.

Fridays move recognizes the possibility of reproductive cancers in women firefighters and brings the coverage to the same level for men in the profession, Stefanson said.

There are now 19 forms of the disease on the list, which already include cancers of the brain, bladder, lung and skin.

"I think its a big step," said Terry Browett, president of the Brandon Professional Firefighters/Paramedics Association, which represents local firefighter/paramedics.

The change also recognizes the growing number of women firefighters in the province and the role they play, he said. There are currently three frontline female firefighter/paramedics in the Brandon Fire and Emergency Services and approximately 65 in Winnipeg.

"Its something weve been lobbying to have these various cancers recognized along with the others that have come previously," he said.

Currently, there is a retired Brandon firefighter battling a presumptive cancer, Browett said.

"Its definitely good news and its just a little something to honour and make sure the families are looked after, that the members themselves are looked after during that time theyre battling the disease. Its just peace of mind."

Presumptive cancers for firefighters were first added to the Workers Compensation Act in 2002. It was expanded in 2005 and part-time firefighters were included. The list was again expanded in both 2009 and 2011.

Browett said he believes other provinces and states will look to Manitobas legislation as a model for their own presumptive firefighter cancer lists.

Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association president Alex Forrest said presumptive cancer is the top killer of firefighers.

"Its not traumatic on-duty accidents, its not one fire that kills us, its hundreds of fires over our career. Thats why we need this legislation, because it will literally mean the world to individuals who are diagnosed with these deadly cancers."

The Workers Compensation Board will be responsible for administering the changes to the act and identifying issues that arise.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay
Two international flight passengers who tested positive to COVID-19 after arriving in Sydney have been confirmed as Australias first cases of the new Omicron variant of concern, after urgent genomic sequencing was completed on Sunday.

The pair were passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR908 from Doha which landed at Sydney Airport at about 7pm on Saturday. They have been in isolation in special health accommodation since their arrival.

Premier Dominc Perrottet giving an update on COVID-19 quarantine in NSW. Credit:Nine News

In a statement, NSW Health said the pair were asymptomatic and both fully vaccinated.

The other 260 passengers on the flight are now considered close contacts of a COVID-19 case and have been directed by health authorities to isolate.
Queensland One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson has pledged to bring her bill calling for an end to vaccine mandates back to the floor of Federal Parliament next week, as she addressed a rally against the states incoming venue restrictions on the Gold Coast.

While protesters took to the streets of Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday against vaccine mandates, perceived government overreach and pandemic response measures, Brisbane was not host to an event of its own. However, many smaller and regional hubs across the state were.

Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Large crowds gathered at the Gold Coast and Mackay, where they were addressed by One Nation MPs Senator Hanson, fellow upper-house member Malcolm Roberts and state member for Mirani Stephen Andrew.

Others were slated to take place across North Queensland, Hervey Bay, the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba protesting against rules, which will bar unvaccinated people from entering some venues across the state from December 17.
One new case of COVID-19 has been detected in Queenslands hotel quarantine system as authorities announced the state had now passed a milestone of having 75 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated amid concerns about a new variant.

The new infection has been reported in a family member, not vaccinated due to their age, of three unvaccinated people who arrived from Melbourne this week, Acting Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken said on Saturday.

Queensland Acting Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken says while a new strain of the virus first discovered in South Africa  now considered a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation  was worrying, there were no cases of it so far detected in Australia. Credit:Matt Dennien

Thats an important thing that quarantine serves its purpose, Dr Aitken said. So nothing to worry about there basically.

Dr Aitken told reporters that state-run vaccine hubs had administered more than 8000 vaccine doses on Friday, with the state still on track to reach an 80 per cent double-dose rate among its 16-plus population around December 10, after passing the 75 per cent mark in the latest update.
After days of riots in the Solomon Islands during which protesters called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign, set buildings ablaze and looted stores, authorities on Saturday said they had found the bodies of three people in a burnt-out building.

They are the first reported deaths after days of violent protests in Honiara, the nations capital. The three burnt bodies were found in the remains of a shop in the Chinatown district, a police spokesperson said. Police were investigating the deaths.

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force later said more than 100 people had been arrested for rioting and looting linked to the current protests, according to Reuters.

A building burns in Chinatown, in the capital city of Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Friday. Credit:AP

Its unclear if the deaths are directly linked to the protests, but they come after officials in China urged the Solomon Islands government to protect Chinese citizens and businesses. Honiaras Chinatown was one of the areas most heavily targeted by protesters.
sales in India received a good response as brands dropped their prices making customers queue up outside stores where discounts were steeper.

Discounts were offered both online and offline. Most of the international brands in India offered discounts under the Sale banner.

The Sale started in the US on the Friday after Thursday. The day typically marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season ahead of the festival. Brands in the US typically offer deep discounts on Black Friday, but this has now picked up momentum with brands globally.

The Black Friday Sale response has been good both online and offline. Customers are now coming back to shop and sales are now close to pre-covid levels, Rajesh Jain, managing director and chief executive officer at Lacoste India told Business Standard.

Online fashion retailer, Myntra is running its event between November 26-30 with 3,000 partner brands.

"Brands are putting their best foot forward to cater to the needs of the fashion-conscious shoppers. We are witnessing strong demand for categories including personal care, ethnic wear, western wear, accessories, premium merchandise and home furnishing. Winter wear is witnessing compounded demand from the event, in addition to seasonality," said Sharon Pais, chief business officer at Myntra.





"The Black Friday sale is a global event. We have some amazing offers from our brands to our customers and the response has been impressive so far. The sale continues for the weekend and we are hoping for even better results," said Tushar Ved, president at Major Brands, a franchisee partner for international brands in India.



It is a franchisee partner for brands like Aldo, Charles & Keith and Beverly Hills Polo Club among others in the country.

Electronics and appliances retailer Vijay Sales witnessed a lukewarm start to the The (Black Friday) sale did not start on a good note due to Friday being a working day, but we expect better footfall over the weekend, said Nilesh Gupta, managing director at Vijay Sales. Gupta added that while the Black Friday Sale began in the country only two to three years ago, it has the potential to become big enough like the Independence Day sales.

Vijay Sales has discounts running upto 50 per cent.





"The whole idea (of Black Friday Sale) started with varying discounts on fresh merchandise on Friday and has now been extended to an entire weekend at our premium malls. The response from both consumers and brand alike are very encouraging," Pushpa Bector, executive director at DLF Retail said. Adding, "At DLF Avenue, over 40 brands are offering discounts on a curated list of products that are available at Rs 2,999 only. We are expecting 30-40% more footfall all through this weekend.

Infiniti Mall saw 50 per cent more sales on Black Friday as compared to its normal sales, with some brands getting an even stronger response. "We had a total of 30-35 brands at our malls participate in the Black Friday Sales, Mukesh Kumar, chief executive officer at Infiniti Mall, said.

A shopper, Sudha Pai who visited the Phoenix Mill in Lower Parel, said, "Many outlets had discount fliers outside the shops but zero discounts on products inside. In H&M, the discount was 20 per cent. It is unlike the we have seen in San Francisco and New York.

In terms of seller preparedness for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), e-commerce firm Amazon said over 70,000 Indian exporters are launching over 52,000 new products on Amazons global websites for the 2021 BFCM sales. Amazon customers globally will be able to have access to a range of products across categories including home and kitchen, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics toys, apparel and health and personal care from exporters across India. The other categories include office products, jewellery, beauty and furniture.The Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale started on Thursday, November 25 and ends on Monday, November 29.

The BFCM sale marks the beginning of the global holiday season," said Abhijit Kamra, Director Global Trade Amazon India. "Coming right after the festive season in India, it has traditionally been a key growth period for our selling partners and with more and more people relying on ecommerce for products globally, we believe that the 2021 BFCM sale period will help accelerate the exports business for our sellers.

Kamra said e-commerce exports helps lower the entry barrier for Indian MSMEs to build and scale their exports business. "Through Amazon Global Selling, we will continue to make exports easy and accessible for MSMEs across India and contribute to the Governments vision of boosting exports," said Kamra.

Last year, Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling registered 50 per cent growth in sales during the annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale on Amazon globally. 343 Indian exporters clocked over Rs 10 lakh in sales during BFCM, with 154 sellers crossing Rs 25 lakhs in sales. Last year Indian exporters witnessed nearly 3x surge in demand across North America, European Union, and Middle East North Africa.Product categories like furniture and toys nearly doubled Year on Year.
Hours after five illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were apprehended in Bengaluru on Friday, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra termed them as anti-national and a threat to national security.

"Five Bangladeshis have been arrested who were staying illegally, we can't bear people staying without documents. Our state police are taking proper action against the few foreign nationals after they indulged in activities that are anti-national and a threat to national security," Jnanendra told the mediapersons.

"We are planning to build 10,000 houses for the police personnel. Due to heavy rain, buildings are damaged. We are planning to build new police stations as well," he added as he visited the police quarters that got damaged due to heavy rainfall.

On the recent raid conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at 68 locations across belonging to 15 government employees in various departments, the Home Minister said, "It is a daily routine of ACB, there is no question of rescuing the culprits, our govt will take proper action. We will do a free and fair investigation. A charge sheet will be filed. There is no question of sparing any culprits".

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru to take stock of the damage caused by incessant rainfall for the past two days.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had announced that a sum of Rs 5 lakh would be paid as compensation for completely damaged houses and Rs 3 lakh for partially damaged houses in three instalments. District Collectors have been instructed to disburse the first instalment of Rs 1 lakh immediately.

Bommai further said that the state government has released Rs 500 crore for the repair of damaged roads and bridges. Schools and Anganvadis too had suffered damages and their repair would be taken up through the NDRF fund.

The rains have caused extensive damage to Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagar, Hassan districts. Karnataka and its neighbouring states have been receiving incessant rainfall in the month of November.

(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.)
Bangladesh on Saturday suspended travel from South Africa immediately, joining a growing list of countries banning travel to the country amid fears of the spread of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant, first detected there.

Bangladesh's Minister of Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque said that they are aware of the emergence of the new variant and have decided to suspend travel from South Africa, bdnews24.com reported.

This new variant is extremely aggressive and so we are suspending travel from South Africa immediately, he said.

We are also strengthening screening procedures at all airports and land ports, he was quoted as saying in the report.

The minister said that they have also sent out instructions at the district level to step up enforcement of health regulations, including the wearing of masks.

"We must also be cautious about citizens travelling from other countries. We will check if they have received the vaccine and the RT-PCR test, he said.

The new potentially more contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel and the UK.

It was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the WHO, which named it Omicron. A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants.

Countries around the world are currently racing to introduce travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain Omicron's spread.

European countries along with the UK have banned travel to and from South Africa and neighbouring countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), both of which are landlocked within South Africa.

Other countries include Mauritius, Israel, Sri Lanka, the US and the Netherlands.

Many other countries followed suit, most of them indicating that only their own citizens would be allowed back, subject to a quarantine period.

In New Delhi, the Indian government asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where a new variant has been detected.

(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 BJP-led government has a heavy agenda for the winter session beginning November 29 with its legislative business including 26 new bills.

The government has indicated that the bill to repeal three farm laws will be taken up on priority. The bill was cleared by the union cabinet earlier this week. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur had told reporters after the meeting that it will be the government's priority to get the three farm laws repealed in the winter session of parliament.

The government's agenda also includes the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021.

An all-party meeting will be held on Sunday ahead of the start of the winter session. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has also called a meeting of the floor leaders.

Three of the bills on the government's agenda are intended to replace ordinances.

The bills on the government's agenda include the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Second Amendment) Bill, Cantonment Bill, Inter-Services Organizations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, Indian Antarctica Bill, Indian Antarctica Bill and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill.

Other bills include the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, Indian Maritime Fisheries Bill, Dental Commission Bill, Nursing Midwifery Commission Bill, Metro Rail (Construction, Operation and Maintenance) Bill, High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, Electricity (Amendment) Bill, Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, Transport University Bill, Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, National AntiDoping Bill and Mediation Bill

Three bills, which had been referred to standing committees, are also on the agenda of the government for passage.

These are Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill and Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs asking them to be present in the House on November 29".

The winter session is scheduled to conclude on December 23.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of the winter session, the has issued a three-line whip on Friday to its MPs asking them to be present in both the Houses of the Parliament on November 29.

This development comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Centre will repeal the three farm laws and bring necessary bills in the of Parliament beginning later this month. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been listed for introduction and passage in the which seeks to repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The whip was issued by leader Jairam Ramesh to the party members in the Upper House stated: "Some very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, November 29, 2021. All members of the party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the house from 11 AM onwards till the adjournment of the house on Monday, November 29, 2021 without fail and support the party stand."

A similar whip was issued by Congress leader K Suresh to party members in the Lower House.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of the Opposition parties on November 29, sources told ANI.

Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also issued a three-line whip earlier to its members in the Rajya Sabha, asking them to remain present in the House on the first day of the session.

The BJP-led government has a heavy agenda for the beginning November 29 with its legislative business including 26 new bills.

The government has indicated that the bill to repeal three farm laws will be taken up on priority. The bill was cleared by the union cabinet earlier this week. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur had told reporters after the meeting that it will be the government's priority to get the three farm laws repealed in the winter session of parliament.

The government's agenda also includes the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the states start taking steps to ensure early detection, and action to stop transmission of the new variant Omicron, Mumbais mayor said today that passengers arriving at the city airport will be quarantined.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar also said that genome sequencing of passengers will be done if found Covid19 positive.

In a letter to the state health secretaries, the Union Health Ministry had said on Thursday that all international travelers, travelling and transiting from the at risk countries would be subjected to rigorous screening and testing. The contacts of these international travelers must also be closely tracked and tested.

"There are concerns in Mumbai about the new variant of Genome sequencing of (positive) passengers coming from South Africa will be done. There is no restriction on outbound flights in any way. But this decision has been taken keeping in view past experience," Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar said today.

Genome sequencing is a technique that reads and interprets genetic-information.

"There is an increased risk of COVID-19 in other nations, so those coming from abroad will have to undergo genome test. I request everyone to maintain social distancing and wear masks so that this new menace can be stopped," Pednekar said.





With inputs from ANI
India on Saturday reported a net reduction of 3,114 in active cases to take its count to 107,019. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 0.54 per cent (one in 183). The country is twenty-fourth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Friday, it added 8,318 cases to take its total caseload to 34,563,749 from 34,555,431  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 465 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 467,933, or 1.35 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 7,358,017 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Friday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 1,210,658,262. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 33,988,797  or 98.34 per cent of total caseload  with 10,967 new cured cases being reported on Saturday.

Now the twenty-fourth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases and recoveries, India has added 63,824 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 0.54% of all active cases globally (one in every 183 active cases), and 8.99% of all deaths (one in every 11 deaths).

India has so far administered 1,210,658,262 vaccine doses. That is 3502.68 per cent of its total caseload, and 86.54 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (161762320), Maharashtra (115523689), West Bengal (94871014), Madhya Pradesh (87168369), and Gujarat (83062485).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Gujarat (1300444), Kerala (1261071), Jammu and Kashmir (1259491), Delhi (1249589), and Uttarakhand (1157300).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 65 days.

The count of active cases across India on Saturday saw a net reduction of 3,114, compared to the net addition of 193 on Friday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Karnataka (119), Punjab (21), Rajasthan (19), Jammu and Kashmir (13), and Goa (11).

With 10,967 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 98.34%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.35%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.75%), Nagaland (2.17%), and Uttarakhand (2.15%). The rate in as many as 12 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 11,432 465 deaths and 10,967 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 4.06%.

Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%.

Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 2879.9 days, and for deaths at 697.2 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (4677), Tamil Nadu (746), West Bengal (710), Karnataka (402), and Mizoram (359).

India on Friday conducted 969,354 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 638,247,889. The test positivity rate recorded was 0.9%.

Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR)  percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases  are Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.75%), Kerala (12.98%), Sikkim (11.77%), Goa (11.63%), and Maharashtra (10.17%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are Mizoram (8.9%), Kerala (8.27%), Sikkim (2.01%), Manipur (1.89%), and West Bengal (1.87%).

Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1641931), J&K (1279621), Kerala (1105676), Karnataka (784936), and Telangana (722885).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6633105), Kerala (5124618), Karnataka (2994963), Tamil Nadu (2723991), and Andhra Pradesh (2072198).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 0 new cases to take its tally to 6633105.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 4677 cases to take its tally to 5124618.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 402 cases to take its tally to 2994963.

Tamil Nadu has added 746 cases to take its tally to 2723991.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 184 to 2072198.

Uttar Pradesh has added 8 cases to take its tally to 1710368.

Delhi has added 23 cases to take its tally to 1440807.
Resident doctors of three central hospitals --RML, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge - on Saturday suspended OPD services in protest against repeated delay in conducting NEET-PG 2021 counseling.

The move was following a nationwide call by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) for suspension of out-patient department (OPD) services at hospitals from November 27.

"Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, admission to various courses in PG 2021 has been delayed indefinitely. The residents are carrying both Covid and non-Covid services tirelessly in the last one-and-a-half years and exhausted both physically and mentally.

"They have been waiting patiently till date for some positive outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings in the matter of already delayed PG 2021 counselling. However, there seems no respite to their physical and mental distress, with the next court hearing scheduled on January 6, 2022.

To mark our protest against these repeated delays and postponement in counseling, we the residents of ABVIMS and Dr RML hospital decide to withdraw OPD services on Saturday, 27 November, 2021 onwards, including Sunday OPDS," RML RDA said in a letter to the hospital administration.

The doctors' associations demanded the government and the top court to take necessary measures to expedite the PG counseling and admission process, and to fast-track the court proceedings.

Issuing support, AIIMS RDA also urged the Government of India to actively intervene in this matter urgently and expedite the counseling process, stating it is extremely unfortunate that NEET-PG 2021 counseling is being delayed indefinitely despite the fact that nearly two months have passed since the results of the entrance test were announced.

The entrance exam that usually happens in the first quarter of the calendar year was already delayed by many months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This extreme delay has led to a shortage of manpower in medical colleges all across India, the AIIMS RDA said in a statement.

"Thousands of postgraduate seats will remain unfilled this year if the counselling remains postponed. As COVID-19 cases are increasing in many countries across the world, it is prudent that our nation remains prepared for another wave of the pandemic.

The current working pool of resident doctors are already overburdened, which can have an adverse impact on optimum delivery of healthcare services. The admission process of the new batch of residents should therefore be completed without any further delay," the statement said.

In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the FORDA had on Friday said the "already over-burdened and exhausted" resident doctors of the nation fighting at the frontline since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, waited patiently till November 25 for some positive outcome of the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings over NEET-PG 2021 counselling.

"However, there seems to be no respite to their physical and mental distress with the next court hearing scheduled on January 6, 2022.

"To mark our protest against these repeated delays and postponements of counselling, following discussion with representatives of multiple Resident Doctors Associations (RDA) across the nation, we have decided to withdraw from Out Patient Department (OPD) services, Saturday, November 27 onwards," FORDA said.

They urged the Union Government and the Supreme Court of India to take note of the grievance of resident doctors of the nation and to take necessary measures for expediting the NEET-PG 2021 counseling as well as the admission process and to fast-track the court proceedings on an urgent basis.

(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.)
government's Department of Environment and Forests extended the ban imposed on the entry of trucks in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities till November 30, as per the official order.

CNG/electric trucks carrying non-essential commodities will also be allowed to enter Delhi, adds the order.

The decision has been taken on the basis of prediction of the Air Quality Early Warning System for which says that "the air quality is likely to remain in the upper end of very poor category on November 27 and November 28 and the air quality for subsequent five days is also likely to remain in the very poor category, though gradual improvement is likely from November 27 till November 30."

Earlier, as per the direction issued by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, entry of trucks was banned till today.

As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital on Saturday morning slipped to 386 in the 'very poor' category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Meanwhile, the government has once again decided to reimpose a ban on construction and demolition activities following Supreme Court's directions.

(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.)
Dutch health authorities said on Saturday they had detected 61 COVID-19 cases among people who flew from South Africa on Friday and were now conducting further testing to see whether any are infected with the recently discovered Omicron variant.

The cases were discovered among around 600 passengers who arrived at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on two flights on Friday before the Dutch government halted air traffic from southern Africa due to concerns over the variant.

The passengers from the flights were kept separated from other travellers and those that tested positive are being kept in isolation at a hotel near the airport.

A spokesperson for the Dutch health ministry said it would not be known until later Saturday whether any of passengers are infected with the new variant.

A spokesperson for KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France , said the airline was trying to determine what rules were in place as of Friday morning to prevent people with COVID-19 infections from boarding the flights, which departed from Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Rules on the company's website said passengers had to present a negative COVID-19 "rapid antigen" test result taken 24 hours before departure but were not required to show proof of vaccination.

A spokesperson for the health authorities in Kennemerland, the Dutch region that oversees Schiphol, said the positive cases were being analysed by the National Institute for Health (RIVM).

LONG WAIT

Passengers on the two KLM flights said they were kept waiting on the tarmac for hours.

"Vigorous applause because there is a BUS that has come to take us ... somewhere," tweeted New York Times journalist Stephanie Nolen, a passenger on the flight from Johannesburg, during the long wait on Friday.

"Bus to a hall to a huge queue. I can see COVID testers in bright blue PPE far on the distance. Still no snacks for the sad babies," she added in a second tweet.

On Saturday, Nolan tweeted that she tested negative and was awaiting a further flight to Canada. Passengers remaining in the

Netherlands are required to quarantine at home for 5 days.

The new variant has been detected just as many European countries are grappling with a surge in cases.

The Dutch government on Friday announced the nighttime closure of bars, restaurants and most stores as it tries to curb a record-breaking wave of COVID-19 cases that is swamping its healthcare system.

(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.)
Hundreds of foreigners on family or business trips in South Africa desperately tried to get back home on the last available flights as several nations imposed restrictions on travellers due to the discovery of the new Omnicron variant of COVID-19 in this country.

The UK announced on Thursday that all flights to and from South Africa and five neighbouring countries would be banned from Friday noon following an announcement that the new Omnicron variant of COVID-19 had been detected in South Africa.

Many other countries followed suit, most of them indicating that only their own citizens would be allowed back, subject to a quarantine period.

In New Delhi, the central government asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where a new variant has been detected.

According to the government's decision on Friday, airlines will be allowed to operate 50 per cent of their pre-COVID scheduled passenger flights between India and South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana from December 15.

India does not have an air bubble arrangement -- which allows special passenger flights between two countries amid COVID-related restrictions -- with South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana. Also, these three countries are classified under the "at-risk" category by India's ministry of health.

Tourists from Britain, one of the largest in South Africa's tourism and family visit sectors, were particularly hard hit.

I need to get home to be with my family for Christmas, and now it looks like I might be stuck here with my friends, said a tearful Joanne Johnson as airline employees explained the cancellation of flights, adding that arrangements were being made to repatriate British nationals only.

South African pensioners Johan Vermeulen and his wife Annemarie had been looking forward all year to join their son Andre, who had settled in the UK in 1999, and his family.

We haven't seen our grandchildren for more than two years now and thought that the pandemic was now easing enough to go there, Annemarie said.

Jarred Sampson said even if he did manage to get onto a flight, he would be faced with the unbudgeted expense of going into quarantine for 10 days on arrival in the UK.

I enquired and even though I have a vaccination passport, I would still be obliged to go into quarantine. This is going to set me back almost two thousand pounds and keep me back from my family in Bristol for a longer period, Sampson said.

An Indian-origin person at the airport, Abdul Patel, said he had a ticket to return to Mumbai via Dubai on Monday, but was trying to get it changed to an earlier flight.

I don't know if India will also be affected, but my family from Surat will be meeting me in Mumbai, Patel said.

An airline employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they expected a lot more pressure over the weekend as even more countries cancelled flights.

During the total lockdown when the pandemic started, we had total chaos as people tried to get out of South Africa urgently, and it looks like we might face an even worse situation this weekend, she 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.)
Germany has declared South Africa as a "virus variant area" and decided to ban all flights from South Africa after the detection there of a new Covid-19 variant dubbed B.1.1.529, acting Minister of Health Jens Spahn said.

From Friday night local time, airlines will only be allowed to fly German nationals and permanent residents from (South Africa), according to Spahn. In addition, all passengers, including fully vaccinated people, will have to quarantine for 14 days after entering Germany from South Africa.

He said on Twitter that travellers should now be even more cautious when entering the country. "The newly discovered variant B.1.1.529 worries us, so we act proactively and early here. The last thing we need now is an imported new variant causing even more problems."

Germany is currently hit by the country's fourth Covid-19 wave, with the number of daily infections as well as the seven-day incidence rate at record levels. On Thursday, the cumulative number of Covid-19-related deaths exceeded 100,000 since the start of the pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported.

The European Commission also wants to limit travel from southern African region to the EU and proposed to "activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter.

--IANS

int/sks

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Eighteen wagons and three locomotives of a goods train derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district after uprooted railway tracks, a police official said on Saturday.

No casualty was reported in the incident that took place in a forest area around 8.30 pm on Friday. However, the movement of trains was disrupted between Jagdalpur and Kirandul, he said.

"Maoists uprooted tracks between Bhansi and Kamaloor stations, causing 18 wagons and three engines of a goods train to derail," Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

The train, loaded with iron ore, was on its way to Visakhapatnam from Bacheli, he said, adding that there was no report of any casualty in the incident.

A team of security personnel and railway staffers rushed to the spot to restore services, which will take some time, the official said.

According to the police, the Bhairamgarh Area Committee of Maoists had put up banners at the spot giving a call to observe a day-long bandh on Saturday, to protest against the incident that took place in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, wherein 26 Naxals, including a top leader Milind Teltumbde, were killed in an encounter with the police on November 13.

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The committee will monitor, inspect the project site from time to time and submit its report and suggestions to the ministry.

The Centre has constituted a Central Vista Oversight Committee to directly oversee the Rs 20,000 crore project for a period of two years, informed an official statement issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The order issued on Thursday by the ministry said, "Competent authority has approved the constitution of a Central Vista Oversight Committee for a period of two years or till further orders whichever is earlier."

"Former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal has been appointed the Chairman of the five-member Central Vista Oversight Committee, PK Tiwari, former Deputy CAG, Shailendra Roy, former Director L & T, Prof Mausam, IIT, Delhi has been appointed as the member of the committee, Joint Secretary, MoHUA will be Convenor of the committee," the statement said.

The Central Vista Oversight Committee shall ensure multi-agency, multi-stakeholder coordination for seamless integration of different project works, and continuous monitoring of the pace of execution of various projects of Central Vista with respect to targeted milestones to ensure their timely completion, it added.

It shall also ensure the available resources are being used optimally during the project execution and necessary due diligence regarding costing is done during procurement and high standards in quality of work are maintained, it further said.

"The Committee will meet regularly as also undertake site inspections for an independent review and will submit its reports or recommendations to MoHUA on a regular basis," the statement said.

In September 2019, the government had announced Central Vista which will have a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, which is to be constructed by August 2022 when the country will celebrate its 75th Independence Day. The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024 under the project that covers a 3-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Delhi.

The top court in January this year had held that the grant of environmental clearance and the notification for change in land use for construction of new Parliament building under the project was valid.

The apex court order had come on various pleas challenging several permissions given to the project by authorities including the grant of environmental clearance and the nod to change of land use.

(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.)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has convened a meeting on Saturday evening to discuss the situation emerging out of increasing Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru and Dharwad and the impact of the new strain of the contagion.

The meeting at 4 p.m. will discuss whether the virus spread is from Kerala as that state is witnessing a spike in Covid cases and also about precautionary measures.

The officials of the Department of Health, Disaster Management and Advisory Board on Covid-19, and experts will meet and discuss the future course of action, he said.

Bommai appealed to the public to join hands with the Health Department in taking precautions to avoid the spread of the deadly virus.

Health Minister K. Sudhakar stated that there should be no worries as far as the new virus is concerned. New guidelines will be released and Covid tests will be conducted at the airports and those who test positive will be quarantined.

They will be subjected to another test after a week, he added.

He explained that the new Covid strain Omicron symptoms are more or less like the earlier strains. It has to be seen whether it is more dangerous than the Delta variant. Steps have been taken to supply required medicines to hospitals and enough stock will be maintained, Sudhakar added.

However, the worry is that 45 lakh people are yet to get the second dose of vaccination. When vaccines were unavailable, there was so much resistance, now, when as many as 80 lakh doses of Covid vaccines are in stock, it is not understood why people are not coming forward. If neglected, people will face serious complications, he stated.

--IANS

mka/svn/bg

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Maharashtra on Saturday reported 889 new positive cases and 17 related fatalities, taking the tally to 66,33,612 and the death toll to 1,40,908, state health officials said.

The state had added 852 cases and 34 deaths in the last 24 hours preceding Friday.

With 738 people being discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, the number of recoveries in Maharashtra went up to 64,80,799, leaving the state with 8,237 active cases, a health official said.

Maharashtra's case recovery rate now stands at 97.70 per cent. The fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.

The cumulative number of tests conducted in Maharashtra so far climbed to 6,52,56,850 with 1,01,557 new tests being conducted, the lowest in recent times, in the last 24 hours, the official said.

At least 10 districts and four municipal corporations in Maharashtra did not report any new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

Mumbai city reported the highest 210 new infections, followed by Pune city with 96 new cases.

Among the eight regions in Maharashtra, the Mumbai region reported the highest 385 cases, the Pune region 246, and Nashik region 169.

Latur, Aurangabad, Akola, Kolhapur and Nagpur regions reported 29, 21, 15, 13 and 11 new cases, respectively.

The Mumbai region reported five fresh COVID-19 fatalities, followed by four each from Kolhapur and Latur regions, and two each from Nashik and Pune regions. Aurangabad, Akola, and Nagpur regions, however, did not report any fresh deaths due to COVID-19, the health official said.

Mumbai city saw 210 cases and four deaths. Pune reported 96 new infections and one fatality.

Among 8,237 active patients in Maharashtra, the Mumbai district has the highest 2,250 such cases.

Of 64,80,799 recovered patients in Maharashtra, the highest 11,38,342 recoveries are from the Pune district, the official added.

figures for Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 66,33,612, new cases 889, total deaths 1,40,908, fresh deaths 17, total recoveries 64,80,799, active cases 8,237, total tests conducted 6,52,56,850.

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rains continued to batter several regions of registering about 75 per cent showers above normal, while Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday inspected inundated areas here and monitored initiatives to bail out water using heavy duty pumps.

In view of widespread rainfall that include northern regions and southern parts of like Tirunelveli, and the Meteorological Department's forecast of showers, especially in regions close to the coast till November 29 morning, authorities here said 11,329 people have been housed in 123 safe shelters.

These shelters are spread acrosss Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengelpet, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Tuticorin, Ariyalur, Permbalur, Dindigul, Ranipettai, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts.

National Disaster Response Force units have been deployed in Chengelpet and Kancheepuram districts.

In Chennai, 653 people have been housed in six relief centres and 825 packs of food were distributed to them today, an official release here said.

The weather office said the forecast for coastal areas include and the neighbouring Union territory of Puducherry and the 'red shade' for such regions indicates possibility of 'only excess rainfall.'



In view of rainfall in catchment areas, over 8,500 cusecs of surplus water was released from reservoirs, including Poondi here -that cater to Chennai's drinking water needs- and about 23,600 cusecs was let out from Mettur dam in Salem district.

Similarly, surplus water was released from other reservoirs like Papanasam (near Tirunelveli) and Sathanur (off Tiruvannamalai).

An IMD bulletin pointed to scattered to broken, low and medium clouds with embedded intense to very intense convection over the central Bay of Bengal, the adjoining south Bay of Bengal and south Andaman sea.

A low pressure area is likely to form over South Andaman sea around November 29. "It is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards during subsequent 48 hours," the bulletin said.

From October 1 and till November 27, the state received about 60.33 CM rainfall as against the usual 34.57 CM for this period, which is 75 per cent in excess, said Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran.

An IMD official told PTI: "From October 1 to November 27, received 60 CM rainfall and the normal is 33 CM, which is 74 per cent more. As regards Chennai, the metropolis has registered 106 CM (during the same period) rainfall, while 60 CM is normal and hence 77 per cent excess."



"In the past 24 hours, three people, one each in Ariyalur, Tirunelveli and Tirupur districts have died in rain related incidents and in total about 273 houses have witnessed damage," a government release said.

Stalin, along with his Cabinet colleagues and top officials, inspected inundated areas like Pattalam and Pulianthope here. He directed officials to expeditiously bail out flood waters.

The Revenue Minister reviewed the rain related relief initiatives at a high-level meeting, in which top officials participated.

Flood water is being drained here in as many as 220 water-logged areas using heavy duty motor pumps and fallen trees have been removed. Also, nearly a 1,000 heavy duty pumps and 46 excavators have been kept ready for use, authorities said.

For assistance, people may call the 24 x 7 toll free number 1070 (State-level control room in Chennai) or 1077, the number for control centres in districts. Also, residents in Greater Corporation areas may call 1913 to register complaints.

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Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of in the state due to a spike in new infections and hospitalizations, according to her executive order.

"Whereas, is now experiencing COVID-19 transmission at rates the State has not seen since April 2020...Whereas, the rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions has been increasing over the past month to over 300 new admissions a day...I do hereby declare a State disaster for the entire State of through January 15, 2022," the executive order said on Friday evening.

The state of will increase hospital capacity in New York and support vaccination efforts to prevent the spread of the novel disease.

Hochul issued the state of emergency amid concerns over the new Omicron variant detected in southern Africa. The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and many European countries imposed new restrictions on foreign nationals travelling from countries in the region due to the new strain.

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Chief Minister Manohar Lal has said that "it is not possible" to make a law on (Minimum Support Prices).

Talking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday, the Chief Minister, citing the opinion of experts, said that it is "not possible to make a law on as doing so will put pressure on the government to buy all the crops, which is not possible".

The remark is being considered as a "major statement" as despite the government's announcement of repealing the three agricultural laws, the strike and agitation of farmers' organisations is still going on.

Farmers' organisations are demanding the Union government to make a law on

Manohar Lal said that the Prime Minister was worried that the farmers need to go back. He said that the announcement to repeal the laws has "sent a good message" and farmers will "definitely return to their homes" after the law is withdrawn during the winter session of the Parliament.

The Chief Minister said that many other issues including pollution, stubble burning, cleanliness, 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' were discussed with the Prime Minister. During the meeting, the Manohar Lal also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister for the Gita Mahotsav and also urged him to lay the foundation stone for the Orbiter Rail Corridor.

Reacting to the opposition's allegations regarding an alleged scam in the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), the Chief Minister said that there is "no need to shot in the dark, if the opposition has any solid information, then give it to us, we will bring it under investigation".

--IANS

stp/shs

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The government has decided to screen air passengers arriving to the state from at least 10 known countries where the much-feared new variant 'Omicron' has been detected, as per Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's directives, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Saturday.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in consultation with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will make available a list of all the passengers who have arrived from abroad in the past 14 days to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The officials will check the passengers who have arrived here from the 10 'high risk countries' where the new and more dangerous Omicron variant has been detected -- South Africa, Botswana, Brazil, China, Israel, Belgium, Hong Kong, Mauritius, New Zealand and others.

The municipal commissioners and health department heads shall take all possible measures to tackle the potential dangers from Omicron, said Shinde.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said that the passengers arriving here from the 'high risk' nations shall undergo compulsory institutional quarantine, and home isolation would not be permitted under any circumstances.

Kakani also informed about the measures being taken against the background of a possible danger.

If any patient of Omicron is found in any building in the city, the entire building will be sealed as a precaution, Kakani informed.

The minister further ordered all hospitals and their ICUs to inspect and ensure that all the treatment infrastructure is working well, with sufficient number of beds, stocks of liquid medical oxygen and ventilators to tackle any eventuality.

The emergency meeting was attended by top officials, including Principal Secretary U.D. Bhushan Gagrani, Kakani, collectors of Thane, Raigad, Palghar and other districts, all municipal commissioners and civic heads in the state.

The new Omicron variant has already resulted in a global scare with many countries clamping fresh air travel restrictions, world stock markets crashing, and several nations imposing fresh curbs for passengers from the countries where it has been detected.

--IANS

qn/arm

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America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has said that the new COVID-19 Omicron variant is in "fluid motion" in South Africa and the US scientists are in "very active" communication with their colleagues in that country to test the strain, get facts and find out whether or not it evades the antibodies.

The new potentially more contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

It was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the WHO, which named it Omicron. A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants.

Talking to CNN, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that there is certainly a new variant in South Africa "that has some mutations that are raising some concerns particularly with regard to possibly transmissibility, increase and possibly evasion of immune response."



Fauci, also the Chief Medical Advisor to US President Joe Biden, said that the new variant seems to be spreading at a reasonably rapid rate in South Africa.

"So it is in a fluid motion. We are finding more about it and literally something in real time. We are learning more and more about it," he said.

Fauci said that there is no indication that the new variant is present in the US but anything is possible as there is a lot of travel involved.

"We are getting together to find the precise molecular makeup of it so you could actually test for it. That will take a bit to put the appropriate material together but we are in very active communication with our South African colleagues and scientists," he said.

On whether the new variant evades antibodies, Fauci explained, "when you look at a mutation it is going to give you a hint or indication that it might evade the immune response. You need to get that particular sequence of the virus, put it in a form in the lab where you can actually test the different antibodies so you can have a prediction that it might evade or you can prove it.

"We are getting the material together with South African colleagues to get a situation where you can actually directly test it. We don't know. Once we test, you can tell for sure whether it does or does not evade the antibodies that we make for example against the virus through a vaccine," he said.

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, told CNN the variant was "acting differently," however, and it "looks like it's much more contagious than even the Delta variant."



Lawrence Young, a virologist and a professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, said the Omicron variant was "very worrying.""It is the most heavily mutated version of the virus we have seen to date. This variant carries some changes we've seen previously in other variants but never all together in one virus. It also has novel mutations," Young said in a statement.

The variant has a high number of mutations, about 50 overall. Crucially, South African genomic scientists said Thursday more than 30 of the mutations were found in the spike protein -- the structure the virus uses to get into the cells they attack.

Neil Ferguson, the director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London, said in a statement the number of mutations on the spike protein was "unprecedented."



"The spike protein gene [is] the protein which is the target of most vaccines. There is therefore a concern that this variant may have a greater potential to escape prior immunity than previous variants," Ferguson said.

The US has from Monday restricted travel from South Africa and seven other countries in the southern Africa region.

Countries around the world are currently racing to introduce travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain Omicron's spread.

European countries along with the UK have banned travel to and from South Africa and neighbouring countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), both of which are landlocked within South Africa.

Other countries include Mauritius, Israel, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

Many other countries followed suit, most of them indicating that only their own citizens would be allowed back, subject to a quarantine period.

In New Delhi, the Indian government asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where a new variant has been detected.

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Amid the detection of a new variant and surge in cases elsewhere, the WHO Saturday asked countries in the southeast Asia region to scale up surveillance, strengthen public health and social measures, and enhance vaccination coverage.

The global health body said festivities and celebrations must include all precautionary measures and crowds and large gatherings must be avoided.

"At no cost should we let our guards down," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO, South-East Asia Region.

"Though COVID-19 cases have been declining in most countries of our Region, the surge in cases elsewhere in the world and confirmation of a new Variant of Concern, is a reminder of the persisting risk and the need for us to continue to do our best to protect against the virus and prevent its spread," she said in a statement.

Countries must enhance surveillance and sequencing, she said.

Based on updated information on circulating variants and response capacities, they should assess the risk of importation through international travel and take measures accordingly, she said.

Comprehensive and tailored public health and social measures to prevent transmission must continue, Singh stressed, noting that the earlier the protective measures are implemented, the less restrictive they would need to be in order to be effective.

"The more COVID-19 circulates, the more opportunities the virus will have to change and mutate, and the pandemic will last longer," the Regional Director said.

The most important thing people must do is reduce their risk of exposure to the virus wear a mask covering nose and mouth; keep safe distance; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cover cough and sneeze; and get vaccinated, she stated.

"As of today 31 per cent of the Region's population is fully vaccinated, 21% partially vaccinated while nearly 48%, or about a billion people are yet to receive even a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine," she said, adding that they continue to be at risk of contracting severe disease and spreading the virus further.

Even after getting vaccinated, everyone must continue to take precautions to prevent becoming infected and to infect someone else who may get severely affected by the virus, she suggested.

The WHO's Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution met Friday and designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern and named it Omicron. Researchers are working to understand how transmissible or virulent this variant is, and how it will impact diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

"We must not forget that the pandemic is far from over. As societies open up, we should not get complacent. Festivities and celebrations must include all precautionary measures. Crowds and large gatherings must be avoided. The current situation warrants further stepping up efforts on all fronts," the Regional Director said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an important meeting on the Covid situation and the vaccination drive in the country with top officials on Saturday, official sources said. The meeting, to be held at 10:30 am, will be attended by top officials, according to media reports.

The meeting comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday designated the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, as a Variant of Concern and named it 'Omicron'.

A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying Covid variants.

Meanwhile, India reported 8,318 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Health Ministry.

As many as 465 people succumbed to the Covid-19 infection in the country in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,67,933.

With 10,967 fresh recoveries, the total recoveries stand at 33,988,797. The recovery rate is currently at 98.34 per cent, which is the highest since March 2020.



In another development, the government, last night, said scheduled international passenger flights to and from India could return to normal, but only for countries not deemed 'at risk' by the Health Ministry.
Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday urged Prime Minister to stop flights from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong where new (Covid-19) variants have been detected.

"I urge Hon'ble PM to stop flights from those countries which are affected by new variant. With great difficulty, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent this new variant from entering India," Kejriwal tweeted this morning.

His tweet came in the light of a meeting that will be chaired by the Prime Minister on the Covid-19 situation and vaccination, today.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM, PK Mishra, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul will attend the meeting.

With the news of a new Covid-19 variant --Omicron, being detected in South Africa, scientists and health experts in India have said that new waves of infection are anticipated and unless we act quickly and efficiently, the country will possibly see repeat waves.

The variant has also been declared as a variant of concern by the (WHO).

In a communication to all states and Union Territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has informed the government that "multiple cases of a Covid-19 variant B.1.1529 have been reported in Botswana (3 cases), South Africa (6 cases) and Hong Kong (1 case)".

"This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country, in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel," Bhushan said.

"lt is, therefore, imperative that ALL international travellers travelling from and transiting through these countries, (they are part of the "at-risk" Country Category of international travellers coming to lndia) are subjected to rigorous screening and testing", the communication said.

"The contacts of these international travellers must also be closely tracked and tested as per MoHFW guidelines."

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A Delhi court on Saturday reserved for December 3 its order on whether to suspend the seven-year jail terms awarded to real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal for tampering with evidence in the 1997 case of Uphaar cinema fire, which had claimed 59 lives.

Additional Sessions Judge Anil Antil reserved the order on appeals filed by the Ansals against their conviction and jail terms by a magisterial court.

Besides challenging their conviction and punishment, the Ansals had urged the sessions court to suspend their jail terms till the appeal is decided.

The court heard the arguments of the accused as well as the victim and police, and reserved the order.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for the Association of Victims of (AVUT), had opposed the appeals and told the court that the offence of tampering with evidence is extremely serious in nature as it affects the entire criminal justice system.

The Delhi Police had also opposed the appeals filed by the Ansals and told the court that suspending the jail terms of the convicts would trigger the mental trauma and agony of the victims.

The police had told the court that the punishment provided a solace to the victims of the tragedy and reinforced their faith in the justice delivery system, that too after 24 years.

If the jail terms awarded to the convicts are suspended within a month of incrimination, it will further erode the faith of the country's common citizens in the criminal justice system, Additional Public Prosecutor A T Ansari had told the court.

The case is related to tampering with evidence in the main fire tragedy case, in which the Ansals were convicted and sentenced to a two-year jail term by the Supreme Court.

The apex court had, however, released the Ansals, taking into account the prison time they had done, on the condition that they pay a fine of Rs 30 crore each, to be used for building a trauma centre in the capital.

The magisterial court had also sentenced former court staff Dinesh Chand Sharma and two others -- P P Batra and Anoop Singh -- to seven years in jail and slapped a fine of Rs 3 lakh each on the them.

It had imposed a fine of Rs 2.25 crore each on the Ansals.

The tampering was detected for the first time on July 20, 2002 and a departmental enquiry was initiated against Sharma, who was suspended subsequently.

Later, he was terminated from services on June 25, 2004.

The prosecution said after the termination of his services, the Ansal brothers helped Sharma get employment on a monthly salary of Rs 15,000.

When the case was registered, the documents of the company where Sharma was employed were further tampered with by its chairperson Anoop Singh.

According to the chargesheet, the documents alleged to have been tampered with included a police memorandum giving details of recoveries immediately after the incident, Delhi Fire Services records pertaining to the repair of a transformer installed inside the Uphaar cinema hall, minutes of the managing director's meetings and four cheques.

Of the six sets of documents, a cheque for Rs 50 lakh, issued by Sushil Ansal to himself, and minutes of the MD's meetings, proved beyond doubt that the two brothers were handling the day-to-day affairs of the theatre at the relevant time, the chargesheet had said.

The fire had broken out at the Uphaar cinema hall during the screening of Hindi film "Border" on June 13, 1997, claiming 59 lives.

The case was lodged on the direction of the Delhi High Court, which was hearing a petition filed by AVUT chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy.

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Taking note of the historical perspective of barriers and challenges faced by women in participation in in the country, Sushil Chandra said that today seven decades and 17 general later, women's participation in exercising franchise has exceeded that of men.

"After 7 decades and 17 General since Independence, women's participation in has exceeded that of men and stood at more than 67 per cent in the 2019 General Election. "The gender gap, a crucial parameter, which was -16.71 per cent in 1962, has not only closed but reversed to +0.17 per cent in 2019. In fact, has witnessed a 235.72 per cent increase in female electors since the 1971 elections," he said in an international webinar on the theme 'Enhancing electoral participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) & Senior citizen Voters: Sharing Best Practices and New Initiatives in New Delhi.

He highlighted various initiatives taken by the ECI to enhance women participation including associating more women as polling booth officials, a larger number of All Women Managed Polling Stations, creche facility at Polling Stations, separate toilets and waiting area at the polling booths, ensuring ease of registration with women Block level Officers motivating women in their own socio-cultural milieu, amongst others.

During his address, Sushil Chandra also elaborated on the concept of Absentee voter facilitation, introduced by ECI in 2020 to ensure voting facility at the doorstep especially for 80-plus senior citizens, PwDs and COVID-affected voters. He added that such postal ballot facility had been successfully implemented across six state assembly elections including Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory, Puducherry, which had a cumulative elector base of 73.6 million. He highlighted that, in the last five state assembly elections, 4.5 times higher electors participated in the electoral process through postal ballots and there is scope for widening the outreach and facilitation efforts. He added that there are around 15 million 80-plus electors today in the country.

Pointing out the infrastructural & attitudinal challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities, Chandra urged all the participants to have 'Accessibility focus' as part of the design itself for any technology or service adopted by any EMB rather than being added on later as an afterthought. He cited various initiatives taken by ECI like PwD app, provision of wheelchair, volunteer assistance, Braille EPIC card, Braille signage in EVMs, free transport to and from polling station, priority voting and provision of AMFs to provide a hassle-free experience to PwD electors.

Addressing the gathering, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stressed on the initiatives taken by the Commission to enhance the participation of Women & Person with Disabilities in the electoral process. He underscored that ECI has mapped over 7.7 million PwD voters so far which is a remarkable increase of 15.28 per cent from the Lok Sabha Election 2019. While highlighting the enhanced women participation in the electoral process from 78 million women in the first general election to over 294 million in the 2019 general elections, he stated that, "Even in terms of representation, the number of women elected to the Lower House of the Parliament increased from 24 in the first General election to 78 in 2019 LS election."

While addressing the participants, Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey stated that Technology has been a game-changer in election management and has had a significant impact upon the electoral landscape vis-a-vis accessibility. Taking note of the challenges faced to ensure inclusive & accessible elections during the COVID pandemic, he said that, "Detailed protocols were devised and implemented to distribute and collect forms from senior citizens and PwDs at their homes as part of the postal ballot facility. ECI is committed to inclusive electoral practices to enhance participation and extend facilitation to PwD voters."

As the current Chairman of A-WEB, of India, Sushil Chandra during his keynote address said that, "The webinar provided an excellent opportunity to learn from the best practices and experiences of other Election Management Bodies (EMBs), to identify and work towards removing barriers to ensure truly accessible, inclusive and participative elections."

Welcoming the delegates, Secretary-General Umesh Sinha said that the inclusion of all categories of voters in electoral participation is the essence of universal adult suffrage. He also touched upon the ECI voter education programme SVEEP aimed at reaching out to the vast voter population in a comprehensive and systematic manner through different modes and media. "ECI's endeavour is to speak to PwDs in their language, to hear what they wish to convey and see all those invisible barriers that they find difficult to circumvent," he underlined.

Nearly a hundred delegates from 24 countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Yemen and Zambia and 4 international organizations - International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and European Centre for Elections across the world and 20 diplomats attended the webinar.

At the Webinar, presentations made by Mauritius, Romania and Republic of Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines, Cambodia and IFES - Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bhutan, and Brazil showcased best practices and initiatives taken by them to enhance electoral participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) & Senior citizen Voters.

Among publications released at the Webinar were the October 2021 issue of A-WEB India Journal of Elections; October 2021 issue of 'VoICE International' Magazine and Publication on 'Participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities and senior citizen voters in Elections.' An International Video presentation on the facilitation and participation of Women, PwDs and senior citizens in elections was also unveiled at the Webinar.

The webinar which was organized to mark the completion of two years of Chairmanship of the ECI at A-WEB was attended by over 100 delegates from 24 countries, 4 international organizations and 20 diplomats.

An exhibition on various initiatives taken by Election Management Bodies to enhance the electoral participation of women, PwDs and senior citizens was also displayed during the international webinar.

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The Centre's effort along with states is to eliminate burdensome compliances, reduce the need for licensing and rationalise the renewal process with an aim to promoting in the country, Commerce and Industry Minister said on Saturday.

He also suggested that the industry and the government together can engage with the judiciary on issues like fast resolution of commercial disputes and capping adjournments.

Our effort, along with states, is to eliminate burdensome compliances, or reduce the need for licensing, reduce the regulatory burden, permissions, and rationalise the renewal process. But it only happens when we work together. Self regulation and self certification should be the way forward, Goyal said at the CII National Conference on for Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

On fast resolution of commercial disputes, the minister said they are working on making mediation the preferred mechanism rather than everybody rushing to courts.

He said members of industry body CII can engage some of the top lawyers and help the government understand what is feasible under the realm of India's systems.

Some policy changes may be required , infra changes may be required, some amendment to laws may be requiredBut there are some which are beyond my control, for example the writ jurisdiction.

"So when we do arbitration, we believe that we are cutting down the court processes but I am told that I cannot touch the writ jurisdiction of the court. Similarly you spoke about capping adjournments, I myself is the proponent of that, but it needs the buying by the judiciary.

"So may be what we need to do is government and industry both go together and engage with the judiciary.If both of us go together with our difficulties, I can assure you, we will not find the courts or honourable judges lacking in their supportThey are in fact wishing to support us, he said.

Further, the minister appealed to the industry to visit the Regulatory Compliance Portal and industrial land bank portal and give their feedback to the government.

"We are looking at the availability of industrial land at affordable pricesSelf-regulation must be the norm. I urge industries to suggest ways to move towards transparency and self-regulation, he said.

On licence renewals, the minister said he is now looking at changing the frequency of renewals and approvals.

In many cases I am completely removing renewals so that all you need to do is update the information suo moto, he said.

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The (RBI) by an order dated November 16 has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on the State Bank of India for contravention of section 19 (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act), informed RBI.

"This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers," reads the official release.

As per the press note, the irregularities were identified after a Statutory Inspections for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial positions as on March 31, 2018, and March 31, 2019, and the examination of the Risk Assessment Reports, Inspection Report and all related correspondence pertaining to the same, revealed, inter-alia, contravention of section 19 of the Act.

Section 19 (2) of the Act says that "no banking company shall hold shares in any company, whether as pledgee, mortgagee or absolute owner, of an amount exceeding thirty per cent of the paid-up share capital of that company or thirty per cent of its own paid-up share capital and reserves, whichever is less."

"After considering the bank's reply to the notice, oral submissions made during the personal hearing, and additional submissions made by the bank, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of contravention of the aforesaid provisions of the Act was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank, to the extent of contravention of the aforesaid provisions of the act," read the press note.

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A number of countries including the US, Saudi Arabia and have announced travel restrictions on southern African countries as a new variant of the has been detected on the continent.

This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron' and alarmed the siren among countries of the new variant.

US President Biden said that starting Monday, his administration will restrict air travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi as a "precautionary" measure to prevent the newly discovered Omicron variant of the from spreading into the United States.

The US administration is still gathering more information on the variant, according to Biden, who also urged Americans and people around the world to get vaccinated against the virus. The announcement came on the heels of similar restrictions announced by other countries including Britain, Canada and France.

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Friday termed the countries' decision of imposing restrictions on travellers from the country amid concerns over the detection of the 'Omicron' COVID-19 variant as 'unjustified' and said there is no proof that the new COVID variant is more dangerous or resistant to vaccines.

Joe Phaahla said that the reaction of countries in Europe and other regions to the emergence of a new strain is "unjustified," as currently there is no proof that it is more dangerous or resistant to vaccines.

"We want to assure South Africans and other people elsewhere in the world that we believe some of the reactions has actually been unjustified, referring here specifically to the reaction of countries in Europe, the UK, a number of other countries," Joe Phaahla said.

"The reaction of some countries in terms of imposing travel bans and such measures are completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organization," the minister added.

Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands were among those on Friday that joined the United Kingdom in restricting flights from southern Africa. The UK announced it would be temporarily suspending flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Countries from where the travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India are South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, countries in Europe including the UK.

Japan has tightened border controls for travellers from the same six countries, bringing in a 10-day quarantine beginning at 12 am on November 27. Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have also announced restrictions on the seven countries.

Moreover, EU nations Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Malta have all announced imminent entry bans to all travellers who've entered South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, Switzerland has banned all direct flights from the same seven countries as well, CNN reported. Germany plans to declare a "virus variant area" from Friday night, which will mean that airlines may only enter from the country to repatriate German citizens

There is a "high to very high" risk that the new Covid variant, named Omicron by the WHO on Friday, will spread in Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said Friday.

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Cash-strapped will soon get USD 3 billion as loan from as the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved an agreement to keep the amount in the country's central bank, media reports said on Saturday.

The Saudi government had promised to maintain a reserve of USD 3 billion at the State Bank of Pakistan, Geo News reported.

According to the agreement, the aid will remain in the SBP's deposit account for a year.

The SBP has finalised all arrangements and now everything is in place and the amount of the agreed deposit will be received within the next couple of days, official sources told The News.

The federal Cabinet approved the agreement to keep the USD 3 billion aid from in the SBP, the reports quoted an official document as saying.

The Cabinet approved the State Bank's retention of USD 3 billion from the Saudi Development Fund.

Pakistan's entire liquid foreign reserves, according to the central bank, stood at USD 22.773 billion as of November 19, according to Geo News.

The numbers indicate that the SBP held USD 16.254 billion in foreign reserves, while commercial banks kept USD 6.519 billion in net foreign reserves.

The SBP's reserves declined by USD 691 million to USD 16.254 billion during the week ended on November 19, primarily owing to external debt repayments.

According to sources, has agreed to provide USD 1.2 billion for the supply of refined Petroleum Oil Lubricants (POL) products, with the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) negotiating on behalf of the Pakistani government.

In response to questions, Muzammil Aslam, Spokesperson for Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, said was expecting to get USD 7 billion from just three sources over the next 60 days.

These include USD 3 billion in deposits from Saudi Arabia, a USD 1.2 billion Saudi Oil Facility with deferred payments, a USD 800 million Islamic Development Bank oil facility, USD 1 billion raised through the issuance of Sukuk bonds, and USD 1 billion from the IMF.

All of these dollar inflows, he said, would be sufficient to alleviate pressure on existing import bills of the country.

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Furious over US President Joe Biden's decision of extending an invitation to for forthcoming online 'Democracy Summit', urged the US to stop providing a platform to " independence" forces.

" firmly opposes the US's invitation to the authorities to participate in the so-called Democracy Summit," China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying by Radio Free Asia.

"We solemnly urge the US to stop providing a platform to "Taiwan independence" forces," Zhao said, adding: "Those who play with fire get burned," Zhao added.

The spokesperson's remarks came after Beijing fined Taiwanese companies that have donated to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which supports democracy and criticises China's assertiveness in the region, Radio Free Asia reported.

"We will never allow [companies] that support Taiwan 'secession' ... or those that bite the hand that feeds them, to make money [here]," China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Zhu Fenglian told reporters.

Earlier this week, Taipei had detected nine Chinese planes, including two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers crossing Taiwan's air defence identification zone.

According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defence, the planes flew to the south of the island, reported Sputnik.

Meanwhile, tensions around Taiwan have been escalating in recent months, as Chinese forces have held drills in the region, while the European Union and the United States have sent delegations to Taipei, causing concerns in Beijing.

Taiwan has split from after the end of the civil war in 1949 and has since been governing independently.

Beijing says that the island is a breakaway province, and considers any contacts between Taipei and other countries to be meddling in Chinese internal affairs.

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As US lawmakers' visit to Taipei irked China, as Beijing sent eight military aircraft into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ), local media reported on Friday.

The five US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Thursday to meet with government officials. The five-representative delegation is the second US congressional delegation visit to Taiwan this month. The recent visit is following a three-day visit to Taiwan by Senator John Cornyn-led group in November this year, reported Taiwan News.

The country's Ministry of National Defense described the planes as four Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, two Xi'an H-6 bombers, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW & C) aircraft. The two bombers and the KJ-500 had entered the ADIZ from an area northeast of the Taiwan-held island of Dongsha, Taiwan News reported.

Taiwan's Air Force sent aircraft, issued radio warnings and deployed air defence missile systems to monitor the Chinese activities.

Incursions by People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) planes into the southwest part of Taiwan's ADIZ have occurred on an almost daily basis for more than a year, increasing tension in the region, Taiwan News reported.

Last month on China's National Day on October 1, a record 38 Chinese military aircraft violated Taiwan's ADIZ, though this was quickly surpassed by 39 more People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) planes the next day.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing.

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and consequent deaths among Afghan have increased by over 50 per cent owing to the shortage of medical supplies in hospitals.

Officials at the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital revealed that among in is surging amid limited and restricted medical supplies. The number of malnourished has surged by over 50 per cent, reported TOLOnews citing hospital sources.

Consequently, the hospitalization and mortality rate among Afghan children due to have surged. The local hospitals are flooded with sick children amid extreme medical supply shortages, reported TOLOnews.

TOLOnews quoted a doctor as saying, "The number of patients has increased recently. Our work is being affected as the number of patients is overwhelming, and the death rate among the children has also increased. If it there is no solution found for the problem, we will face a complete shortage of equipment."

The head of Indira Gandhi Children Hospital, Mohammad Latif Bahir, expressed concern over medical supply shortages and the suspension of aid to the health sector.

"The number of our patients has increased compared to previous weeks. We are facing an overwhelming number of patients and we can only check on emergency patients and deny other patients," Bahir said.

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The Danish Health Authority (SST) recommends Covid-19 vaccination for children aged five to 11 as a "crucial weapon in keeping society open."

"We have seen an increase in infection rate among children. This is due to both the Delta variant of Covid-19 and the more open society that we have entered during the autumn," Xinhua news agency quoted Helene Probst, deputy director of the SST, as saying.

The recommendation comes after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently recommended the use of the Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty from Pfizer/BioNTech for children between five and 11 years of age.

The vaccination of children, which Probst said remains "voluntary," could begin as early as Sunday in Denmark.

At the same event, Tyra Grove Krause, acting academic director of the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), called for restrictions on entry into Denmark after Belgium reported the first case of a new Covid variant currently dubbed as B.1.1.529, which was first discovered in South Africa.

According to Krause, the heavily mutated new variant is feared to prove to be resistant to current vaccines and therefore spread far easier.

"It has spread in South Africa, and in many regions where it has been found there has been a large increase in infections," Krause said, adding that the SSI has proposed the tightening of travel restrictions to and from South Africa and six countries bordering it.

In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged the European Union (EU) member states to suspend flight services to countries where the new virus variant has been detected.

"All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant," she said on Friday.

The SSI has registered 4,076 new Covid-19 infections and nine new deaths, bringing the national totals to 470,893 cases and 2,850 deaths.

According to SSI data, 77.5 per cent of the country's population, or 4,553,329 people, have already started the process of vaccination. Of them, 4,447,093 people or 75.7 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

--IANS

int/shs

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The nations on Friday agreed to impose a ban on travel from southern Africa to counter the spread of a new COVID-19 variant.

The 27 nations acted within hours upon the advise of the EU executive which said all needed to be extra cautious in dealing with the variant until it became clear how bad of a threat it would be, the EU presidency said in a statement.

The EU presidency, currently held by Slovenia, also called on all member states to test and quarantine all incoming passengers.

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The will not renew its mandatory approval system for Covid-19 vaccine exports when it expires at the end of the year, the European Commission has said.

This means that vaccine producers will no longer have to request authorisation to export vaccines outside the EU.

The export authorisation mechanism will be replaced from January 1, with a "new monitoring mechanism that will provide the Commission with timely, company-specific, vaccine export data."

The Commission said on Friday that the decision is part of the EU's effort to ensure rapid production, and wide and equitable distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines that the world urgently needs, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The EU is the biggest global provider of Covid-19 vaccines, with over 1.3 billion doses exported so far, more than half of its production," the Commission said. "The EU will also donate at least 500 million doses to the most vulnerable countries over the next few months."

The 27-nation bloc has fully vaccinated 68 per cent of its population of 445 million, and has ample stocks for booster campaigns. Such campaigns have already started in several member states.

"With new outbreaks of the virus in the EU and the risk of new variants of the Covid-19 virus, there is still a need for transparency of exports of vaccines, which the EU will continue to do under the new monitoring mechanism," the Commission emphasised.

--IANS

int/sks/skp/

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Group Inc. is rolling out a reimbursement plan to help compensate its employees in the for costs incurred from hotel quarantine stays as Hong Kongs strict Covid-Zero strategy makes it harder for global banks to retain top talent in the region.



Goldman staff in the region will be able to claim a one-time subsidy of up to $5,000 to cover costs from a mandatory quarantine stay effective Dec. 1, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. A Hong Kong-based spokeswoman confirmed the content of the memo. The subsidy is in recognition that staff in the region have faced the additional burden of multiple lockdowns and some of the strictest quarantine measures in the world, the memo said.

We hope that this subsidy will make it easier for you to reconnect with families and friends living overseas, or even just to enjoy a change of scenery and recharge during a holiday abroad, the memo said.

Goldman is the third global bank to introduce a reimbursement program to staff impacted by Hong Kongs quarantine rules, following its arch-rival Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Lenders in the city are struggling to retain and attract talent in the city as financial hub sticks to one of the of the worlds most stringent Covid policies, placing incoming travelers in quarantine for as long as three weeks.

JPMorgan offered to reimburse its Hong Kong-based employees after a brief visit by its Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon, who received a quarantine exemption. During a 30-hour visit, Dimon told reporters that the restrictions were making it harder for the banking industry to keep its people.





The finance industry has been ratcheting up pressure on Hong Kong to ease its quarantine rules and abandon its Covid-Zero policy, following a survey that found almost half of major banks and asset managers are contemplating moving staff or functions out of the city.

Still, Hong Kong has been successful in keeping cases and deaths to a minimum, and life is close to normal within the city. Having to contend with a reluctance among particularly the elderly to get vaccinated, officials have so far rejected pleas to ease up. They have also made opening up travel to the Chinese mainland their biggest priority.

A stay at Hong Kongs designated quarantine hotel can cost HK$500 ($64) to HK$3,630 a night for a non-suite room.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed strong concern over human rights issues in during his remarks at a virtual meeting of leaders from about 50 Asian and European countries on Friday.

Kishida voiced worries about the human rights situation in Hong Kong as well as the Xinjiang region in northwestern on the sidelines of the two-day summit, Kyodo News reported.

Further, the Prime Minister also said he strongly opposes unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South seas, apparently criticizing China's military buildup.

Leaders of European countries on Thursday, the first day of the summit, also expressed concern about friction between China and other nations over human rights and other issues.

The leaders expressed concerns over the situation in Myanmar, where the military seized power after toppling a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February this year.

On the other hand, the ASEM leaders urged the ruling junta to accept a special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who is supposed to mediate between the stakeholders in the country.

Myanmar did not participate in the ASEM summit, after being told that only a "nonpolitical representative" could attend, the Japanese publication reported citing ASEAN sources.

During the meet, instead of specifically referring to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the leaders mentioned the importance of a peaceful solution to conflicts based on law and freedom of navigation.

The ASEM group involves about 50 countries from Asia and Europe.

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, at his first troop review Saturday, renewed his pledge to consider all options, including acquiring enemy base strike capability, and vowed to create a stronger Self-Defense Force to protect the country amid growing threats from and

Kishida said the security situation around is rapidly changing and that the reality is severer than ever, with continuing to test-fire ballistic missiles while advancing its capability, and pursuing a military buildup and increasingly assertive activity in the region.

I will consider all options, including possessing so-called enemy base strike capability, to pursue strengthening of defence power that is necessary, Kishida said in an address to hundreds of Ground Self-Defense Force members in olive-coloured helmets and uniforms.

Kishida, who took office in October, served as top commander for the first time at Saturday's Self-Defense Force troop review held at the main army base Camp Asaka, north of Tokyo. About 800 troops gathered for the inspection, according to the Defense Ministry.

The security environment surrounding has been rapidly changing at an unprecedented speed. Things that used to happen only in science-fiction novels are today's reality, Kishida said. He said his government will lead calm and realistic discussions to determine what is needed to protect people's lives and gain their understanding.

The possibility of possessing so-called enemy base strike capability has been a divisive issue because opponents say it violates Japan's war-renouncing Constitution.

Kishida has shifted his dovish stance to a more hawkish one, apparently to please influential leaders within his governing party, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and to strengthen his grip on power. He now advocates increasing Japanese military capability and spending.

On Friday, Kishida's Cabinet approved a 770 billion yen (USD 6.8 billion) request for an extra defense budget through March to expedite the purchase of missiles, anti-submarine rockets and other weapons amid rising concern over the escalation of military activities by China, Russia and

The request, still pending parliamentary approval, is a record for an extra defense budget and will bring Japan's military spending for the current year to a new high of more than 6.1 trillion yen (USD 53.2 billion), up 15 per cent from 5.31 trillion yen in 2020. The combined budget for 2021 will be just over 1 per cent of Japan's GDP, keeping its customary cap.

Kishida has said he is open to doubling Japan's military spending to cope with the worsening security environment. Critics also say Japan, as the world's fastest-aging country with a shrinking population, should allocate more money toward health care and other services.

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on Friday condemned Israel for approving the construction of 372 settlement units in the southern city of Hebron.

The Israeli move "is an extension of the process of deepening and expanding the illegal settlements in the heart of the old city of Hebron," the Palestinian foreign ministry said in a press statement.

The "provocative" move came just a few days after the Israeli approval of building 11,000 units on the lands of the defunct Qalandia Airport in East Jerusalem, also known as the Jerusalem Airport, said the ministry.

The ministry also condemned Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to the settlement to celebrate Hanukkah, or the Jewish Festival of Lights, where he lighted the festival's candle in the Ibrahimi Mosque, or the Cave of the Patriarchs, Xinhua news agency reported.

Warning against the Israeli attempts "to divert the attention from the Palestinian cause," the ministry highlighted the damage by the move to the principle of the two-state solution.

"The two-state solution is subjected to the most heinous process of sabotage because of Israel's policy about controlling the Palestinian land during its accelerated annexation of the West Bank," it said.

On Thursday, the Israeli media reported that the Kiryat Arba council in Hebron city approved the construction of 372 new housing units in the local settlement area, including public buildings, educational institutions, commercial buildings, and public parks.

More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements in the and East Jerusalem, according to official Palestinian figures.

--IANS

int/skp/

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A Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels launched airstrikes early Saturday morning targeting the country's capital, Sanaa.

Saudi state-run television reported the strikes, citing the Saudi-led coalition as urging civilians to stay away from the sites, without identifying them.

The strikes come amid heavy fighting around the city of Marib and after coalition forces withdrew from areas around the key port city of Hodeida.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have held Yemen's capital since September 2014. Though the intervention of the Saudi-led coalition halted their march south in 2015, the war has slogged on for years and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla has described the travel bans on South Africa and some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries as a knee-jerk reaction that is not based on scientific evidence.

"It does not look scientific, it's a knee-jerk and panic reaction. People want to blame other countries," said Phaahla while hosting a virtual question and answer media session on the new B.1.1.529 variant.

South Africa was hit by travel bans from several countries following the discovery of the new Covid-19 variant this week, Xinhua news agency reported.

Phaahla said the bans are "draconian" and "counterproductive". He called upon countries to work together to fight the pandemic instead of trying to blame

"This (travel ban) is not helpful and not constructive. It will make other countries less willing to share information," he said.

Professor Ian Sanne who attended the session together with Phaahla said the new variant is rapidly spreading across the country.

"The variant has spread across the country. The additional element is that we are seeing an increase in case rates so the virus is likely to be more transmissible and is being the dominant type in the country. Now we are speaking of a relatively small number identified although we are seeing a sharp rise in cases."

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), 2,828 new Covid-19 cases were identified in South Africa in the last 24 hours, with 12 related deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,955,328.

--IANS

int/sks

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Guterres on Friday extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured

UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned Thursday's deadly terrorist attack on a UN-affiliated convoy in front of a school in Mogadishu, Somalia, said his deputy spokesman.

The secretary-general on Friday extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured. He called upon the Somali authorities to bring those responsible to justice, said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman, in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The secretary-general expressed the full solidarity and support of the UN with the government and the people of in their fight against terrorism and violent extremism, said the statement.

At least eight people were confirmed dead and 17 others wounded in the suicide car bombing early on Thursday. The police said the target was a convoy belonging to a security firm that guards UN personnel. Al-Shabab militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Chinese Embassy in Washington warned the US Congress delegates against their present visit, amid rising tension in the Strait.

The five-representative delegation is the second US congressional delegation visit to this month. The recent visit is following a three-day visit to Taiwan by Senator John Cornyn-led group in November this year, reported Taiwan News.

Reportedly, the Chinese embassy in Washington has been demanding the cancellation of the visit to Taiwan. The US Representative Elissa Slotkin, confirming the reluctance by earlier stated that she received a "blunt message from the Chinese Embassy" telling her to call off the trip, reported Taiwan News.

Slotkin said, in the US-Taiwan meet, discussions and talks would be held on subjects including a range of economic and national security issues with Taiwanese leaders. She further added that the delegation is centered to "learn about the region and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to our hosts."

"When News broke of our visit to Taiwan, China's embassy demanded we cancel the trip (we didn't). We've had a productive and meaningful visit throughout the Indo-Pacific region as the first bipartisan US House delegation since the start of COVID. This is just the start," US Representative Nancy tweeted on Friday after reaching Taiwan.

Notably, Mace called Taiwan 'Republic of Taiwan', when it is known as 'Republic of China,' reported Taiwan News.

During Taiwan meet on Friday between five US lawmakers and Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan stated that country's Veterans Affairs Council (VAC), in the coming year, would set up a mission in the US to further extend and strengthen bilateral exchanges. Tsai further mentioned that VAC will have an official base in the US capital, commencing January 2022, reported Taiwan News.

"Veteran affairs is one area in which Taiwan and the US have enjoyed particularly close cooperation over the past few years," quoted Taiwan News as Tsai saying. This would aid Taiwan in enhancing and boosting their exchanges with respect to health insurance, quality healthcare, employment assistance and long-term care for veterans.

US Representative Mark Takano, addressing the visit to Taiwan said that it served to "remind our partners and allies that after two trying years that we've endured, our commitment and our shared responsibility for a free and secure Indo-Pacific region remain stronger than ever."

As per the American Institute in Taiwan, de facto Embassy of the of America in Taiwan, the recent three-day visit by US delegates is a part of a bigger tour of the Indo-Pacific region including halts in Japan and South Korea as well, reported Taiwan News.

The US lawmakers met with VAC head Feng Shih-kuan on Friday morning and would visit the Ministry of National Defence (MND) in the afternoon, reported Taiwan News citing Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has postponed its ministerial conference indefinitely after an outbreak of a particularly transmissible strain of the COVID-19 virus forced several governments to impose travel restrictions.

The conference, which was to begin from November 30 and end on December 3 in Geneva, was to hold negotiations among nations on the contentious issues of cut in subsidies on fisheries, food security and TRIPS waiver for Covid vaccines. All these issues are crucial for countries such as India.

The decision was taken by the general council of the at an emergency meeting called by chair Dacio Castillo late Friday, a statement from the world body said.

"Given these unfortunate developments and the uncertainty that they cause, we see no alternative but to propose to postpone the ministerial conference and reconvene it as soon as possible when conditions allow," Castillo told the council.

"I trust that you will fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the travel constraints meant that many ministers and senior delegates would not be able to participate in face-to-face negotiations at the conference. This would render participation on an equal basis impossible, she said.

She pointed out that many delegations have long maintained that meetings virtually do not offer the kind of interaction necessary for holding complex negotiations on politically sensitive issues.

"This has not been an easy recommendation to make  But as director-general, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants  ministers, delegates and civil society. It is better to err on the side of caution," she said, noting that the postponement would continue to keep the in line with Swiss regulations.

The statement said WTO members were unanimous in their support of the recommendations from the Director-General and the General Council Chair, and they pledged to continue working to narrow their differences on key topics like the WTO's response to the pandemic and the negotiations to draft rules slashing harmful fisheries subsidies.

The director-general and Castillo urged delegations to maintain the negotiating momentum that had been established in recent weeks.

"This does not mean that negotiations should stop. On the contrary, delegations in Geneva should be fully empowered to close as many gaps as possible. This new variant reminds us once again of the urgency of the work we are charged with," the DG said.

Okonjo-Iweala said she had scheduled a series of discussions over the weekend with ambassadors and visiting negotiators and that she planned to go ahead with these meetings.

This marks the second time that the pandemic has forced a postponement of the 12th ministerial conference. The meeting was originally due to take place in June 2020 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Although the council decided to move the meeting to Geneva, Kazakhstan was chosen to chair the meeting and the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was due to give a keynote speech at the Conference's opening ceremony.

While the action taken is correct, we have to continue with our agenda. An emergency protocol for Covid through virtual meetings should be discussed. Priority has to be for health and an undisrupted supply chain, said Nisha Taneja, professor, Indian Council for Research on Economic Relations.

Some of the important issues from Indias perspective that were to be addressed include fisheries subsidy. The issue has been under discussion at the WTO for two decades and theres no consensus as of now. The global trade body is looking at building consensus on the deal to eliminate subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Indias suggestion for special treatment of small and artisanal fishers was not taken on board. There is no regulation for high seas fishing. India was proposing a moratorium on the countries with deep pockets to go on fishing in the high seas. It is also a sustainability issue, said Jayant Dasgupta, former WTO ambassador.

The other important agenda was the, temporarily waiving some sections of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for Covid vaccines. India is also pushing for trade of vaccines, ventilators without any barriers.

In October 2020, India and South Africa had submitted a joint proposal for temporarily waiving some sections of the TRIPS agreement, to help more countries, especially middle and low income nations get access to Covid-19 vaccines. It will be applicable to industrial design, trade secrets, patents and copyrights.

As of now, more than 100 nations are supporting the proposal, out of which 64 nations are co-sponsors of the proposals at the WTO.

Some experts feel that some members of WTO were trying to rush on these issues without deliberation. This breather we have got might be good for India. Many issues were sought to be pushed without consensus building, a senior expert said.

A temporary waiver will enable WTO member nations to overcome legal hurdles owing to patents and will expedite the process of issuing government use licenses, thereby easier access to Covid-19 vaccine.

However, the member nations at the WTO are yet to reach any consensus on this topic, as some developed nations such as the European Union, Australia, the UK among others have opposed the proposal and have raised concerns regarding India and South Africas proposal.

According to these developed nations, the TRIPS agreement has inbuilt flexibilities, which allows use of compulsory licensing mechanisms and there is no requirement for a waiver, even a temporary one.

India has expressed its view by saying that these flexibilities are not enough to deal with the challenge of inequitable distribution of vaccines, especially across low income nations.

India along with other G-33 nations was also going to pitch for finding a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding for food security.

Under the trade norms, a WTO members food subsidy bill should not breach the limit of 10 per cent of the value of production based on the reference price of 1986-88. Apprehending that full implementation of the food security programme may result in breach of the WTO cap, India has been seeking amendments in the formula to calculate the food subsidy cap.

It believes that the draft text on agriculture that was firmed up four months ago by a WTO panel is completely imbalanced. It felt this has dampened the prospects of any reasonable outcome on agriculture at the 12 ministerial conference and is not in favour of developing nations.

India's position is that finding a permanent solution to the public food stockpile issue is linked to the survival of 800 million hungry people across the globe.
Shah is likely to return on either the night of November 28 or November 29 morning | Photo: ANI

Union Home Minister is likely to visit on Saturday.

According to sources, will go to on the evening of November 27 and is likely to return on either the night of November 28 or November 29 morning.

Notably, Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in 2022 in the state.

BJP, which has been in power in for over two decades, bagged all eight seats which went to by-polls held last month. Elections for the 182-member Gujarat Assembly is due in 2022.

In 2017 Assembly polls, secured a majority by winning 99 seats, while Congress bagged 77 seats.

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Kejriwal has announced an eight-point poll plank to transform the education sector in the state. | Photo: ANI

Ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister will again visit on Saturday.

According to the party, the supremo will express support to protesting teachers in Mohali who have been pressing several demands including regularization of the services of contractractual teachers.

Kejriwal had embarked on a two-day tour to on November 22 and launched 'Mission Punjab.' In view of the upcoming polls, supremo under 'Mission Punjab' will visit various places in Punjab in the next one month and announce the party's programs for the state and its people.

Addressing a press conference in Punjab during his last visit, Kejriwal had said, "We will improve Punjab government schools just like we have improved Delhi government schools; only we know how to do it, no other party does. I guarantee to resolve multiple issues of teachers on an emergency basis."

He had also announced an eight-point poll plank to transform the education sector in the state, including regularizing the services of contract teachers.

Kejriwal had also promised to implement transfer policy for teachers, and assured them cashless medical treatment facilities if the party comes to power.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.

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Under the measures effective immediately, anyone who is not a citizen or resident of Australia, or their dependents, and who have been there in the past two weeks can not enter Australia.

Australia's Health Minister Greg Hunt Saturday announced that the government would implement additional precautionary border security measures in response to the new Omicron (COVID-19) variant.

Hunt said in a press conference here that will suspend all flights from nine southern African countries for a period of 14 days as a matter of precaution, including South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique.

Under the measures effective immediately, anyone who is not a citizen or resident of Australia, or their dependents, and who have been there in the past two weeks can not enter

Australian citizens and residents or their dependents arriving from these countries will need to go into immediate supervised quarantine for 14 days subject to jurisdictional arrangements.

Hunt also said that "there are currently no known cases of the Omicron variant" in

On Saturday morning, Australia reported more than 1,400 new locally-acquired cases as the country continues to battle the third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The majority of new cases were in Victoria, the country's second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, where 1,252 cases and five deaths were reported.

As of Friday 92.2 per cent of Australians, aged 16 and over had received one vaccine dose and 86.6 per cent had their second dose, according to the latest data released by the Department of Health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified on Friday the latest variant B.1.1.529 of SARS-CoV-2, which was first reported from South Africa, as a "Variant of Concern" (VOC), and asked countries to enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts.

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Mandaviya said, "We have to work with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. This will enable us to know the history of a patient and can provide them with quality health services." (PTI Photo)

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that about Rs 64,000 crore will be invested by the Centre in creating health infrastructure in the country over the next five years.

The Union Minister, who was on a day-long tour to Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, while interacting with healthcare workers at Khandro Drowa Zangmo District Hospital, said that the central government is working to provide health security to all through various health welfare schemes.

"Never in the past was health considered as wealth. The present Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working on these lines to provide health security to all through its various health welfare schemes," Mandaviya said during the interaction, as quoted in an official statement.

Emphasizing on the benefits of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission that will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other, the minister said, "We have to work with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. This will enable us to know the history of a patient and can provide them with quality health services. In the next five years, an investment of Rs 64,000 crore will be made in improving health infrastructure in the country."

State health Principal Secretary Dr Sharat Chauhan presented an overall health scenario of the state through a powerpoint presentation and apprised the Union Minister regarding (COVID-19) management and vaccination status.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) President of Arunachal Pradesh Dr Lobsang Tsetim informed the Union Minister on working of IMA in the state and placed his request to take over Tomo Riba Institute Of Health And Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Naharlagun by the central government for its future sustainability, quality education and service. He also raised his concern for an urgent need of a super speciality hospital in the state and also the need for massive reformation in all the existing Primary Health Centre.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister visited IPD ward of KDS District Hospital, Tawang and interacted with patients and distributed fruits. He also visited Jan Aushadi Dispensary of KDS District Hospital, Tawang.

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Sisodia will address the press conference at 12.30 pm on Saturday from party headquarters in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma)

(AAP) leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister is likely to address an important press conference on Saturday.

According to sources, Sisodia will address the press conference at 12.30 pm on Saturday from party headquarters in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, sources have also informed the senior Congress leader from Delhi, Mukesh Goel is likely to join on Saturday.

Notably, national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit Chandigarh in Punjab on Saturday to express support to protesting teachers in Mohali.

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Outgoing Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Nick Carter said that from his point of view poses the most acute threat to the national security.

"I became head of the Army in the summer of 2014, and we were arguing at that stage as to whether the threat was from violent extremism or whether it was a state threat from At that stage, the violent extremism argument just about won. But then, in 2018, we had the attack on the Skripal family in Salisbury, and it became blindingly obvious that was the most acute threat to our country," Carter told The Telegraph.

He stressed that the threats related to Russia and China were not conventional.

"The way threats appear today are not so much as a conventional threat; rather it is what I call grey-zone activity, where opponents see the world as a continuous struggle in which all the instruments of power can be used, so long as they do not bring on a hot war," Carter added.

Former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in March 2018 in the city of Salisbury. The United Kingdom believes that Russia played a role in what it calls a murder attempt, an allegation Moscow has denied. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there was no evidence incriminating Moscow.

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Pfizer and BioNTech said they expect more data on Omicron within the next two weeks. | Photo: Shutterstock

The pharmaceutical companies and BioNTech on Saturday issued a statement stating that they are not sure whether their vaccines would be able to help in the treatment of the new (COVID-19) variant 'Omicron'.

The companies also promised to develop a new vaccine against the variant in about 100 days, Sputnik reported.

This came after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it identified a new COVID-19 strain, the B.1.1.529 that was initially found in southern Africa. WHO named the variant with the Greek letter 'Omicron'.

"In the event that vaccine-escape variant emerges, and BioNTech expect to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval," they added in the statement.

As reported by Sputnik, and BioNTech said they expect more data on Omicron within the next two weeks and noted the variant significantly differs from previously observed ones, according to the statement.

The pharmaceutical companies underscored that they started working on making their vaccine adaptable to new possible variants months ago, adding that their vaccine is currently able to adjust itself within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days, the statement said.

In similar developments, amid the spread of the Omicron variant, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Saturday postponed the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), that was set to take place in Geneva.

As precautionary measures to contact the spread of the new variant, India on Friday added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing for infection.

The US along with European Union and other major destinations have also moved to block flights from several African countries, CNN reported.

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will visit Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh to address the 'Booth Adhyaksh Sammelan' of 'Kashi Kshetra' on Saturday.

"Tomorrow, I shall be in Jaunpur (Uttar Pradesh) to address the 'Booth Adhyaksh Sammelan' of 'Kashi Kshetra'," the minister said in a tweet on Friday.

Singh had addressed BJP booth presidents in Sitapur on Friday.

According to sources, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath will visit Varanasi, Jaunpur and Gonda in the state on Saturday.

"Chief Minister will visit Varanasi, Jaunpur and Gonda on November 27," sources said.

Notably, Assembly elections are scheduled for next year in the state and is the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also visited and held a review meeting with Vidhan Sabha in-charges of Bharatiya Janata Party here.

BJP National President JP Nadda had earlier held a meeting in Delhi regarding the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and decided to organise a "Vijay Sankalp Yatra" from four parts of the state.

"The party has decided to organise a 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' from four parts of Uttar Pradesh. In-charges have also been appointed for them," state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh had said.

"The programmes of the BJP which are going on and which will take place in future have been discussed in the party. It has also been decided that the booth presidents will hold a conference in the six areas of the state in which systematic registration should be there," he added.

Singh had also informed, "Nadda is going to Gorakhpur and Kanpur, is going to Awadh and Kashi whereas Amit Shah is going to Braj and west parts of the state for these booth conferences."

Previously, in the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 312 seats out of the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly while Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) won 19 and Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

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Stalin will meet RN Ravi to discuss the situation in the state due to continuous and heavy rainfall. PTI

Chief Minister MK Stalin will meet Governor RN Ravi on Saturday to discuss the situation in the state due to continuous and heavy rainfall, informed the Chief Minister's Office.

Nagapattinam and Cuddalore are the most affected districts due to the incessant rain.Chennai Meteorological Department on Friday had given a red alert to all coastal districts till today and an orange alert to the adjacent districts.

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The new introduced bill would require the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to develop a strategy to help Taiwan foster new bonds of friendship and trade connections around the world

Amid the deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing, two US lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill earlier this week, which seeks to help develop ties with other countries amid China's coercive actions designed to isolate the country.

The Promoting Ties with Act, which was introduced this week aims to make it the policy of the U.S. government to use its diplomatic influence and reputation to help expand connections with nations and partners around the world.

The draft "Promoting Ties with Taiwan Act," was introduced by Republican Michelle Fischbach and Democrat Scott Peters, Taiwan Focus reported.

Taiwan has split from China after the end of the civil war in 1949 and has since been governing independently. Beijing says that the island is a breakaway province, and considers any contacts between Taipei and other countries to be meddling in Chinese internal affairs.

The new introduced bill would require the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to develop a strategy to help Taiwan foster new bonds of friendship and trade connections around the world to prevent its isolation.

In a matter of 180 days following the passage of the bill, Blinken would be required to submit a strategy to Congress, including an evaluation of staffing and other resources needed to implement the new policy on Taiwan.

Moreover, one year into the submission of the strategy, Blinken would be required to submit a report to Congress detailing actions taken to carry out the strategy. So far, the bill has won support from 13 House representatives across party lines.

"Taiwan is a valued friend and an important trading partner for the United States. I'm proud to propose concrete steps that our government can take towards encouraging similar relationships between Taiwan and other countries around the world," said Fischbach.

Peters said peace in the Taiwan Strait is an enduring security interest for the US, Taiwan, allies, and partners committed to a rules-based international order that promotes the prosperity and interests of all.

The representatives noted that Taiwan, which has full diplomatic ties with 15 nations, is being isolated as Beijing is constantly trying to pressure several countries into switching diplomatic recognition, Taiwan Focus reported.

The new bill is currently being reviewed by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and needs to be approved by the committee and Congress before it can be signed into law by the president.

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Congress general secretary Vadra on Saturday attacked PM Narendra Modi, saying he flies in an aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore to address a rally but can't waive debt of farmers.

Addressing her party's "Pratigya Rally" in this Bundelkhand district, she also promised debt waiver for farmers and free gas cylinders to women if the Congress comes to power in next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Targeting the PM, she accused him of doing nothing for farmers.

"Do you know the income of PM's big industrialist friends? They earn Rs 10,000 crore daily and you are earning Rs 27 a day, and this government is doing nothing for you, she alleged.

"Do you know the cost of the aircraft used by him? It is Rs 8,000 crore. He comes here to give a speech but your income is not raised. He comes in that aircraft but cannot waive debt of farmers," Priyanka said apparently referring to the PM's recent visit to Mahoba.

If they have money to buy aircrafts, then why not for you, she asked.

"If the Congress government is formed in Uttar Pradesh, then the entire loan of farmers will be waived and women will be given three domestic gas cylinders free of cost in a year," she added.

On promises made by the Congress if it comes to power in the state, she said a Bundelkhand development board having its own budget will be set up while promising a policy for mandis, industry and tourism.

Priyanka, who recently visited the region to meet families of the farmers who died in queues for fertilisers, said mounting debt on them has added on to their woes.

Even the fertilizer distribution system here is not working properly, she claimed.

Promising to deal with the stray cattle menace, she regretted that this problem is yet to be recognised by the government.

This problem existed in 2019 but nothing has been done to redress it, she said.

She also recalled the migration after the coronavirus outbreak, saying when her party arranged buses for people, the government did not take help.

"Now, when they have meetings, they bring crowd in buses. When your brothers and sisters were walking back home, where was this government? Where were the buses," she asked.

She further accused UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi of indulging in false publicity.

During the foundation laying ceremony of an airport in Noida's Jewar, its advertisement carried a picture of a Chinese airport without caring for truth, she said.

Stressing that the people of Bundelkhand have the right over the resources in the region, she accused the PM and Adityanath of betraying them, alleging that the government has no plan for the development of the area.

Priyanka also cited various works done by her party's governments in the past, stressing that the Congress is answerable to people and its intention is honest.

"You have seen the BJP, they made false promises, SP looted and the BSP did nothing. Their intention has not been clear," she added.

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President appeared on the loose in Nantucket.

Biden Friday spent more than an hour walking around downtown Nantucket's cobblestone streets, popping unannounced into quaint mom-and-pop shops, appearing to make purchases and posing for photos with surprised business owners.

He was accompanied by some of his grandchildren. Biden and his entire family are spending the Thanksgiving holiday on the Massachusetts island, renting a sprawling compound that belongs to his friend and billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein.

Hey, Joe," We love you, Joe, some people shouted as Biden passed by. One man was heard telling the 79-year-old president that he looked younger in person.

It's those kinds of interactions with everyday people that Biden, a back-slapping politician for nearly five decades, absolutely relishes but hasn't done as much because of COVID-19.

Biden set off on the walk after speaking to reporters about a new COVID-19 variant that is circulating in South Africa, and about his decision Friday to have the US join other countries in restricting travel from southern Africa, effective Monday.

The president opened Friday by going to a restaurant for lunch with his wife, Jill, children Hunter and Ashley, and their grandchildren. It's a post-Thanksgiving Day family tradition. They then browsed at a nearby bookstore before Biden went off on the stroll.

He stopped in at a leather goods store and several clothing, gift and home goods stores before the family reunited to participate in another one of their traditions: attending Nantucket's annual tree lighting ceremony.

Biden's stroll around downtown was reminiscent of a period during Barack Obama's presidency when he rebelled against the limits that come with occupying the Oval Office.

The bear is loose! Obama declared one day in 2014 after he left the White House on foot, instead of in a motorcade, and walked over to the Interior Department, startling ordinary people on the streets of downtown Washington.

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"On today's anniversary, we remember the victims, including six Americans, and the resiliency of Mumbaikars. It is long overdue for the perpetrators to face justice," Blinken said. Photo: Bloomberg

While praising the resiliency of Mumbaikars on the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, US Secretary of State has emphasised the need for a speedy trial of the perpetrators of the carnage carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2008.

On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)terrorists from Pakistan went on a rampage, carrying out coordinated attacks on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre in Mumbai, after they sneaked into India's financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea.

As many as 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault that sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

Thirteen years have passed since the 26/11 terrorist attack in On today's anniversary, we remember the victims, including six Americans, and the resiliency of Mumbaikars. It is long overdue for the perpetrators to face justice, Blinken said in a tweet on Friday.

The United States and India remain united in the fight against terrorism, said Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.

On my recent trip to Mumbai, I visited the 26/11 Memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the horrific terror attack, she said.

Today on the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, we remember the lives tragically lost. This injustice cannot be forgotten, tweeted Congressman Elise Stefanik.

Separately, the Indian embassy here organised a solemn event within its premises to mark the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 attacks.

It was attended by Jennifer Larson, Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, State Department; Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch and several community members, along with the embassy officials.

The event was marked by the lighting of candles by dignitaries. This was followed by observing one-minute silence in memory of the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Remarks were made by dignitaries stressing the necessity of coordinated efforts to fight terrorism, and to bring perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.

While Larson highlighted the India-US cooperation in the field of counterterrorism, Shemtov recalled the strong India-US relationship and friendship between Jewish people and India.

He also appreciated the visit of Moshe Holtzberg (who lost his parents in the attacks) to India in 2018 at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

India has been pressing Pakistan to punish those involved in the dastardly attack but the trial of the accused in the attack has made little headway so far.

In New Delhi, India on Friday summoned a senior diplomat of the Pakistan High Commission and pressed for an expeditious trial in the case, saying the families of 166 victims from 15 countries are still awaiting closure.

In a note verbale handed over to the diplomat, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also asked Pakistan to abide by its commitment to not allow territories under its control for terrorism against India.

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Amid concerns over the potentially more contagious new Omicron variant of found in South Africa, a Madhya Pradesh minister on Saturday said that although nobody has been found infected with this particular variant in the state so far, the government is keeping an eye on the situation.

Minister for Medical Education Vishvas Sarang also said that genome sequencing is being carried out in a speedy manner.

"Our government has been continuously monitoring the situation. We are responding speedily on receiving information of any new variant or mutation. Genome sequencing is being done with promptness. So far, no case of new variant has been detected in Madhya Pradesh," Sarang told reporters when asked about the Omicron variant of

Sarang said that he got the information through media about the new variant being found in some other countries.

The symptoms of this mutant were not found in any patient here in Madhya Pradesh, he said.

"We have been continuously appealing to the people to follow the COVID-19 protocol to ensure the protection of individuals and their families," he said.

When asked about the international flights being started from next month, he said that the Centre takes every decision after due thought and in consultation with the experts.

"The Centre and the MP government are ensuring all measures to protect the country and the state from the pandemic. Necessary decisions are being taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus," the minister said.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed about the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, and he asked officials to review the plans to ease international travel restrictions in light of the "emerging new evidence".

The new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which named it Omicron.

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A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants. Photo: PTI

Sri Lanka will ban entry to most travellers from six southern African countries from Sunday, after a potentially more contagious new variant called Omicron was identified in South Africa earlier this week, healthcare authorities said here on Saturday.

With effect from Sunday, arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini are required to undergo mandatory quarantine, a circular from the Director General of Health Services said.

The new (COVID-19) variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the (WHO), which named it Omicron.

A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants.

It was first reported to the from South Africa on November 24, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

A number of countries around the world have now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from these six southern Africa nations.

As a new COVID-19 variant called nu has been detected from South African countries travellers with a travel history including transit in the past 14 days to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswaitini (Swaziland) will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka, the circular added.

Irrespective of their vaccination status, travellers aged 12 years and above, are arriving in Sri Lanka over the weekend from these six southern African nations will have to undergo PCR tests, according to the circular.

Sri Lanka continues to record over 700 cases on a daily basis since a six-week lockdown was lifted on October 1.

As on Saturday, the island nation has recorded a total of 561,059 confirmed cases and 14,258 deaths.

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Dubai [United Arab Emirates], November 27 (ANI/NewsVoir): The 'Textile Week' kicked off yesterday at the India Pavilion in EXPO2020 with the country looking at a fresh investment of INR 19,000 crore (USD 2.5 Bn) in the sector, which would be key to a 'Self-reliant India' and becoming a preferred global sourcing partner in textiles.

The textile industry will showcase India's rich cultural heritage during the week and deliberate on key initiatives taken by the government to create an ecosystem for the country to become a preferred sourcing partner for textile and clothing.

In a video message, Minister of State for Textile & Railways, Darshana V Jardosh, said, "The present-day Indian textiles not only reflect the glittering past but also cater to the demands of modern times. Indian textile industry is one of the largest in the world, with a large raw material base and manufacturing strength across the value chain."

She added, "To further improve the industrial ecosystem, scale, and integrated value chain, the textiles sector is a key sector that will help in building an 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' or Self-Reliant India."

The textiles sector contributes around 2-3% to Indian GDP, 7% to Industrial output, 12% to the export earnings of India, around 11-12% to total merchandize export and around 4.5 crore people are directly engaged with the textiles sector.

Addressing the gathering, Vijoy Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textile, said, "Despite a decline in total trade of textile & apparel sector during 2020-21, growth in textile and apparel trade reflected an encouraging trend in 2021-22 (April-Sept) with an increase of 69%, and the same stood at USD 24 billion." He added, "India has a huge potential to grow in the textiles and apparel sector. The focus is on skills up-gradation, financial assistance, and integrating the sector with the latest technology."

The PLI scheme worth Rs 10,683 (USD 1.45 Bn), launched by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, will help boost manufacturing, increase exports and attract investments into the sector. India has also launched Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks (PM MITRA) scheme with an outlay of INR 4,445 crore (USD 600 Bn) to build 7 mega textile parks. These parks will create a modern, integrated large-scale, world-class industrial infrastructure including plug 'n' play facilities. National Technical Textiles Mission Scheme approved in February 2020 with a four-year implementation period from 2020-21 to 2023-24, is aimed at improving the penetration of technical textiles and strengthening India's position as a global leader in technical textiles.

Outlining the government initiatives, Jay Karan Singh, Trade Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, said, "The aim is to attract fresh investment of INR 19,000 crore (USD 2.5 Bn) and create an additional 7.5 lakh (0.75 Mn) direct jobs in the textile sector in coming years. The PLI Scheme will also aim to increase the turnover of the textile industry by a whopping INR 3 trillion (USD 40+ Bn) over the next five years."

The 'Textile Week' will see participation from all the stakeholders in the sector, including Dr A Sakthivel, Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council; Chandrasekaran Thuvarapalayam Visvanathan, Chairman, Handloom Export Promotion Council; MA Ramasamy, Chairman, Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council; Umar Hameed, Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council; Sanjeev Dhir, Chairman, Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council; Bhadresh Dodhia, Vice Chairman, The synthetic and Reyon Textiles Export Promotion Council; Aakash Mittal, Vice Chairman, The Indian Silk Export Promotion Council; Prem Malik, Past Chairman, The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council & CITI and Vice Chairman, NSL Textiles Ltd. and T Rajkumar, Chairman CITI; Rakesh Kumar Verma, Executive Director, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts; Siddharth Lohariwal, Vice-Chairman, Jute Products Development & Export Promotion Council and K Kalimuthu, Consul (Trade, Commerce & Economic), Consulate General of India besides other industry stalwarts.

To know more about India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit:

Website: (https://indiaexpo2020.com/).

Facebook:(https://www.facebook.com/indiaatexpo2020) .

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/indiaatexpo2020) .

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/IndiaExpo2020?s=09)

LinkedIn: (http://www.linkedin.com/company/india-expo-2020/?viewAsMember=true)

YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uOcYsc4g_JWMfS_Dz4Fhg/featured)

Koo: (https://www.kooapp.com/profile/IndiaExpo2020)

To know more about EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit: (https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en).

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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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The suspension of feeder services in the Pearl River Delta and Hong Kong area for the Lunar New Year typically lasts six weeks but is expected to stretch at least two months this time

Dec 11, 2021 06:01 PM
Photo: Pemberton Search and Rescue / Twitter Flooding last week led to a mudslide on Duffey Lake Road, pictured.

In light of the recent flooding and mudslides that have devastated parts of B.C., the Sea to Sky RCMP wants drivers to know what to expect when travelling on the Duffey Lake Road portion of Highway 99, between Pemberton and Lillooet.



In a release Friday, Nov. 26, police said there have been many changes to the highway systems within British Columbia and particularly to the Duffey Road Mountain Pass of Highway 99 in the last week. Multiple agencies have been working 24/7 to clear the road, keep it safe and maintained, and identify issues for the public to know when they come to the area, police said, including:

The need for winter tires on Highway 99. Once you hit Lions Bay coming from Vancouver, you are required to have winter tires.

Your loads on your vehicles need to be secured either in trucks, trailers, or on your vehicles.

Please ensure your vehicle has the capacity to tow your trailers and that the trailers are in working conditions for winter driving.

There is restricted commercial traffic on Highway 99.

There is no cell service on the Duffey between Pemberton and Lillooet.

Due to communication limitations, it can take emergency vehicles some time to get to you.

Please pack supplies in your vehicle such as extra clothing, food, etc. in case you are stuck in the area.

Leisure hiking and travel in the area is not allowed at this stage and this includes access to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.

Coming over the Duffey towards Pemberton at the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park section, the downgrade is steep and police have found vehicle brakes overheating and drivers needing to change to lower gear.

At times there may be closures on Highway 99 or long delays, so check drivebc.ca prior to travelling.

There are limited services from Whistler to Lillooet in the later evening and overnight hours and this includes fuelling stations. There are still current restrictions of 30 litres of gasoline for fuelling on the Pemberton side of the Duffey.

Please do not call the Pemberton or Lillooet RCMP for travel restrictions, but refer to gov.bc.ca/gov/content/natural-disaster/support/restrictions.

Currently only essential travel is permitted through the area. Road checks are in place on the Duffey portion of Highway 99 and drivers will be turned back if their travel is not deemed essential.
Ryan Maliszewski is the CEO of Mozzeria, a deaf-owned deaf-led Neapolitan pizzeria in Washington D.C. Offering an all-deaf, all-signing environment for guests, with staff communicating in ASL, the pizzeria also creates career opportunities for deaf people in the community.
Photo: Contributed

The second of three successive atmospheric rivers expected to hit B.C. is on its way, bringing large quantities of rain to parts of Vancouver Island this weekend.

In Greater Victoria, there is likely to be 25 to 30 millimetres of rain at the most, said Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan, but Tofino could see rainfall in the 100 mm-plus range through Sunday afternoon.

Fifty to 70 mm of rain is expected to fall over the same period on the east coast of the Island, from Nanoose Bay to Fanny Bay, and including Parksville/Qualicum, which was hit especially hard by heavy rainfall about two weeks ago. Port Renfrew, meanwhile, could see up to 130 mm of rain.

Castellan said the first atmospheric river  or band of moist air  arrived on Thursday and was especially strong on the Islands west coast. We saw 193 mm in Tofino, which is very high.

Karl Ablack, president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, said the community is preparing for the storm and may do some sandbagging in areas where flooding has occurred in the past.

In the last storm we fared pretty well, he said. And were working with the Ministry of Transportation to have some culverts cleared where its a little bit overgrown, and just making sure water flow is running appropriately.

A number of other Island communities are piling up sandbags in hopes of preventing serious flooding, as Environment Canada warned about flash floods and water pooling on roads.

The weekend rain will be followed by a bit of an unknown from the third atmospheric river, expected to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday, Castellan said.

Its too far away to speak in too much detail for Tuesday-Wednesday, he said. And thats the gist of the storyline because beyond that, its even harder to tell.

Meanwhile, the federal and B.C. governments have created a joint committee of cabinet ministers to deal with the devastation caused by flooding in many areas of the province, while also promising to match donations given to the Canadian Red Cross.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier John Horgan made the announcements Friday night.

Horgan said a specific request for federal funding on the rebuild wasnt made by B.C. because it is premature, but Trudeau said Ottawa will help the province to recover and prepare for the future effects of climate change.

We will be here for whatever is needed, Trudeau told a news conference at the legislature. He toured damaged areas around Abbotsford earlier in the day.

We need to rebuild. We need to rebuild more resilient infrastructure thats going to be able to handle 100-year storms every few years because that seems to be the pattern were on. Its going to be expensive but it would be far more expensive to do less or not to do enough.
Photo: CTV News file photo

UPDATE 11:40 a.m.

The B.C. government will be closing all the highway routes between the Lower Mainland and B.C. Interior this afternoon as a precaution as more rain hammers the province.

Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton will be closed at 2 p.m. today

Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon and Highway 1 between Popkum and Hope will be closed at 2 p.m. today.

Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet will be closed at 4 p.m. today.

In addition to weather concerns, the closure of Highway 1 between Popkum and Hope is necessary due to reservoir releases by BC Hydro, crucial to protect the Jones Lake Reservoir, which is also being impacted by the heavy rain events.

The highway infrastructure in these areas is extremely vulnerable following recent storm events. More heavy rain in the forecast poses an additional risk.

The duration of closures will depend on the weather. The closures of these three highways will be re-evaluated on Sunday morning, with the highways reopened when safe to do so.

The provincial government is also slated to provide its next update on the flooding situation at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

ORIGINAL 11 a.m.

Weather warnings are in place for several Interior highways.

Environment Canada has issued weather statements for expected heavy rain and snow on Interior mountain passes.

Heavy rain tonight and Sunday with potential impacts to vulnerable landscape and infrastructure is expected on the Coquihalla from Hope to Merritt and Highway 3 - Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass.

Another front will approach the South Coast today. Rain will begin this afternoon and become heavy tonight. Total rainfall amounts near 40 to 60 mm are expected over western and upslope sections of the highways. Areas east of the Coquihalla Summit are expected to receive lesser amounts, a statement on the Environment Canada website said.

Strong warming will accompany this system causing freezing levels to rise well above the mountain tops this afternoon and Sunday. Snowmelt will contribute to runoff, increasing the risk of flooding and possibly impacting vulnerable landscapes and infrastructure.

As a precaution, the B.C. government is closing several major highways connecting the Interior and the coast Saturday.

In a press release Friday afternoon, the Ministry of Transportation said Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton and Highway 99 north of Pemberton will be closed Saturday afternoon. Additionally, Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon, which has been opened between Hope and Boothroyd, will be closed.

A storm warning is also in effect from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass on Highway 1.

A strong front will bring heavy snow to Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass, beginning this morning. 25 cm of snow is expected near the pass before changing to rain after midnight as freezing levels rise, the statement said.

After the snow changes to rain, an additional 20 to 30 mm is expected overnight through Sunday.

Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.

For a full list of weather statements, click here.
Pakistan Democratic Movement leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has once again called for the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying Khan should have "mercy on the poor people and resign from his post".

According to Geo TV, the leader said that the rulers were taking the country towards secularism to please external forces which will not be accepted.

"Our caravan has set out to overthrow the government, which will not stop and no one has the power to stop it," he said

"We cannot accept Yazid as Hussain (RA). We want our national democratic rights," he added.

According to Geo TV, Maulana Fazlur further alleged that the Imran Khan government was under international pressure in its monetary policies.

"The IMF's [International Monetary Fund] policy was not acceptable to all Pakistanis. A large number of leaders of religious parties and groups also addressed the gathering," he added.

Pakistan Democratic Movement is a political movement in Pakistan against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. It was led by Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F).

Further, PDM was supported by eleven parties who had previously led Pakistani politics for nearly seventy years, prominently Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party.

On the other hand, the Pakistan military which has a profound impact on Islamabad's politics both externally and internally would join hands with Pakistan Democratic Movement to further fragile the political condition in Pakistan which is under Imran Khan premiership.

(ANI)
A number of countries including the US, Saudi Arabia and Brazil have announced travel restrictions on southern African countries as a new variant of the coronavirus has been detected on the continent.

This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron' and alarmed the siren among countries of the new variant.

US President Biden said that starting Monday, his administration will restrict air travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi as a "precautionary" measure to prevent the newly discovered Omicron variant of the coronavirus from spreading into the United States.

The US administration is still gathering more information on the variant, according to Biden, who also urged Americans and people around the world to get vaccinated against the virus.

The announcement came on the heels of similar restrictions announced by other countries including Britain, Canada and France.

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Friday termed the countries' decision of imposing restrictions on travellers from the country amid concerns over the detection of the 'Omicron' COVID-19 variant as 'unjustified' and said there is no proof that the new COVID variant is more dangerous or resistant to vaccines.

Joe Phaahla said that the reaction of countries in Europe and other regions to the emergence of a new coronavirus strain is "unjustified," as currently there is no proof that it is more dangerous or resistant to vaccines.

"We want to assure South Africans and other people elsewhere in the world that we believe some of the reactions has actually been unjustified, referring here specifically to the reaction of countries in Europe, the UK, a number of other countries," Joe Phaahla said.

"The reaction of some countries in terms of imposing travel bans and such measures are completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organization," the minister added.

Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands were among those on Friday that joined the United Kingdom in restricting flights from southern Africa. The UK announced it would be temporarily suspending flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Countries from where the travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India are South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, countries in Europe including the UK.

Japan has tightened border controls for travellers from the same six countries, bringing in a 10-day quarantine beginning at 12 am on November 27. Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have also announced restrictions on the seven countries.

Moreover, EU nations Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Malta have all announced imminent entry bans to all travellers who've entered South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, Switzerland has banned all direct flights from the same seven countries as well, CNN reported. Germany plans to declare South Africa a "virus variant area" from Friday night, which will mean that airlines may only enter from the country to repatriate German citizens

There is a "high to very high" risk that the new Covid variant, named Omicron by the WHO on Friday, will spread in Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said Friday.

(ANI)
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Here is the upcoming City Council agenda for Tuesday:

I. Call to Order by Chairman Henderson.



II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilwoman Berz).



III. Special Presentation.

Joint Proclamation Honoring Former Councilperson Don Eaves

By Councilman Darrin Ledford



IV. Minute Approval.



V. Ordinances  Final Reading:



PLANNING



a. 2021-0162 Lentorry Coleman (M-1 Manufacturing Zone to UGC Urban General CommercialZone).

AnordinancetoamendChattanoogaCityCode,PartII,Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 2101 and 2103 South Watkins Street, from M-1 Manufacturing Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 9) (Recommended for approval by Planning and Staff) (Deferred from 11-09-2021)VI. Ordinances  First Reading:PLANNINGa. 2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 5) (Recommended for approval by Planning) (Deferred from 11-09-2021) 2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone for Tax Map No. 120N-D-012 through 120N-D-018 only, subject to certain conditions. (Staff Version)2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKSPublic Worksb. MR-2021-0188 Ethan Collier Construction c/o WS Renew, LLC (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning an existing sewer easement located in the 1600 block of South Watkins Street, Tax Map No. 156F-A-001, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 9) (Recommended for approval by Public Works)c. An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 32, Article II, by adding a new Section 32-45, Structures, Obstruction or Vandalism of Posted City Critical Infrastructure.Transportationd. MR-2021-0180 ASA Engineering on behalf of Boyd Buchanan School (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning an opened right-of-way located at 4600 Maria Street, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Transportation)e. MR-2021-0187 Hopkins Surveying Group on behalf of Don Duff/Travis Hulsey Co. Trustees (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning two unopened alleyways in the 6000 block of Ooltewah-Georgetown Road, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Transportation)VII. Resolutions:ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTa. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into an Office Lease with the Childrens Advocacy Center of Hamilton County, Inc., in substantially the form attached, for the five (5) year term of December 1, 2021, through November 30, 2026, with the option to renew for one (1) additional term of five (5) years, for the use of 9,155 square feet of space at the Family Justice Center located at 5705 Uptain Road, identified as Tax Map No. 157M-A-012, for the rent of one dollar ($1.00) annually. (District 6)b. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to collectively with Hamilton County, enter into a Lease Agreement with the Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., in substantially the form attached, for the lease of the building at 2 Aquarium Way, Suite 138, further identified as a portion of Tax Parcel No. 135K-A-001, with the building to be used exclusively for the operation of a Visitor Information Center, for a term of three (3) years, with the option to renew for two (2) additional terms of one (1) year each, at the consideration of one dollar ($1.00) per year. (District 7) (Deferred from 11-09-2021)c. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Lease with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, in substantially the form attached, for the use of approximately 19,296 square feet of space at 301 N. Holtzclaw Avenue, identified as Tax Map No. 146G-A-001, for the four (4) year term of February 16, 2021, through February 15, 2025, for use as an indoor softball facility, for the annual rent of one dollar ($1.00). (District 8)d. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to collectively with Hamilton County enter into a commercial/public recreation License Agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority, in substantially the form attached, for approximately 5.7 acres of TVA land on Chickamauga Dam Reservation on Nickajack Reservoir, for the operation and maintenance of public recreational facilities related to the existing operation of the Tennessee Riverpark. (District 8)e. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Non-Profit Lease Standard Form Agreement with the Forgotten Child Fund, Inc., in substantially the form attached, to lease approximately 19,516 square feet of warehouse space located at 1815 E. Main Street, identified as Tax Map No. 156B-D-009, for the eleven (11) month term of March 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022, for the annual rent of one dollar ($1.00). (District 8)f. A resolution authorizing the Administrator of Economic Development to enter into an agreement with Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, Inc. (CNE), for loan portfolio management, the Rent and Utility Assistance Program, and other affordable housing initiatives on behalf of the City of Chattanooga.g. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for Economic Development to enter into an agreement with the Chattanooga Area Economic Council of Governments (Southeast Tennessee Development District) for a multi-year period beginning on December 1, 2021, and ending on August 31, 2023, on behalf of the City of Chattanooga, to apply for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grants, and for the City of Chattanooga to accept these grants, if awarded, for an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 or twenty (20%) percent of the grant award. (Added with permission of Vice-Chairman Smith)HUMAN RESOURCESh. A resolution authorizing the appointment of Emily Johnson, as special police officer (unarmed) for the McKamey Animal Center, to do special duty as prescribed herein, subject to certain conditions.POLICEi. A resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept a Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) Grant on behalf of the Chattanooga Police Department for Enforcement of Tennessee Driving Under the Influence Laws to be used for overtime, supplies, and training/travel, with a contract period of October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, in the amount of $200,000.00.PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKSPublic Worksj. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to award Contract No. Y-21-018-201, John A. Patten Recreation Center Environmental Abatement, to Neo Corporation, of Knoxville, TN, in the amount of $48,730.00, plus a contingency amount of $4,800.00, for an amount not to exceed $53,530.00. (District 1)k. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 3, for Arcadis U.S., relative to Contract No. W-12-027-101, Friars Branch Pump Station Improvements, for an increased amount of $110,665.35, for a revised contract amount of $1,902,194.55. (District 5)l. A resolution authorizing the City Finance Officer to execute any documents necessary related to a Loan Agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (SRF 2020-440-01) for financing of Capital Construction Projects required by the Consent Decree for the Interceptor Sewer System (ISS), in the amount of $19 million.VIII. Purchases.IX. Committee Reports.X. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.XI. Adjournment.TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 6:00 PM1. Call to Order by Chairman Henderson.2. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilwoman Dotley).3. Special Presentation.4. Minute Approval.Order of Business for City Council5. Ordinances - Final Reading:PLANNINGa. 2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 5) (Recommended for approval by Planning) (Deferred from 11-09-2021)2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone for Tax Map No. 120N-D-012 through 120N-D-018 only, subject to certain conditions. (Staff Version)2021-0169 ASA Engineering (C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5116, 5120, and 5134 Highway 58 and several unaddressed tracts (120N-D-012, 014, 015, 016, and 018) of land in the 5100 block of Highway 58, from C-5 Neighborhood Commercial Zone to C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKSPublic Worksb. MR-2021-0188 Ethan Collier Construction c/o WS Renew, LLC (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning an existing sewer easement located in the 1600 block of South Watkins Street, Tax Map No. 156F-A-001, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 9) (Recommended for approval by Public Works)c. An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 32, Article II, by adding a new Section 32-45, Structures, Obstruction or Vandalism of Posted City Critical Infrastructure.Transportationd. MR-2021-0180 ASA Engineering on behalf of Boyd Buchanan School (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning an opened right-of-way located at 4600 Maria Street, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Transportation)e. MR-2021-0187 Hopkins Surveying Group on behalf of Don Duff/Travis Hulsey Co. Trustees (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning two unopened alleyways in the 6000 block of Ooltewah-Georgetown Road, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Transportation)6. Ordinances - First Reading: (None)7. Resolutions:ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTa. A resolution authorizing the Interim Administrator of Economic Development to enter into an Artwork Donation Agreement, in substantially the form attached, with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to accept the Ed Johnson Memorial valued at $1,121,439.64. (District 7)b. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Second Agreement to Exercise Option to Renew with the Hamilton County, Tennessee, Board of Education, in substantially the form attached, for the use of Tax Parcel No. 168I-C-032, for the continued operation of the Cedar Hill Head Start/Early Head Start Program located at 4701 Divine Avenue, for an additional term of one (1) year, through December 31, 2022, for the amount of one dollar ($1.00) per term. (District 7)c. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Second Agreement to Exercise Option to Renew with the Hamilton County, Tennessee, Board of Education, in substantially the form attached, for the use of Tax Parcel Nos. 136L-M-002, 136L-M-005, and 136L-M-006, for the continued operation of the Avondale Head Start/Early Head Start Program located at 2302 Ocoee Street, for an additional term of one (1) year, through December 31, 2022, for the amount of one dollar ($1.00) per term. (District 9)d. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Second Agreement to Exercise Option to Renew with the Hamilton County, Tennessee, Board of Education, in substantially the form attached, for the use of Tax Parcel No. 066M-D-014, for the continued operation of the Daisy Head Start/Early Head Start Program located at 9517 W. Ridge Trail Road in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, for an additional term of one (1) year, through December 31, 2022, for the amount of one dollar ($1.00) per term.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTe. A resolution authorizing the City of Chattanooga to serve as a government sponsor and pass-through entity for a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program, a part of the National Park Service, to be passed through to the American Battlefield Trust to purchase a 7.6 acre parcel known as the Burns Tract located in the core area of the Chattanooga Battlefield, Hamilton County, for an amount not to exceed $353,522.19.MAYORS OFFICEf. A resolution confirming Mayor Kellys appointment of Brent Goldberg as the City of Chattanoogas Chief Finance Officer, effective January 1, 2022.PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKSPublic Worksg. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 1 (Final), for HDR Engineering, Inc., relative to Contract No. W-17-015-101, MBWWTP Tank Safety Upgrades, for a Non-Consent Decree Project, for a decreased contract amount of $70,050.60, for a revised contract amount of $121,849.40. (District 1)h. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 1 (Final), for Inman Solar, Incorporated, of Atlanta, GA, relative to Contract No. W-17-024-101, MBWWTP Renewable Energy Project, a Non-Consent Decree Project, for an increased amount of $13,008.07, to release the remaining contingency amount of $423,983.86, for a revised contract amount of $4,469,675.07. (District 1)i. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 4, for CTI Engineers, relative to Contract No. C-16-001-101, for professional services for Landfill Groundwater Sampling, Monitoring, and Reporting, to extend the fourth year of four (4) years by an additional five (5) months, to increase the amount of $28,000.00, for an amount not to exceed $444,500.00. (District 4)j. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 1, for Artech Design Group, LLC, relative to Contract No. Y-17-005-101, East Lake Community Center Improvements, for an increased contract amount of $50,795.00, for a revised contract amount of $198,755.00. (District 7)k. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No. 1, for Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., relative to Contract No. W-17-020-101, Dobbs Branch Basin Improvements Phase 2, a Consent Decree Project, for an increased contract amount of $287,601.75, for a revised contract amount of $1,027,351.75. (Districts 8 & 9) (Consent Decree)l. A resolution to amend Resolution No. 30877 authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to execute the Consent to Assignment for all purchase orders for Vendor No. 171037, Santek Waste Services, Inc. to Capital Waste Services for Rhea County Landfill and to Republic Services for Bradley County Landfill, relative to Resolution No. 30770 landfill disposal of biosolid waste, Purchase Order No. 557889, for a total annual contract amount not to exceed $90,000.00.8. Purchases.9. Committee Reports.10. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.11. Adjournment.
What could be more romantic than spending Christmas in a castle? In her new Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, Christmas at Castle Hart, Lacey Chaberts character lives out a fairytale when she travels to Ireland for the holidays and ends up falling in love with an earl. For the actor, the experience of filming the movie at an actual castle in Ireland was like finding herself in a real-life Hallmark movie.

Lacey Chabert falls for an earl played by Stuart Townsend in Christmas at Castle Hart

Christmas at Castle Hart | Credit: 2021 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Michael Mc Laughlin

RELATED: Time for Us to Come Home For Christmas Star Lacey Chabert Explains Why People Love Hallmark Movies So Much

A cast of mistaken identity leads to romance in Christmas at Castle Hart, which also stars Stuart Townsend. Chabert plays a recently divorced woman named Brooke Bennett who travels to Ireland, where she plans to search for her Irish roots. Instead, she ends up meeting the charming Aiden Hart, the Earl of Glaslough (Townsend) in a pub. But things get complicated when Brooke and her sister Margot (Ali Hardiman) are mistaken for high-profile event planners, and they end up being hired to host an epic Christmas party as his castle. Aiden and Brooke begin to fall for each other, but how will he react when he learns shes now who he thinks she is?

Christmas at Castle Hart was filmed in Ireland

Christmas at Castle Hart, which was filmed on location in Ireland, is likely to inspire more than a few viewers to start planning a vacation to the Emerald Isle. For Chabert, making the film offered her a chance to spend time in a country shed never had a chance to visit.

I thought everything was so beautiful. I was in complete awe, the actor said during a Nov. 22 Facebook Live with her co-star Townsend. I had never been to Ireland before and Id always wanted to visit. I was just absolutely thrilled to have the chance to be there, to work there.

For Townsend, making Christmas at Castle Hart was a homecoming after several years away. The return was particularly special because he got to both reunite with his family in Ireland and bring his two sons with him on the shoot.

For me, [filming in Ireland] was amazing because its my country. Its where Im from, he said. But I hadnt been back for about three years. So, I got to go home  it was just a really beautiful experience.

Lacey Chabert said staying in Dromoland Castle was like being in a Hallmark movie

Christmas at Castle Hart | Credit: 2021 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Michael Mc Laughlin

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Filming for Christmas at Castle Hart took place at Dromoland Castle in County Clare. Its a 19th-century castle thats now a five-star hotel. The actors also had the opportunity to stay at the castle while they worked on the film.

We got to film in the castle and stay at Dromoland Castle, Chabert said. It was dreamy  I felt like I was actually living a Hallmark movie with that experience.

Townsend agreed.

We honestly had some of the most spectacular locations you can find in Ireland, said the Queen of the Dammed actor. He added that filming in the castle was extraordinary.

That castle is something people spend their whole lives saving up to go to. So for me, I just felt really blessed that we got to stay there, he said.

Overall, Christmas at Castle Hart showcases the beauty of Ireland and the magical nature of Ireland, Townsend said.

We get to take you guys with us on an Irish adventure, Chabert said. It was such an amazing experience.

Christmas at Castle Hart airs Saturday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.
Jersey Shore roommates like Mike The Situation Sorrentino have been open about past drug use. Still, some fans speculate a few other cast members were using drugs in the shows early seasons. Heres what a former Jersey Shore producer has to say about the reality TV stars drug use.

| Larry Marano/Getty Images

Mike The Situation Sorrentinos former drug use

Sorrentino first realized he was addicted to drugs after he ran out of a prescription he was taking for an injury from his season 11 appearance on Dancing with the Stars. The roller coaster of fame and fortune is definitely a ride in itself, but to get to recovery is something special, he told The Associated Press (via Los Angeles Times).

The Jersey Shore star tried rehab three times between 2012 and 2015. He will celebrate six years of sobriety in December 2021.

Today I am 5 years clean & Sober!! The best view comes from the hardest climb #proud pic.twitter.com/BOxFCnfFOb  Mike The Situation  (@ItsTheSituation) December 24, 2020

Jersey Shore cast accused of buying drugs in Miami

According to a 2010 report from Radar Online, one of the Jersey Shore roommates was spotted buying drugs in South Beach, Florida. The cast filmed season 2 in Miami.

Miami is obviously a big drug city, the source told the outlet. When this cast member [wanted] to score, it wasnt hard. The cast members are veterans by now and they know how to get rid of the cameras when they want to.

The outlet claimed to know which Jersey Shore roommate the source was talking about but did not disclose the information. Allegedly, MTV was unaware of any drug use in the house.

Jersey Shore producer says they had a hunch but never proof of drug use

In a Reddit thread from March 2020, a former story and field producer for Jersey Shore Seasons 1 and 2 hosted an Ask Me Anything. Were the crew, production, etc., aware of how much drugs were being taken and just turn a blind eye? a fan asked.

We had a hunch but never any solid proof, the producer replied, adding:

Nobody turned a blind eye to that because its such a huge liability. Sadly, business trumps morality. Nobody probably cared they were doing drugs because of it being such a toxic habit. We cared because it could potentially threaten the cash cow.

Jenni JWoww Farley opens up about her drug use in Italy

Like Sorrentino, Jenni JWoww Farley has been open about her experience with drug abuse. In an episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Farley talks about the miscarriage she experienced before filming began for Jersey Shores Italy season.

RELATED: Jersey Shore: Family Vacation: Nicole Snooki Polizzi Elaborates on Her Exit From the Show and What Pulled Her Back

Right before Italy, like three or four weeks before Italy, my grandmother passed, Farley tells Sorrentino in the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation episode. Me and Roger [Mathews] actually lost a baby, like I ended up pregnant. Not a lot of people know. And they put me on medication because of it, because I, like couldnt handle life.

As Farley explains in the episode, she was on Xanax after the miscarriage. It would take me down, like downers; it was making me so groggy, she adds. Then I started taking uppers with it, segue right into Italy. I was a f***ing mess.

Today, Farley has two children with her ex-husband: Meilani and Greyson. Both Jersey Shore stars are in a happy and healthy place. See more from them and the rest of the cast in a new season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, coming some time in 2022.
In the first two seasons of Narcos: Mexico, actor Diego Luna played a prominent drug trafficker named Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo. Although fans couldnt imagine anyone else playing Gallardo in the crime drama, the 41-year old actor initially didnt want to play the notorious drug lord on the Netflix series. Heres why the Narcos: Mexico creators had to convince Luna to take on the role.

Who is Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo?

RELATED: How Narcos: Mexico Co-Creator Carlo Bernards Assistant Helped to Get Bad Bunny on Season 3

In the crime drama, Diego Luna played Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, a notorious Mexican drug lord. The kingpin, who obtained the nickname El Jefe de Jefes (The Boss of Bosses) and El Padrino (The Godfather), was one of the founders of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1970s. During the 1980s, the cartel controlled the drug trafficking business in Mexico and the Mexico and United States border.

In 1989, Gallardo was arrested for the murder of DEA agent Enrique Kiki Camarena. Since then, Gallardo has been serving a 40-year prison sentence at the Altiplano maximum-security prison. But, he was transferred to a medium-security prison in 2014 because of his poor health.

Why didnt Diego Luna want to play Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo?

Diego Luna | Netflix

RELATED: How the Narcos: Mexico Season 3 Ending Sets Up a Possible El Chapo Spinoff Series

Initially, the actor didnt want to play the drug lord at all. But, Narcos: Mexico showrunner Eric Newman convinced him to take on the role. In an interview with The New York Times, Luna explained how Newman persuaded him to play Gallardo on-screen. Newman told the actor Gallardo was not a simple black hat, but the symptom of a larger disease. Although Luna didnt explain the reason behind his decision, it is a possibility he didnt want to portray such a villainous real-life figure on-screen.

In turn, Luna saw this as an opportunity to help non-Mexican residents understand the full extent of the drug trade. One of the reasons I decided to play Gallardo as I did was how little information you can find about his personal life, Luna explained. There are a lot of questions. There are a lot of blank spaces. In my research, I found a lot of my questions had no answers. It allowed me to create a character with complete freedom, using the material I had and filling those spaces.

Did Diego Luna return for Narcos: Mexico Season 3?

Unfortunately, actor Diego Luna did not reprise the role of Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in the third and final season of Narcos: Mexico. So, why didnt the actor return for the third and final season? Well, it seems Luna needed a break from the Narcos universe.

In an April 2020 interview with IndieWire, the Mexican actor said he needed a break from the series. At the beginning, it was fun, but then it became really heavy for me. I need rest. Those two years were really intense for me, he explained.

Meanwhile, the Narcos: Mexico star will return to the Star Wars universe in the Disney+ series centered around his Rogue One character Cassian Andor. At the moment, there is limited information about the project. But, Luna revealed hes eager to return to the Stars Wars universe.

I cant really talk about it. The thing I can tell you, and its a nice challenge, and its a great way to approach a show, but what happens when you already know the ending? Luna explained, referring to Cassians death at the end of Rogue One. Then it becomes about the story. Everything is in how you tell the story and how many different layers you can find. This cant be a show now where at the end we surprise you with like, Oh no, it wasnt him! Weve already seen the ending.

All three seasons of Narcos: Mexico is streaming now on Netflix.
The third season of Narcos: Mexico marks the end of the series. As a continuation of the Netflix crime drama Narcos, the spinoff series delves into the globalization of the Mexican drug trade. Even though the Narcos: Mexico Season 3 finale concluded the series, viewers were left with a lot of unanswered questions. So, could there be a spinoff series on the horizon? Well, Narcos: Mexico showrunner Carlo Bernard recently revealed there arent any plans for a spinoff series. Heres why the shows creators have no plans to make another Narcos series.

Will there be another Narcos spinoff series?

RELATED: Narcos: Mexico: Do Viewers Have to Watch Narcos First?

Unfortunately, there is no Narcos: Mexico spinoff series in the works. In an exclusive interview with Collider, Narcos: Mexico showrunner Carlo Bernard said there is no spinoff series currently in development. When asked about a Narcos: Mexico spinoff, Bernard said, there arent any plans to expand on the Narcos universe.

We dont know, he explained. There arent any plans, honestly. This is certainly the end of the ride, for now. Unfortunately, the drug trade isnt going anywhere, so obviously, the possibility of other iterations could exist. But for now, this is it.

Bernard went on to say that Narcos: Mexico was the ideal ending for the series. We felt like we were telling a cohesive story with Columbia and Mexico. So, theyre sort of siblings, as we saw it. So, [Narcos: Mexico] felt like a nice place to wrap it up.

Why did the creators choose to end the series after three seasons?

(L to R) Manuel Masalva, and Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio | Juan Rosas/Netflix

RELATED: Narcos: Mexico Star Luisa Rubino Said the Fires and Guns Shooting Excited Her the Most

Narcos: Mexico Season 3 will mark the end of the series. According to Newsweek, Netflix renewed the show for a third season. However, the streaming service announced Narcos: Mexico Season 3 will be the last installment. The platform didnt give a reason behind the decision. But, its worth noting its predecessor, Narcos, ended after three seasons. So, its a possibility the creators chose to end Narcos: Mexico with the same number of seasons.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Narcos: Mexico showrunner Carlo Bernard said the final season would delve into the origin story of the modern drug war. I saw this season as an origin story of the modern world that we live in, he said.

Bernard continued, For me, it felt like bringing the show up to that spot where we now recognize, for better or for worse, made sense as a place to stop it. The show has been able to lift the curtains and show you how this thing began, how it evolved. Not to say that other stories wouldnt be compelling going forward. But to me, stopping at the moment where we had delivered the world that we now live in today made sense, thematically and narratively.

How to watch Narcos and Narcos: Mexico

All three seasons of Narcos and Narcos: Mexico is available to watch on Netflix. Subscribers can access the streaming service by visiting the official website. To access the content, users can sign in or create an account. Potential users can download the Netflix app through the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. The app is downloadable on smart TVs, Android/Apple devices, Playstation/Xbox, set-top boxes, and Blu-ray players. However, the streaming service does not offer a free trial period. The basic monthly plan is $8.99, the standard is $13.99, and the premium is $17.99.

Narcos and Narcos: Mexico is streaming now on Netflix.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs story is truly incredible. Meghan, a California girl who worked hard at a series of acting jobs before landing a career-changing role in the series Suits, first started dating Harry, one of the most beloved members of the British royal family, in 2016. From the beginning, fans around the world were captivated, and these days, with the couple living a whole new life in California, many fans are looking to the beginning, chronicling the story of their romance and how the fairy tale unfolded.

How did Meghan and Harry meet?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images

It all began in 2016 when Harry and Meghan were introduced on a blind date that was set up by a mutual friend. According to Town & Country, some fans have speculated that the friend was Violet von Westenholz, while others believe that it was Meghans friend, fashion designer Misha Nonoo.

Regardless, things sparked between Meghan and the royal, and the two started dating. Meghan would later reveal that some of her close friends warned her against beginning a relationship with Prince Harry, fearing the negative publicity.

Harry and Meghans love story begins publicly

By late 2016, the press had gotten wind of the royal romance and publications began writing about Meghan. In the whirlwind of tabloid gossip and speculation, Meghan began meeting members of Harrys family. Sources would later claim that she never really had a chance to bond with Prince William or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge though she would later admit to having a good relationship with Queen Elizabeth.

Harry and Meghan: a royal engagement

In November 2017, after a little more than a year of dating, Harry and Meghan revealed they were engaged. They stepped out for photographers for a celebratory photoshoot and even did a traditional engagement interview, where Meghan admitted that Harry popped the question during a romantic dinner at home. Fans everywhere were excited about the couple, and publications went into overdrive speculating about the upcoming royal wedding.

A royal wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Jeff J Mitchell / AFP via Getty Images

Harry and Meghans wedding took place on May 19, 2018. Millions of people all around the world tuned in to watch the historic occasion. Meghan and Harry broke several royal traditions with their wedding, including having Prince Charles walk Meghan down the aisle, rather than her own father. Meghan would later claim that she and Harry tied the knot in a secret ceremony three days prior to their televised wedding, one that was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Harry and Meghans baby news

On October 15, 2018, just six months after their wedding, Harry and Meghan announced they were expecting a baby. Meghan, showing no signs of slowing down her royal duties, was pictured rocking a variety of stylish maternity looks over the months that followedand although the mom-to-be was slammed by the tabloid press for touching her baby bump too much, nothing could dampen her happiness.

In May 2019, Archie Harrison was born. The new parents proved determined to protect their sons privacy, allowing very few photos of the baby to surface and keeping his christening a private affair.

The royal couple steps back

After months of speculation that Harry and Meghan were unhappy with the state of their lives within the royal circle, the couple announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back from their duties as senior royals.

In a statement shared to their Instagram account, Meghan and Harry detailed: We intend to step back as senior members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.

The couple also shared that they planned to divide their time between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, working on a variety of new businesses while raising their son.

Oprah Winfrey Interviewing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for primetime special | Harpo Productions, Joe Pugliese via Getty Images

Meghan and Harry expand their family

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that swept the world in 2020 meant that Harry and Meghan were forced to lie low for a while, rarely sharing family updates with their fans. However, in February 2021, the family announced that they were expecting a second child.

Only one month later, Meghan and Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a bombshell interview, where they detailed their time within the royal circle. Meghan, in particular, made headlines when she stated that she was suicidal for a while, and had a distinct lack of support from members of the royal family.

In June, the storm clouds faded away when the couples second child, Lilibet Diana was born.

Meghan and Harrys new business ventures

Over the past few months, Meghan and Harry have stepped back into the spotlight, working on projects with Netflix and Spotify. The two seem to have left their lives as royals behind them entirely, preferring to focus on raising their children and working on their own business ventures. One thing is for sure: Fans will be watching the couple closely as the newest chapter of their life continues to unfold.

RELATED: Why Kate Middleton Attending the No Time To Die Premiere Was Hard on Meghan Markle According to Royal Expert
Quentin Tarantino is one of the worlds most renowned filmmakers of all time. Audiences recognize how he incorporates extreme violence and genre filters over extraordinarily personal and intimate themes. However, He intends to retire after his tenth movie. Here are all of Tarantinos films in order.

Quentin Tarantino films in order

Quentin Tarantino | Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images

Tarantino newcomers might want to experience the filmmakers portfolio in order. Its a great way to experience his journey as an artist and see how he has evolved over the years. Many elements of his work are consistent throughout, but he has clearly refined his craft in narratives that hold deep meaning for Tarantino.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Tarantinos first movie was Reservoir Dogs. It follows the events that take place before and after a heist. Each criminal has a different code name to hide their identities from one another. The police are tipped off about the heist, so the criminals begin to suspect that one of them is involved with law enforcement.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pulp Fiction is a black comedy crime flick. It explores a series of vignettes that all take place across Los Angeles. Two thieves decide to rob a diner, two hitmen are investigating a stolen bag of money, one of which has to entertain the boss wife. Meanwhile, a boxer plans to throw his next fight. The four non-linear stories ultimately merge in an act of chaos.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Next, Jackie Brown introduced a different side to Tarantino with an adaptation of Elmore Leonards 1992 book Rum Punch. It follows a flight attendant who gets in trouble with the FBI for drug smuggling. They pressure her to become an informant against the drug dealer but is all she wants to do is figure out a way to continue breathing.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)

Kill Bill Vol. 1 tells the story of the Bride who is nearly killed at her wedding for leaving the Viper Assassination Squad. She seeks revenge on the entire operation and plans to leave Bill for last. Meanwhile, Kill Bill Vol. 2 continues the Brides quest for vengeance. However, she comes across startling conclusions that will change her life forever.

Tarantino originally created Kill Bill as one total movie, although he had to break the movie into two installments for its theatrical release.

Death Proof (2007)

Tarantino teamed up with long-time friend Robert Rodriguez to make the Grindhouse movies. Tarantino made Death Proof, while Rodriguez made Planet Terror. Death Proof follows a psychotic Hollywood stunt double who seeks out women to kill using his death proof car. However, he finds himself the prey when he tries to hunt three women who arent willing to go down without a fight.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Next, Tarantino pursued a World War II movie. The story is told from the perspective of American-Jewish soldiers known as the Basterds. They seek to kill the Nazis in France and end the war as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, a young Jewish woman and cinema owner has her own plot to take revenge against the German forces while they attend a film premiere.

Inglourious Basterds nearly became a mini-series, but Luc Besson talked him into moving forward with it as a feature film.

Django Unchained (2012)

A bounty hunter purchases a slave named Django and tasks him with helping him kill three brothers. As a reward, hell earn his freedom. With his newfound freedom, he heads on a mission with the bounty hunter to rescue his wife, Broomhilda. However, it wont be easy and they might not succeed.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Tarantino makes his second movie in a row involving a bounty hunter. Hes escorting a woman prisoner on her way to face punishment for murder. They find themselves locked in a cabin while they wait for weather conditions to soften for travel to be possible. Things start to spin out of control as each character must defend their very lives.

The Hateful Eight was later re-edited into a four-episode mini-series on Netflix.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Tarantinos most recent movie is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It follows aging actor Rick Dalton and his former stunt double, Cliff Booth. Rick struggles to continue his lifestyle despite his decline in work as a result of major changes in Hollywood. A set of events put them in direct connection with the Manson family, who set their sights on Ricks neighbors, Sharon Tate and Roman Polansky.

Tarantino gave Once Upon a Time in Hollywood the novelization treatment. Critics raved about the book, as it provides further insight into the characters, their backstories, and their motivations.

RELATED: Pulp Fiction Lost the Best Picture Oscar Because of a Mistake at the Golden Globes, According to Quentin Tarantino
Riverdale fans need justice for Toffee. Early in Riverdale Season 5, viewers caught a glimpse of Betty Coopers (Lili Reinhart) new cat, and many people immediately fell in love with the feline. However, the next few episodes came and went with no other mention or sight of Toffee. Before fans knew it, the entire season went by, and Betty no longer had a cat. Unfortunately, Riverdale seemed to have forgotten about poor little Toffee, leaving viewers to wonder what happened to her. Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has finally cleared things up.

[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for Riverdale Season 5.]

Riverdale star Lili Reinhart | Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Betty left her cat behind in Riverdale Season 5

Riverdale Season 5 featured a time jump, with episode 4 taking place seven years after the characters high school graduation. Betty moved to Quantico, Virginia, to begin FBI training, but she was captured by the dangerous Trash Bag Killer (TBK) during an investigation. Months after the incident, she still experienced nightmares and trauma. Fans watched Betty experience one of her horrific nightmares in her apartment, where she lived with the one and only Toffee.

Soon, Betty received a call to head home to Riverdale for Pops (Alvin Sanders) retirement party. She asked Glen (Greyston Holt), her fellow FBI trainee and romantic interest, to take care of Toffee while she was away. However, the short trip turned into a weeks-long stay when Bettys sister, Polly (Tiera Skovbye), went missing. Betty decided to stay in Riverdale to investigate her disappearance and teach an auto shop class at Riverdale High.

Betty remained in contact with Glen, but she never asked about Toffee. Glen even visited Riverdale himself, leading many fans to worry about the cat even more. Who fed her when Glen wasnt around? Did he abandon his former lovers pet? Betty then moved back to Riverdale permanently to open an FBI branch in town, and it seemed clear fans would never see Toffee again.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa finally spoke out about Toffee

On a special episode of the #Riverdale After Dark podcast, we're welcoming none other than showrunner @WriterRAS!



From looking back to structuring Season 5, to what to expect from Season 6  including the just released trailer  listen here: https://t.co/QOTKHR6Jqh  Rivervale After Dark: A Rivervale Podcast (@RiverdaleDark) October 19, 2021

Aguirre-Sacasa appeared for a special episode of the Riverdale After Dark podcast on Oct. 19 to share a preview of season 6. During the episode, the hosts took a moment to ask Aguirre-Sacasa season 5s burning question: where is Toffee?

Aguirre-Sacasa all but confirmed that the Riverdale writers forgot about Toffees existence. In fact, the showrunner even confused Toffee with Bettys childhood cat, Caramel. Thankfully, Aguirre-Sacasa explained that he adopted his own cat and became a cat lover after Riverdale Season 5s production, which means fans might see Betty with another feline companion in future episodes.

We became cat fanatics after Toffees off-screen fate had been sealed. This may not be the end of Betty and cats, but it might be the end of [Toffee], he said.

If that answer doesnt satisfy fans, another one might. One Riverdale After Dark host shared their theory about Toffees whereabouts in season 5, and Aguirre-Sacasa said the idea had potential.

Is Toffee in a cat briefcase where one end of the briefcase is food and the other end  is kitty litter? So its a perfectly controlled environment  Glen is maybe carrying around Toffee, the host said.

There you have it, Riverdale fans  Toffee might have been right under everyones noses the entire time.

Betty is living a cat-free life in Riverdale Season 6

Riverdale Season 6 began on Nov. 16, taking fans to an alternate universe where Riverdale is actually Rivervale. Apparently, alternate universe Betty hasnt had time to adopt another cat yet. Then again, shes been pretty busy summoning ghosts and starring in Pagan sacrificial rituals.

Aguirre-Sacasas newfound love of cats hopefully means that fans will see Betty find another pet in the future  and maybe this one will stick around.

Riverdale Season 6s five-episode Rivervale event airs new episodes on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.

RELATED: Riverdale: 3 Horror Movie References in Season 6s Ghost Stories
As a star of History Channels Vikings, Alexander Ludwig has carved out an impressive acting career. However, hes also a musician and hes already released some well-reviewed country music. But as it turns out, hes not the only lyrical star of Vikings. He revealed hes written songs with co-star Travis Fimmel.

What did Ludwig have to say about his songs with Fimmel? And can fans expect a duet from the two anytime soon?

(L) Alexander Ludwig | Venturelli/Getty Images for Bulgari; (R) Travis Fimmel | Jim Spellman/WireImage

Alexander Ludwigs journey into country music

After growing up outside Vancouver, Canada and receiving his first guitar at the age of 9, Ludwig was exploring his skills as a musician long before playing Bjorn Ironside on Vikings.

Ludwig said hes a fan of country music because he feels the message is simpler than other genres. He said country songs remind him theres beauty in having less.

So many other forms of music speak to the attaining of things like the accumulation of wealth, cars and big houses, and theres a place for that, he explained in an interview with Metro. But with country music its a reminder that the dream is already here  you dont need a lot.

In my line of work I always relied on country music to remind me, Dude, take a step back. Ive got my health, Ive got a car that takes me from A to B  we dont need all this stuff,' he shared.

He added, Its the highest form of story-telling the world.

So, it seems like it was a natural choice for him.

Travis Fimmel writes songs  but will he sing?

Ludwig starred alongside Travis Fimmel, who played Vikings patriarch and warrior hero, Ragnar Lothbrok. But after their time on the show concluded, the two also worked together on Ludwigs music. Ive literally written songs with [Fimmel], Ludwig told Metro. Hes a massive country fan.

While Fimmel, who grew up on a farm in Australia, likes to ride horses and drink Bud Light, hes apparently not an aspiring country music star. Duet? Ludwig asked. God no.

@alexanderludwig's love for Travis Fimmel >>>>>>



Watch our full vid of Alexander Ludwig playing the @historyvikings hair challenge: https://t.co/vDxdkweo6T pic.twitter.com/kB0qnshnfG  TV Guide (@TVGuide) December 20, 2019

Alexander Ludwig counts Travis Fimmel among his best friends

As Ludwig told Metro, Fimmel is a good friend to him and his wife, Lauren Ludwig. He was at my house in Georgia a couple of months ago and met my wife for the first time, and they ended up passed out on the floor, he shared.

Hes one of my best friends  hes literally family. Hell spend time with my fam in Vancouver when Im not even there, Ludwig revealed. He also shared that hes visited Fimmel at his ranch outside Los Angeles.

And what he seems to appreciate most about his Vikings co-star is how genuine he is where others usually arent. He said, [Fimmel] and I really bonded. Hes a real dude, hes not typical Hollywood bulls**t. Hes just not that.

We love what we do but thats it, he explained. Theres a lot of great people in this industry but theres also an air of entitlement.

So in the end, it seems like Ludwig found much more than a co-star in Fimmel  but a best friend and collaborator, too.

RELATED: Alexander Ludwig Left Instagram Fans Thirsty With His Sexy Flaunt Photos
Will Smith reveals everything in his autobiography, Will. Smith is open about his tumultuous family life, his rocky relationships and career highs and lows. He even describes the time he went to jail for a weekend. And it wasnt even for something he did.

Will Smith | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

The reason Will Smith served time for his security guard

Smith described the scene in a Pennsylvania jail.

I had never been in a jail cell before, Smith wrote. It was way too small, and there were way too many of us in there. Frankly, I felt like we all deserved better.

The arrest happened after an appearance on Philadelphias WDAS-FM with Mimi Brown, where Smith was promoting DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Princes third album, And In This Corner... Charlie Mack, Smiths security guard, protected Smith from an attacker. But when the interloper pressed charges, they went after Smith, not Mack.

RELATED: Will Smith Shocked Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Uncle Phil Actor James Avery With His Hidden Talent

Apparently, there is an arcane law in Pennsylvania  the master slave clause  that states that if one person commits a crime under the control or direct influence of a master, then the master is legally liable for the actions of the submissive/slave party. The mans legal team argued that because of my dominant relationship with Charlie, I was culpable for his actions. Charlie was never even arrested, even though it was he who had broken the mans left eye socket and irreparably damaged his cornea. Clearly, the mans legal team thought that I was a deep pocket and logically reasoned that I was a bigger financial target than Charlie. The joke was on them. I didnt have a dime to my name. Will Smith, Will

Will Smiths security guard prevented a much worse attack

The reason Mack got defensive at all was because a former producer of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Dana Goodman, sent someone to ambush the radio appearance. Goodman paid for some of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Princes first recordings, but Smith got out of their contract when Russell Simmons wanted to produce them. Goodman sent someone to interrupt the interview demanding Smith thank Goodman. Mack tried to shoosh the interloper.

Will Smith's making it happen join him on a journey to improve his physical and mental health in #BestShapeOfMyLife  https://t.co/lzVWiNTEP1 pic.twitter.com/TM8YmjOPCP  YouTube (@YouTube) November 10, 2021

RELATED: Will Smith Let His Son Trey Name Jaden, but Trey Almost Chose a Horrible Name First

The dude put his palm on Charlies chest to shove him away, Smith wrote. Before his lips could form the first o of Goodman, Charlie cracked him with a straight right hand dead on the button, and dudes head explodes like a watermelon. It Was as if Charlie had shot his first out of a cannon. The guy crashed into the metal rack holding the eight-track cassettes, scattering them all over the room. Dude was down and out. Charlie grabs me, and Mimi and runs us toward the back parking lot.

The reason he was in jail all weekend

Everything eventually got sorted and Smith doesnt have a criminal record. Unfortunately, it was a Friday, so Smith had to spend the whole weekend in jail before he could clear things up.

Hopefully none of you will ever need this information, but if you can at all avoid it, do not get arrested on a Friday, Smith wrote. I was released on Monday morning (no one gets let out on a weekend).

The jail stint came at a rocky time for Smith. Hed just broken up with his highschool sweetheart. And In This Corner was not a hit. He was out of money and sitting in jail, a long way from figuring things out.

But as I sat in that jail cell, facing aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, simple assault, and reckless endangerment charges for a punch I hadnt even thrown, I finally understood a term Id heard many times before: Rock. Bottom, Smith wrote. I was literally lying on a cold stone floor. Everything I had, everything I built, the woman I loved, was gone. I was broken. And as I lay there in the fetal position, trying to figure out How the f*** did I get here?, I made the horrific error of clinging to the universal, rock-bottom axiom of hope: Well, I guess it cant get any worse than this.
Convicted sex offender on the run for 20 years found living new life as pastor in Alabama

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Police say they have found an absconding sex offender, who had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexual misconduct, working as a pastor at a Baptist church in Alabama.

FBI agents arrested the convict, identified as 75-year-old Larry Albert Flake, in Birmingham, where he had assumed a new identity as a minister of music, under the name Larry White. He was posing as a minister at Evergreen True House of Prayer MBC, Belleville News-Democrat reported.

Flake was convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in Indiana on Aug. 30, 2001, Richmond Police Department said in a statement.

Federal agents had been looking for him ever since he failed to appear for the trial about 20 years ago.

Flake, who had been working as a minister of music for 10 years, was known in the community as the Rev. Lawrence White, True House of Prayer Pastor Willie Perry told WVTM, adding that he had become part of this family.

When people are on the run, they only allow you to know so much about them, Perry said. Because if they allow you to go too deep, or they go too deep, youre going to find out who they are.

Perry added: I would say to my congregation I am so sorry that you had to wake up  to this kind of thing. I pray to God, that I dont care how long God keeps me here or replaces me with somebody else, dont you ever, dont ever let anybody misuse you. And I pray that you forgive me, that my congregation forgives me, that God will forgive me.

I would say to Rev. White, I love you, I will pray for you, but I am glad that you have been caught, Perry said. You wont get the chance to do this anymore.

Flake was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl while she was on her way to meet friends, according to the Birmingham News.

He had been sentenced to 25 years in prison in Indiana  10 years for the sexual misconduct charge and an additional 15 years as a habitual offender.
School district reinstates 'pornographic' books despite parents' concerns over pedophilia content

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The largest school district in the United States said it's reinstating two books to its high school libraries after a review into concerns raised by a mother that they contain pornography with graphic descriptions of sex acts between men and boys.

Two committees that reviewed and assessed Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison and Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe have unanimously recommended that they remain in public school libraries as diverse reading material for students with underrepresented identities, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia has announced.

Im glad that the book has been reinstated, where I hope it will continue to inspire and comfort young adult readers who have been marginalized economically, racially, or by virtue of their sexual identification, so that these young people might find their rightful place within the large culture, The Washington Post quoted Kobabe as saying in response to the school districts decision.

Stacy Langton, the parent of a student in the Fairfax public schools who confronted the school board about the content being accessible to a juvenile audience, said she will appeal the decision in the school system. She added that her complaint wasn't aimed at the LGBT characters in the book, as her mother was a lesbian, according to the Post.

Its never about that, she was quoted as saying. Im not looking to remove the LGBTQ book collection as a whole.

At a school board meeting in September, Langton had read aloud sexually explicit material and shared graphic images featured in the two books.

After seeing a September 9 school board meeting in Texas on pornography in the schools, I decided to check the titles at my childs school, Fairfax High School, she said during the meeting. Langton held up the two books singled out at the Texas school board meeting that are also available in several public high schools in Fairfax County. She said that both of these books include pedophilia, [and] sex between men and boys.

She added: Both books describe different acts. One book describes a fourth-grade boy performing oral sex on an adult male. The other book has detailed illustrations of a man having sex with a boy The illustrations include fellatio, sex toys, masturbation and violent nudity.

Langton read aloud from Kobabes book: I cant wait to have your c--- in my mouth. I am going to give you the b--- job of your life and then I want you inside me.

She then read an excerpt from the book by Evison: What if I told you I touched another guys d---? What if I told you I s----- it? I was 10 years old but its true. I s----- Doug Gobles d---, the real estate guy, and he s----- mine too.

As Langton asserted that the books' inclusion was not an oversight at Fairfax High School, a school board member interrupted her and said the books' content wasn't appropriate for public reading at the board meeting because there are children in the audience here.

Langton, who didn't appreciate the board member's interruption of her time to speak, added: Do not interrupt my time. I will stand here until my time is restored and my time is finished. These books are in stock and available in the libraries of Robinson, Langley and Annandale High Schools.

A school board member then suggested that teenagers' access to the books is OK because they're only available for high school students. However, the majority of high school students are younger than 18, which is the age of consent in Virginia. The sexual activities graphically described in the books between adults and children are a crime.
113 alleged child predators arrested in joint operation by ICE, foreign agencies

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a collaborative effort with international law enforcement, have arrested 113 alleged child sexual predators across the United States and South America.

ICE explained in a statement released Thursday that it's Homeland Security Investigations department partnered with the Brazil Ministry of Justice and the Public Security as well as Brazil's Secretariat for Integrated Operation Cyber Laboratory as part of Operation Protected Childhood.

The accused predators were arrested between Nov. 2 and Nov. 6.

Robert Fuentes Jr., ICE's attache for Brazil and Bolivia, said in a statement that he was thankful to Brazilian partners "for their unwavering efforts over the last five years to combat child exploitation through Operation Protected Childhood.

This collaborative effort by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations and its foreign law enforcement partners has put dangerous criminals behind bars and, most importantly, has led to the rescue of innocent children, Fuentes stated.

And to our partners who have most recently joined our operation, we look forward to the continued fight and relentless effort to put a stop to this horrific crime.

The 113 arrests include 74 in Brazil, 23 in Argentina, five in Panama, two in Paraguay and nine in the U.S.

According to ICE, HSI Brasilia has partnered with the non-governmental organization Child Rescue Coalition to combat child exploitation through the use of Child Protection Software. Between fiscal years 2016 and 2019, HSI provided 11 technical training exercises on the use of the software to law enforcement agencies in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

The training has led to multiple investigations into child exploitation offenses in those countries, ICE reports.

Since 2017, Operation Protected Childhood has resulted in about 781 arrests, the rescue of dozens of victims and 1,383 executed search warrants.

Over the past couple of months, law enforcement entities like the U.S. Marshals Service have undertaken major operations aimed at rescuing children from abusers and traffickers.

In September, for example, the Marshals announced that local and federal law enforcers rescued more than 70 missing minors in the Great Lakes regions as part of Operation Homecoming."

The Marshals worked alongside the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The Marshals are committed to assisting state and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children to help prevent their falling victim to crimes of violence and exploitation, said U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana Dan McClain in a statement at the time.

The message that we wish to convey to the missing children and their families is that we will use every resource at our disposal to find you.

During a similar operation in Virginia, federal authorities rescued 27 missing and exploited children, as well as confirmed the whereabouts of six others reported missing.

The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children in our society and Operation Find Our Children does just that, said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen in a statement last month.

While this Virginia operation is the most recent recovery of endangered and missing children led by the U.S. Marshals Service this year, we have also recovered more than 440 kids in Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, and other states. Because of this initiative, the recovered children are now out of harms way.
Police catch fugitive fake nun hiding in convents to evade prison

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A 47-year-old Italian woman who disguised herself as a Catholic nun and had been hiding out in convents to evade arrest for two years was finally arrested by police in northern Italy, according to reports.

The woman, who has not been named, fled Sicily in 2017 after being convicted of fraud by a court and sentenced to two years in prison, The Local reported, saying she was arrested from a Benedictine convent in Gallarate, north of Milan.

The convict, who changed her identity frequently, stayed in convents in the Lombardy and Piedmont regions.

Investigators said the woman called convents pretending to be a sister looking for help and claiming she was severely ill, according to Il Globo, which said the nun who reported her to the police got suspicious because the womans stories were full of contradictions.

The nuns at one of the convents where the fugitive stayed said she presented herself as the niece of one of their sisters. In another convent, she claimed to be a mother superior.

The woman was cooperative after she was taken to a police station but seemed confused about basic biographical details, according to The Guardian. Police found that she was carrying a stolen identity card, and later identified her as the person sentenced in Sicily and arrested her.

A native of Acqui Terme near Alessandria, she now faces fresh charges of claiming false identity as well.

In a similar incident in 2013, a 61-year-old drug dealer from Calabria, who had disguised himself as a priest, was caught importing cocaine from France in his car.
US Marshals rescue 8 missing children in Indiana; 73 recovered nationwide since August

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Federal agents with the help of local law enforcement recovered eight highly endangered missing children in Indiana last week and arrested one suspect. At least 73 missing children have been recovered nationwide since the beginning of August.

The U.S. Marshals Service announced the conclusion of Operation Homecoming in which its officers in southern Indiana partnered with the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force as well as the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The operation is the first missing child operation conducted by USMS in the Southern District of Indiana, according to the news release. The one-week initiative ran from Aug. 31 until Sept. 4.

After months of planning and coordination, the operation led to the recovery of children between the ages of 6 and 17. All children recovered during the operation were reported missing by local law enforcement. They are considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sex abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions.

They were turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services for assistance and placement.

One adult, who was not named by USMS, was arrested during the operation and faces charges related to parental kidnapping, intimidation, weapons possession and custodial interference.

The Marshals are committed to assisting state and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children to help prevent their falling victim to crimes of violence and exploitation, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana Dan McClain said in a statement.

The message that we wish to convey to the missing children and their families is that we will use every resource at our disposal to find you.

Participating officers were given the case files and began investigating the childrens whereabouts by starting with last known addresses, friends homes and schools.

The operation in Indiana is one of several missing child operations conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service in coordination with local authorities.

On Aug, 27, the U.S. Marshals Service announced the results of Operation Not Forgotten in Georgia. Thirty-nine children were recovered and nine individuals were arrested in connection with their disappearances. Some of those arrested had sex offender violations. The age of the children ranged from 3 to 17, with some being victims of sex trafficking and abuse.

When we track down fugitives, its a good feeling to know that we're putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of accomplishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child," USMS Missing Child Unit Chief Darby Kirby said in a statement. It's hard to put into words what we feel when we rescue a missing child, but I can tell you that this operation has impacted every single one of us out here. We are working to protect them and get them the help they need.

In Ohio, U.S. Marshals helped recover 25 missing children during the first three weeks of Operation Safety Net in northern Ohio.

Were trying to do our part, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott told WOIO. A number of these children have gone to the hospital after weve recovered them to get checked out. So again, this is something we take very seriously.

According to the television news outlet, there are as many as 200 missing children in northeast Ohio. Elliott stated that there have been some cases where there have been mothers and fathers prostituting their children.

Last Friday, USMS announced one missing 14-year-old child in Kansas City, Kansas, was found. The child also had a warrant out for her arrest and was transported to the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center.

Last year, the USMS helped recover 295 missing children with help from local law enforcement.

Since the USMS partnership began with NCMEC in 2005, over 1,800 missing children have been recovered.

USMS was authorized to work with local law enforcement agencies through the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. As a result, USMS created the Missing Child Unit to help local law enforcement agencies locate missing children.
We are experiencing the greatest assault on religious freedom

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My Faith Votes recently sat down with Brad Dacus to discuss his views on the troubles we currently face in America.

Brad is the Founder and President of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a legal defense organization providing representation in matters involving the exercise of religion and other civil liberties. Mr. Dacus received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas, School of Law, and has served to protect religious freedoms and parental rights for over 25 years.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. You can watch the full conversation at My Faith Votes here.

These days, religious freedom is in jeopardy. What is PJI facing in this realm?

Over the past year, we have seen the greatest assault on religious freedom in my lifetime. It was unthinkable to conceive of a time when churches all across the nation were being told they couldnt open their doors for service. Yet, this was the reality.

Immediately, we stepped in and provided Zoom counsel to pastors, church executives and private schools across the nation on how they could open their doors much faster. We made a lot of progress despite the mandates of some of the blue-state governors who wanted to keep them closed for much longer, and unfairly so.

In a very strategic case filed against California Governor Gavin Newsom, we filed a complaint in federal court arguing that churches must be treated equally to the other venues that were allowed to be open. The federal court ended up ruling against our clients and us. Unsurprisingly, so too did the 9th Circuit court when we appealed the initial ruling. Our last option was to file an emergency injunction appeal to the United States Supreme Court. It's not easy to get this kind of injunction granted. Just getting the Supreme Court to hear your case is like a Hail Mary pass to a stadium across town. But, by the grace of God, that's what happened. We filed this appeal and the Supreme Court granted our emergency injunction in just three days, sending ripples across the nation to other governors like Gavin Newsom.

Along with legal advice, you also offer resources for people who wish to challenge laws independently, like the federal COVID vaccine mandates. What is your hope in providing these resources?

We live in a world different from anything I ever imagined. No one could have dreamed that in the United States of America, our vaccination status would potentially limit what were able to buy and sell or where we can travel. It's a radical liberty issue, and we want to educate people on what they can do where they are and empower them to stand up to this.

This movement has awoken many Americans, churches, and pastors to the growing threats of assault on our freedom and liberty. Being involved is no longer just a hobby or a personal interest. It's a matter of survival and preserving our ability to follow the calling of God in the United States of America.

Even with this re-awakening of Christians, we still have people of faith saying they wont participate in elections. What is your response to those people?

If people are wanting to save America and to have a spiritual revival, voting is not at the top of the list of priorities, because, at the end of the day, Jesus Christ is a savior. Only changing the hearts of people throughout America is what's going to change this nation. It's a spiritual warzone.

But, as to why people should vote, I have a few reasons. First, Romans Chapter 13 commands  not suggests, but commands  us to be good citizens. It's indisputable that good citizenship involves voting and voting responsibly.

Second, and even more important than voting, is living out our testimony. If the church is filled with the love of Jesus, people are going to care about people outside their church walls. They're going to care about the preborn and the sick. And voting is an obvious manifestation of having a genuine love of Christ and being concerned for others. It's an inherent part of our testimony in the free world. That testimony is crucial for the light and love of Christ to shine through us.

If you have a Christian biblical worldview, the massive amount of abortions in the country is itself a compelling reason for all of us to register to vote.
Women who take abortion pills at higher risk of going to ER than those who have surgical abortions: study

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Women who undergo an abortion by taking pills to induce a miscarriage are at greater risk of having an emergency that requires immediate hospitalization than those who undergo a surgical abortion at a clinic, according to a recent study.

The journal article, published earlier this month by the publication Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, was based on research funded by the pro-life group the Charlotte Lozier Institute.

Researchers with the Charlotte Lozier Institute analyzed data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Condition Data Warehouse's Medicaid data.

They gathered information from 17 states with official policies that applied state funds to most abortions not covered by federal Medicaid from 1999 to 2015. They looked at a sample of 423,000 confirmed induced abortions and approximately 121,000 subsequent ER visits that happened within 30 days of the abortion.

According to the study, ER visits are at greater risk to occur following a chemical rather than a surgical abortion, with the trend increasing over the sampled time period.

Emergency room visits following chemical abortions grew consistently as a percentage of all ER visits within 30 days of the procedure, the study added.

Abortion-related visits  remain stable at 4% to 5% of total ER visits for surgical abortions, reaching a high of 6.2% in 2015. This percentage is 8% to 9% between 2002 and 2013 for chemical abortions, with increases in 2014 to 2015 peaking at 14.6%.

Chemical abortions also accounted for a higher percentage of emergency room visits that were miscoded as a spontaneous abortion than surgical abortions, according to the researchers.

ER visits miscoded as a spontaneous abortion following a chemical abortion range between 2% and 3% of total visits from 2003 to 2012, increasing abruptly between 2013 and 2015 reaching 8.9%, the study noted. ER visits miscoded as a spontaneous abortion following a confirmed surgical abortion averaged less than 1% of all ER visits until 2008, 1.2%-1.3% from 2009 to 2014, and peaked at 2.4% in 2015.

The study added that chemical abortion is associated with more frequent emergency room visits of all kinds for the entire study period.

In addition, we found that ER visit rates per 1,000 abortion procedures increased consistently throughout the study period following both types of induced abortion, but the rates for mifepristone abortion visits grew faster, especially for abortion-related visits, the researchers added.

Also known as a medical abortion, a chemical abortion involves a woman taking two drugs in the form of pills: mifepristone or RU-486, and misoprostol. Mifepristone works to block the effects of the natural pregnancy hormone progesterone, while Misoprostol induces contractions and a miscarriage.

In April, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would not enforce a requirement that abortion pills be dispensed in-person by a doctor.

Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs Dr. Janet Woodcock explained in a letter at the time that studies indicated that there were no increases in serious safety concerns (such as hemorrhage, ectopic pregnancy, or surgical interventions) occurring with medical abortion as a result of modifying the in-person dispensing requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser released a statement denouncing the FDA's decision to ease the chemical abortion regulation.

Pro-abortion activists have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic from the beginning, working to eliminate safety precautions in order to expand the proliferation of dangerous chemical abortion drugs, Dannenfelser said back in April.

This decision prioritizes abortion industry profits over the health and safety of women and puts the abortion extremism of the Biden-Harris administration on full display.
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What does it take to merit being called a closet liberal? Ive been trying to figure that out after reading some comments to my recent article rebutting the leftist claims that the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict was a victory for white supremacists.

To be clear, though, from the outset, this article is not about me. It is about the question of what it means to be a conservative. I simply use myself as an example.

My question for consideration is this. If you have voted exclusively Republican for decades (including voting for Trump in 2016 and 2020), you are a staunch, Bible-based moral conservative on marriage and family issues, and you have consistently spoken out against the leftwing, Democratic agenda, how do you then become a closet liberal?

According to one commenter (with reference to me): This writer is a closet liberal. He makes several stupid and false statements about Rittenhouses behavior. Kyle would be dead if he hadnt been armed.

And his absurd claim that a [sic] blacks receive harsher sentences is completely unfounded. Blacks have been committing violent hate crimes all over the country and, typically, theyre not even charged much less given harsher sentences. This writer is repeating fake liberal claims.

So, you are a closet liberal if you write, I dont believe Rittenhouse should have been in Kenosha with a gun. Seriously?

If you question the wisdom of a 17-year-old teen showing up in a very volatile environment with a gun, you are now a closet liberal, even though you agreed with the jurys not guilty verdict? Is this the new definition of conservatism?

As for the allegedly absurd claim that . . . blacks receive harsher sentences, it appears the commenter failed to click on the link I supplied to a full-length article providing a meta-analysis of many years of study.

On second thought, though, because the article was published in TheWashington Post, that would mean that, by its very nature, it is false. And that would confirm that, by daring to cite the Post, I must be a closet liberal.

Frankly, I find this kind of reasoning quite chilling, as if one must agree with every single rightwing talking point to be a true conservative. Or as if you cannot present another side of the story to be considered.

Unfortunately, I see this time and time again, which is why I draw attention to such comments: they are representative of a wider trend. And note also the racially biased nature of the comment concerning black criminals. Is that another mark of true conservatism? I certainly hope not.

But these days, even if you write countless articles debunking the white supremacy and white privilege narratives, the moment you say, But there are racial disparities that remain in America, and we should do our best to address those, you are now a RINO, a communist, a woke closet liberal, and worse. That kind of narrow-minded thinking should disturb those of us who identify as conservatives.

Really now, isnt that what we always accuse the left of doing, namely, repeating the same mantras and talking points without nuance or balance? Is our side so weak that it cant survive scrutiny or pushback or different points of view on secondary issues?

In response to my article calling for accountability for those who predicted or guaranteed that Trump would be reinstated to the White House in 2021, another commenter wrote, What is interesting is how these RINO's like to avoid actually defending truth about the facts. So safe sitting on the fence and waiting to see which side is safe once the fence falls. Michael Brown is a coward of epic proportions. Rather than point out the fraud with the reams of evidence that abound, he chooses to hamstring those that hoped honesty and truth would prevail. How brave Mr. Brown is for his middle ground in avoidance of reality.

This time, it appears that unless you say, I KNOW THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN, then you are not to be trusted. And obviously, you are not a true conservative. (For the record, I did not comment on whether the election was stolen in the article, other than to say I was hoping the courts would prove that it was stolen.)

And if you voted for Trump (twice) and yet say, Dont listen to the prophecies claiming he will be reinstated to the White House in 2021), then you are a double-minded fence-sitter.

Of course, Ive been on public record since January 6 that Trump would not be supernaturally (or even legally) reinstated to the White House during the Biden term, outside of the possibility of reelection in 2024. So, Ive hardly been fence-sitting.

But nowadays, unless you encourage every hope and dream that somehow, fraud will still be discovered and Trump will be restored (before the 2024 elections), you are avoiding reality, taking a cowardly middle-ground position, and are a RINO.

Ironically, in this very same article, I had written, In this regard, a typical tactic would be to attack the messenger, in this case, accusing me of being weak. Or a RINO (I'm actually a registered Independent who votes Republican, based on conservative principles rather than party affiliation). Or approving of abortion (as if recognizing Biden as President makes me guilty of shedding innocent blood). Or lacking in faith. Or being unspiritual. Or whatever.

So, I was fully expecting these kinds of comments and attacks. And they came in bunches, as predicted. As I had also written in the very next lines, But that's the least of my concerns. In fact, it is not my concern at all, since I'm not writing this to gain popularity or support.

On the contrary, as I also wrote recently, I fully expect pushback like this and welcome it warmly. Bring it on! (My only request is that you read the article, and where it is helpful, check the links provided, before commenting.)

My concerns are with a particular definition of conservatism that adds certain qualifications to ones orthodoxy. And I am concerned with the mindset that does not even consider the possibility that any opposing points of view could have any validity at all.

How is this conservatism? And how is this any better than the woke culture of the left?

When we cancel each other out because we do not demonstrate a sufficiently narrowminded, unquestioning loyalty to all rightwing talking points, we are in trouble.
India: Over 50 churches stop holding worship services after authorities impose ban on Christian gatherings

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Dozens of churches in India were not allowed to hold worship services for a third consecutive Sunday after authorities imposed a complete ban on Christian religious gatherings at the behest of radical Hindu nationalist groups, according to a report.

More than 50 house churches in the Jhabua District of Madhya Pradesh state were not allowed to gather for worship on Sundays due to the Sub-Divisional Officer issuing a circular to police stations in the Thandla and Megnagar blocks declaring a complete ban on Christian gatherings that do not have permission from the local magistrate, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported.

The circular was distributed at the behest of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and other radical Hindu nationalist groups, ICC said, quoting local sources, adding that Christians are concerned they will no longer be allowed to exercise their religious freedom rights, guaranteed to them by Indias constitution.

I read the circular last Friday and decided not to have worship on Sunday, a local pastor was quoted as saying. The last five months have been difficult. Our congregation has been reduced from 40 members to 15. Even these 15 are now scared.

I know as a pastor that I need to endure hardships and persecution for my faith. But I am worried about those who are showing interest and coming newly to worship with us.

Local authorities have also previously sent out similar notices to Christian leaders in the district, demanding they show evidence of their legal conversion to Christianity.

Over 300 pastors and Christian leaders have met with authorities and submitted a memorandum to defuse the situation, but little has changed.

Madhya Pradesh is one of the several Indian states that 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.

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.

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.

Human rights groups in India said last month they had 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.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  NASA launched a spacecraft Tuesday night on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course if one were to threaten Earth.

The DART spacecraft, short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in a $330 million project with echoes of the Bruce Willis movie Armageddon.

If all goes well, the boxy, 1,200-pound (540-kilogram) craft will slam head-on into Dimorphos, an asteroid 525 feet (160 meters) across, at 15,000 mph (24,139 kph) next September.

This isnt going to destroy the asteroid. Its just going to give it a small nudge, said mission official Nancy Chabot of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which is managing the project.

Dimorphos orbits a much larger asteroid called Didymos. The pair are no danger to Earth but offer scientists a better way to measure the effectiveness of a collision than a single asteroid flying through space.

Dimorphos completes one orbit of Didymos every 11 hours, 55 minutes. DARTs goal is a crash that will slow Dimorphos down and cause it to fall closer toward the bigger asteroid, shaving 10 minutes off its orbit.

The change in the orbital period will be measured by telescopes on Earth. The minimum change for the mission to be considered a success is 73 seconds.

The DART technique could prove useful for altering the course of an asteroid years or decades before it bears down on Earth with the potential for catastrophe.

A small nudge would add up to a big change in its future position, and then the asteroid and the Earth wouldnt be on a collision course, Chabot said.

Scientists constantly search for asteroids and plot their courses to determine whether they could hit the planet.

Although there isnt a currently known asteroid thats on an impact course with the Earth, we do know that there is a large population of near-Earth asteroids out there, said Lindley Johnson, planetary defense officer at NASA. The key to planetary defense is finding them well before they are an impact threat.

DART will take 10 months to reach the asteroid pair. The collision will occur about 6.8 million miles (11 million kilometers) from Earth.

Ten days beforehand, DART will release a tiny observation spacecraft supplied by the Italian space agency that will follow it.

DART will stream video until it is destroyed on impact. Three minutes later, the trailing craft will make images of the impact site and material that is ejected.
Two of the worlds supermajor oil and gas producers tout their leadership in the Permian Basin and how the region is the future of their upstream growth.

But a new analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis finds independent operators actually dominate ExxonMobil and Chevron in Permian production and the two supermajors are not likely to overtake independents at their current pace.

Our point of the report is that within the Permian, both Chevron and ExxonMobil are not hitting it out of the park with their Permian wells, Trey Cowan, oil and gas industry analyst with IEEFA, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. It is a question of optics and transparency. Both could use some tweaking, in our opinion.

He said IEEFAs data suggests that between 2018 and 2020, neither Chevron nor ExxonMobil brought into production new wells than Pioneer Natural Resources in the Permian Basin or Occidental Petroleum in the Delaware Basin. Its hard to be the leader in daily production for a region if your new well activity levels are not leading, he observed.

Cowan also noted that Chevron reported in its supplement to its annual report last year that it had the premier position for acreage in the Permian with its acquisition of Noble Energy in October 2020, which gave it 92,000 continuous and adjacent acres in Reeves County that produced an average 59,000 barrels per day of oil equivalent in 2020. But we know Occidental had more Permian acreage in 2020, he said.

To be fair, he added, Chevron stated earlier in its supplement that it has one of the largest net acreage positions.

So, Cowan said, even they are acknowledging that they are not the leader by this metric. They just confuse the issue later with their wording.

ExxonMobil, he said, reported the most activity for their subsidiary XTO Energy in the Permian but that is state data from 2019 when they were using the most rigs. When we look at new wells brought into production as the activity metric, ExxonMobil ranks fifth with 825 newly Permian producing wells between 2018 and 2020.

Pioneer earlier this year overtook Occidental to become the largest Permian Basin producer, Cowan said, and Big Oils average productivity per well lags far behind EOG Resources in the Delaware Basin.

Both Chevron and ExxonMobil would have to significantly increase their drilling and completion activity to meet the pace of the leading independents, Cowan said, something he doesnt see in the near future.

From their recent comments, it appears that both are satisfied with their respective results in the Permian and both are stepping up activity for drilling and completions heading into next year. But that is because, he said, higher oil prices of late have given all the operators, not just Chevron and ExxonMobil, more cash to work with and spread around.
The Biden administration on Friday issued a long-awaited blueprint for overhauling oil and gas development on federal lands that includes boosting royalty rates despite high gasoline prices that have spurred demands to accelerate domestic production.

The Interior Department report recommends higher fees and more limits on federal oil and gas leasing to better account for climate change and ensure a higher return to taxpayers. The analysis represents the culmination of a comprehensive review that President Joe Biden ordered in January.

The Interior Department said its 18-page blueprint could modernize oil and gas leasing programs to better restore balance and transparency to public land and ocean management and deliver a fair and equitable return to American taxpayers. The current program falls short of serving the public interest and shortchanges taxpayers, the report said.

Among the changes recommended are boosting annual lease rental payments and raising the royalties that energy companies pay for the oil and gas they extract. The agency also recommended new restrictions on what lands are made available for oil and gas development, a big shift from the current practice in which most federal lands are open.

The assessment is being delivered against the backdrop of higher gasoline prices that have provoked concern at the White House and spurred calls for the Biden administration to go in the opposite direction, accelerating domestic oil and gas production. After OPEC+ nations rebuffed the administrations call to ramp up oil production, Biden on Tuesday moved to release 50 million barrels of crude from U.S. emergency stockpiles.

Frank Macchiarola, a senior vice president at the American Petroleum Institute, the oil industrys top trade group, noted the reports timing just days after the White House said Biden was using every tool available to lower gasoline prices. Instead, Macchiarola said, the Interior Department had proposed to increase costs on American energy development.

The report, which has spent months under review at the White House, was cast as a reform agenda for federal leasing. It telegraphs a slew of changes the Bureau of Land Management will pursue administratively. Other policy pivots would require action from Congress and dovetail with provisions of the just-passed House tax-and-spending bill.

If fully enacted, the recommended changes would winnow the land available for oil and gas development while raising the costs of that activity even where new leases are sold.

The agency halted the sale of new leases while conducting its review, under a directive Biden issued Jan. 27. After a federal district judge ruled the moratorium unlawful in June, the agency moved to resume leasing, beginning with the sale of drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico last week.

Environmentalists Disappointed

Environmentalists expressed disappointment that the plan wouldnt ban leasing altogether.

The administration needs to manage public lands and waters consistent with its climate commitments, and todays report does not offer a plan to do that, said Representative Raul Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona who leads the House Natural Resources Committee. What it does offer is a set of important and long overdue reforms to the federal fossil fuel leasing program, which until now has been a public subsidy for oil and gas drilling and extraction.

Activists have pressed Biden to permanently block oil and gas development on federal lands and waters, having argued a warming world cant afford to burn the fossil fuels they contain. Yet they are also a major source of American energy, supplying more than 20% of U.S. oil production and slightly more than 10% of its natural gas production.

Candidate Biden

On the campaign trail, Biden vowed to block new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters. And more than 50 groups insisted in a June letter that the president should expand his campaign commitment to not only end the federal leasing programs, but to wind down existing federal oil and gas production. Activists blasted the administrations decision to conduct the Gulf of Mexico lease sale, which was rescheduled in the face of a potential contempt of court citation.

Collin Rees, a senior campaigner at the environmental group Oil Change U.S., called the report woefully inadequate and said it reads as if it was written in the 1990s, with almost no new insights.

President Biden promised to end the leasing program entirely due to its deadly threat to the climate, Rees said. Interiors recommendations fall far short of that goal, and ring particularly hollow days after the largest lease sale in U.S. history.

But industry leaders and allies argue the U.S. cant afford to curtail oil and gas development on federal lands and waters that provide about a quarter of the nations crude production. They warned against pivots that could jeopardize production on federal land and leave the U.S. more vulnerable to demand spikes like the one currently gripping the U.S.

Arbitrary leasing or permitting restrictions only serve to cause uncertainty for American businesses and strained budgets for state and federal governments as well as local communities, said Anne Bradbury, chief executive of the American Exploration and Production Council. We appreciate where this report recognizes the positive contribution that our industry makes to the country and look forward to working with the administration to build on our environmental and economic progress together.

The Interior Department said the Bureau of Land Management should consider changes to better screen lease buyers and narrow the amount of land that is available for auctions -- a shift that could ensure the highest-potential territory is tapped.

The department also said the bureau should boost rental rates, bonding requirements and royalty rates -- some established roughly a century ago. Companies typically have been charged 12.5% the value of oil and gas extracted from onshore leases, under a rate dating to the 1920s. For offshore leases, royalty rates have ranged recently from 12.5% to 18.75%. By contrast, in Texas, royalty rates can be double what the federal government charges.

States with leading oil and gas production apply royalty rates on state lands that are significantly higher than those assessed on federal lands, Interior said. Meanwhile, bonding requirements havent been raised for 50 years and minimum bids and rents have been fixed for more than three decades, the department said.
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Democratic leadership condemned Islamophobic remarks made by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) where she suggested Omar was a terrorist and called her a member of the jihad squad.

Racism and bigotry of any form, including Islamophobia, must always be called out, confronted and condemned  We call on the Republican Leadership to address this priority with the congresswoman and to finally take real action to confront racism, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic House leadership wrote in a statement late Friday.

Boebert was filmed over Thanksgiving break telling a story about an encounter with Omar in the Capitol  a story that Omar has since said is entirely untrue. But far be it from Boebert to let the truth get in her way.

Actually I have an Ilhan story for you, Boebert told a crowd at an event in her home district. So the other night on the House floor was not my first jihad squad moment.

I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers, and he and I were leaving the Capitol. Were going back to my office, and we get in the elevator, and I see a Capitol Police officer running hurriedly to the elevator. I see fret all over his face, and hes reaching. The door is shutting. I cant open it. Whats happening? Boebert said. I look to my left and there she is, Ilhan Omar, and I said, Well she doesnt have a backpack, we should be fine. So we only had one floor to go and I say, do I say it or do I not? Looked over and I said, Oh look, the jihad squad decided to show up for work today. 

As the audience laughed and cheered, Bobert added, Dont worry, its just her staffers on Twitter that talk for her. Shes not tough in person.

Responding to Boeberts comments, Omar tweeted on Thursday, saying, Fact, this buffoon looks down when she sees me at the Capitol, this whole story is made up. Sad she thinks bigotry gets her clout. Anti-Muslim bigotry isnt funny & shouldnt be normalized. Congress cant be a place where hateful and dangerous Muslims tropes get no condemnation.

On Friday, Omar House leadership to address the congresswomans bigotry: Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter. [House Republican Leader] Kevin McCarthy and [Speaker] Nancy Pelosi need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress.

Representatives for Leader McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Rolling Stone.

Boebert finally released an apology Friday afternoon on Twitter to the Muslim community. I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar. I have reached out to her office to speak with her directly, the congresswoman wrote. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.

Its particularly rich that Boebert claims Omar is a danger to Congress when Boebert is the one who has promised to carry her Glock with her in the Capitol and was caught trying to bring a gun onto the House floor. Members of Boeberts staff also coordinated with organizers of the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal rally that turned into a violent assault on the Capitol, according to reporting by Rolling Stone.
SPRINGFIELD  Gov. J.B. Pritzker traveled to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, at the beginning of the month and shared a vision for his home state: Illinois intends to become the best place in North America to drive and manufacture an electric vehicle.

Its a message hes repeated and one that he brought to international business leaders in a trip to London prior to the U.N. conference.

This is about economic development as much as it is about saving our planet, Pritzker said during a panel discussion at the U.N. conference with governors from Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.

Numerically, that vision amounts to putting 1 million EVs on state roads by 2030, a goal written into the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA, a wide-ranging decarbonization bill that Pritzker signed into law in September.

But how can Illinois increase the number of EVs on state roads to 1 million from just the 34,363 licensed in the state in October?

For Pritzker, CEJA and an EV manufacturing tax credit package known as the REV Act make up the backbone of a push to lure private investment while breaking down well-documented consumer barriers to EV adoption.

We have sent a very clear market signal not just in the United States, but now across the world, that this is going to be the place if you want to make, manufacture or drive an electric vehicle, to do it, said Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, who accompanied Pritzker on his European trip.

Jobs, jobs, jobs

The key to Illinois approach to penetrating the EV market, Mitchell said, is that it addresses the supply and demand sides of the industry.

It's incredibly important if we are going to be successful as a state and environmentalists are to be successful across the country, that we couch this issue in jobs, jobs, jobs, Mitchell said.

On the supply side, CEJA includes credits of up to 80 percent for the installation of charging infrastructure. Money for that will come from a $70 million allotment from the states 2019 Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan. Another $149 million sent to Illinois from a recently-passed federal infrastructure plan will also aid in the buildout.

On the demand side, CEJA includes a $4,000 rebate for those who buy electric vehicles in the state. The governors office said theres about $5.1 million in the fund that will supply those rebates beginning in July 2022. As of now it has only a rough estimate that thousands of Illinoisans will be able to receive the rebate.

For companies like EVgo, policies like CEJA serve as a market catalyst, said Sara Rafalson, vice president of market development and public policy at the company.

The most important thing that came out of the legislation at the state level, is that Illinois is really poised for success, because we have in place now both the complementary policies to support vehicle sales as well as sustained long-term investments in charging infrastructure, she said. For a business like ours, when we see higher vehicle sales, that sends a strong signal to the market that we need to build more chargers.

The REV Act creates payroll tax credits ranging from 25 percent to 100 percent of income tax withheld for new or retained EV manufacturing jobs, depending on factors such as company location and number of employees hired. It also creates a 10 percent credit for training expenses and credits for construction wages and building materials.

That measure also provides the incentives to manufacturers of electric vehicle parts, such as batteries.

At a bill signing event for the REV Act, Jim Chen, vice president of public policy of Rivian Automotive, which has an EV manufacturing plant in the Bloomington-Normal area, said the bill will be a major support for the company that already employs more than 3,000 Illinoisans in its 3.5 million square feet of manufacturing space.

Today's bill signing represents the next step in promoting Illinois as the Silicon Valley of EVs, as we work together to attract new investment from suppliers and other supporting players in this industry, he said.

The REV Act is also an effort to lure new manufacturers here while encouraging existing companies, such as the Stellantis manufacturing company in the Rockford area, to retool their existing plants.

The fact that the governor was able to go to Glasgow, not just with a climate bill in hand that provides a $4,000 incentive to consumers to buy an electric vehicle, but also an incentive package to get more of those sites here to manufacture EVs as well as all the downstream materials that are necessary, is a way of creating a new, modern, reinvigorated manufacturing sector in the state of Illinois, Mitchell said.

Addressing consumer concerns

The rebate is aimed at addressing one of two major barriers to EV adoption  cost.

A study from the national automobile service association AAA found that, in 2019, an EV costs about $590 more annually than a gas-powered car over a five-year period due to higher initial prices on EVs.

Jessica Beverly, a renewable energy advocate with the Sierra Club of Illinois, said that while EVs are more expensive, they also cost less to maintain, and purchasers may be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit that could be increased to $12,500.

The AAA study corroborated the maintenance cost claim, finding that at 75,000 miles of driving, an EV cost about $330 less to maintain and about $700 less to fuel annually than a gas-powered car.

But the study also found 58 percent of respondents cited the availability of charging infrastructure as their main concern; 51 percent cited price.

Beverly said the market itself is, to a large extent, addressing those concerns. The current median range for a single EV charge is 250 miles, with high-end models of major brands like Tesla offering ranges up to about 400 miles. The average was just 90 miles six years ago.

You cant really travel more than 50 miles in Illinois without coming across a gas station, she said. But it's not the same for an electric charger."

The charging process is different than filling up at a gas station, largely because the vast majority of EV drivers do their charging at home. That means most people will be able to handle their daily driving without needing public charging, except when theyre going on longer road trips.

Public charging stations can sometimes be found for free at grocery stores or parking garages as an enticement to customers. But the vast majority of public charging is offered by private networks like EVgo, or ChargePoint which have varying pricing and subscription models that generally amount to about 22-29 cents per minute for a charge.

As of now, there are two types of chargers on the market, a Level 2 charger that takes about 6-8 hours to fully charge, and DC fast chargers, which take about 30 minutes.

The U.S. Department of Energy said there are 919 electric charging stations in Illinois with 2,306 charging ports, 1,815 of which are Level 2 and 478 of which are fast charge.

As the state aims to put another 970,000 EVs on its roads in the next nine years, the need for public charging is going to increase significantly, particularly in rural areas and in densely-populated areas with multi-family housing where at-home charging isnt available.

Andrew Barbeau, an advocate with the Clean Jobs Coalition which helped push CEJA through the General Assembly, said thats why lawmakers included a beneficial electrification process in the bill aimed at determining where charging is needed most to accelerate EV adoption.

Its also why the state created the position of electric vehicles coordinator through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a position that Mitchell said the administration is working to fill.

So what the legislature wanted to focus on with this legislation was not just looking at where the market is today, but it wanted to fill in the kind of gaps in the market, Barbeau said in a phone call. It wanted to ensure that people who live in apartments or condos, or they live in dense areas where parking is mostly on the streets, would have access to the electric vehicle market too.

Barbeau said a Department of Energy study showed if 88 percent of people charge at home, one public Level 2 charger would be needed for about 25 EVs. But if that number drops to 82 percent charging at home, there would need to be one Level 2 charger for 13 vehicles.

At the 88 percent charge-at-home mark, one DC fast charge station would be needed for 588 vehicles, but at 82 percent, that falls to just 227 vehicles supported.

The main vehicle for EV adoption

The Illinois Commerce Commission will oversee that beneficial electrification process aimed at determining where new charging infrastructure is needed most in order to accelerate EV adoption.

The ICC will also consider: Will rapidly adding EVs to the grid overwhelm it? Are there times of day when EV charging can be synergized with the rates at which solar or wind energy output is higher? How can the state quicken electrification of its public transit sector? How can EVs be made more accessible in low-income areas?

The idea is that we are using these dollars in the best way to move Illinois toward electric transportation and in an equitable way, said Beverly.

A Nov. 3 workshop on how to best move forward had more than 170 participants, according to ICC spokesperson Britney Bouie. Eight more meetings are planned through February, with information on the ICC website. The ICC must prepare a report at the end of March outlining what steps the state should take to most efficiently accelerate EV adoption.

After that workshop process, the states largest two public utilities  Commonwealth Edison and Ameren  are required to submit beneficial electrification plans to the ICC by July 2022 for policies they can enact beginning in 2023.

Those plans would have to be approved by the ICC, and they would be funded by a net 1 percent charge on the distribution portion of a ratepayer bill for a customer of either of the two utilities, Barbeau said. Thats expected to annually yield about $35 million in the ComEd territory and $6 million in Ameren territory.

The utilities must then spend that funding in accordance with their state-approved electrification plans. They would have to update their plans in July 2024, then every three years thereafter, according to the bill.

While the process is open-ended to some extent, there are a number of loose parameters in place, such as a goal that 40 percent of infrastructure investment is to be targeted to low-income communities or environmental justice communities that are historically subject to greater pollution. Another 5 percent is to go toward electrifying medium- to heavy-duty vehicles such as school buses in those communities.

Complementary policies

The administration has taken other actions to accelerate EV adoption as well, including by entering into a memorandum of understanding with governors of Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Advocates called that a good first step.

In April, the Pritzker administration released a plan for the spending of funds through a federal settlement with the car manufacturer Volkswagen for its violations of the Clean Air Act. It included $9 million in grant opportunities for electrification of school buses in Chicago and the Metro East, $33.6 million in other funds for electrifying school buses, and $13.3 million for light-duty electric charging infrastructure.

Mitchell said publicizing the various policies the state has enacted, as well as continuing its aggressive courtship of business leaders reached during the overseas trip, will be essential to breaking down some barriers to EV adoption.

So I think it's both about letting people know about what we've done, what incentives are in place when you make individual purchases, but also what does the investment look like, so that people can have confidence that they can use this vehicle in the everyday course because that's what's going to help drive adoption, he said.
Two people have been arrested in relation to the smuggling attempt of 76 migrants, according to an arrest affidavit.

David Perez Velasquez and Israel Esparza were arrested and charged with transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the migrants.

The incident occurred at about 11:45 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Freer Border Patrol Checkpoint on U.S. 59, east of Laredo. A red tractor hauling a trailer was referred to secondary inspection following a K-9 alert to possible contraband. Further inspection of the trailer yielded 76 people who had crossed the border illegally. The driver was identified as Perez Velasquez.

Moments later, a gray Chevrolet pickup driven by Esparza arrived at the checkpoint. Esparza stated he was traveling to New Mexico but was lost. Esparza was referred to secondary inspection.

Esparza was subsequently identified by (Perez) Velasquez as someone he had instructed to follow him while he drove the tractor trailer. Velasquez also stated that the Chevrolet pickup truck belonged to his mother, states the affidavit.

In a post-arrest statement, Perez Velasquez stated he saw an ad on Facebook about making money and that he was told he needed to pick up a trailer and drive it to San Antonio or Houston for $500.

Perez Velasquez stated did not know there were people in the trailer. Instead, he thought there were drugs in the trailer. Perez Velasquez stated he had driven to San Antonio together with Esparza and had instructed Esparza to follow him while he was driving the tractor-trailer. Perez Velasquez stated he was going to pay Esparza $100 for helping him, states the affidavit.
Former Texans receiver Demaryius Thomas dead at 33 Thomas earned 5 straight Pro Bowl honors and a SB ring during a prolific career.

Houston is the reason Chinedu Ogu is so funny You've probably heard of Chinedu Ogu, but did you know he got his start in the industry right...
A Brown County volunteer is being honored by the state for her work with AmeriCorps.

Rita Kitchell is among those presented the Governors Volunteer Service Award through the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP)  Security forces fired tear gas at protesters throwing rocks in Burkina Fasos capital on Saturday, as tensions rose across the conflict-riddled nation with the population angry at the governments inability to stem violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

Several hundred protestors took to the streets, calling for President Roch Marc Christian Kabore to resign. The army and police drove through downtown Ouagadougou, the capital, during clashes with protesters, who barricaded streets, set fire to tires and threw rocks and bricks.

We refuse to lose Burkina Faso. We will put in someone who is competent to assure the security of the nation, said Isaac Pagberam. Weve already lost two-thirds of our territory, nobody can travel the country in peace. We say no! We cant sit until the jihadis come to Ouagadougou to kill us.

The protest comes after the deadliest attack in years against the security forces in the Sahels Soum province earlier this month, where more than 50 security forces were killed and after an attack in the Center North region where 19 people including nine members of the security forces were killed.

The unrest against the government also comes in the wake of anti-French protests last week, where at least four people were injured when French forces fired warning shots at protestors in Kaya who stopped its military convoy coming from Ivory Coast that was trying to pass into Niger. While Saturdays protest was mostly against the government, anti-French protestors threw rocks at foreigners as well.

The governments crackdown on the protesters follows a week of a mobile internet shutdown, which the government said was for national security reasons. The president vowed to increase aid to the military and investigate the deaths in the Sahel while calling on the population to maintain calm.

The Burkinabe people have the right and the duty to express themselves freely on the conduct of public affairs, said Kabore. I would like to invite everyone to be sensible and not to believe that breaking the thermometer will cure the fever.

But anger across the country is mounting with more protests planned in the coming weeks. Earlier this month, the opposition gave the president a one-month ultimatum to stem the violence or said it would begin protests demanding his resignation.

The international community is calling for a return to peaceful social and political life, according to a statement from the European Union. However, diplomats say its clear that the ruling political elite is losing support and so is the West, which stands with the government, according to a Western diplomat who wasn't authorized to speak to the media so spoke of condition of anonymity.
FOLSOM, Calif. (AP)  The Hampton Inn in Folsom, California, has 147 rooms, but General Manager Enid Baldock could only rent 117 of them recently because she did not have enough workers to clean them.

I was turning people away with 30 rooms (available). Ridiculous, she said while stuffing bedsheets down a laundry chute to help our her skeleton housekeeping staff.

At the Palladio, a nearby shopping center with 85 stores and restaurants just off a busy highway, businesses appeared more focused on attracting workers than customers as now hiring signs outnumbered Black Friday fliers. Mac, a cosmetic retailer, was advertising a $1,500 bonus for anyone who would agree to work full time.

Businesses struggled to get through the Great Recession more than a decade ago with minimal staff because low demand forced them to lay off workers. But the opposite is playing out in the pandemic, this time with lots of demand but fewer workers willing to return following government-imposed lockdowns.

Experts point to a number of factors, including the high cost of child care, more generous government benefits and lifestyle changes that have made workers less willing to accept the salaries and conditions of their old jobs. That has pushed up wages for some retail and restaurant jobs, but not enough to overcome the gap.

It changes peoples behavior the longer that COVID persists," said Roy Kim, deputy director for workforce development with the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency. The longer people can survive and make adjustments that way, it becomes life altering.

The labor shortage has played out in surprising ways across California, the nations most populous state with nearly 40 million residents that, were it an independent nation, would have the fifth largest economy in the world.

Folsom, an affluent suburb of Sacramento, has a mix of big-name retailers that cater to upper middle class consumers and locally-owned restaurants and shops that line a traditional downtown corridor to create a cozy atmosphere for a town with roots stretching back to the Gold Rush.

The city is filled with young tech workers for companies like Intel, Micron and PowerSchool. Many of those workers switched to working from home during the pandemic, keeping their jobs and paying taxes that contributed to the record state budget surpluses.

Sarah Aquino, the city's vice mayor, had been focused on telling residents to spend money at local businesses. But now she's telling them to take part time jobs at their favorite businesses, going on local TV comparing it to Uncle Sam recruitment posters during World War I and the Rosie the Riveter icon representing women who went to work during World War II.

For her part, Aquino  an insurance broker with a flexible schedule  has taken a part-time job as a hostess at Back Bistro, a restaurant offering casual new American/Californian cuisine at the Palladio shopping complex. She takes reservations, seats people, cleans tables and folds napkins all while earning minimum wage  which, in California, is $14 per hour and growing.

Aquino is careful not to call it volunteer work, since she is getting paid. But she now considers it her civic duty to cover four shifts a week to help one of her favorite restaurants stay open.

Of course its not anything like, you know, asking people to fight in a war, Aquino said, responding to some social media critics. But (its) the idea of youre doing it for somebody more than just yourself.

Folsom gets about a third of its revenue from sales taxes, and Aquino said the city took a $3 million hit during the pandemic when many businesses were closed. Aquino feared the city could suffer more if businesses had to reduce their hours because of a lack of workers, a fear made plain when she couldnt buy her husband a hamburger at a fast food restaurant that had to close at 2 p.m. because of a lack of employees.

California has added an average of about 100,000 new jobs each month since February, but despite that blistering pace the state is still tied with Nevada for the nation's highest unemployment rate.

The state lost 2.7 million jobs in March and April 2020 after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order. Since then, California has added back about 1.8 million of those jobs, or just over 67%.

We're talking here about job recovery, not growth, said Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable, a group consisting of business executives from the state's major employers.

In September, California had more than 400,000 job openings  a 50% increase from that same month in 2019 before the pandemic. That's why the state's major employers believe California's labor market likely won't reach pre-pandemic levels until the end of 2023.

That's a long time to wait for people like Kerri Howell, a Folsom city council member who is an engineer by training but opened a restaurant last summer at the height of the pandemic. Howell said she didn't think the pandemic would last this long or that it would be this difficult to hire employees. She says they have six workers, but they need at least four more.

The chef and I are partners and we are here basically every hour that the restaurant is open, unless I have to go to a City Council meeting, she said. The workplace for just about everybody has changed dramatically.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP)  During the past two years, Seth Walters life has taken a 180-degree turn.

At the outset of 2020, Walters was living in New York City, where he was doing video production work to market Broadway plays. Today, the Iowa native is back in his home state, attempting to grow his new woodworking business in Dubuque.

I used to take selfies with celebrities, Walters said. Now, I take selfies with sawdust.

His business, Walters Woodworks, is among more than a dozen businesses operating out of Key City Creative Center in downtown Dubuque.

The sprawling facility, located at 1781 White St., offers space and resources to a wide variety of needs.

Executive Co-Director Brian Graham said it serves about 90 members, who use the space in a variety of ways.

Some people are down here because they are hobbyists, Graham told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. For others, it is more of a side hustle  theyre using the center for a part-time job. And then, there are some people who are running their business full-time out of here.

Key City Creative Center was launched in 2016 by local resident and teacher Tim Hitzler, who remains the building owner and a fixture at the site.

To business owners such as Walters, it has been an ideal fit.

When I first learned about it, I thought, This is perfect, Walters recalled. It has things that a new business wouldnt normally have access to  the big saws, the milling materials, a laser cutter. And there is just so much space for big projects.

Spread through three floors, Key City Creative Center boasts a woodshop, a metalworking area and a crafting area.

But its not only appealing to those who are working with their hands. With a vast meeting room and multiple offices, the building also is home to businesses that do everything from public relations to T-shirt design.

Walters grew up in Cedar Rapids and recently married a Dubuque native. He quit his job on Broadway and headed back to the Hawkeye State in the spring of 2020, as New York City was in the grips of a health crisis related to COVID-19.

My wife is my biggest driver of sales, he said, with a laugh. She posts all my work on social media, and I am getting a lot of orders and requests from her friends.

Walters makes custom furniture, tables and kitchen items like cutting boards.

Walters business is far from the only one taking shape within the walls of Key City Creative Center.

The building now houses a spoon maker, a photography studio, a T-shirt design firm, a jewelry maker, a public relations firm and more.

Dubuque resident Kelley Schiesl launched her business, MyDesk, in the center last year. The business sells customizable desks geared toward kids ages 4 and older.

For Schiesl, the business has represented a new chapter in a career thats been as varied and colorful as the desks themselves.

She previously was employed in the marketing industry, working for employers in the banking, chamber of commerce and software sectors. As she settles into her new role, Schiesl feels like she is doing so in an ideal area.

She occupies a tiny workspace inside Key City Creative Center, where she stores many of the individual items that later come together to form her finished desks. But she emphasized that the center is about so much more than her individual office.

Its amazing to be able to step out of my space and be right in the middle of this giant woodshop, she said.

MyDesk partners with local manufacturers for different parts of its manufacturing process. The CNC work takes place in Dyersville, Iowa, while fabrication work is done by a company based in Dubuque.

But Schiesl does much of the physical work within the space on White Street, including sanding the wood, gluing the pieces and inserting the metal flanges. The workspace is crucial for the operation, but she emphasized the collaboration is just as important.

The best thing here is the people, she said. It is inspiring.

As MyDesk approaches its one-year anniversary, Schiesl is realizing how important that camaraderie can be. She has bounced ideas off others at Key City Creative and has slowly learned that every aspect of her business  from the marketing to the packaging  benefits from creativity and collaboration.

The product itself isnt the only thing where there is room for innovation and creativity, she said.

Walters is among the many individuals in Key City Creative Center that frequently speak with  and work alongside  Schiesl.

The unpredictability of the business is part of what makes it so invigorating for its owner.

After leaving the biggest city in the U.S. and settling down in Dubuque, Walters is embracing change instead of fearing it.

Every project is a new challenge, something that is completely different, Walters said. That is a big part of what I love about it.
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AP)  The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard in the number of funerals in which these volunteer men and women have provided military honors.

Since latter 2019 to date, Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard members have provided military honors at 282 funerals as of mid-November, according to Staff Sgt. Richard Cabak.

Thats nearly three times as many funerals as the Honor Guard does in a years time. Usually it averages about 100, Cabak said.

Being a member of this special group is by volunteer. Each member also has a full-time military job. In his regular Air Force job, Cabak is a maintenance management analyst with the 5th Maintenance Group. With the Minot AFB Honor Guard, Cabak is secondary assistant to the Honor Guards noncommissioned officer in charge, Tech. Sgt. Barry Bartlett, and handles various details for special projects.

Each Honor Guard member is an active-duty Air Force member of good standing, the Minot Daily News reported.

Honor Guard members cross train so each is ready to carry out duties if another person cannot.

For example, yesterday we had a seven-man funeral but every person in that detail had to know the movements of the person next to them and had to be able to carry on just in case we had an issue that would arise where a schedule may have changed or something may have interrupted and that person may have to fill in that position. So its ideal for us to make sure theres as much cross training as possible, Cabak said in an Oct. 29 interview.

Currently, the Honor Guard has 10 to 20 members. Cabak said the number of Honor Guard members varies from one month to another due to people getting new assignments and moving to other bases, etc. But usually, 10 to 20 people are available who are with the Honor Guard, he said.

The volunteers are trained at the Minot base for the Honor Guard.

Cabak said sometimes theyve had volunteers who have been Honor Guard members at other bases. Thats actually a boon for us because it lightens our load a little bit. Thats valuable experience especially when you have a detail when you have all brand-new people. Its good to have some with experience in there, he said.

Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard members have a large operating territory to provide their services when called upon.

The members cover more than three quarters of North Dakota. They have also traveled out of state to provide services at funerals.

We actually cover even more than that even, Cabak said, indicating a map on the wall in the Honor Guard building showing the territory that they cover. That is our actual operation area but we have contingents where like that pink area covered by Grand Forks lot of times well be tapped to do because of issues that may be happening at Grand Forks.

The Honor Guard has also been called to Montana for funerals.

Ive gone pretty much across North Dakota, one to Minnesota. I have not done Montana yet. I think weve had a couple in South Dakota as well, he said.

If we get called or tapped to go there, thats what we do, he added.

The Honor Guard has a budget to pay for their costs.

Normally, Cabak said a funeral home will contact them about providing military honors at a service. Once they are informed the deceased is a former member of the Air Force, then they contact us, he said. Usually, they have three or four days before going to a funeral.

Honor Guard members are split between some serving in even months and others in odd months. If for example, you have a lot of people who are not able to do it or exceed our capacity for an even month, then (someone on) an odd month will be tapped to come in and help out if need be, he said.

Often the Minot AFB Honor Guard is called upon to provide military honors at services held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, south of Mandan.

Id say at least probably once a week, Cabak said.

Generally, the Honor Guard members do not know the deceased or their family members.

In a lot of ways its couched very much so within that regimented training so youre aware, yes, its a deceased person, yes, theyre former Air Force, and yes, we dont really know their name. But they still wore the same uniform you did. So theres that aspect where its the same, Cabak said.

Besides funerals, the Minot AFB Honor Guard does color ceremonies, retirement ceremonies and sometimes participates in state events such as the North Dakota State Fair Parade in Minot.

But funerals have the priority.

Always, said Cabak. Were congressionally mandated to do so.

This year the Honor Guard has also done about 100 color (flags) ceremonies since events have restarted (as a result of COVID-19), Cabak said.

Recently the Honor Guard moved into a different building on base for them to conduct their training. This is a much better training ground for us, Cabak said. Were really happy where were at.

Cabak said there are multiple different reasons why he is involved in the Minot AFB Honor Guard. Primarily, he said he has an interest in history and noted a letter Abraham Lincoln wrote to a Miss Bixby in 1864.

I think probably the primary reason is I have an interest in history, Cabak said. He referred to the consoling letter President Abraham Lincoln sent to a woman who was thought to have lost five sons in the Civil War.

In reading that you get a real handle on what the military service is. It is a sacrifice and we are the last visible face of official aspect that the family is likely to see. The result is we want to make sure that they are understood that we know their sacrifice. We want to honor it properly, Cabak said.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)  A legal fight is emerging over the redrawing of local election districts in northern Indianas St. Joseph County.

The Democratic-controlled County Council voted this past week to hire a law firm for a possible lawsuit against the new election maps approved by the all-Republican county commissioners.

Opponents of those new maps argue they wrongly shift most of the countys Black population into one of the three commissioners districts that is confined to the South Bend city limits, the South Bend Tribune reported. Critics say its an example of packing as many racial and ethnic minorities as possible into one district to limit their influence and that the new districts favor Republicans.

Commissioners President Andy Kostielney has said hes confident the proposed maps would stand up to any legal challenge.

Political tensions over the St. Joseph County redistricting grew this fall after the commissioners spent $35,000 to hire the law firm of Republican former Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma for help drawing the maps.

The County Council has set aside $50,000 to pay Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller. Former state Democratic Chairman Kip Tew, who is leading the Ice Miller legal team, said he didnt know how quickly a court challenge to the redistricting could be resolved.
BALTIMORE (AP)  Folks working in Maryland's oyster industry are hoping for a rebound this season after seeing demand and prices plummet this time last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Baltimore Sun reports that COVID-19 depressed demand. That's in part because shucking oysters wasnt popular among diners looking for quick to-go meals.
TACOMA, Wash. (AP)  Gunshots rang out at a Washington state mall packed with Black Friday shoppers, seriously wounding one person and panicking hundreds of others who hid inside stores as the mall went into lockdown.

Authorities said the shooting in Tacoma, south of Seattle, was reported just after 7 p.m. at an area near the mall's food court. The person shot was taken to hospital with serious injuries, Tacoma Police said.
Today in History

Today is Saturday, Nov. 27, the 331st day of 2021. There are 34 days left in the year.

Todays Highlight in History:

On Nov. 27, 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone (mah-SKOH-nee) and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, a gay-rights activist, were shot to death inside City Hall by former supervisor Dan White. (White served five years for manslaughter; he took his own life in October 1985.)

On this date:

In 1901, the U.S. Army War College was established in Washington, D.C.

In 1924, Macys first Thanksgiving Day parade  billed as a Christmas Parade  took place in New York.

In 1942, during World War II, the Vichy French navy scuttled its ships and submarines in Toulon (too-LOHN) to keep them out of the hands of German troops.

In 1953, playwright Eugene ONeill died in Boston at age 65.

In 1962, the first Boeing 727 was rolled out at the companys Renton Plant near Seattle.

In 1967, the Beatles album Magical Mystery Tour was released in the United States by Capitol Records.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI, visiting the Philippines, was slightly wounded at the Manila airport by a dagger-wielding Bolivian painter disguised as a priest.

In 1973, the Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Gerald R. Ford as vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew, whod resigned.

In 1998, answering 81 questions put to him three weeks earlier, President Bill Clinton wrote the House Judiciary Committee that his testimony in the Monica Lewinsky affair was not false and misleading.

In 2000, a day after George W. Bush was certified the winner of Floridas presidential vote, Al Gore laid out his case for letting the courts settle the nations long-count election.

In 2007, a Somali immigrant (Nuradin Abdi) was sentenced to 10 years in prison for plotting to blow up an Ohio shopping mall.

In 2015, a gunman attacked a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, killing three people and injuring nine. (Suspect Robert Dear was sent to a psychiatric hospital after being deemed incompetent for trial; he was charged in federal court after his prosecution in state court stalled.)

Ten years ago: In an unprecedented move against an Arab nation, the Arab League approved economic sanctions against Syria, to pressure Damascus to end its deadly suppression of an 8-month-old uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Five years ago: President-elect Donald Trump claimed that millions had voted illegally in the national election, scoffing at Hillary Clintons nearly 2 million-vote edge in the popular vote and returning to his campaign mantra of a rigged race even as he prepared to enter the White House in less than two months.

One year ago: President Donald Trumps legal team suffered another defeat as a federal appeals court in Philadelphia roundly rejected the campaigns latest effort to challenge Pennsylvanias election results; Judge Stephanos Bibas, a Trump appointee, wrote that calling an election unfair does not make it so. The coronavirus pandemic kept crowds thin at stores across the country on Black Friday, but a surge in online shopping offered a small beacon of hope for struggling retailers. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the Iranian scientist who founded that countrys military nuclear program in the early 2000s, was killed in an attack on the outskirts of Tehran; Iran said Israel was responsible. California Gov. Gavin Newson reversed parole for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, marking the fourth time a governor had blocked her release.

Todays Birthdays: Footwear designer Manolo Blahnik is 79. Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow is 70. TV host Bill Nye (Bill Nye, the Science Guy) is 66. Actor William Fichtner (FIHK-nuhr) is 65. Caroline Kennedy is 64. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri is 64. Rock musician Charlie Burchill (Simple Minds) is 62. Actor Michael Rispoli is 61. Jazz composer/big band leader Maria Schneider is 61. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is 61. Rock musician Charlie Benante (Anthrax) is 59. Rock musician Mike Bordin (Faith No More) is 59. Actor Fisher Stevens is 58. Actor Robin Givens is 57. Actor Michael Vartan is 53. Actor Elizabeth Marvel is 52. Rapper Skoob (DAS EFX) is 51. Actor Kirk Acevedo is 50. Rapper Twista is 49. Actor Jaleel White is 45. Actor Arjay Smith is 38. Actor Alison Pill is 36. Actor Lashana Lynch (TV: Still Star-Crossed) is 34.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Native American leaders and Wisconsins attorney general are hoping to see more resources and support to address missing and murdered Indigenous women under an executive order signed recently by President Joe Biden.

Bidens order directs U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to develop a federal strategy to prevent and respond to violence against Native Americans, including the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people, within 240 days.

Justine Rufus, co-chair of the states Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, said action to address the issue is long overdue because awareness of the crisis has been lacking in the past. Rufus said Bidens order is a significant step that she hopes will result in meaningful actions that make a difference in tribal communities, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.

I think outcome is really important to our communities to ensure that we are safe and have the support of law enforcement and also access to the resources and to the databases that are necessary to protect our communities, said Rufus, a member of the Bad River tribe.

More than four in five Indigenous women have experienced violence in their lifetime, and American Indian and Alaska Native women are murdered at a rate three times higher than white women. Attorney General Josh Kaul formed a task force last year to investigate issues that play a role in the disappearance or murder of Indigenous women in Wisconsin.

As the task force examines those issues, law enforcement agencies reported 5,295 cases of missing Indigenous women and girls to the National Crime Information Center last year.

In Wisconsin, 22-year-old Katelyn Kelley was reported missing from the Menominee tribes reservation last June and her remains were discovered earlier this year. And a Nebraska man has been charged with the murder of Kozee Decorah. The 22-year-old Ho-Chunk woman and Wittenberg native was found burning in an outhouse on a Nebraska reservation.

Its really important to center the voices of the family in this work, said Rufus. And sometimes, I think that gets lostthat theres real life tragedies that are happening as were doing this work.

In June, Menominee tribal police said Kelleys death was still being investigated by tribal and federal law enforcement. Under Bidens order, federal officials are now tasked with developing a plan to address unsolved cases involving Native Americans.

Bidens directive also seeks to improve data collection and information-sharing across agencies. Wisconsins attorney general said thats critical as the state lacks accurate data on the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in the state, noting the agency recently hired an individual to work on data collection.

By having federal resources potentially supporting what were doing at the state level, thats going to help us collect data more comprehensively, and, hopefully, get a better understanding of what the data shows, said Kaul.

The number of missing and murdered Indigenous women is difficult to gauge due to underreporting and insufficient data collection. A report released in October by the U.S. Government Accountability Office highlighted not all tribes have access to the federal database. Rufus noted Wisconsin tribes rely on county partners to enter data on their behalf.

Shes pleased the executive order sets strict deadlines for agencies to evaluate gaps in data collection and services. Federal agencies have also been instructed to review whether changes are needed in awarding federal grants. Rufus said that could bring more support to tribes as they confront a lack of resources and funding around the issue.

Lac du Flambeau Police Chief T.J. Bill is hoping to see additional funding to aid law enforcement, prevention programs and other support services that often struggle with a shortage of staff.

When you have a smaller workforce or staff shortages, it becomes overwhelming, said Bill. The workload tends to spill over andit creates delays in what can be done, how it can be done.

Under Bidens order, federal agencies will be tasked with supporting tribal efforts to prevent and respond to violence, as well as strengthening prevention efforts and services for survivors and victims. The directive also instructs agencies to coordinate efforts to end human trafficking, build on training for federal agents and prosecutors, and strengthen participation in the Amber Alert in Indian Country initiative.

As federal agencies evaluate gaps, the states task force is continuing work to develop a report with recommendations to address issues thats set to be released sometime next year. Rufus said the task force may request an extension as work has slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Statistics Canada's job vacancy report suggests more employers are hiring, but there remain many vacant positions.

Canada had more than 1 million job vacancies in September

Canada had more than 1 million job vacancies in September Statistics Canada's job vacancy report suggests more employers are hiring, but there remain many vacant positions.

Canada had more than 1 million job vacancies in September Statistics Canada's job vacancy report suggests more employers are hiring, but there remain many vacant positions.

Canada had more than 1 million job vacancies in September Statistics Canada's job vacancy report suggests more employers are hiring, but there remain many vacant positions. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadas economy continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new Statistics Canada report.

A total of 91,100 people were added to payrolls across Canada in September, representing the fourth straight monthly increase.

Payroll employment increased in eight provinces. Ontario led the way with over 43,000 new employees added to payrolls. British Columbia (BC) was second, followed by Quebec.

Nationally, job gains were driven by the services-producing sector, namely accommodation and food services, public administration, and finance and insurance.

Statistics Canada notes that the re-opening of the Canada-U.S. border in August and easing of travel restrictions for tourists in September may have contributed to job growth in tourism and related sectors.

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Job shortages continue to be an issue. There were over 1 million job vacancies at the beginning of September. There were nearly 200,000 vacancies in the accommodation and food sector and the job vacancy rate was 14.4 per cent. The job vacancy rate measures all vacant positions as a percentage share of all vacant and occupied positions.

Over half of businesses in accommodation and food services report they expect to face obstacles in recruiting the right candidates. Just 30 per cent of all other businesses report similar concerns.

Health care and social assistance had over 130,000 vacancies in September, nearly double the total of vacancies in the third quarter of 2019.

Retail trade had nearly 122,000 vacancies in September.

Meanwhile, both the construction and manufacturing sectors had over 80,000 vacant positions each.

Statistics Canada explains that an increase in job vacancies may signal an increase in economic activity and hiring as employers create new roles. It may also signal worsening structural labour market imbalances, such as skills shortages and geographic mismatches between vacancies and workers capable of filling them. It also potentially signals a change in the willingness of workers to accept wages, hours, and other factors associated with job vacancies.

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Like many organizations, MITRE is wrestling with how to make hybrid work effective and seamless and adapting and applying new technologies and lessons learned along the way.

CIO.coms Maryfran Johnson sat down with John Wilson, vice president, CIO and chief security officer at MITRE, to discuss just that.

A 35-year veteran of MITRE, Wilson took on his current CIO/CSO combination role two years ago, in November of 2019. In this role, he oversees the 450-person enterprise computing information and security (ECIS) organization, and he also guides MITREs business transformation, a strategic multi-year effort to transform the business operations and the systems.

With dual headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts and McLean, Virginia, MITRE is a not-for-profit organization that manages the federally funded research and development centers, supporting various U.S. government agencies in aviation, defense, healthcare, information technology, and cybersecurity.

Following are edited excerpts of Wilsons conversation with Johnson on how to overcome hybrid work hurdles as part of CIO.coms Leadership Live series. To hear directly from Wilson and get additional insights on how he makes his dual role work, whats next in his zero trust journey, how he has transformed the ECIS organization, and more, watch the full video embedded below.

On managing the hybrid work environment:

Wilson: When we went remote, like a lot of organizations, we had to make some very quick technology shifts and make some changes. But by and large, Id say within a couple months, everything was up and running. And then really the question at that point was across our organization, different business units and 10,000 employees, how are they using what we put into place? So we put a lot of work into instrumenting the enterprise and the different tools to really get insights to see patterns of collaboration and usage around the tools.

Where were at now as a company is there are obviously some things that dont translate as well to remote collaboration as they do in person. So, we encourage teams really to figure out how best to work remotely together and how best to work onsite together, to get the best out of both experiences.

Then, as a company, again, we are trying to really instrument that, pay attention to where there may be certain barriers that are getting in the way, whether theyre technology barriers or certain groups in the company are just perhaps struggling with some of the emerging practices around hybrid work.

On addressing organizational complexity:

Because of the pandemic, we probably went a bit in the direction of making sure we had more tools to support the different needs of the business to collaborate and get their work done. So, for example, pre-pandemic we had an on-premises collaboration capability, using Skype. We had had that for a long time. Very early in the beginning of the pandemic, we switched to Microsoft Teams. And then the Healthcare Coalition stood up, they needed to do a lot using Zoom, because of the member organizations that were part of that.

So, our mindset was, We are willing to put different tools into play, so that the company can continue to deliver on its mission. I think once we [reach] a stable state then  thats the opportunity to kind of take a step back and take stock and say, How do we do some consolidation?

On innovating around hybrid work:

There are always lots of good ideas that are coming up every day inside the organization. And unfortunately, they can often go sort of unseen to the company. So [we developed] the concept of the micro grant  to allow someone with an idea to run with it for a few days to further develop it, and to do that without a lot of oversight and review.

A recent [example of something that came out of this program], that just came in literally a couple days ago, was this concept of a Project War Room. So, in the government and the sponsors that we serve there is this concept around projects called a war room. And traditionally, years and years ago, youd block out a conference room, the team would basically live in the conference room. The conference room would have the walls covered with schedules, with artifacts, with analyses....

And so the micro grant was [to address the question] how do you create a war room in this hybrid world, across virtual and physical spaces? And there are really no commercial tools that we found that sort of go after that directly. So, its really going to be a combination of some technologies and working models to allow us to create that type of experience of Project War Room in the hybrid world that were working in.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. Thunder possible. High 61F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy with light rain early...then becoming partly cloudy. Low 36F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Mesothelioma UK staff in front of the new headquarters

Mesothelioma UK has moved to new headquarters that it hopes will be the the perfect platform to support its expansion.

The cancer charity is based in Leicester and offers support, research and advice to people affected by Asbestos-related cancer, was founded in 2004 and now employs 12 staff.

Its operational staff, who will be based at the new site, support dozens of specialist nurses working in NHS hospitals around the country.

Liz Darlison, the chief executive of Mesothelioma UK, said: We are so proud that our charity is going from strength to strength, and very excited to be in new premises.

Weve grown the Mesothelioma UK team, both nurses and operational staff, considerably over the last few years and this growth coupled with our amazing new HQ is the perfect platform to develop the charity and have a greater impact.

Jane Hunt MP, who represents the constituency where the charity will now be based, said: Id like to warmly welcome Mesothelioma UK to their new home in Mountsorrel.

We have a tremendous community spirit here, and we are already home to many amazing people and organisations performing some incredible things.

Hunt added that she expected the charity to find themselves right at home here.

Raising millions

Mesothelioma UK was founded in 2018 and has raised just under 4m in its first two years, according to its annual accounts.

In the same period the charity has spent around 2.3m.

A spokesperson confirmed that that staff numbers had grown at Mesothelioma UK, as well as the remit of the charity, so the move would provide more space and resources for its work. They said that the charity had not bought the new headquarters but were paying a peppercorn rent.

The financial accounts show that the charity employed four members of staff in 2019-20, compared with 12 today.

sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Someone once said having a Twitter account is like talking to yourself, hoping someone will join in.

Not everyone is lucky to have a following that even many brands have difficulty finding a corner of Twitter where they can convey their messages to the right audience.

However, beverage giant Pepsi did not let this problem bring it down, and eventually became one of the most talked about brands on social media, specifically Twitter, and is now the most hyped in the beverage/drink category.

In 2020, Pepsi was the only non-tech brand in the Top 10 of the Most Tweeted Brands for the year, alongside Spotify, Apple, Netflix, Lazada, and Shopee. This was achieved with an advertising budget lower than that of other big beverage brands as seen in a study. This is called connecting with your audience.

Forward to 2021, the buzz about Pepsi continued online with content that's relevant and always timely.

"What makes a content stand out is its cultural relevance; if the community shares the same sentiments and if it echoes the conversations prevailing at the moment. In Pepsi's case, they were able to cut through the noise by incorporating the language of their target audience and tapping the right people to get it across," said Tina Pang, head of Twitter's Client Solutions, Southeast Asia.

Pepsi's campaigns, which include the viral #PepsiHitSaSarap, are innovative yet traditional. For the Hit Sa Sarap campaign, the brand emphasized the importance of enjoying meals with family and friends. The campaign included giant screens on the streets of LA and New York featuring the faces of Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, SB19, Mimiyuuuh, and Ricci Rivero.

Pepsi Hit Sa Sarap reminded us of how nice it is to sit down for a meal with people we love and treasure.

Photo from Pepsi

"At a time when consumers have the full power to determine what goes viral, it is not enough for people to enjoy our advertising material. Our communications need to stand out and be captivating for consumers to share, post, tweet, and pin. They need to love it," said Gutzee Segura, CSD Marketing lead of PepsiCo PH.

As a brand, Pepsi is attuned to what is happening on Twitter. It listens to what its audience is saying and responds to what it sees as relevant content.

As Segura puts it, "it boils down to knowing what your target market wants, what they're looking for, and serving that to them."

"People are keeping it real on Twitter, so these conversations definitely give a brand its much needed boost on awareness or engagement and in a way, in driving purchase intention, and sales," Pang said.

Pepsi looked at Twitter insights on K-pop and P-pop, then used these to highlight content about Blackpink and SB19. From these insights, the brand knew what type of content their target market  young millennials and Gen Z 16-25 years old  was looking for.

This target market values its online identity, being digital natives.

"Being at the prime of their youth, they always want to enjoy and maximize life's experiences. However, given the pandemic, these experiences have been limited to in-home activities so Pepsi provides them with the experience that satisfies their need for variety, novelty, and excitement from their usual days," said Segura.

According to Kantar, 91% of Pepsi's target market drink carbonated drinks so the brand's endorsers and brand ambassadors are selected based on who best personifies the brand's personality, values, and purpose.

Blackpink was chosen because the group has a youthful attitude and zest for life that perfectly embodies the Pepsi brand.

Photo from Pepsi

Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, SB19, Ricci Rivero, Alyssa Valdez, Kiefer Ravena, and Mimiyuuuh were picked because their young fans are inspired by their success, hard work, and positive attitude.

"Our endorsers and brand ambassadors serve as a seamless extension of Pepsi and help amplify our story," Segura pointed out.

A brand's social media presence plays a critical role in establishing its identity and Pepsi has succeeded in establishing itself as brand with a fun and youthful vibe that aims to push the next generation to reach their goals and dreams.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  Motorcylce ride-hailing service Angkas will offer free rides to healthcare workers to and from vaccination sites during the national vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

Angkas co-founder and chief transport advocate George Royeca told CNN Philippines the offer will be available to medical frontliners based in Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, and Metro Cebu.

Royeca said interested healthcare workers can visit Angkas' Facebook page, where they can fill up a link so their names will be listed in the Angkas app.

A promo code and text message will be received by the healthcare worker to know if he or she is eligible for the free ride.

Angkas is also considering extending the free rides to medical frontliners beyond Dec. 1, Royeca added.

The national government is targeting to administer nine million vaccine doses during the three-day vaccination drive to complete its goal of having 54 million fully vaccinated Filipinos by year-end.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  Reaching broader audiences remains to be a challenge for the local scientific community, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Fortunato de la Pena said on Saturday.

"Other than weather updates issued by the DOST's PAGASA and volcanic and related geologic advisories by DOST's Phivolcs, the department for a long time did not figure much in the popular consciousness of Filipino," the secretary said during the second day of the 28th Annual Conference of the Asian Media Information and Communication Center.

He mentioned surveys in previous years that found only 6% of Filipinos have read science news, while scientists devote only 10% of their time communicating with the public. Journalists also expressed difficulty in covering the field due to its subjects' highly technical nature.

The DOST tries to bridge this gap by making use of different media platforms such as social media. It also launched a television program called "Siyensikat," which promotes the DOST's projects.

"To achieve any measure of success, scientists must be willing to communicate and engage, regardless of their field or career path," he said. "It can also make science accessible to audiences that traditionally have been excluded from the process of science."

De la Pena said his agency's goal is to promote publicly funded solutions and build partnerships with policymakers and their stakeholders. This would also entail effort on the part of scientists to communicate their work beyond their peers.

He added that science communication should be elevated from being a "soft skill" to a core skill in the sector.

"I hold that when scientists can and are willing to communicate effectively beyond their peers to broader non-scientist audiences, it builds support for science, promotes understanding of its wider relevance to society, and encourages more informed decision-making at all levels from government to communities to individuals," the DOST chief said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  The government is discussing the possible expansion of the travel ban meant to prevent the spread of Omicron, a new COVID-19 variant of concern, a health official said Saturday.

"May ongoing po na discussion ngayon at asahan niyo po na magkakaroon ng mga developments within the day or by tomorrow tungkol sa possible expansion," Department of Health Director Beverly Ho said in a government briefing.

[Translation: There is already an ongoing discussion, and expect that developments will occur within the day or by tomorrow regarding the possible expansion.]

She made the remark after being asked whether the country will also suspend inbound flights from Hong Kong since it has two Omicron cases.

South Africa, where Omicron was first detected, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique are currently included in the ban, which is in effect until Dec. 15.

Passengers who arrive before 12:01 a.m. of Nov. 28 despite staying in the abovementioned countries for the past 14 days will still be allowed to enter the Philippines. However, they will be subject to a 14-day facility-based quarantine.

Other countries also imposed new travel restrictions shortly after the world learned about the new Omicron variant.

While studies are ongoing to determine how dangerous Omicron is, some of its mutations are "concerning," according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Preliminary evidence also suggests an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron, as compared to other variants of concern, WHO added.

In light of the new variant, DOH's Ho reminded everyone that fighting COVID-19 variants is a shared responsibility. She advised people to get vaccinated if they have not yet done so and continue following the government-prescribed minimum health standards to protect themselves and their families.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27) - If elected next year, labor leader and presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman will slap billionaires with a wealth tax targeted to fund his 1-trillion recovery plan.

De Guzman, who is running under Partido Lakas ng Masa, is eyeing to impose a one-time 20% wealth tax on the richest 500 families to fuel the country's recovery next year.

"Ang aking panukala ay ang plano sa pang-ekonomyang pag-ahon na pinangungunahan ng gobyerno at tinuturing ang kagalingan ng manggagawa at taumbayan bilang pundasyon ng ekonomya. Tutukan ang kagalingan, kalusugan, at karapatan ng ordinaryong mamamayan, hindi ang tutubuin ng mga bilyonaryo," De Guzman said in a statement on Saturday.

[Translation: I propose a state-driven economic recovery plan that considers the welfare of labor and the Filipino people as the foundation of the economy. Focus on the welfare, health, and rights of ordinary people, not the profit margins of billionaires.]

With an expected 1-trillion tax collections, the bulk of it will be used to bolster the healthcare system and address unemployment rate - 475 billion for public jobs generation program, and 400 billion for health stimulus.

The remaining 125 billion will be provided as assistance for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises.

The presidential hopeful said the multibillion-peso budget for the livelihood program would slash unemployment rate by half, as it is expected to generate 2.45 million jobs, including the following positions:

- 200,000 barangay health workers

- 50,000 forest rangers and forest biodiversity caretakers

- 300,000 teaching assistants and school personnel

- 500,000 agriculture workers

- 200,000 construction workers assigned to National Housing Authority

- 200,000 public works workers

To continue the momentum in the job market, De Guzman also seeks to earmark 500 billion per year starting 2023. This targets to employ two million workers annually at a 750 daily wage.

"[This will] be funded by recurring wealth tax on financial assets, from 1% to 5% based on a tiered-tax rate and a wealth threshold," his statement read.

De Guzman is also preparing for an unemployment insurance program, with a yearly budget of 90 billion. The program aims to provide 500 daily allowance to 1.3 million involuntarily unemployed workers for six months.

If he wins the presidency, the labor leader said he also wants to reverse the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) Law for additional annual corporate income tax to fund the unemployment insurance program.

A 250-billion budget will also be allocated per year to ensure better compensation for healthcare workers.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  With the New Year celebration just around a month away, one tandem aspiring for the two highest posts in the land in 2022 is pushing for the regulation of the local fireworks industry.

Presidential hopeful Ping Lacson and his running mate Tito Sotto emphasized the need to regulate the industry to support fireworks vendors.

During a visit Saturday to Bulacan - the so-called fireworks capital of the Philippines - Lacson also said the selling of firecrackers from China should be prohibited in the country to encourage more Filipinos to work in the local fireworks industry.

"Gamitin natin ang talent ng ating kababayan para sila yung gumawa ng mga fireworks tuwing bisperas ng Bagong Taon, maski bisperas ng Pasko pwede rin (Let's use our countrymen's talent so they can make the fireworks for us for New Year's Eve, even for Christmas Eve)," Lacson added.

The Lacson-Sotto tandem is also pushing for a more organized fireworks display to prevent firecracker injuries.

"Palitan na natin ang kultura na tayo ang gusto magsindi, tayo magtatapon, kaya kung minsan sumasabog sa kamay (Let's end the culture of us wanting to light the firecracker and toss it, that's why sometimes they explode in your hand)," Lacson said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)  Vice President Leni Robredo has toned down her stance on the Duterte administration's controversial anti-communist insurgency task force, explaining that while she supports its mandate, some members have put a stain on the group.

Despite previously calling for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), Robredowho is vying for the presidencyclarified that she is "all for the mandate and functions of ELCAC".

"In fact, 'yung (the) Barangay Development Fund, I think that's the best part of everything. Paniniwala ko (I believe), it is only through concepts like this that the problems of insurgency can be addressed upfront, Robredo said during a security briefing with some officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

RELATED: Robredo wants whole-of-government approach to fight terrorism  spox

The official also believes that "most of the task force's members" work hard to stamp out the insurgency.

Robredo, however, said that "careless statements" of certain members have put the task force in a bad light, citing that even she was not spared from red-tagging.

"I've been on the receiving end of unfair accusations. I've been red tagged and the red tagging has been baseless. Kaisa nyo ako sa pagsubok na masugpo ito (I'm with you in putting an end to this insurgency) by addressing the core of these problems, and the peripheral issues surrounding it," she said.

In a separate statement, Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares said Robredo's "contradictory stand" on the NTF-ELCAC is "worrisome."

"She had previously pointed out that under the task force's lead, various agencies have ended up terrorizing the countryside, illegally arresting activists, and red-tagged critics including her. This is precisely why her allies in the Senate have moved to slash the body's budget," he said Saturday.

Colmenares also claimed the task force was created to attack those critical of the current administration.

"Pwede namang panatilihin niya ang magandang relasyon sa AFP nang hindi sinusuportahan ang militarista, marahas, at kontra-mamamayang gawain ng NTF-ELCAC," he added.

[Translation: She can maintain good relations with the AFP without supporting the militarist, violent, and anti-people activities of the NTF-ELCAC.]
Hao12369.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 16 Oct 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the hao12369 homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if hao12369 has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the hao12369 homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the hao12369 homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the hao12369 homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the hao12369 homepage on Twitter + the total number of hao12369 followers (if hao12369 has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



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Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE SERVER nginx/1.4.1 OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of hao12369.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

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Congratulations, smart.ph got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Smart.ph scored 78 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 19 Jun 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the smart homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the smart homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the smart homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if smart has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the smart homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the smart homepage on Twitter + the total number of smart followers (if smart has a Twitter account).

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PAGE TITLE ::Welcome to Smart Home Care:: DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS smart home care, smart home, home care, smart, welcome, business, company



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2

The language of smart.ph as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for smart.ph by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/smarthomecarebusinessltd DESCRIPTION M L M BUSINESS CONCEPT LIKES 7 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 0 PAGE TYPE Company TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page.

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TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/1SMARTHOMECARE DESCRIPTION ACCOUNT CREATED ON LOCATION TWEETS FOLLOWERS LISTED
The other day, we were telling you about the USS Shenandoah, the first airship to use helium. The crazy fact we wanted to share was how much helium it used. It held more than 2 million cubic feet of the stuff, as much as around ten Goodyear blimps, which was at the time most of the world's helium reserves.

But helium seemed like a worthy upgrade from hydrogen. The reason, or course: safety. Hydrogen is extremely flammable, while helium isn't flammable at all. Helium airships won't explodeand despite what cartoons might tell you, they also won't suddenly pop or go whizzing uncontrollably if punctured. The airship has a rigid body, and the helium is kept at a low pressure, which means it won't rush out even if a hole does rip open.

Despite all this, the USS Shenandoah ended its life with a huge crash. Meanwhile, a fair number of hydrogen airships went into retirement without any deadly incidents whatever.

It was September 2, 1925. A storm yanked the Shenandoah too high in the atmosphere, and that "low-pressure" helium suddenly was pretty high-pressure compared to the rarified air around it. The wind ripped much of the ship apart. It crashed to the ground, killing 14 of the 43 aboard. Incidentally, that's roughly the same proportion of people who'd die in the Hindenburg disaster 12 years laterdespite that famous fiery photo, 62 of the 97 aboard the Hindenburg survived.
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  Albanian prosecutors said on Thursday that they have launched a murder investigation into the deaths of four Russian tourists at a local beach resort last month.

The four Russians  a married couple, their daughter and son-in-law  were found dead in a hotel sauna in the village of Qerret, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the capital Tirana, on Oct. 15.
A conservative Connecticut senator said he did not sign on to a letter from nearly 190 Republican state lawmakers from around the country, calling for a nationwide audit of the 2020 presidential vote that could lead to a possible move to overturn the election in the U.S. House of Representatives.

State Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, whose district includes Cheshire, Prospect, Southington and part of Waterbury, said in a statement that he never agreed to add his name to the public memo organized by state Sen. Wendy Rogers, of Arizona. The document, dated Nov. 23, portrays erroneous claims about fraud in the presidential election. There is no constitutional procedure for overturning the election.

I have not signed this letter, said Sampson, a member of the General Assembly since 2011 who is also the top Republican on the committee that oversees Connecticut election legislation. In late October, I had my legislative assistant contact Sen. Rogers in response to inquiries from several constituents suggesting I should sign on. We followed up by email to Sen. Rogers asking her to provide us with a copy of the letter, her justification for requiring an audit of all 50 states, and any evidence she had collected in support of that effort.

Sampson said Rogers replied that nearly 200 others had signed the letter and to reply by email if he wanted to be included.

There were no answers to my questions and no evidence provided, so I chose not to, he said, adding that, year after year, I have proposed legislation for audits, for photo identification, for signature verification, and for improving our election system so that the results are something every person regardless of their political party can and will trust.

Rogerss office in the Arizona state legislature did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Earlier this year, Sampson charged there was fraud in the states 2020 balloting, but he did not file a complaint. It was later found that a photo of an outdoor ballot box, portrayed as overflowing with ballots, was taken days after the August primary in West Haven.

This year, the State Elections Enforcement Commission has rejected dozens of fraud allegations.

It is true that our state has significant election integrity issues, particularly with mail-in voting  which I have detailed in hours of senate debate, but they are different from the issues in Arizona and around the country, Sampson said. I appreciate Senator Rogers' efforts to draw attention to election integrity. However, I find it improper to call for the decertification of any election without first providing proof.

Attempts to overturn the presidential election vote were rejected by federal judges throughout the nation. The controversy culminated in the Jan. 6 insurrection in the United States Capitol with more than 700 arrests.

President Joe Biden won the election with 306 electoral votes to Donald Trumps 232. Biden won the popular vote with 81.2 million ballots to Trumps 74.2 million.

We call on each state to decertify its electors where it has been shown the elections were certified prematurely and inaccurately, the Rogers statement said.

This is our historic obligation to restore the election integrity of the vote as the bedrock of our constitutional republic, said the statement, which includes the names of 189 state lawmakers, including 13 from Arizona, where a post-election audit found even more votes for Biden. The only other Northeastern lawmakers in the list are three state senators from Maine.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
LONDON (AP)  The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread.

The U.K. on Saturday tightened its rules on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases. New cases were confirmed Saturday in Germany and Italy, with Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong also reporting that the variant has been found in travelers.

In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments top infectious diseases expert, said he would not be surprised if the omicron variant was already in the United States, too.

We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility ... it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over, Fauci said on NBC television.

Because of fears that the new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped.

Nearly two years since the start of the pandemic that has claimed more than 5 million lives around the world, countries are on high alert. Many have already imposed travel restrictions on flights from southern Africa as they seek to buy time to assess whether the omicron variant is more transmissible than the current dominant delta variant.

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take targeted and precautionary measures after two people tested positive for the new variant in England.

Right now this is the responsible course of action to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant and to maximize our defenses, he told a news conference.

Among the measures announced, Johnson said anyone arriving in England must take a PCR test for COVID-19 on the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they provide a negative test. And if someone tests positive for the omicron variant, then he said their close contacts will have to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status  currently close contacts are exempt from quarantine rules if they are fully vaccinated.

He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required and said the independent group of scientists that advises the British government on the rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been asked to accelerate the vaccination program. This could involve widening the booster program to younger age groups, reducing the time period between a second dose and a booster and allowing older children to get a second dose.

From today were going to boost the booster campaign," he said.

Britain's Department of Health said the two cases found in the U.K. were linked and involved travel from southern Africa. One of the two new cases was in the southeastern English town of Brentwood, while the other was in the central city of Nottingham. The two confirmed cases are self-isolating with their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place.

The British government also added four more countries  Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia  onto the country's travel red list from Sunday. Six others  Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe  were added Friday. That means anyone permitted to arrive from those destinations will have to quarantine.

Many countries have slapped restrictions on various southern African countries over the past couple of days, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Iran, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand and the United States, in response to warnings over the transmissibility of the new variant. This goes against the advice of the World Health Organization, which has warned against any overreaction before the variant was thoroughly studied.

Despite the banning of flights, there are mounting concerns that the variant has already been widely seeded around the world.

Italy and Germany were the latest to report confirmed cases of the omicron variant.

An Italian who had traveled to Mozambique on business landed in Rome on Nov. 11 and returned to his home near Naples. He and five family members, including two school-age children, have since tested positive, the Italian news agency LaPresse said. All are isolating in the Naples suburb of Caserta in good condition with light symptoms.

The variant was confirmed by Sacco hospital in Milan, and Italys National Health Institute said the man had received two doses of the vaccine. Italys health ministry is urging all regions to increase its tracing of the virus and sequencing to detect cases of the new variant first identified in South Africa.

In Germany, the Max von Pettenkofer Institute, a Munich-based microbiology center, said the omicron variant was confirmed in two travelers who arrived on a flight from South Africa on Nov. 24. The head of the institute, Oliver Keppler, said that genome sequencing has yet to be completed, but it is proven without doubt that it is this variant, German news agency dpa reported.

The Dutch public health institute said the omicron variant was probably found in a number of the tested persons who were isolated after arriving Friday in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa. The institute said in a statement that further sequencing analysis is underway to determine for sure that it is the new variant. The results were expected Sunday. A total of 61 people were tested.

Israel said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and was tracing 800 travelers who returned recently from southern African countries. And Australia said early Sunday its scientists were working to determine whether two people who tested positive for COVID after arriving from southern Africa are infected with the omicron variant.

The variants swift spread among young people in South Africa has alarmed health professionals even though there was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease.

A number of pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer, said they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of omicron. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they expect to be able to tweak their vaccine in around 100 days.

Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the omicron variant, noting that most of the mutations appear to be in similar regions as those in other variants.

At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease, but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed," he told BBC radio.

Some experts said the variants emergence illustrated how rich countries hoarding of vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic.

Fewer than 6% of people in Africa have been fully immunized against COVID-19, and millions of health workers and vulnerable populations have yet to receive a single dose. Those conditions can speed up spread of the virus, offering more opportunities for it to evolve into a dangerous variant.

One of the key factors to emergence of variants may well be low vaccination rates in parts of the world, and the WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded," said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Saturday with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, and they stressed the importance of working together to help African nations vaccinate their populations, the State Department said in a statement. It said Blinken praised South Africa's scientists for quickly identifying the omicron variant and the government for its transparency in sharing this information, which should serve as a model for the world.

___

Geir Moulson in Berlin, Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Colleen Barry in Milan, Lynn Berry in Washington, and Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
HOOVER, Ala. (AP)  Four people were arrested Friday during a protest inside the Riverchase Galleria where a 21-year-old man was shot and killed by police during Thanksgiving shopping three years ago.

The mall in suburban Birmingham was the site of a 2018 police shooting where an officer fatally shot a Black man after mistaking him for the gunman in an earlier shooting at the mall.
BRIDGEPORT  As Bridgeport schools struggle to attract and retain teachers, district officials are trying a new approach: Encourage their own students to return as educators.

On Monday night, the Bridgeport Board of Education approved Educators Rising, a national grow your own teacher program that prepares high school students for careers in education, while they also start earning college credits.

The push to build up the local workforce comes as Bridgeport reported last week an estimated 70 teacher and staff vacancies  an unprecendented and stubborn crisis that has yet to budge since early fall. That makes the program a win-win for the district and its students, school administrators suggested.

The real advantage of this is that were constantly having such a high turnover of teachers that are trained here and go elsewhere, Jay Lipp, a principal on the Fairchild Wheeler campus, told the teaching and learning committee.

It would be really great to train our Bridgeport students on how to be educators at these STEM schools, and then become our STEM teachers in the future, he said.

Through the program, students at Bridgeport Military Academy and Fairchild Wheeler can get exposure to teaching careers, take two education courses at the University of Bridgeport, and progress toward post-secondary degrees and teaching credentials. Educators Rising also provides the high school students with access to resources and conferences, and their teachers with the curriculum and training to support them.

Students can take these courses in high school as part of the Educators Rising program, get experiences in what it means to be a teacher, as well as get some field experiences where they can go spend some time in classrooms assisting, said Nancy DeJarnette, the director of the school of education at UB.

District officials, meanwhile, hope the students who become educators will want to return to the schools they grew up in and stay there for their careers.

Central to Bridgeports staffing woes is a constant exodus of mid-career teachers. Roughly 40 percent of the districts educators are in their first six years in the profession, while 30 percent have been employed by the district for about a decade or more, Superintendent Michael Testani recently told the finance committee.

So as the district recruits staff, an equal share leave Bridgeport for supposed greener pastures, whether thats higher wages or more manageable classrooms  where a teacher might have fewer students or access to more materials and support staff.

The revolving door of educators means Bridgeport students are often being taught by less experienced teachers.

Were a training ground, said Testani. And thats not fair.

Educators Risings footprint has been growing in Connecticut for a few years, from a pilot in New Britain to an expansion last year to 10 districts that include Stamford, Danbury, Waterbury, New Haven, Hartford and others. The program, previously offered through Central Connecticut State University, is also in the process of expanding to more universities, including the University of Bridgeport.

The state partnership brings the out-of-pocket cost to schools to $3,500 for teacher training and curriculum materials, representatives quoted for Bridgeport.

Theres some cost, said Lipp, the principal. But if you look at what the cost is to train a teacher, and have them here for a year or two, then they go to some other school district because they want to go back to where they grew up, is crazy.

Im projecting that students that are from the city would more likely want to stay and work in the city, especially if they go to the schools that they went to, he said.

Connecticut officials have previously billed the program as a way to recruit educators of color that better represent the diversity of the student populations they teach. Just 9.6 percent of the states educator workforce were teachers of color, while more than 45 percent of students identify as people of color, they said last year.

Part of that push is lowering the barriers to entry. Becoming a teacher can be an arduous and expensive process. Through Educators Rising, high school students earn college credits at no cost to them, reducing time and money down the road. And students who matriculate to the University of Bridgeport can enroll in a 4+1 program, and graduate with bachelors and masters degrees in education.

The program also partners with school districts that give students classroom experience and compensate them in tuition.

This is something we havent offered before, said Lipp. And I think this can be a real game-changer for some of our students, because they may have thought about it but didnt realize how feasible it was.
- Reviewed by James Stanley, Nov. 24, 2021

What is a trading journal?

A trading journal is a log that you can use to record your trades. Traders use a trading journal to reflect upon previous trades so that they may evaluate themselves, and you should too! You can use journals to evaluate where you can improve your trading. They are a useful form of record keeping.

Why trading journals are useful

Main reasons to keep a trading journal include:

They help you identify weak points and strong points in your style.

Journals could increase trading consistency.

The journal could keep you accountable.

The journal can help you choose your best trading strategy.

Keeping a journal is a simple yet extremely effective way to improve a trading plan. A trading plan is a set of rules and guidelines you will follow that includes strategy, risk management, and trader psychology.

How to create a trading journal

Creating a trading journal is simple and you can tailor one to your specific trading goals and style. The following steps are a basic guide, which are explained in more depth below:

Choose between a book or a spreadsheet. We recommend using a spreadsheet. Identify what information you would like to record. (Date of trade, underlying asset, position size etc.) Record your trades directly after you have finished placing your stop losses and take profits. After a designated period (daily/monthly/weekly) compile the data and reflect upon the trades.

Step 1: Choose a book or spreadsheet

We recommend using a spreadsheet because of the built-in analytical functions. These can help you reflect upon the trades as we explain in step 4.

Step 2: Identify the information to record

The standard format of a trading journal will include these main criteria:

Currency Pair Size Long/Short Date Conviction Strategy used Points Successful or not? USD/JPY 1 lot Long 30 Jan 19 High Fundamentals 100 Successful

The standard format is an example of a simple trade journal. It can help you reflect on your trades, but with a few extra criteria we can enhance the journal so that it provides much more useful information.

Useful information to consider adding include:

Reason for trade: The reason could be due to technical or fundamental analysis or a combination of both. Once you have executed several trades you can reflect on this information to see if your reasons for trading are bearing tangible results. This could also help you determine which strategy works better for you -technical analysis or fundamental analysis.

Conviction: Conviction is how you feel about the trade. If you are making the trade based on a technical pattern and if the pattern checks off several guidelines, then we can list the conviction as high. However, if the pattern or fundamental story isnt really clean, then the conviction may be medium or low depending on the factors basing the trade. By writing down your conviction, you can calculate the amount of successful trades you have had with each rank of conviction. This could help you determine whether you should only trade when you are very convinced or not.

Other: You can put whatever you feel is necessary to record in your journal. Some traders add a criterion for how they feel emotionally when placing the trade. Anything you feel will help you, write down.

Step 3: Record the trades directly after the trade

Get into the habit of recording the details of the trade directly after the trade, while it is still fresh. This way you wont have to remember what your reasons were for taking the trade. Make sure to do this only after placing your stop-loss and take-profit.

Step 4: Compile the data and reflect upon the trades

After a certain amount of time, preferably a few months so you have enough data, you can compile the data in your trade journal.

If you have a conviction criterion in your journal, tally up the amount of successful trades made when your conviction was high, medium, and low. Once you have this data you can make the decision of whether it is worth trading only when your conviction is high or not.

For example, if you maintained a high conviction in 10 trades and eight of them were successful trades (Take-profits were hit) thats as 80% probability of success on your historical trades. If your conviction was low on 10 trades and only two were successful trades thats a 20% probability of success. Therefore, you would conclude that it is only worth trading when your conviction is high.

You can do this will all the different types of criteria so that you can reflect on your trading and improve.

Trading Journal Template

Here is an example of a trading journal template that includes type of trading strategy used as a criterion.

Having discussed the different criteria, you could include in your journal, the table above illustrates how you could organize all this information in a spreadsheet. You can download the template above for personal use from page five of our free building confidence in trading guide.

Trading Journals: A Summary

Having a trading journal should be one of the first steps traders implement when learning to trade. A journal is of utmost important to testing different strategies and finding which trading plans work for individual traders.

A trading journal is essential in testing whether a current trading strategy is working. To summarize:

Trading journals are there to log your trading activity.

They help traders test different trading plans and strategies.

Trading journals can also help traders pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in a trading style.

To add to your knowledge see the Number One Mistake Traders Make where we analyzed thousands of live trades and came to a striking conclusion.

If you are a forex trader, you can read our article on keeping a forex trading journal that includes tips on finding the journaling method that fits you.
- Reviewed by James Stanley, Nov. 24, 2021

Human error in the forex market is common and often leads to familiar trading mistakes. These trading mistakes crop up particularly with novice traders on a regular basis. Being aware of these errors, can help traders become more efficient in their forex trading. Although all traders make trading mistakes regardless of experience, understanding the logic behind these mistakes may limit the snowball effect of trading impediments. This article will outline the top ten trading mistakes and ways to overcome them. These mistakes are part of a constant learning process whereby traders need habitually familiarise themselves with them to avoid repeat wrongdoings.

The video included highlights six trading mistakes, however there will be more covered in the article below. It is important to note that trading comes with the inevitability of loss, but these may be minimised with the exclusion of human error/mistakes.

Prior to committing to forex trading, consider these 10 widespread trading mistakes you must evade as they contribute to a large proportion of unsuccessful trades.

Mistake 1: No trading plan

Traders without a trading plan tend to be haphazard in their approach because there is no consistency in strategy. Trading strategies have predefined guidelines and approaches to every trade. This prevents traders from making irrational decisions due to adverse movements. Devoting to a trading strategy is key because veering away may lead to traders plunging themselves into unchartered territory with regards to trading style. This eventually results in trading mistakes due to unfamiliarity. Trading strategies should be tested on a demo account . Once traders are comfortable and understand the strategy, this can be translated to a live account.

Mistake 2: Over-leveraging

Margin/leverage refers to the use of loaned money to open forex positions. While this feature requires less personal capital per trade, the possibility of enhanced loss is real. The use of leverage magnifies gains and losses, so managing the amount of leverage is key. Learn more on what is leverage in the forex market.

Brokers play an important role in protecting their customers. Many brokers offer unnecessarily large leverage levels such as 1000:1 which puts novice and experienced traders at significant risk. Regulated brokers will cap leverage to appropriate levels guided by respected financial authorities. This should be taken into consideration when selecting a fitting broker.

Mistake 3: Lack of time horizon

Time investment works hand in hand with the trading strategy being implemented. Each trading approach aligns itself to varying time horizons, therefore understanding the strategy will lead to gauging the estimated time frame used per trade. For example, a scalper will target shorter time frames whilst positions traders favour the longer time frames. Explore the forex strategies for varying time horizons.

Mistake 4: Minimal research

Forex traders are required to invest in proper research to employ and execute a specific trading strategy. Studying the market as it should be, will bring light to market trends, timing of entry/exit points and fundamental influences as well. The more time dedicated to the market, the greater the understanding of the product itself. Within the forex market, there are subtle nuances between the different pairs and how they work. These differences need thorough examination to succeed in the market of choice.

Reacting to media and baseless advice should be avoided without verification from the employed strategy and analysis. This is a common occurrence with traders. This does not mean these tips and media releases should not be considered, but rather investigated systematically prior to acting on the information.

Mistake 5: Poor risk-to-reward ratios

Positive risk-to-reward ratios are often overlooked by traders which can result in poor risk management. A positive risk-to-reward ratio such as 1:2 refers to potential profit being double the potential loss on the trade. The chart below shows a long EUR/USD trade with a 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio. The trade was opened at a level of 1.12698 with a stop at 1.12598 (10 pips) and a limit of 1.12898 (20 pips). An effective indicator to help identify stop and limit levels in forex is the Average True Range (ATR) which uses market volatility to base entry and exit points.

Having a ratio in mind helps to manage expectations of traders, this is important because after much research by DailyFX, improper risk management has proven to be the number one mistake made by traders.

EUR/USD 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio:

Mistake 6: Emotion based trading

Emotional trading often leads to irrational and unsuccessful trading. Traders frequently open additional positions after losing trades to compensate for the previous loss. These trades usually have no educational backing either technically or fundamentally. Trading plans are there to avoid this type of trading therefore, it is imperative that the plan is followed closely.

Mistake 7: Inconsistent trading size

Trading size is crucial to every trading strategy. Many traders trade unsuitable sizes in relation to their account size. Risk then increases and could potentially erase account balances. DailyFX recommends risking a maximum of 2% of the total account size. For example, if the account contains $10,000 then a maximum of $200 of risk is suggested per trade. If traders observe this general rule, the pressure of overexposing the account will be removed. The inherent risk of overexposing the account on a particular market is extremely dangerous.

Mistake 8: Trading on numerous markets

Trading on a few markets lets traders gain the necessary experience to become proficient at these markets without scratching the surface of a few markets. Many novice forex traders look to trade on multiple markets without success due to lack of understanding. This is something that should be done on a demo account if need be. Noise trading (irrational trading) often leads traders to place trades without the proper fundamental/technical justification on varying markets. For example, the Bitcoin craze of 2018 sucked in a lot of noise traders at the wrong time. Unfortunately, many traders entered at the FOMO or Euphoria stage of the market cycle which resulted in significant losses.

Mistake 9: Not reviewing trades

Frequent use of a trading journal will allow traders to identify possible strategic flaws along with successful facets. This will enhance the traders overall understanding of the market and strategy for future. Reviewing trades not only highlight errors, but beneficial aspects as well which must be reinforced on a constant basis.

Mistake 10: Selecting an unsuitable broker

There are numerous CFD brokers globally, so choosing the right one can be difficult. Financial stability and proper regulation are essential before opening an account with a broker. This information should be readily available on the brokers website. Many brokers are regulated in countries where guidelines are weak, to circumvent regulations in stricter jurisdictions such as the US (Commodity Exchange Act) and the UK (FCA).

Safety is the primary focus; however, a comfortable platform and ease of execution is also central to choosing a broker. Becoming accustomed with the platform and costing should be given ample time prior to trading with live funds.

Forex Trading Mistakes: A Summary

Having the correct foundational base to trade forex is important before undertaking any form of live trading. Taking the time to understand the dos and donts of forex trading will benefit traders in future. All traders will eventually make mistakes but minimizing them as well as eliminating repeat offenses must be practiced and become expected behaviour. The primary focus of this article is to adhere to a trading plan with proper risk management, and a suitable reviewing system.
- Reviewed by James Stanley, Nov. 24, 2021

The London trading session accounts for around 35% of total average forex turnover*, the largest amount relative to its peers. The London forex session also overlaps with the New York session throughout the year.

Key talking points in this article:

What time does the London forex market open?

Top three things to know about the London trading session

What currency pairs are the best to trade?

How to trade breakouts during the London session.

What time does the London forex market open?

The London forex market hours are from 3:00 AM ET to 12:00 PM ET. The London forex market session sees the most forex volume of all the forex market sessions.

Time in ET.

Open 3:00 AM Close 12:00 PM Overlap with Asia session 3:00 AM  4:00 AM Overlap with New York session 8:00 AM  12:00 PM

Top 3 things to know about the London trading session

1. The London session is fast and active

The slower Tokyo market will lead into the London session, and as prices begin to move from liquidity providers based in the United Kingdom, traders can usually see increases in volatility.

As prices begin to come in from London, the average hourly move on many of the major currency pairs will often increase. Below is analysis on EUR/USD based on the time of day. Notice how much greater these moves are, on average, after the Asian session closes (Asia session closes at 3AM ET-blue dot):

Support and resistance may be broken much more easily than it would during the Asian session (when volatility is usually lower).

These concepts are central to the traders approach when speculating in the London Session, as traders can look to use this volatility to their advantage by trading breakouts. When trading breakouts, traders are looking for volatile moves that may continue for an extended period of time.

2. Look out for the overlap

The overlap is when the London and US sessions literally overlap each other (8AM ET to 12PM ET). These are the two largest market centers in the world, and during this four-hour period large and fast moves can be seen during the overlap as a large amount of liquidity enters the market.

As seen in the image above, the volatility increases to a maximum from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET - when the London forex session overlaps with the New York forex session. To trade the overlap, traders can use a break-out strategy which takes advantage of the increased volatility seen during the overlap.

3. High liquidity

The London forex session is one of the most liquid trading sessions. Due to the high volume of buying and selling, major currency pairs can trade at extremely low spreads. Day traders looking to target short moves may be interested in finding trends and breakouts to trade so as to reduce the cost they pay in spreads.

What currency pairs are the best to trade during the London session?

There are no best currency pairs to trade during London forex market hours, but there are currency pairs that will reduce in spread due to the high volume and allow traders cheaper spread costs.

These currencies include the major currency pairs like EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and USD/CHF. The major currency pairs trade in extremely high volumes during the London forex session.

Currency pairs that are most affected by the overlap include the EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USDdue to the inter-bank activities between the United States and Europe/London. If your trading strategy is better suited for volatility, then these are the trading pairs to watch because they will be flooded with liquidity and will move more on average during the overlap.

How to trade breakouts during the London Session

Trading breakouts during the London session using a London breakout strategy is much the same as trading breakouts during any other time of day, with the addition of the fact that traders may expect an onslaught of liquidity and volatility at the open.

When traders look to trade breakouts, they are often seeking firm support or resistance to plot their trades.

The chart below illustrates a rising wedge pattern, a trend line with a resistance level that is eventually broken- a breakout.

The big benefit of this setup is risk management. Traders can keep stops relatively tight, with their stop-losses trailing close to the trend line. If the support/trend line does break, losses are limited, and if the strategy does prevail it could lead to a positive risk-reward ratio.

The increase in liquidity during the London session coupled with the increase in volatility makes potential breakouts much more likely.

London session trading strategies and tips

Remember, when trading the London open volatility and liquidity rises, so be wary and utilize the appropriate leverage when trading. If youre new to forex trading, download our Forex for beginners trading guide to get to grips with the basics.

Like the London forex trading session, the New York session and Asian forex session also have unique characteristics that forex traders should be aware of.

Key tips:

Liquidity and volatility increase during the London session.

Breakouts could occur more frequently during the London session.

Remember to watch for the overlap between the London session and the New York session for increased volatility and liquidity.

Bank of International Settlements (BIS) Triennial Report from 2016*
Steve isnt happy. The South-East London builder is worried about our borders and the prospect of a new lockdown.

Were a great country, he tells me, but we keep selling ourselves short. We just need to get our heads down and get on with it.

Ive come to Old Bexley and Sidcup, for the by-election caused by the death of former Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire.

A normally rock-solid Conservative seat, Ive been told Tory high command is becoming increasingly nervous that a combination of sleaze, the migrant crisis and disillusionment with Boris could see their 18,952 majority cut dramatically.

According to Reform Party sources, discussions have been held between Tice and former actor Laurence Fox over the formation of an electoral pact between Reform and Foxs own anti-woke, free-speech party Reclaim. And last week rumours began to circulate that Farage could be about to make another of his regular returns to frontline politics

As Steve takes another bite of his bacon roll, I wait for the lifelong Tory voter  who is still suffering from the effects of long Covid  to explain how his Government and Prime Minister have let him down. He doesnt. Its easy for people to criticise him. But during the pandemic, Boris spent a lot of money trying to protect people. I think hes doing OK, he says.

A bit further down picturesque Bexley Village, I get talking to David, who runs a clothes shop. And it seems Ive found one of those voters Conservative Central Office is so concerned about.

Boris? he rolls his eyes. Hes a joke. Hes an embarrassment. Losing his place in a speech to an audience as important as that. Can you imagine Margaret Thatcher doing it? Or Ted Heath?

In 2019, Labour came second in this seat. So these words will be music to Sir Keir Starmers ears. But then the music abruptly stops.

This is the worst government ever, David adds. The only problem is their opponents are even worse.

In truth, Labour are downplaying expectations. Starmer hasnt visited the constituency to support his candidate, local councillor Daniel Francis, and Im told has no plans to.

Someone who is hopeful of making a breakthrough here is Reform Party leader Richard Tice. As he strides energetically up and down the driveways of the large semis lining Hurst Road, Tice claims Boris has become a real liability on the doorsteps. Its extraordinary, he says. Youve got lifelong Tories saying theyre not voting again until hes gone.

A bit further down picturesque Bexley Village, I get talking to David, who runs a clothes shop. And it seems Ive found one of those voters Conservative Central Office is so concerned about. Boris? he rolls his eyes. Hes a joke. Hes an embarrassment. Losing his place in a speech to an audience as important as that. Can you imagine Margaret Thatcher doing it? Or Ted Heath?

But are they going to vote for the former Brexit Party chairman and his posse of rebranded insurgents? The first few doors he knocks on dont look especially hopeful.

One woman is too busy to talk. Her neighbour is a passionate Remainer. Another thinks hes going to vote Tory but before Tice can try to dissuade him, his son angrily shouts: Can you leave my father alone!

But the next door is opened by Graham and Susan. They explain theyve voted Conservative in the past but not this time. We need drastic change, Susan says. All we get is flip-flop. And Boris is just part of the elite.

This is the antipathy Id been warned to expect. One Tory MP who had been canvassing here told me: Its bad. The only issue thats coming up on the doorstep are the Channel crossings.

A Minister was even more blunt: A lot of our voters down there think Boris has lost the plot.

The person charged with helping the Prime Minister relocate the plot is Louie French, former deputy leader of Bexley Council. Unfortunately  and in keeping with recent Conservative campaign strategy  French is being kept safely away from the media, not to mention some of his potential voters.

James Brokenshire was liked around here, says Sharon, who runs the local tea shop. If you contacted him hed always respond. But I emailed Louie. Nothing.

Would that stop her voting Tory on Thursday? No. I think Boris has done a good job. Hes done his best. He couldnt have been expected to see Covid coming, could he?

What about the recent Peppa Pig debacle? Accusations that hes losing his grip? He makes me laugh. We need a bit of that. I like it. He reminds me of his Spitting Image puppet.

By-elections are notoriously anarchic political events. But after a couple of days wandering around Old Bexley and Sidcup, a few things seem clear. Whatever concerns people in this part of the Tory Blue Wall may have, for the moment many of them seem to be sticking with Boris.

The Conservative vote is also being boosted by strong residual affection for Brokenshire, who was well respected locally. And whatever movement there may be in the national polls, Labour and Starmer are not yet being thought about seriously, if at all.

But there is still danger for Boris here. And it resides in the strategy that was set out for me by Tice. What were trying to do is set off a domino effect, he told me.

We dont have to win, we just need to make a breakthrough. Then we can take that into the by-election up in North Shropshire. Then we take that momentum into the local elections next year. And then were away.

The question for Tice is how to force over that initial domino. He has certainly professionalised his partys operation. Canvassing sessions with its predecessors, Ukip and the Brexit Party, frequently became extended pub crawls.

He has distributed a glossy 20-page leaflet to every address in the constituency. And door-knocking is now managed by a high-tech new mobile app imported from the United States.

Yet Tice does not display the charisma of a true political populist. His positions are considered and well articulated, but they lack passion. And he has yet to generate the energy and enthusiasm that saw Nigel Farage storm to triumph in the 2014 Euro elections.

But that might be about to change. According to Reform Party sources, discussions have been held between Tice and former actor Laurence Fox over the formation of an electoral pact between Reform and Foxs own anti-woke, free-speech party Reclaim.

And last week rumours began to circulate that Farage could be about to make another of his regular returns to frontline politics.

This is the nightmarish image that stalks the fevered dreams of marginal Tory MPs. Someone shouts Brexiteers Assemble! and the disparate group of Right-wing showmen currently circulating the political fringes unite and pool their superpowers.

As Tice told me: What Boris and the Tories are terrified of is a pincer movement. Youd have Starmers Labour and the Greens on the Left. And Reform attacking from the Right.

Were going to be running 600 MPs against the Tories at the next Election. And we wont be standing a single one down in the way we did last time.

For that pincer movement to commence, Tice needs his Bexley breakthrough. Its possible.

In 2015, Ukip came within 300 votes of beating Labour into third place. And with Sir Keir flatlining, disaffected Tories really have only one place to go.

From what I saw and heard, the voters of Old Bexley and Sidcup look as if they might just be prepared to overlook Boriss recent blundering. But if they dont, Richard Tice and the anti-woke avengers are waiting to pounce.
Imagine you are a woman who has suffered childhood sexual abuse and that you are subsequently raped in adulthood. All your life you have blamed yourself, felt you must somehow have been 'asking for it'.

Finally, you find group counselling sessions exclusively for women where you feel safe and supported. The professionals are compassionate, kind and helpful.

They understand how you are feeling and you share a common ground with the other women seeking help. You start to find your confidence.

But you then discover that a male-bodied trans woman who self-identifies as female is also attending the sessions.

Already abused, raped, traumatised, you desperately need a space away from males to recover.

You feel so threatened that you ask if it is possible to exclude the trans woman from the female-only sessions and suggest they instead join a designated group for transgender people.

Imagine you are a woman who has suffered sexual abuse. You find group counselling sessions exclusively for women but you discover that a trans woman is attending (stock image)

But you are told no, they have as much right to attend women-only group sessions as you do.

This is what happened to Sarah, as the report on these pages reveals. And it is happening to increasing numbers of women across Britain.

Feminists began to set up refuges and other women-only services in the 1970s in response to the tsunami of rape and domestic abuse cases.

As a young woman in the early 1980s, I volunteered in a domestic violence refuge three evenings a week and ran a Rape Crisis Helpline on a shift basis.

The women who called the helpline and came to the refuge were desperate to speak to other women without the prying  and often judgmental  presence of a man.

I recall heartbreaking stories from women about their girlhood, about being raised to take responsibility for themselves from a very early age. About the stigma of reporting any kind of sexual harassment or assault because they knew they would be disbelieved or blamed.

I also recall the look of pure relief on the women's faces as they were told that everybody in the room understood what they were talking about and would unequivocally support them.

We would often talk about how difficult it would be to disclose such traumatic detail of sexual and domestic violation with men present.

It is heartbreaking and enraging in equal measure that, in 2021, women like Sarah are being made to feel like they cannot safely access this much needed group support.

Feminists have offered help to trans activists to set up trans-women-only facilities, in the hope this would stop them demanding access to women-only spaces. But they have never shown any interest in taking up our offer.

Incidentally, this debate goes beyond the four walls of the therapy room. The head of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre  the person ultimately responsible for its culture and policies  is currently a trans woman.

I have no idea why the likes of Edinburgh Rape Crisis and the Survivors' Network have decided that their definition of 'women-only' includes trans women who were born male.

You feel so threatened that you ask if it is possible to exclude the trans woman from the female-only sessions, but you are told no, they have as every right to attend (stock image)

They must know there is a clause in the 2010 Equality Act which explicitly states that it is legal to exclude trans women from group sexual assault therapy sessions where it is 'a proportionate means to a legitimate aim'.

In the UK, gender self-identification is not enshrined in law and must stay that way. I have seen first-hand how allowing people to self-identify as trans women can have a terrible effect on women-only support services.

Under Canada's self-identification laws, for example, men don't even have to begin to meaningfully transition. Many of them still have male genitalia and it is not necessary to seek hormone treatment to get a gender recognition certificate.

I visited the desperately poor Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver, where pimps, drug dealers and violent gangs often profit by selling young women for sex.

Feminists have set up services to help support these young women out of prostitution and keep them safe from predators.

I was shown around one charity that was described as a lifeline for many of the women who have gone through its doors. At a table in the kitchen sat a group who all, to me, looked like men. They had beards and showed no signs of transitioning.

Yet a volunteer told me the group had self-identified as women when they arrived, adding: 'They come here because it's nicer than the homeless hostel and they know it's illegal to throw them out.'

The blood, sweat and tears of feminists went into setting up refuges and counselling sessions that mop up the mess of male violence.

Yet for many women, just knowing that they are in the presence of someone who was born male will be enough to stop them from speaking out.

It is a total disgrace that some of the women who run these vital charities have become so scared of the trans lobby that they have sold women like Sarah down the river.
The petulant outburst from President Macron in response to Boris Johnsons letter asking the French to do more to deter migrants from making the perilous Channel crossing was revealing. After all, the PM had made five simple, yet important, requests.

The most vital were that Border Force officials help patrol French beaches and nearby roads; that the UK sends back to France migrants who cross the Channel; and for Border Force cutters to be allowed to help patrol French coastal waters.

The PM also offered to deepen intelligence-sharing on the operations of smuggling gangs, and said the UK could fund the deployment of ground sensors and radars in northern France to detect suspicious activity.

Yet instead of dealing with Boriss concerns, Emmanuel Macron, like an angry five-year-old who has been caught out, threw a tantrum over the fact the PM had the temerity to make the letter public  obviously because it exposed the French authorities to ridicule for having taken so little action already. Instead of a rant, he should have showed humility. After all, 27 migrants had just died.

The petulant outburst from President Macron in response to Boris Johnsons letter asking the French to do more to deter migrants from making the perilous Channel crossing was revealing. After all, the PM had made five simple, yet important, requests

On top of that, pictures showed French police, just hours before the tragedy, turning their backs as migrants launched a dinghy on a beach north of Boulogne.

Here in the UK, there is justifiable frustration. After paying the French 54 million to stop the illegal and dangerous crossings, more migrants than ever are putting themselves in the hands of the people smugglers and crossing the Channel in overcrowded and flimsy boats.

To all intents and purposes, the money seems to have been wasted.

Sadly, the Macron over-the-top rant is becoming standard practice. Facing a re-election next year with worrying poll ratings, he clearly believes bashing Britain makes him seem strong.

Hence the wrong-headed dismissal of the AstraZeneca vaccine created in Britain, the public fight with the British over the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal with Australia, the spat over fishing permits and the threat to cut off electricity to the UKs Channel Islands.

The five requests from the Prime Minister are reasonable, would help and deserve better than a French hissy fit.

However, even those requests will not be enough alone. Thats because there is a pull factor for those desperate enough to make the crossing.

It is that they are all told by the people smugglers that once across in the UK, they will be able to stay.

The PM wrote an excellent book on Churchill. Perhaps he can borrow something from his hero and send to every department a sign to be pinned up on their desks which says simply: Action This Day

The legal complexities of the immigration and asylum process  which seem to offer loophole after loophole to those who in reality are economic migrants, not asylum seekers  create vast delays.

This in turn means genuine asylum seekers and those fleeing modern-day slavery can struggle to establish their credentials.

The Governments flagship Nationality and Borders Bill should help once it becomes law. This will mean those who arrive by crossing the Channel will have fewer rights than those who come by legal, safe routes.

It will also mean a curtailing of the right of asylum seekers to launch endless appeals. People will have to present all their claims at the same time, without the further right to appeal. This will certainly tighten the process up, yet once through the House of Commons, the Bill is certain to hit serious opposition in the Lords and will take some time to get through.

The Governments flagship Nationality and Borders Bill should help once it becomes law. This will mean those who arrive by crossing the Channel will have fewer rights than those who come by legal, safe routes, writes Ian Duncan Smith

Priti Patel is right that this cannot be sorted out overnight but it still must be resolved as an urgent priority and she deserves support in doing it.

Yet that Bill alone also cannot solve the whole problem.

The Government must also make it a priority to keep its manifesto promise to reform the Human Rights Act. After all, it has been clear for a long time that the right to family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights is too often deployed by criminals to avoid deportation from Britain. Many have committed terrible crimes including rape and murder.

Sadly, the Act is also deployed by failed asylum seekers as a means of creating a right to stay in the UK.

On top of all that legislation, the Government has spoken about processing asylum claims offshore as the Australians do.

The Government maintains that would help tackle the pull factor  having to get to Britain before they can claim asylum  that forces often genuinely desperate migrants to risk the perilous journey in boats not fit for purpose. If so, the Government must get on with these plans.

After all, at the last Election, we made it clear that getting Brexit done would allow us to take control of our laws, our borders and our money  a Conservative pledge that must be delivered on.

The PM wrote an excellent book on Churchill. Perhaps he can borrow something from his hero and send to every department a sign to be pinned up on their desks which says simply: Action This Day.
Disgraced former BBC boss Tony Hall is greenwashing whats left of his reputation just months after swerving calls to be stripped of his peerage for presiding over the Martin Bashir Diana documentary scandal.

His production company, I can reveal, was commissioned to produce an official video called Earth To COP to open the recent Glasgow summit.

The company boasted the film was made after an invitation from the UK Government. Liz Sugg, a former Cameron aide made baroness, was a paid adviser on the video.

Disgraced former BBC boss Tony Hall is greenwashing whats left of his reputation just months after swerving calls to be stripped of his peerage for presiding over the Martin Bashir Diana documentary scandal

Last night Ian Paisley, one of the MPs who thinks Hall should lose his peerage over the Bashir fallout, called the greenwashing gig shameless and another example of how the BBC and its god-like hierarchy are untouchable.

Baron Hall of Birkenhead hasnt spoken once in the Lords since January 2013 and only voted twice in the same period.

Earth to Hall: Go now. The climate is changing.

Camilla Cavendish recently gave an impassioned defence of MPs extra earnings in her Financial Times column, which conspicuously does not use her full title  Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice.

After leaving journalism for a brief stint in David Camerons Downing Street policy unit, Cavendish was awarded a seat in the Lords five years ago. Commenting last week on the latest sleaze scandal to hit the Tories, she said she would rather be represented by someone capable of commanding a high salary outside [Parliament], like Geoffrey Cox than presumably someone who spends their time fully focused on the well-paid job they were elected to do.

Little Venices curious comment drew me to her own entry in the House of Lords Register of Interests, where I can reveal she has been late to declare her own penchant for filthy lucre earned from advising and entertaining the corporate finance world. Her gigs include work for St Jamess Place, the financial advisers forced to overhaul widely excessive pay and perks after a string of exposes by Cavendishs former employer, The Sunday Times.

Little Venice is currently a paid adviser on social care to the Department of Health, while also acting in the same capacity to a venture capital fund specialising in healthcare and speaking at a social care conference organised by a healthcare data firm.

She also raked in fees from a speech to Later Life Lending, a provider of equity-release mortgages, often touted as a solution for people who need to draw money for their spiralling care costs. She declared that eight months after the event.

Politics needs talent, writes Cavendish. It also needs parliamentarians who can follow basic rules. Seven of Little Venices recently added interests were registered months after they took place  which leaves her repeatedly in breach of the Code of Conduct requiring registration within one month.

Is Rambo Mercer missing in action?

Real Ministers dont cry. Thats tough-talking Tory MP and war veteran John Rambo Mercers view

Real Ministers dont cry. Thats tough-talking Tory MP and war veteran John Rambo Mercers view.

You are paid a lot of money, get on with the job, he opined in response to a recent trend among Cabinet Ministers that has seen Alok no drama Sharma fighting back the tears during the COP26 summit and Matt Hancock blubbering on the telly over Covid jabs.

Mercer may have drawn first blood, but the word in the Whips Office is the well-paid MP for Plymouth is himself missing in action from Parliament. Rambo hasnt voted since July. One Minister told me he has been on strike since being sacked as Defence Minister earlier this year. Is the war over, Johnny? Apparently not.
Last week we were greeted by the grim news of Omicron  a significant new variant of Covid-19, the first in several weeks. The Government rightly acted fast to take sensible precautions.

Ive been stopped in the street endlessly and asked: Are we going to be OK? As so often in this pandemic we face uncertainty, as little is yet known about this new variant.

The Governments response so far has been right  rapid action to take appropriate precautions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid was criticised last week for acting so quickly to stop flights from southern Africa, where the new variant was first seen, but in my view he was absolutely correct.

Given the uncertainty, and the time it takes to assess each new variant, slowing the spread is critical. All the lessons I learned as Health Secretary show that when you get new facts, you must act fast.

Last week we were greeted by the grim news of Omicron  a significant new variant of Covid-19, the first in several weeks. The Government rightly acted fast to take sensible precautions

So this new Covid variant reminds us that this crisis isnt over. But I believe that we are much better placed. The UK is in a stronger position.

While we must be vigilant, we have the chance to get through this without resorting to the sorts of draconian measures that were unavoidable this time last year.

This Thursday it will be a year to the day since the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was formally approved. I will never forget the moment I was told that the final trials were successful.

I immediately went to see the Prime Minister and was able to tell him that we would be the first country in the world to start vaccinating.

I felt a mixture of emotions  relief that we had a way out, joy that we could see a way to get things back to normal, and pride in the team who had really pulled it out of the bag.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid was criticised last week for acting so quickly to stop flights from southern Africa, where the new variant was first seen, but in my view he was absolutely correct

Months of hard work all built up to this point, where we could replace lockdowns and other restrictions with protection from modern science.

In my view, this single moment will be remembered as the time when human science and ingenuity started to beat the invisible killer of Covid.

Compared with a year ago, we have vaccines, we have boosters, we have tests, and we have the infrastructure to get all of them to where they need to be.

The UKs rollout was the fastest of any major country in the world, meaning that over the summer the Prime Minister could lift almost all of the remaining restrictions.

He was criticised at the time and told the plan wouldnt work. But he rightly asked: If not now, when? We could remove restrictions in the summer, and the protection from the vaccine would keep this virus under control.

Thankfully, even as we have seen the number of cases rise, the number of hospitalisations and deaths have started to fall.

This autumn, the number of people in hospital with Covid peaked at 9,667 at the start of November and has since fallen to under 8,000.

The number of new arrivals at hospitals with Covid each day has fallen by over a quarter in a month.

Since the summer, many of those who have chosen not to get vaccinated have caught Covid. Hospitals tell me that young people in Covid wards are mostly unvaccinated.

Of course people have also caught Covid after getting the jab. But the chances are that its likely to be similar to a bad cold, and your chances of ending up in hospital, or worse, are low.

This all means that the levels of immunity are higher. Figures released last week from the UK Health Security Agency show that 98 per cent of adults have antibodies  from infection or vaccination  compared with just over a fifth from infection alone. And while the new variant may not respond as before to vaccines, the likelihood of it not responding at all is slim. We simply do not know yet.

Ive been stopped in the street endlessly and asked: Are we going to be OK? As so often in this pandemic we face uncertainty, as little is yet known about this new variant

Thankfully we are better prepared now than our friends abroad. We have seen other European countries imposing more lockdowns and are sadly seeing case rates and deaths rise exponentially.

Britains early adoption of a vaccine means we have avoided this fate. It wasnt just that we had the first approval in the world and the fastest rollout of any major country, it was that the overwhelming majority of people came forward to get the jab.

In the most vulnerable groups, take-up is almost 100 per cent. Among over 65s more than nine in ten have had the vaccine. Its been a huge team effort and everyone has played their part.

This autumn, the boosters are giving an extra layer of protection. Again, Britain leads the world. Now that more than a quarter of us have had our boosters, the protection is getting stronger and stronger.

And boosters  especially from a mix of different vaccines  give a broader protection that is likely to be more effective against a wider array of variants.

In addition, striking new evidence from AstraZeneca last week also shows the power of the Oxford vaccine in generating a second, longer-lasting safeguard called T-cell protection.

At the start of the pandemic we stuck with the science and backed the British jab  instead of dismissing it for narrow political reasons as some of our Continental neighbours did.

In addition, striking new evidence from AstraZeneca last week also shows the power of the Oxford vaccine in generating a second, longer-lasting safeguard called T-cell protection

While nearly half of the first jabs in the UK were with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, far fewer of our European neighbours have been injected with it.

We came together as a nation in other ways too. Both for vaccines and now for boosters, we prioritise who gets a jab according to whose life is most at risk.

While many countries around the world prioritised vaccination by employment, we followed the advice of the independent experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and jabbed in order of clinical need.

Research published recently by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine modelled the immunity levels of 19 countries in Europe.

This showed that if everyone was suddenly exposed to the virus in one go, we would be the lowest at risk of serious illness as a result of our vaccine and immunity levels.

Next, we have large-scale testing so we know where the virus is. Just over a year ago we took the first delivery of the lateral flow tests that are now ubiquitous.

Regular testing helps to find who is ill and stops them infecting others. It is a vital piece of our armoury and firing on all cylinders.

Finally, we now have antiviral treatments to lower the impact of the disease if you do catch Covid. These are being given to those most at risk  and they have the potential to save many lives.

Like with vaccines, we dont know yet how much the new variant will affect their life-saving power. But we do know that the likelihood of going back to square one is small.

This race between the virus and vaccines isnt over yet. We must be vigilant. We must get vaccinated the moment we can. But we are better prepared and better able to respond to this new variant  and keep our much cherished freedoms this winter.
The role of the special adviser is a murky one in politics. In fact, it's fair to say that most normal people don't even know the job exists.

They assume  not entirely unreasonably  that the MPs and Ministers we elect to run the country are, for the most part, the architects of their own ideas and policies.

To some extent that is true. Elected members hold the reins of Government, decide the general direction of travel and overall strategy.

But when it comes to the details, the nitty-gritty, the day-to-day micro-decisions that make up the overall picture, it's the unelected special advisers  aka Spads  who really matter.

As a breed, they remind me rather of Dobby the house elf in Harry Potter. Although physically very different  house elves are small, wizened creatures, whereas Spads are generally absurdly young and good-looking, with shiny first-class degrees and slim-fit shirts that show off their toned abs  in every other respect they fit the profile perfectly.

Last week, Liam Booth-Smith (pictured with Rishi Sunak), the Chancellor's Chief of Staff, aka top Spad, has been accused of briefing against the Prime Minister in a bid to promote his man

Intensely tribal, not afraid to get their hands dirty and always on hand, night or day, to do their master's  or mistress's  bidding.

I've known them to take Ministers clothes shopping, help organise personal training, choose ties, recommend hairdressers, pop to the shops for emergency tights, order Deliveroo, pay traffic fines.

They write speeches, devise strategies, broker deals and advise on policies. Crucially, and unlike civil servants, they are on the Minister's side.

Most of the time they are charming, affable creatures, eager to please and a joy to have around. But cross them, or their boss, and they swiftly turn to the dark arts.

Uniquely skilled  often surprisingly so given their tender age  they can perform feats of magic no one quite understands, but which invariably result in their enemies having a very unpleasant time of it indeed.

Last week has been a case in point. Liam Booth-Smith, the Chancellor's Chief of Staff (aka top Spad) has been accused of briefing against the Prime Minister in a bid to promote his man.

It was claimed Booth-Smith was the source behind a tweet by BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg, which said: 'There is a lot of concern inside the building about the PM. It's just not working.'

Whether he was or not, the fact that Booth-Smith was a Dominic Cummings appointment (former house elf in chief, and the most mischievous of them all) has not helped the Treasury's denials.

Spads often lose the plot when their employers finally achieve power. It happened to Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell and, of course, to Boris Johnson (pictured) and Dominic Cummings

The truth is that sort of behaviour is true to form. In fact, given my experience of Spads over the years and the feverish, gladiatorial atmosphere that prevails among these Westminster demigods, it doesn't surprise me one bit.

Because Spads aren't in it just to make sure their bosses don't embarrass themselves. They know Spaddery is a path to power. The kind of power that requires no accountability and carries no responsibility.

The greater their Minister's prestige, the more power comes their way. Important people begin to take notice of them, invitations come their way, doors that were previously locked begin to open. They become the conduit for influence  an intoxicating notion for anyone.

That is why they often lose the plot when their employers do finally achieve power. Unbridled by the codes of conduct that govern civil servants (although technically they are supposed to abide by the same standards), they begin to throw their weight around.

It happened to Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell, to David Cameron and Steve Hilton  and, of course, to Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.

As entertaining as this may be for those in Westminster, for the rest of the country it's not only deeply off-putting, but also counterproductive.

And while no one is suggesting that Spads don't have a significant role to play in the business of government, the time has surely come to rein Dobby in.

I realise this makes me a bad person, but it brings me considerable joy that 'healthy' vegan meals have been found to contain higher levels of salt than 'evil' meat versions.

I don't mind what people eat  but vegan evangelists can be awfully smug. This might shut them up. For about three seconds.

Trust psychologists to come up with a test to check whether your cat is a psychopath. Whatever next?

A quiz to determine if the Pope has a tendency to be Catholic?

PLEASE PUT ON SOME MATERIAL GIRL

Judging by Madonna's latest Instagram pictures of her buttocks and breasts in various stages of surgical enhancement, I think the 63-year-old might feel more comfortable with the 'content creators' on OnlyFans...

Judging by Madonna's latest Instagram pictures, I think the 63-year-old might feel more comfortable with the 'content creators' on OnlyFans...

MP Claudia Webbe ascribes the Channel deaths to 'Western imperialism and vile bigotry' and says Britain has a 'crisis of humanity'.

This from a woman convicted of harassing a friend of her partner with abusive phone calls, accusing her of being a 'slag' and threatening to attack her with acid.

And they say irony is dead.

Isn't it amazing the lengths to which companies will go to maximise profits?

A team of researchers found supermarket trolleys with handles at the side  like a wheelbarrow  make us spend 25 per cent more than the traditional ones.

Something to do with using our biceps, which are 'lifting' muscles, instead of our triceps, which are for pushing.

All very well, but I bet they can't solve the mystery of why I ALWAYS get the trolley with the wonky wheel.

I'm sorry, but 'Omicron' sounds like some Marvel supervillain or giant prehistoric sea monster.

Either someone at the WHO is having a laugh or they're doing it on purpose to heighten the sense of impending doom. Or both.

ATTACK ON THE UNFIT BLOB

Simon Case, the head of the Civil Service, has said the unsayable: Whitehall officials do not have the skills and experience to address the country's biggest challenges.

Of course, Ministers have been saying this about civil servants for years  think of John Reid in 2006 declaring the Home Office 'unfit for purpose'.

But for a man in Case's position to acknowledge the problem so openly is significant, not to mention admirable.

That said, I don't expect 'the Blob' will take kindly to his candour. Do send me your address, Simon, and I'll send you one of my spare tin hats.

Richard Madeley claims that he's 'gutted' not to be able to return to Gwrych Castle to continue his I'm A Celebrity ordeal. Seriously?

Richard Madeley claims that he's 'gutted' not to be able to return to Gwrych Castle to continue I'm A Celebrity. No more eating fried squirrel for dinner  and he still gets his 200,000 fee?

No more diving face-first into fish guts or eating fried squirrel for dinner  and he still gets his 200,000 fee? Call me a cynic, but it looks like he's played a blinder.

DANGER BEHIND THIS HUMANE BILL

On the surface, the Government's Conversion Therapy (Prohibition) Bill seems like a humane idea. The aim is to stop gay people under the age of 18 from being victimised or coerced into denying their sexual orientation.

All well and good, surely? Well, not exactly. The Bill also includes children who want to undergo hormone treatment for gender reassignment.

There is a big difference between sexual orientation and gender. Who a person loves does not alter them irreversibly; who they want to be, in terms of gender, can.

Under the scope of this Bill, it is possible that a parent of a child contemplating irreversible hormone therapy could end up in court for questioning their child's decision.

This has already happened in Canada, where a father was jailed for six months this year after objecting to his troubled daughter transitioning fully to a male.

He felt she had been led on by outside influences, including medical professionals, and was uncomfortable with her making an irreversible choice which she might later regret.

Of course, we shouldn't deny trans people the chance to be happy in their own skins. But we must safeguard immature brains from doing things they can never go back on. That was the case with Keira Bell, who transitioned as a teenager and has since changed her mind.

She will have to live the rest of her life with the consequences  facial hair, a double mastectomy, fertility problems. If we take away the right of parents to ask questions, how many others will suffer her fate?
A nurse has warned pregnant women not to shave their pubic hair before giving birth, claiming it can lead to serious infection after labor.

Angela Grant Buechne, who is a doula, registered nurse, and lactation consultant from Toronto, Canada, recently went viral on TikTok after she told expecting mothers not to shave their private parts.

Angela, who has been working with new families and babies for over 20 years, explained that using a razor to get rid of your pubic hair before giving birth can lead to infection due to the small cuts that the razor makes on your skin, and she claimed it just isn't worth the risk.

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A nurse has warned pregnant women not to shave their pubic hair before giving birth, and claimed it can lead to serious infection after labor

Angela Grant Buechne, who is a doula, registered nurse, and lactation consultant from Toronto, Canada, went viral on TikTok after she told expecting mothers not to shave

Angela explained that using a razor to get rid of your pubic hair before giving birth can actually lead to infection, due to the small cuts that it makes on your skin

'Pregnant? Don't shave the bush! Did you know that it's actually not recommended to shave pubic hair after 36 weeks of pregnancy?' she wrote in the clip, which has now been viewed more than three million times.

'Shaving pubic hair can increase risk of infection at the same time of birth, even with cesarean birth.

'Waxing isn't necessary either and is more painful during pregnancy. Doctors don't care. Leave the bush alone!'

During an interview with Buzzfeed, Angela explained that her goal in posting the video was to educate women and share 'unbiased, non-judgmental information.'

'My whole mission on TikTok is to share unbiased, non-judgmental information so people can learn something new,' she explained.

'I shared the TikTok because I know that in some places (especially the US), it may still be common for women/birthers to be shaved or told to remove their pubic hair before birth, even though current research shows that it's not necessary and even increases the risk of infection.

Many people took to the comment section to share their own experiences, and one viewer said a nurse shaved them when they went into labor - without asking

'Just because it's done, doesn't mean it's actually the best practice,' Angela said. 'There is actually no surgery where shaving with a razor is recommended anymore'

'I'm in Canada, where it hasn't been standard practice for many years.'

Many people took to the comment section of Angela's video to share their own experiences, and some said their doctors told them that they had to shave their privates before giving birth. Another said a nurse did it for them when they went into labor - without even asking.

Angela added: 'Unfortunately, just because something is still standard practice in healthcare, it doesn't mean that it's best practice.

'There is actually no surgery where shaving with a razor is recommended anymore, as it increases the risk of infection due to microabrasions.

'If anything, clipping and trimming are OK if people really feel the need to groom before labor or birth.

'Waxing or shaving more than a few days ahead of birth is best so you have a chance to heal, but since you can't predict when you'll go into labor, after 36 weeks can be a gamble.'

Another doctor from Boston, Massachusetts, named Kate White, echoed Angela's suggestions.

'Research and medical studies have shown that there is no benefit to shaving - only clear risks,' she told Today Show.

'It's true that for decades, women were shaved in the hospital before delivery - but they were also given enemas, twilight sleep and sometimes strapped to the bed. Thankfully, science has progressed and we know a lot more now.'

The nurse said, 'Shaving a few days ahead of birth is best so you have a chance to heal, but since you can't predict when you'll go into labor, after 36 weeks can be a gamble'

Angela, who has been working with new families and babies for over 20 years, said her goal in posting the video was to educate women and share 'unbiased, non-judgmental information'

She explained that a razor makes small cuts on your skin, and those can easily become infected. It can also cause folliculitis (small red bumps on your skin), ingrown hairs, or cellulitis (a bacterial skin infection).

And according to the doctor, even people who get a C-section are at risk.

'With Cesarean section - about a third of women will end up having one - shaving has been shown to increase the risk of infection,' she added.

'Recovery from C-section is hard enough. You dont need to add an infection on top of it.

'I can promise you that your provider is not looking at anything related to your hair because they are totally focused on your cervix and the baby coming down on your vagina.'

An OBGYN, named Dr. Erica Montes, also pointed out to Buzzfeed that pubic hair serves a purpose.

She said: 'It provides protection against friction that can cause skin irritation, it helps reduce the amount of sweat produced in the vulvar region, it helps regulate body temperature, and it also serves a similar function to eyelashes or nose hair.

'In addition, it can trap dirt, debris, and organisms. Therefore, it may protect against common vaginal infections, STIs, and UTIs.'
A TV star who won global fame after having sex with her partner for Britain's first graphic sex education video in the nineties has revealed how her life in the celebrity world spun out of control after she began spending 70,000 a year on cocaine.

Wendy-Ann Paige, now 58, was just 28, was thrust into the spotlight after starring in The Lover's Guide - Britain's first explicit video to gain an 18 certificate in 1991.

It became the world's best-selling sex title, racking up sales of 1.3million copies in the UK alone - where its controversial 18 certificate allowed it to be sold in high street stores.

But after being taken on by late publicist Max Clifford and getting a taste for the fast life - partying with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Jon Bon Jovi, Wendy-Ann's world spun out of control when she developed a drug habit and PTSD, before eventually divorcing her husband and ending up in a small flat in Southend.

Wendy-Ann Paige, now 58, was just 28, was thrust into the spotlight after starring in The Lover's Guide - Britain's first explicit video to gain an 18 certificate in 1991

Wendy was a marketing director when she met married Tony Duffield, then 36, in 1989.

The band sound engineer and his then-wife were swingers advertising for a couples to appear in a video - but Wendy soon caught Tony's eye and they pair decided to star in the video together, with Tony leaving his wife and child for her.

Remembering how she had to audition by masturbating on the floor of the video's expert doctor Andrew Stanway's Surrey mansion, Wendy told The Sun how she was 'a natural' and had no problem romping for the camera.

Revealing that the 'real life' scenes were filmed on a studio set in West London's Acton, she said: 'It was a closed set, but people who were shooting fashionwear in adjacent rooms walked in to see what all the fuss was about. I had to pleasure myself for eight hours while they filmed.'

The video became the world's best-selling sex title, racking up sales of 1.3million copies in the UK alone - where its controversial 18 certificate allowed it to be sold in high street stores

Wendy and Tony even had sex against a gravestone in North London's Highgate Cemetery - a scene that was cut from the video.

She revealed: 'It was crazy. People would stop me in Asda and say, 'My wife won't wear heels in bed  is she a prude?' I'd want to say, 'I don't bloody know, I'm just here to buy dog food', but I'd always spend ages giving them advice'.

She was thrust into the spotlight after starring in The Lover's Guide - Britain's first explicit video to gain an 18 certificate in 1991

Remembering how she enjoyed having sex for the cameras and was 'never nervous', Wendy wasn't expecting the fame that came with it and was soon the author of the best-selling Sextrology in 1994.

The newly acclaimed sex expert was making hundreds of thousands of pounds a year and partying with A-listers including Michael Douglas at star-studded events across the globe.

In 1992 she married Tony in Las Vegas on her way to playing poker with Jack Nicholson - an event she missed for the whirlwind wedding.

The pair moved into a 1million, 18-room house in East Sussex, but as Wendy's fame grew, their marriage began to suffer.

With Tony reportedly 'unable' to keep her with her rampant sexual appetite, Wendy says she replaced sex with cocaine.

'I found doing cocaine more enjoyable than having sex with Tony. At one point I was spending 70k a year on it  that's not including the drugs the rock stars gave me,' she said.

Tony persuaded Wendy to move to Thailand with him in 1999 to open a restaurant, but the marriage reached breaking point the following year and the pair separated - finalising the divorce in 2006.

Speaking from her small flat in Southend, she said: 'My life is very different now. I miss my old life. Things have changed so much and people don't recognise me any more.

'I'm single and looking to meet the love of my life. When I do, I'll tell him about my past.'
It's probably nothing, doctor, says the patient, a woman in her 70s. Its a phrase I hear on an almost daily basis.

My job as a GP is to find out if thats really the case. Shes been having headaches for a week or so.

She proceeds to diagnose herself: I know I dont drink enough water, and Ive been quite stressed. Thats probably it.

Headaches arent usually anything sinister. But that doesnt mean they should be dismissed.

Had she felt sick, or been sick? Had there been problems with her vision, or trouble sleeping?

No, no and no. Still, I have my doubts. Its well known that some patients, particularly older patients, play down symptoms.

After 15 or so minutes on the phone, Im not satisfied weve got to the bottom of things, so I ask her to come in.

And when she finally sits down beside my desk, Im glad I did.

Shes practically green, and looks exhausted and frail. She insists nothing much is the matter, just this funny headache. But I was worried.

The vast majority of my phone appointments end up becoming face-to-face because, frankly, its often impossible to make a proper diagnosis without actually clapping eyes on a person. [File picture]

I write the clinical term cachectic  used to describe someone who looks so unwell we suspect they might have advanced cancer  on the referral to the local hospital.

I hope she doesnt have a brain tumour. But at least now well know  and Im glad I didnt take her word for it when she told me: I feel fine, really. I dont want to be any bother.

While the details may differ, this kind of thing happens every day  over and over.

I sometimes spend 20 minutes or more talking to a patient on the phone, only to ask them to come in to see me anyway.

Like all GP surgeries, the practice where I work in Hertfordshire is still running a phone first system, which was brought in as an emergency measure almost two years ago at the start of the pandemic.

Patients cannot make face-to-face appointments themselves. We have to book them in.

Sometimes theyre booked in without triage, for a review of their diabetes or asthma, for instance. But the majority we book in on the day if they need to be seen without delay, or give an appointment over the next few days.

But cases such as the one Ive described, and countless more like it, have convinced me that this approach simply isnt working.

GP FACT Last month, 14 per cent of patients waited more than two weeks for a GP appointment, while 40 per cent were seen or spoken to the same day Advertisement

The vast majority of my phone appointments end up becoming face-to-face because, frankly, its often impossible to make a proper diagnosis without actually clapping eyes on a person.

If Id seen them in person in the first instance, it would have saved a whole lot of time. And time is something of a precious commodity right now in general practice.

Its no secret that GP services are heaving at the seams  hit by staff shortages and surging demand.

In October, a record 34 million GP appointments took place  four million of which were Covid vaccinations.

Doctors, nurses and support staff are burned out.

There has been widespread criticism of the Governments attempts to increase the number of face-to-face appointments we do, with many of my colleagues insisting they want to stick to the current approach.

But Im convinced that telephone consultations, far from being a solution, are creating a rod for our backs.

On Tuesday  a particularly bad day  I conducted 65 appointments, with 18 of them face-to-face, in total. Pictured: Dr Mike Smith

According to figures published by NHS Digital, the data-gathering arm of NHS England, 64 per cent of consultations in September were face-to-face and 31 per cent were on the phone. The remainder were online or home visits.

But these numbers hide the true story: if a patient is spoken to on the phone, and is then asked to come in, its counted as two separate appointments  one telephone and one face-to-face appointment.

But really, to all extents and purposes, its a single appointment thats just taken a rambling and unnecessarily long route.

When an appointment is logged on the computer system, its given a code. This is whats passed to NHS Digital, allowing it to track what sort of consultation was given, whether it was a doctor, nurse or otherwise, and some other basic details, such as how long a patient had to wait for the appointment.

But patients names arent handed over, for confidentiality reasons. So its impossible to know exactly how many double-counts there are nationwide.

I worked in a group of practices with about 500,000 patients, where about two-thirds of phone appointments become face-to-face, often on the same day.

It means that although we are frantically busy, carrying out more appointments than ever, were also seeing fewer patients than ever, as so many patients effectively need to be dealt with twice.

Every morning starts the same.

I turn on my computer, then leave to make a cup of tea  another casualty of poor investment in general practice is our very old computers take more than ten minutes to boot up. Theres always a part of me hoping itll be a quieter day. It never is.

Doctors, nurses and support staff are burned out. But Im convinced that telephone consultations, far from being a solution, are creating a rod for our backs

Finally, the appointment screen pops up. Every practice will divide things up differently, but in a typical session we have 15 telephone slots to work through, followed by seven face-to-face appointments.

Without fail, all the telephone appointments are filled within 15 minutes of us being open. We usually have four face-to-face appointments blocked out for urgent cases, but these are always allocated before the end of the first hour.

GP FACT A total of 1,556,068 patients didnt attend a doctors appointment they had booked last month  without bothering to call and cancel it. Advertisement

But if people need to be spoken to, or seen, we try as hard as possible to squeeze them in.

On Tuesday  a particularly bad day  I conducted 65 appointments, with 18 of them face-to-face, in total.

The ones I call who I cant see that day, I book in for the next day or the day after, and so things pile up, and up, and up. I have a colleague who recently had 93 patients in one day.

There are no lunch breaks, and a constant worry that were going to miss something vital.

To add to this, I know patients are miserable and frustrated, still feeling shut out, ignored, and fobbed off.

Some of my colleagues have claimed, incorrectly, that phone appointments are quicker than in-person ones.

In fact, the average telephone appointments takes 16.7 minutes, while a face-to-face takes about 12 minutes. Im not surprised.

At medical school, we learn to make a diagnosis by looking for signs  things we can see  as well as listen to what patients tell us about their symptoms.

On the phone, you get only half the picture, which means you have to ask many more questions.

And some patients cant reliably tell you their symptoms  as in the case I outlined above.

Its no secret that GP services are heaving at the seams  hit by staff shortages and surging demand. In October, a record 34 million GP appointments took place  four million of which were Covid vaccinations

Yet another example I could give is people with mental health problems. This is part of medicine where non-verbal clues  body language, movements and behaviours, and general appearance  are a key part of diagnosing and managing the problem.

For instance, a patient called me for help with insomnia  but its only when I called her in for a face-to-face appointment that I got a real measure of the problem.

She was depressed and I could tell, within minutes of her walking in. She was dishevelled, and had gained a lot of weight since I last saw her, two years before.

It prompted me to ask a question, which turned out to be crucial: had anything traumatic happened over the past few months? The answer: yes.

A close friend had died, and the grief had become all-consuming. So much so, shed shut herself away from the world, including loved ones.

I referred her for therapy and after a long discussion we agreed on an antidepressant.

Id be none the wiser of these crucial details if wed just spoken about sleeping problems over the phone.

And then there are worried parents. The other day, I spoke to a frazzled mother of a two-year-old with cerebral palsy whod just been discharged from hospital.

She was dreadfully worried as her daughter had a temperature and seemed more sleepy than usual.

Again, it was a long phone conversation that ended in me saying: Youd better come in and see me, just to be sure.

By the time they arrived, the child had perked up, and I decided things werent too worrying.

We made an appointment with their specialist, for the next week, and I told her to call if anything changed.

Again, if shed just been able to book in to see me in the first place, it would have saved us all time  and her, no doubt, some worry.

Oh, and theres also the shambles thats the online consultation system. This allows patients to fill in forms, via a website, detailing their symptoms and asking questions.

A doctor at the practice then has to take time out of the day to read these, and respond. Very often, you guessed it, they simply book the patient a phone appointment.

It means some patients spend 20 minutes or more filling out a form, and then a GP spends 20 minutes reading it, and another GP spends 15 minutes on the phone with them, only to tell them to come in, for another 15-minute face-to-face appointment.

All this could be dealt with in one simple in-person consultation. What a huge waste of time.

Given all this, it surprises me that Im something of a lone voice in criticising the current system.

Whenever this is discussed on social media and in the press, my GP colleagues get incredibly defensive about how hard they are working.

But I dont feel that people are accusing me of not working hard. Its the way we work that needs to change, for all our sakes.

As an aside, I think the current threats of industrial action from some GPs over the Government drive to up the numbers of in-person consultations are ridiculous.

For a start, were self-employed business owners. We cant strike.

But I think also, to some extent, there is a fear among some GPs about going back to a primarily in-person service.

And I understand this. When Covid hit, we were out on a limb, given no guidance, and none of the PPE or equipment that hospital doctors were.

We are working in poorly ventilated Victorian buildings, and had some very vulnerable patients to protect.

Staff were dropping like flies. My own practice had to close for a few weeks back in April because every GP and nurse had Covid. Some got quite sick. It was frightening.

The best (and worst) areas for seeing a doctor at a GP appointment in England TOP 10: Herts Valley 59.6 per cent South West London 59.3 per cent North Central London 59.3 per cent South East London 58.6 per cent North East London 57.5 per cent Stockport 56.9 per cent Manchester 56.3 per cent South Sefton 56.1 per cent North East London 55.6 per cent Surrey Heartlands 55.5 per cent BOTTOM 10: Lincolnshire 32.6 per cent North East Essex 33.2 per cent North East Lincolnshire 34.5 per cent Norfolk and Waveney 34.7 per cent Doncaster CCG 34.8 per cent Portsmouth 35.6 per cent Bury 36.1 per cent Bradford District and Craven 36.2 per cent Calderdale 36.9 per cent Ipswich and East Suffolk 36.9 per cent Advertisement

Pulling up the drawbridge was the only way to protect staff and patients. But things are different now.

Were all triple-jabbed, and much better at taking precautions around Covid.

The risk, although still there, just isnt the same.

There are those who say simply switching back to the old system, where patients could call or email and book a face-to-face appointment in the first instance, would cause a total meltdown in the service, but I disagree.

The speed at which this could happen will vary from practice to practice.

Perhaps specific, more in-need patient groups  such as those over the age of 65, parents of young children, or those with chronic illnesses  could be offered the option of self-booking face-to-face appointments first.

And some element of phone services should remain  my younger patients like calling, or having video consultations, because it means they dont need to take time off work. But our offering has to consider all patient types.

Online forms should be ditched for anything but the most perfunctory tasks, such as providing sick notes and booking annual routine hospital referrals.

I truly believe a longer-term plan to move GPs away from telephone first could make life more bearable for doctors and more importantly provide a service that works for patients.

I mentioned the workforce crisis earlier, with a lack of GPs making things worse. We need to attract more medical students into the speciality  as so many GPs plan to retire the moment they can.

And will there be anyone to replace them?

A medical student sat with me during a telephone clinic a few months ago. The look on her face said it all. Bored.

General Practice wasnt going to be the speciality for her. Not like this, anyway.
'Shop now, pay later' is the message online payments firm Klarna is using to entice people to spend, spend, spend in the run-up to Christmas.

But critics fear the boom in this payment method, which could result in one in ten shoppers using it to purchase presents, will create a personal debt mountain and leave many in fear of being harangued by debt collectors.

While the adverts are focusing on the positive  none more so than the 'get smoooth' tagline previously used by Klarna and featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg  the negatives don't get a mention.

If purchases are not paid for, you could end up with a debt collector knocking on your front door demanding payment with interest.

Persuasive: The Klarna 'Smoooth payment' ad with rapper Snoop Dogg

Swedish-owned Klarna is the biggest operator in the buy-now pay-later market with more than 15million customers spending 2.7billion a year in the UK.

Others include Clearpay, owned by Australian technology firm Afterpay, and British company Laybuy.

Their business models are simple. Rather than use money in your pocket or bank account, customers are given a pitch to 'get the shopping experience that you deserve'  and not worry about footing the bill straight away.

Online shops such as Boohoo, Asos, Made and H&M have embraced these new companies as a way of grabbing more customers, though they hand over up to 5.4 per cent of every sale  plus 20p  for the privilege.

Customers are attracted by not having to pay for 30 days, or to pay in three interest-free monthly chunks, with the first one paid immediately.

Such payment options are given prominence on online shops.

For example, on the Made website, customers can click a 599 button for a new sofa or pay '199.67 per month (no interest) with Klarna' now and over the next two months.

Klarna stresses that those who use its payment options will not compromise their credit score provided they meet their payments.

Buy now, pay later firms such as Klarna, Clearpay and Afterpay give shoppers the option to defer payment for 30 days  but late payments can incur significant fees

Some providers, including Clearpay and Laybuy, hit customers with a 6 fee if they are just 24 hours late with their payment  then levy another 6 fee if the overdue payment is not made within the next seven days.

Debt charity StepChange fears the buy-now pay-later industry could leave many people facing financial ruin in the New Year if they are unable to pay for the goods they bought in the run-up to the festive season.

The charity's Sue Anderson says: 'Easy borrowing might be good for shop sales, but it raises the risk of many consumers sinking into debt.'

She adds: 'We need regulations in place to stop easy debt causing misery for more people. It is only going to get worse in the run-up to Christmas. Credit should not be sold as a lifestyle accessory. These buy-now pay-later offers are promoting a way of life that in many cases results in debt.'

I felt desperate  I was drowning in a sea of debt Former Klarna user Chloe Porter, 24

One customer who has fallen foul of the debt trap is Chloe Porter, 24. She became aware of Klarna when its adverts popped up while she was browsing online.

The nursery nurse from Birmingham says: 'My finances were tight, but not out of control.

'But Klarna started appearing on pretty much every online checkout I used  and when I used it to buy clothes and soft furnishings I could not really afford, the debts just snowballed.'

Struggling to meet the monthly payments, Chloe was sent correspondence explaining that her details would be passed to a debt collector if she did not pay up.

'I felt desperate,' she says. 'I was drowning in a sea of debt. But all the time I was being chased for money, Klarna still allowed me to buy more goods.

'Companies like this that target the young should be regulated.'

Chloe, who has a one-year-old daughter Poppy, turned to StepChange for help. It consolidated her debts that had grown to 5,000 and she is now slowly paying them off.

Millions of shoppers welcome the likes of Klarna because it makes shopping easier when they are cash-strapped.

It is also relatively straightforward to return items such as clothes that do not fit before they must be paid for.

But last December, the Advertising Standards Authority banned Klarna from using adverts with the strapline 'a total mood booster' on the grounds that deferred payments do not necessarily make people feel better.

Campaigner Alice Tapper has set up a website Go Fund Yourself to highlight the danger of buy-now pay-later schemes.

Tapper  who has 50,000 followers on social media and a degree in behavioural economics  says: 'Buy-now pay-later slips through the regulation net.

'There are no clear rules on how it should be marketed. Schemes that lead to poor decision making by some consumers must be better policed.'

The small print: What fees do buy now, pay later firms charge? Buried away in the small print of Klarna's terms and conditions, it states: 'Where payments are frequently missed, Klarna may use debt collection agencies to recover your outstanding balance.' According to Citizens Advice, those chased for arrears by a bailiff can expect to be hit with an initial 75 penalty. Failure to pay up, resulting in a debt collector knocking on your door, can trigger a further penalty of 235 and a 7.5 per cent fee on any amount owed above 1,500. This means a debt of 2,500 may trigger total penalties of 150. People unable to clear the debt face the further ignominy of being charged 110 for having valuables repossessed and sold at auction. Clearpay's terms state: 'We give you till 11pm on the following day to make your repayment and then you will incur a late fee for a missed payment that is not resolved. This will be an initial 6 and a further fee of 6 if the payment is not made within seven days.' Provider Laybuy states: 'If you fail to pay within 24 hours of the due date, we will charge you a default fee of 6. If you do not rectify your default by making the missed instalment payment within the next seven days, we will charge you a further default fee of 6.

In February this year, the Financial Conduct Authority admitted the buy-now pay-later industry needed to be regulated 'as a matter of urgency', stating its practices could lead to 'significant potential consumer harm'.

Unfortunately, it has yet to do anything, with regulation likely next year at the earliest.

In October, the Treasury published its own report on the sector with industry responses sought by January.

On Friday, Klarna told The Mail on Sunday: 'We are only easy to use if you are able to repay. We do not offer an open line of credit with high interest charges like some credit cards do.

'The average outstanding debt is a mere 48 with more than 40 per cent of customers repaying early.'

The Financial Conduct Authority said: 'Buy-now pay-later products need to be regulated. We will consult on new rules soon.'
Much as it hurts me to say, I have been wrong before in predicting whether members of a mutual will back a move to demutualise  most notably Bradford & Bingley in 2000.

But I would be surprised if LV's useless board has persuaded enough members to vote to hand over control of the business to American private equity company Bain Capital. We will know before the Christmas festivities start in earnest.

What is irrefutable is that with every passing day, the board's decision to back a 530million deal from Bain looks more questionable.

Questionable: The LV board's decision to back a 530million deal to hand over control to private equity firm Bain could benefit executives and advisers more than customers

While LV's beleaguered (and underwhelming) chief executive Mark Hartigan will vehemently deny it, the cosying up to Bain looks like a deal struck more to feather the nests of City advisers and key board members (Hartigan and chairman Alan 'Captain' Cook) than to protect the interests of customers.

Although Hartigan has refused to reveal the pot of gold that awaits him and Captain Cook if the Bain deal goes ahead, we do now know that a phalanx of advisers will share a bounty of 43million.

A sum equivalent to more than 20 per cent of the 212million windfalls that LV's 1.16million members are being offered. Outrageous.

We also know Bain intends to run LV through an offshore company  a move designed, I imagine, to keep corporate tax bills down to a minimum.

What LV's founding fathers would think of this nobody knows, but I can't imagine they'd be happy.

Understandably, calls for regulatory intervention are mounting  Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, being the latest to back such a move.

LV chief executive, Mark Hartigan, may have no choice but to resign if the Bain buy-out deal comes unstuck

But given the Financial Conduct Authority's tendency to procrastinate over key financial issues (think Woodford, think London & Capital), I doubt whether it has got the balls to halt the process and investigate whether the deal is in the best interests of LV members.

What still concerns me is what the future holds for LV if the 530million Bain bid is voted down.

Of course, Hartigan and Cook would have no choice but to resign  few tears will be shed if that happens.

And the positions of other board members, especially the non-executives, would also become untenable given their role in allowing Hartigan to champion Bain unchallenged. Talk about being patsies.

Maybe, as my colleagues on the City pages have reported, fellow mutual Royal London will come riding to the rescue with a merger proposition. Or one of the other ten failed bidders will come back.

But if that doesn't happen, LV, its customers and employees will be left in limbo. It will be a financially challenged business with a discredited brand, run by nervous employees looking after disgruntled customers. A dangerous place to be.

Mutuals caught in a similar situation have come horribly unstuck.

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 mutual status.

Energy suppliers dropping like flies

The energy market is in chaos as suppliers drop like flies  25 at the last count and there will be more failures before the year is out.

Although accusing fingers are being rightly wagged in the direction of regulator Ofgem (as useless as the FCA), what is key is that the country's most vulnerable are protected from rising prices.

According to charity Age UK, 150,000 older households will be pushed into fuel poverty this winter despite the energy price cap.

It is now urging elderly citizens to check whether they are eligible for Pension Credit, a benefit that unlocks the door to Cold Weather Payments and the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Ms G.L. writes: Mercer needs looking into. A letter from the company, dated August 24, informed me that almost 10,000 from the commutation of my pension savings would be paid on October 1.

There is still no sign of the money, despite many calls to Mercer.

I just keep getting the runaround. I am sure I am not alone. Why is it keeping my money?

On the edge of a cliff: Mercer may be a global giant in the pensions world, but if you work for a company that lets Mercer run its pension scheme, you may find that it is a Big Unfriendly Giant

Tony Hetherington replies: Mercer may be a global giant in the pensions world, with 14 offices in the UK alone, but if you work for a company that lets Mercer run its pension scheme, you may find that it is a Big Unfriendly Giant.

You contacted me after my report in mid-October about a Morrisons employee who retired and had to struggle to get Mercer to part with her pension money.

Before that, I reported last March how Mercer refused to pay a widow the company pension to which she was fully entitled, unless she first handed over 208 it claimed it had overpaid her late husband.

Mercer fought long and hard to conceal the truth, which was that the 208 had never been paid. It was extorting money from the widow falsely, by holding back her own pension.

You worked for Whitbread, another household name business that lets Mercer run its pension scheme.

Your pension pot is only worth 9,879, which means it is small enough to let you take the lot in cash, rather than collect a tiny pension every month.

But what happened when you retired and it was time for Mercer to pay up? You were told to expect your money on October 1, but it did not arrive.

In October, you called Mercer and were told payment was 'pending'. Again, the money did not arrive.

On November 1, you contacted Mercer again and you were told a letter was waiting to be checked.

Checked for what, and by whom? Who knows? But this time you were told to expect payment around November 10. Again, Mercer failed to pay up.

I asked Mercer to explain why you had not been paid, and why it had told you to expect your money on certain dates, only to let you down time and again.

Is Mercer short of money? Is this simply bad administration? Is Mercer sitting on cash it should be paying to lots of pensioners, so it can squeeze an extra month or two of interest out of other people's money?

Mercer refuses to say. Even though you and the other Mercer victims whose complaints I have investigated gave their signed, legally binding authority to allow Mercer to speak to me without breaching confidentiality or data protection, the giant's mouth stayed shut when I asked what were clearly awkward questions.

All it would say last Wednesday was this: 'As per our company policy, we do not comment on individual member or client matters. However, we can confirm that Mrs L has been contacted by the team and her lump sum is scheduled to be paid on December 1.'

Would this be the same team that told you your money would land on October 1? And then again on November 10? Why were you not paid then? Mercer refused to answer.

Last month, I wrote that if my work pension was in Mercer's hands, I think I would change jobs.

Let me go further now. If I was running a company with a pension scheme, then for the sake of my employees, I would not entrust that scheme to Mercer.

Tax bill of the nurse with two NHS jobs

Mrs L.W. writes: My daughter is a single parent with a small child. She has recently been sent letters by Revenue & Customs, demanding 3,200, and saying she has underpaid income tax since 2016.

She tried to telephone the tax office but gave up because of the cost of waiting to be answered. She also tried to contact Revenue & Customs online, but it refused to deal with her as it wanted her passport details and she has none.

Why has it taken five years to notify her, with only three months allowed for payment?

Constituent parts: It is not true that the NHS is one organisation, with one payroll (picture posed by model)

Tony Hetherington replies: I asked officials at Revenue headquarters to look into this, and they very quickly explained the root of the problem, which is that your daughter has two jobs, both as a nurse.

Both employers believed they were her only employer, so she has been receiving two lots of annual tax allowances instead of one.

And since both employers told their tax offices that your daughter only worked for them, the different tax office staff were none the wiser.

The employers submitted tax forms quoting your daughter as saying, 'This is now my only job'.

You have explained that your daughter was not trying to trick the tax man, and you told me that 'nursing is nursing, whatever department you are in', and it should only count as a second job if your daughter took completely different part-time work, in a bar for example.

You felt that as your daughter worked for different parts of the NHS, this should be regarded as one employment, and that Revenue & Customs staff were negligent in not realising she had two jobs, so they should scrap the tax bill.

The NHS is one organisation, with one payroll, you said. Unfortunately, this is not true. NHS Trusts around the country have their own budgets, and they are separate employers.

On the bright side though, I can see that Revenue & Customs staff have written off hundreds of pounds that could have been demanded, and your daughter will be allowed to pay off the rest over a long period, and not just three months.

My Eon direct debit has soared

V.L. writes: I am with Eon for gas and electricity. I have been paying 65 a month, a figure set by Eon, but recently I received an email saying my account owes 822 and my monthly direct debits would be going up to 247.

This was a shock, especially as my previous month's statement showed I was in credit by 107.

I tried to telephone Eon but my calls were never answered, and online chats were cut off.

Tony Hetherington replies: Changes to the amount Eon has collected from your bank account came with dizzying speed.

After rising from 65 a month to 247, payments fell back to 160, only to climb again to 181  all within weeks.

Eon told me: 'When Mr L joined Eon, his electricity account was not fully set up, which meant he had not been billed for the electricity he used.'

Utility companies are not supposed to backdate charges by more than one year, so Eon has now cancelled its charges except for the most recent 12 months.

It has apologised and paid you 100 to make up for this. The amount you owe has been cut from 822 to a far more manageable 353.



If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
In 1992, Deng Xiaoping, a veteran of the Chinese Communist Party, said: 'The Middle East has its oil. China has rare earths.'

Back then, few people cared. Today, many do, including governments and businesses around the world.

Rare earth metals can be found in products as varied as earphones to air conditioning units and they are increasingly in demand as the world tries to become cleaner and greener.

Power play: Chinese mining company Rainbow Rare Earths is a major producer of neodymium, used in millions of earphones, air conditioning units and other products

China accounts for more than 75 per cent of global rare earth production and 95 per cent of refining and processing.

Not surprisingly then, the West is keen to reduce its reliance on China, but alternative producers and processors are thin on the ground.

Rainbow Rare Earths is an exception to the rule. The company is shaping up to be one of the largest producers outside China of two key rare earth metals, praseodymium and neodymium.

These form the basis of a compound called NdPr oxide, the price of which has tripled in less than two years, from $40,000 per ton to $115,000 (86,000) per ton.

Some forecasters suggest the surge will continue because both rare earth metals are critical components of wind turbines and electric cars.

Rainbow has two rare earth projects, one in Burundi and the other in South Africa. Today, the Burundi mine is in hibernation, while the South Africa site is in development.

Even so, Rainbow's share price has risen more than 30 per cent to 13p over the past year and analysts believe the stock should triple over the next couple of years.

Investor excitement centres on the South African project in Phalaborwa, just next to the Kruger National Park.

Home to a phosphate mine for decades, the site spawned two stacks of gypsum residue, each more than 1,000ft long and 200ft high.

Rainbow has two rare earth projects, one next to South Africa's Kruger National Park

They contain traces of praseodymium and neodymium, alongside other valuable rare earth elements.

Normally, these elements are extracted from ore. In Phalaborwa's case, they will be extracted from the gypsum stacks, a process that will cost far less than conventional mining and, crucially, will not deliver clumps of unprocessed metals that will need to be separated out in China.

Costs will be relatively modest because there will be no need for expensive underground drilling and the project is not subject to South African mining regulations because it is considered a chemical processing operation rather than a mine.

There are green benefits too, because Rainbow will be cleaning up the gypsum as part of the rare earth extraction process, creating a material which could easily be sold to construction companies.

The site should be up and running by 2024 and annual revenues of up to $250million are forecast, with underlying earnings of at least $100million a year.

Even as Phalaborwa moves towards production, the Burundi project is likely to come back on stream.

Historically, the Burundi government has been entitled to 10 per cent of local mining projects, but it is keen to secure more favourable terms so halted all mining operations in the summer of this year.

A compromise is expected next year, with politicians likely to demand somewhere closer to 15 per cent of the Burundi mine.

Even at that level, the site has plenty of potential as it is rich in praseodymium and neodymium and around 450 tons of ore is already sitting on site waiting to be processed, a move which alone will generate around $1.5million of cash.

African mining projects have a chequered track record on the stock market.

However, Rainbow is run by George Bennett, an investment banker turned mining expert, with a near 20-year history of successful projects to his name and an experienced team behind him.

Midas verdict: A mining company that is making no money, wrestling with political issues and unlikely to deliver meaningful profits for several years may seem a foolhardy investment.

But Rainbow Rare Earths is in the right place at the right time. Demand for rare earths is growing, Rainbow can help reduce the world's reliance on China and Bennett knows his game. At 13p, the shares are worth a punt.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: RBW Contact: rainbowrareearths.com or 00 27 82 652 8526
The chairman of Barclays has privately warned shareholders that emails between former boss Jes Staley and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be 'uncomfortable' to read, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Nigel Higgins has contacted some of the bank's largest investors in the past fortnight in an apparent effort to firefight the unfolding scandal.

Staley suddenly quit earlier this month after seeing the findings of a regulatory investigation into his description of his relationship with Epstein, which he characterised as professional.

Firefight: Barclays chairman Nigel Higgins has contacted some of the bank's largest investors in the past fortnight, to warn them about messages between Jes Staley and Jeffrey Epstein

The American-born banker plans to challenge the findings of two UK regulators that are investigating whether he misrepresented historic ties to the disgraced billionaire financier.

Epstein apparently committed suicide in 2019 while facing charges relating to the sex trafficking of underaged girls.

The probe has assessed about 1,200 emails that were exchanged between Epstein and Staley, who was working at the JPMorgan private bank at the time of the correspondence.

The Mail on Sunday understands that Higgins, who has seen the report, has told investors that some of the emails between Staley and Epstein will be 'uncomfortable' to see because of Staley's effusive language.

One top 20 shareholder told The Mail on Sunday: 'We spoke to Higgins after Staley left. He was very open.

'He said once you read the final report you will have questions for us because it will make for uncomfortable reading.'

Another investor said Higgins described some of Staley's language in the emails as 'generous'. The chairman also mentioned that Staley often formed strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

A source said Higgins explained that Staley had to quit after announcing he would battle the regulators as the bank has to operate under their purview  which made his position indefensible.

Former Barclays boss Jes Staley quit his role at the bank earlier this month

Staley has hired Kathleen Harris, a lawyer at Arnold & Porter, to contest the findings of the joint investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

The FCA could publish a detailed 'notice' that includes excerpts from the emails  even if the case goes through the court system.

The concern is that the excerpts will suggest that Staley was closer to Epstein than he had originally stated.

The warning from Higgins comes after he publicly supported Staley when the regulatory investigation emerged last February.

The bank said at the time: 'The board... believes that Mr Staley has been sufficiently transparent with the company as regards the nature and extent of his relationship with Mr Epstein.

'Accordingly, Mr Staley retains the full confidence of the board, and is being unanimously recommended for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.'

The report's publication could come as an embarrassment for Higgins and the board, who had been notified about the cache of emails as early as 2019.

The recent phone calls may be seen as an effort to distance the board from the situation and prepare investors ahead of publication.

Staley first met Epstein in early 2000 when the latter was a customer of JPMorgan. Staley also visited Epstein in 2009 while he was serving a prison sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The American banker also sailed his yacht, the Bequia, to Epstein's private retreat in the Caribbean just months before becoming chief executive of Barclays in December 2015.

As soon as Staley announced his departure from Barclays, the bank promoted CS Venkatakrishnan  known as 'Venkat'  as chief executive. Venkat has been holding separate calls and meetings with leading shareholders over the past week in New York.

He was hired by Staley  who had worked with him at JPMorgan  as chief risk officer of Barclays in 2016.

One top shareholder who has spoken to Venkat in the past fortnight said: 'He has zero tolerance for misconduct.'

Shareholders have raised concerns over the fact that Staley will continue to receive his 2.4million salary along with a 120,000 pension allowance and other perks until October.

A spokesman for Staley said: 'Mr Staley intends to contest the initial findings of the FCA and PRA investigation.

'He will not be making any further public statements at this point.'

Barclays declined to comment.
A powerful committee of MPs is poised to launch a sweeping review of the energy market as taxpayers face a 3 billion bill  100 per household  for failed suppliers.

The Commons Business, Industrial and Energy Strategy committee will discuss plans for an inquiry on Tuesday, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Once it gets the green light, committee chairman Darren Jones aims to launch the probe ahead of Christmas before grilling Ministers, regulator Ofgem and energy bosses early next year.

Probe: Set to launch in December, the inquiry will scrutinise the role of Ofgem and the energy price cap to protect customers from soaring energy bills

The inquiry will scrutinise the role of Ofgem and the energy price cap to protect customers from soaring energy bills triggered by a spike in global gas prices.

Analysis for the MoS by price comparison site TheEnergyShop indicates the failure of Bulb and 26 other energy suppliers since January, hitting more than 4.2million customers, could cost taxpayers 3billion  just over 100 for each of Britain's 28million households.

The bill includes a 1.7billion Government bailout to fund Bulb through the winter after Britain's seventh largest supplier, with 1.6million household customers, collapsed into special administration last Wednesday.

Jones said: 'This 1.7billion liability is yet another burden on people's energy bills. Are there going to be others? How much of a cheque is the Chancellor writing to the Business Secretary to be able to underwrite this?'

Jones said Ofgem's chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, would be called to give evidence in public alongside Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Energy Minister Greg Hands and energy industry bosses.

He added: 'There will be some fairly tense discussions. We need to understand what happened and how we improve things. We don't want to have a punch-up with Jonathan, but there will be significant questions the regulator will need to answer.'

Jones said the inquiry will examine whether Ofgem needs a more 'interventionist' approach to suppliers reporting financial distress and whether the 'misleading' price cap should be reviewed.

'Consumers don't really understand what it [price cap] is,' he said. 'We need to cut through the commercial positioning and understand what really works for customers.'

Britain's seventh largest supplier, Bulb, collapsed into special administration last Wednesday and will receive a 1.7billion Government bailout to fund it hrough the winter months

The inquiry's findings would likely help inform a new Energy Bill next year.

A Whitehall source said Ministers recognise market reform is inevitable, adding: 'Once the fog has lifted, and global gas prices have returned to normal, we will need to look at the retail market more seriously.'

The source insisted the 1.7billion handed to Bulb's administrators is a loan and that the Government hopes to recover the majority, potentially through a sale of Bulb or its assets.

But Joe Malinowski, founder of TheEnergyShop, said Ministers are 'away with the fairies' if they believe the money will be recouped, adding: 'Households will unquestionably carry the losses for this calamity.'

Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said: 'It's alarming so many suppliers haven't been able to weather the storm.

'Reforms are urgently needed to protect customers and taxpayers from paying the price when energy companies collapse.'
Private equity firms and investment funds are sizing up BT's Openreach division as the telecoms giant braces itself for a potential shake-up triggered by its largest shareholder, Patrick Drahi.

Sources told the The Mail on Sunday that potential suitors  said to include private equity firms CVC and Apax, and infrastructure investors Brookfield and Macquarie  had run fresh analyses on the value of Openreach that could price the cables division at an eye-watering 40billion.

Bankers are preparing for a potential bidding war over a possible stake, or even the whole of Openreach, sparked by pressure from Drahi.

Connections: BT's Openreach division may be spun off, and bankers are preparing for a potential bidding war

The Franco-Israeli telecoms tycoon's company Altice UK took a 12.1 per cent stake in BT in June, worth 2.2billion.

A six-month period preventing him from launching a takeover under City rules expires on December 11.

That has fuelled speculation that Drahi may buy more shares and apply pressure on the board to sell a stake or even the whole of Openreach, which owns the infrastructure that connects most UK homes.

BT has hired boutique investment bank Robey Warshaw, which employs former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, to fortify its corporate defences.

The situation has prompted bankers and investors to closely examine BT and Openreach.

Barclays and another large investment bank have conducted recent research which values Openreach at about 26billion. That is far higher than the 18billion to 20billion price tag attributed to the division by analysts this spring.

But one senior telecoms source said: 'The reality is Openreach is worth double that. There's a bit of a goldrush for telecoms infrastructure assets in Europe. It is definitely undervalued and, if you look at the profit forecasts, it could easily be worth more than 40billion.'

Buyout giant KKR has separately launched a 33billion (28billion) bid for Telecom Italia, with KKR's rivals CVC and Advent also reported to be interested.

The source said: 'That deal shows the top private equity firms think large telecommunication companies are not too big to stomach. All the private equity houses and investment banks are running the numbers on BT and Openreach.'

Pressure: Investor Patrick Drahi took a big stake in BT

Sources said that CVC and Apax could form part of a consortium rather than acting alone.

Macquarie, an Australian investment bank sometimes known as the 'Vampire Kangaroo', owns UK infrastructure assets including Southern Water and East Yorkshire fibre broadband firm KCom. Canada's Brookfield owns specialist Open Fibre Networks through its UK utilities arm.

BT, Altice, CVC Brookfield and Macquarie declined to comment. Apax could not be reached.

Drahi has so far presented a cordial picture of relations with BT, publicly supporting chief executive Philip Jansen's strategy to bring full-fibre broadband to 25million homes by the end of 2026.

However, Altice has a fearsome reputation for cost-cutting in Europe. The group is currently attempting to sell its Portuguese division, which could fund Drahi's next move.

Drahi's options include retaining or increasing his stake, attempting a full takeover of BT or forcing a partial or full sale of Openreach, handing shareholders a hefty dividend.

A full takeover is thought to be unlikely, given the group's size, pension fund liabilities and potential political hurdles.

German giant Deutsche Telekom may play a crucial role in supporting or opposing Drahi's plans. It has repeatedly suggested it may review its 12 per cent stake, and chief executive Tim Hottges said this month he was keeping 'all options open'.

Jansen has openly considered the possibility of selling a stake through a joint venture in Openreach to help fund its full-fibre broadband rollout. But he ruled out the idea earlier this month, opting instead to fund the rollout itself.

BT was privatised in 1984 under Margaret Thatcher's Government, but huge debts and its large pension deficit have been a drag on its shares.

The stock is up 13 per cent so far this year at 1.54 a share, valuing BT at 15.3billion, amid Drahi's interest and the reinstatement of the dividend.

The end of Drahi's lock-up comes at a critical point for BT.

Last week, it completed its move to its new headquarters in Aldgate, London, and former ITV boss Adam Crozier becomes chairman this week.

It is also considering selling its BT Sport arm.

Matthew Howett, founder of consultancy Assembly Research, said: 'This is a pivotal moment in BT's history  it's going through a transformation.'

But he added: 'A spin-out is in no way a straightforward process  the Government is taking a keen interest in network assets, and the pension scheme is a can of worms.'
Private equity firm Bain Capital has mounted a staunch defence of its controversial takeover of LV by saying it 'will save the business' and preserve the historic brand.

In a rare public intervention, Bain said that its 530million bid for LV is 'obviously the best option' for the life insurer's 1.2million members and claimed that alternatives could be bleak.

Matt Popoli, global head of insurance at Bain, told The Mail on Sunday that the US firm's plan is 'better' than the alternatives, despite a backlash over its offer to pay members 100 to give up their mutual status.

In focus: Bain Capital has mounted a staunch defence of its controversial takeover of LV, saying it is the 'best option' for the life insurer's 1.5million members

He said: 'We want to grow the brand, maintain the business and turn LV back to what it used to be, one of the most competitive providers of protection, savings and retirement products in the UK.

'That is surely better for consumers than allowing some other insurance company to come along and swallow it up, discard the brand and jobs.

'We're going to save the business. We're paying out money to policyholders, we'll be enabling them to pay down debt and we're investing to grow the business and that's why we think this is the best option for members and employees.'

His comments come less than two weeks before the deadline to vote on the proposal. LV needs to secure 75 per cent of members' votes for the deal to go ahead.

Bain's offer, which beat 11 other bids, has been widely criticised. Politicians have accused Bain of offering a 'paltry' sum to LV members in return for sacrificing mutuality  meaning the company will no longer be run for the benefit of customers.

The deal has also come under pressure as rival mutual Royal London is waiting in the wings to swoop in for a potential merger with LV.

The MoS revealed that Royal London boss Barry O'Dwyer wrote to LV proposing a deal if members vote against the Bain offer.

Sources told this newspaper that O'Dwyer is considering a full-blown merger with LV, which would mean members get to keep their mutual status under Royal London.

I don't see how one large mutual coming along and consuming LV is good for either customers or employees of LV Matt Popoli, global head of insurance at Bain Capital

The LV brand, which refers to the original Liverpool Victoria insurance company founded in 1843, would likely be sold as a result.

Popoli said: 'I don't see how one large mutual coming along and consuming LV is good for either customers or employees of LV.'

He insisted that the alternatives to the Bain deal were stark. Popoli believes LV is 'sub-scale' and in desperate need of investment to remain competitive, and so has committed to invest 160million. 'Put simply, LV can't continue as it is,' he said.

Popoli added that if members vote against the deal, 'the alternative would be no 100 for every member. Then there'd be no payments of close to 2,000 on average for with-profits policyholders.

'I think that LV was in much worse shape than was probably understood by the market when we were asked to get involved last year.

'The other options would involve the brand being discarded, closure of the sites perhaps and a significant reduction in the number of jobs for LV staff.

'If the business continues on its own, members get no payments and all the future risks are handed to the with-profit members.

'Then I suppose there's always closure. This is costly. It would mean no payments to members. All the jobs would go and obviously the LV brand goes too.'

He added that Bain will 'introduce more products, better customer service, better digitalisation'.
Shift: Ben Osborn says Pfizer is now able to widen its research into other diseases

Pfizer's UK boss Ben Osborn sprang out of bed last Monday morning with one burning thought in his mind.

People his age  the 40 to 49-year-olds  had just become eligible for a Covid booster jab and he was determined to be among the first to get it.

'Before I even had my coffee, I thought the system's open, and within two minutes it was in the diary,' says Osborn, 44, who signed up like everyone else.

He will receive the jab this week, exactly a year since the vaccine America's Pfizer and German partner BioNTech developed was approved in the UK.

Osborn vividly remembers watching 90-year-old grandmother Margaret Keenan receive the first Covid vaccine in the western world  a Pfizer jab in Coventry.

It was a proud, career-defining moment, he explains, adding: 'I've seen that clip umpteen times, I watched it back the other day and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up again.'

It's also just over a year since Osborn first revealed to The Mail on Sunday that Pfizer had stacks of vaccines ready to go pending approval at its vast manufacturing site in Puurs, Belgium.

Since then, there have been production squeezes due to upgrading those facilities, repeat UK Government orders for more doses and political bunfights over supplies.

Last week, emergence of the Omicron Covid variant has stoked concerns it may be able to evade the protection of current vaccines. Testing has already begun against the variant with initial data due in weeks.

The pharmaceutical giant is on track to produce more than three billion doses this year  up from an original target of 1.2billion.

Pfizer has said its mRNA technology gives it the flexibility to develop new vaccine variants in as little as 100 days.

Osborn says, in the UK, the 'Covid situation feels much more under control than it did 12 months ago', due to the success of the vaccination programme.

He adds: 'I'm incredibly proud of the small part Pfizer has played in supporting the NHS.

'It has been a year like we've never experienced before. It's shown the importance of a thriving life sciences sector. Friends, family, neighbours, strangers in the street appreciate the work Pfizer brings to health and the economy.'

Pfizer and BioNTech are set to produce 3million vaccine doses by the end of this year

Not everyone has been so appreciative. The clean-cut executive recounts having some 'blunt' conversations with anti-vaccine advocates.

He welcomes the debate, but says he typically questions the sources of their information compared with documented medical research.

'It's frustrating but it's part of the job. The most important message is, yes, it's been done at speed but no corners have been cut.

'I think the biggest reassurance I would give is that I would give the vaccine to my six-year-old daughter tomorrow, if that were authorised.'

Yes, it's been done at speed but no corners have been cut Osborn on the development of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine

It's a timely intervention for the executive who has spent two decades with Pfizer and was recently also appointed head of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

Experts and regulators are considering whether to approve its use in five to 11-year-olds, potentially for a spring roll-out.

Last week, his rival, AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot, was out in public proclaiming the efficacy of his own vaccine  specifically that its widespread use in the UK may have limited the number of hospitalisations relative to parts of Europe, where its use had been restricted and cases are rising.

This time, Osborn declined to be drawn into a debate, with the analysis to back Soriot's claim yet to be published.

But he hopes Britons will welcome their booster shots with the memory of last year's festive restrictions still fresh.

'Clearly Christmas is going to be an important occasion for all of us but I'm very encouraging of everybody to come forward to get boosted not just for Christmas but beyond into next year.'

He says normality is returning, with a couple of recent trips to watch rugby at Twickenham and Cardiff.

But he admits the pandemic has made life even harder for many  his elder son George, 14, has a rare form of epilepsy and has had his education at a special needs school disrupted, as well as his own 'ultra running' hobby.

Discussions are ongoing over whether more jabs will be needed in 2022. He says, 'We will likely see a need for some level of boosting in subsequent years'.

The UK has ordered 135million doses from Pfizer in total, more than any other jab, and Osborn assures that 'supply of our vaccine is not an issue in the UK'.

A contract to produce the injection in Britain for the first time begins in April in Swindon.

Osborn is keen to harness the Covid momentum which has made the pharma firm  which operates from labs in Sandwich, Kent, in the UK  a household name.

He says: 'We've shown that we could develop a vaccine in 259 days. So it's about how we did that, and making sure we apply those learnings more broadly.'

He cites a promising rapidly developed pill aimed at Covid patients as a 'potential gamechanger'.

And, in a message likely to cheer patients sidelined during the NHS's Covid firefighting, he adds: 'We're looking at how we can bring that same level of emphasis to other disease areas  the cancers, rare diseases, cardiovascular disease, immunology.'

New developments could help Pfizer justify the huge profits it is expected to reap from the scramble by governments to tackle a global emergency.

Vaccine revenues are expected to hit $36billion this year, up from $33.5billion in 2020.

'We didn't take any Government funding, we invested some $2billion prior to even having a vaccine authorised and we have continued now to scale that research to other disease areas,' Osborn says.

This month, Pfizer upped its forecasts for research and development spending by $400 million to $10.4 billion to $10.9 billion this year.

'That allows us to be ready for future pandemics,' Osborn says.
Mover: Chief executive Mike Regnier

Santander, the UK's fifth largest bank, is preparing to name the head of Yorkshire Building Society as its new boss.

Mike Regnier will replace Nathan Bostock as chief executive, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Regnier joined Yorkshire, the UK's third largest building society, in 2014 and has held its top post for five years.

He was previously a senior banker at Lloyds, overseeing personal current accounts and credit cards, and was also a product director at TSB.

The eagerly watched appointment comes after heir-apparent Tony Prestedge left the bank suddenly in July under mysterious circumstances  having joined as deputy chief executive in September 2020 when Baroness Shriti Vadera was chair. He had previously held the same role at Nationwide.

It was widely expected that Prestedge would replace Bostock, 61, who has held the top post since 2014.

Prestedge's shock exit dealt a blow to the search process, led by William Vereker  a former business envoy of ex-Prime Minister Theresa May  who took over as Santander chairman in November 2020.

Prestedge's departure also threatened to delay Bostock's move to become head of investment platforms at the Spanish parent bank.

Santander said in April that Bostock would 'step down as CEO towards the end of the year and start his new role when a successor has been appointed'. The bank lost another candidate when Susan Allen quit earlier this year to join Barclays.

Allen, who was head of the retail and business bank, was seen as a leading internal replacement option.

Regnier will join just as the UK bank has undergone a restructure to operate more closely with its European business and its Spanish parent, led by group executive chair Ana Botin.

The British arm has ditched the retail and business banking chief executive role. Its senior UK bankers now report directly to Santander's European boss, Antonio Simoes, as well as the UK chief executive.

Last month, the bank reported a 381 per cent jump in pre-tax profit to 1.4billion for the first nine months of the year after huge demand for mortgages.
The Post Office is aiming to double the number of branches where customers can pick up Amazon purchases and grow its nascent parcel collections business to more than 100million.

Chief executive Nick Read will this week reveal plans to rapidly expand its 'pick up, drop off' (PUDO) business, which launched in spring and has helped revitalise the Post Office.

A fierce battle has erupted for market share in parcel delivery after the pandemic sparked a boom in online shopping.

Heading in the right direction: The Post Office estimates the PUDO market could be worth 400million by 2026

Last year, a long-term deal which restricted couriers other than Royal Mail using the Post Office's 11,500 branches ended.

A trial offering click and collect services for Amazon began in March, followed by a deal with DPD in August.

In a speech to employees, Read will reveal that the revised service is now in 3,100 branches and is expected to double to more than 6,000 next year.

The state-owned firm estimates the PUDO market could be worth 400million by 2026, and has set a goal to land a 30 per cent share.

Post Office remained in state ownership after Royal Mail was split off and privatised in 2013.

'Instead of a van making dozens of stops at individual addresses, it is making just the one stop at a Post Office, and crucially, enabling customers to come and collect their parcels at a time that suits them, as more of us are heading back to the office,' Read will say this week.

He took over in 2019 replacing Paula Vennells, also a part-time priest, who presided over an IT scandal that left postmasters wrongly accused of theft.
Potential homebuyers looking to take out a mortgage are being warned about using buy now, pay later schemes, after it was revealed that four major lenders are quizzing borrowers about their use when they apply for decisions in principle.

Buy now, pay later allows shoppers to defer or split payments when shopping online. Some of the biggest providers in the market include Clearpay, Laybuy and Klarna.

Use of these schemes surged during the pandemic as more of us shopped online.

However, consumer group Which? has warned that many users did not realise that some mortgage lenders consider BNPL a type of debt, and treat it in the same way as a loan or credit card.

Scrutiny: Users of popular buy now, pay later apps such as Afterpay and Klarna may need to disclose this when they apply for a mortgage - and lenders could consider it a risk

Which? researchers applied for a mortgage decision in principle online with 10 of the UK's biggest lenders, to find out how much borrowers' BNPL activity was being scrutinised.

Which? reported that four lenders - Barclays, Halifax, Nationwide and TSB - specifically asked for details of BNPL arrangements alongside other credit commitments such as loans and credit cards.

They usually asked about the amount outstanding on each arrangement, and whether the debt would be fully repaid before the mortgage started.

Conversely, five lenders - HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Virgin Money and Yorkshire Building Society - made no mention of BNPL on their online decision in principle forms.

Coventry Building Society does not accept online applications, but confirmed that it did not ask about BNPL when customers apply for a decision in principle.

Even if they do not ask for these details when a decision in principle is requested, the information will come to light when a formal application is submitted later in the mortgage process.

Submitting a formal application for a mortgage involves your lender conducting a 'hard' credit check, which involves accessing your credit report and requesting bank statements to ensure your finances match up with your application.

While some BNPL providers, including Klarna and Clearpay, don't leave any trace of your borrowing on your credit report, others such as Laybuy and OpenPay do.

Which? researchers filled out online mortgage applications to see when BNPL borrowing was picked up. It found that four lenders asked for information at the decision in principle stage

And even if it is not present on your credit report, lenders may pick up on payments to BNPL providers on bank statements.

Several confirmed to Which? that they looked for BNPL commitments when analysing bank statements.

Mortgage lenders' view of the borrowing will also depend on the length of the credit agreement, and whether the customer is paying interest.

Although most schemes offer to delay smaller payments for 30 days or up to six weeks interest-free, some allow customers to mix these offers with longer borrowing options on big ticket items which charge interest.

Monzo, for example, recently launched Flex, which offers a limit of up to 3,000 and the chance to split the cost of purchase over 30 over three instalments interest-free, or for a longer period of six to 12 instalments at a typical 19 per cent APR.

Lenders told Which? that they classed this type of borrowing along with more traditional types of credit.

Barclays took the strictest view on BNPL, saying that all active BNPL arrangements were considered ongoing financial commitments, like loans or credit cards.

Nationwide and Coventry Building Society said they only looked at formal BNPL agreements which looked like a traditional finance agreement bearing interest, and those that had more than six months left, when calculating affordability.

Which? said: 'A 50 jacket that you choose to defer paying for 30 days, interest-free is unlikely to scupper your mortgage, as this will most likely be paid back by the time your mortgage is granted.

'However, a 500 washing machine you've chosen to split into six payments would be a debt commitment that will impact how much spare cash you have each month and therefore will need to be taken more seriously.'

Could BNPL really kibosh your mortgage?

Depending on the amount of BNPL borrowing a customer has relative to their income, how many BNPL agreements they have, and the timescale in which the money is is set to be repaid, this could result in the amount they can borrow being reduced, or their application being rejected altogether.

While BNPL arrangements by their very nature might not have a big bearing on affordability, this doesn't remove the potential for lenders to make further enquiries Mortgage broker David Hollingworth

Ultimately, the lender will need to decide whether or not the customer is, in its view, too reliant on short-term credit.

However, Which? was clear that BNPL had not been blacklisted by lenders. Instead, it said, they used it as one of many variables to assess a customers' financial situation.

Mortgage broker David Hollingworth of L&C said: 'While BNPL arrangements by their very nature might not have a big bearing on affordability, this doesn't remove the potential for lenders to make further enquiries around something on a bank statement.

'If a borrower is using BNPL on a very regular basis and to a higher volume then it could require further justification to the underwriter.'
Funding of social care in England is undergoing a major overhaul.

New Government proposals were voted through by MPs last week and are now heading to the House of Lords for review.

Further tussles in the House of Commons and Lords are likely, but within weeks we should have confirmation on how much people will have to pay towards care costs.

Here is what the current proposals will mean.

Helping hand: From October 2023, the most that anyone will have to pay for personal care over their lifetime will be 86,000

What is changing?

From October 2023, the most that anyone will have to pay for personal care over their lifetime will be 86,000.

Currently there is no cap. Anyone with less than 100,000 in assets will also be eligible for some financial support from their local council.

This is a significant rise from the current level of 23,250. Assets include savings, investments and property, including the family home.

Anyone with less than 20,000 in total will not have to pay anything towards their care from their assets. This is a rise from 14,250 at present.

What do the new rules cover?

The cap will apply to the cost of care, whether given at home or in a care home. For example, the cost of help with washing and dressing.

However, it does not cover daily living costs  for example rent, food and utility bills. Living costs for people residing in a care home will be set at 200 a week.

Those costs will not count towards the lifetime cap of 86,000.

Why is this happening now?

More than a million people in England are receiving social care. This number will rise as the population ages.

Under the current system, the cost of care can be eye-watering. People who have diligently saved all their lives can have their nest eggs wiped out in a few years, leaving them with nothing to pass on to loved ones.

Around one in seven adults aged 65 currently face lifetime costs of more than 100,000.

Under the new plans, some homeowners who need to sell their home to pay for care can apply to their local council to have the sale deferred until after they die

However, deciding what care costs should be picked up by an individual requiring care and what should be paid by the State is a thorny issue.

Successive governments have failed to tackle it  and kicked the can down the road.

The new proposal is designed to offer greater certainty to families about what they will be expected to pay to make it easier to plan.

Why is it controversial?

Last week, the Government won a vote to change its plans so that council contributions to care fees do not go towards the new 86,000 spending cap.

Only contributions from someone's own savings and income count. The Government says it wants to ensure that people who get council support do not reach the cap at an artificially faster rate than others.

This amendment comes as a huge blow to anyone with lower levels of assets, especially people in the North Helen Morrissey, pensions analyst

But critics say those who receive such support tend to be poorer.

By introducing this rule, households with the lowest incomes and smallest assets will be asked to pay a bigger proportion of their overall wealth to fund care costs.

They are also more likely to have to sell their homes.

Helen Morrissey, pensions and retirement analyst at wealth platform Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'This amendment comes as a huge blow to anyone with lower levels of assets, especially people in the North, where house prices tend to be lower than further south.'

Will people have to sell their home to pay for care?

Some will. The lifetime cap on costs does not cover living costs, which can add up to considerably more than the cost of care itself.

However, anyone in this position can apply to have the sale of their home delayed until after they die.

In this instance, the council pays the care costs upfront and then reclaims them from the sale of the home after the homeowner passes away.

How can I plan for the cost of social care?

It's all but impossible to predict whether we might need care, what kind and how long for.

The new rules should at least make it easier as they lay down how much, in the event we do need care, we will be required to pay.

It is hoped that in time, the insurance industry may offer products that provide cover for social care costs.

Tom Selby, head of retirement policy at the wealth platform AJ Bell, believes policymakers may need to incentivise people to save for social care.

For example, he suggests the Government could introduce an Isa for saving for care, which might include an upfront bonus, but where withdrawals could only be tax-free if used to pay for care.

When does the cap start?

The cap will be introduced in October 2023. It will be implemented for adults of all ages, without exception. Costs accrued before this date will not count towards the cap.

Where will it apply?

The cap will be introduced in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to set their own social care policies.

Finally, how will it be paid for?

Both employers' and individuals' National Insurance Contributions will rise by 1.25 percentage points from April next year to pay for social care and help fund the NHS.

From April 2023, this payment will become a separate tax, called the Health and Social Care Levy.
Felix Dean has fallen hard and fast since his days as a Home and Away child star

Home and Away child star Felix Dean summed up his sad descent into crime and drug abuse in a recent social media post by saying this: 'from the good life to struggle street'.

Eighteen months ago the 24-year-old was staying in a luxury serviced apartment in Sydney's central business district, while receiving $1,000 a fortnight from Centrelink.

By January he was homeless and his finances were being controlled by the New South Wales Trustee & Guardian, which was paying him an allowance of $150 a week.

Today, the 24-year-old is facing a raft of criminal charges while on remand at the maximum security Parklea Correctional Centre in Sydney's north west.

Dean has been behind bars since October after he allegedly attacked a tobacconist with a hammer - the fourth time he had been arrested in two years.

He is facing 11 charges including assaulting police, affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and larceny.

He has already pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob and two counts of recklessly damaging property.

Court records refer to Dean's recent addresses at Erskineville, Redfern, Randwick, Kellyville and a Harris Park rehab clinic.

Dean was just ten when he got his big break on Home and Away, acting alongside Ada Nicodemou as her on-screen son VJ Patterson from 2007 to 2014.

Eighteen months ago Felix Dean was staying in a serviced apartment in the centre of Sydney. Today he is on remand at Parklea prison. Dean played VJ Patterson in Home and Away from 2007 to 2014. He is pictured with on-screen mother Ada Nicodemou

Dean's most recent troubles with the law began on May 23, 2020 when he booked into room 3708 of the Meriton Suites Hotel (pictured) on Kent Street in Sydney. The next morning after checking out he deliberately drove through a security gate, causing $7,624.93 in damage

When Felix Dean was last arrested on charges of assaulting a tobacconist with a hammer he was living in this row of terraces in inner-city Surry Hills

At the same time he attended the oldest Catholic boys' boarding school in Australia, St Stanislaus' College at Bathurst in the New South Wales Central West.

Dean's most recent troubles with the law began on May 23, 2020 when he booked into room 3708 of the Meriton Suites Hotel on Kent Street in Sydney.

The next morning after checking out Dean drove his Subaru WRX sedan straight through an automatic security gate in the car park, causing $7,624.93 in damage.

Dean, who made not attempt to report what happened to staff, pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging property and was placed on a nine-month conditional release order.

At that time police noted in a statement of facts Dean had faced nine previous charges for offences ranging from assault to larceny. He was living in an Airbnb.

Dean's next serious brush with the law came when he attacked an Uber driver and smashed another man's window early this year.

Felix Dean is facing 11 charges including assaulting police, affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and larceny. He has pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob and two counts of recklessly damaging property

Felix Dean's latest home is the maximum security Parklea Correctional Centre (pictured) in Sydney's north west where he is awaiting sentence on a string of charges including assault

By then he was homeless and staying sporadically at hotels around Sydney, while the NSW Trustee & Guardian had been appointed to control his finances.

That body paid for his accommodation, while he retained an investment property at Botany which was leased and rent of $330 went into his trustee account each week.

Dean had been drinking with a friend in a park behind King Street at Newtown when a resident saw him urinating outside his unit shortly before 9pm on January 6.

When the resident called out, 'Come on mate, people live here, what are you doing?' Dean laughed and responded, 'Do you want a fight?'

After the man dialled Triple Zero and showed the unemployed actor his phone screen, Dean picked up a bottle and smashed one of his windows.

About an hour later Dean was standing on a footpath in nearby Erskineville Road when an Uber driver drove past and turned into Wilson Street.

Dean ran in front of the vehicle, slapped the bonnet, opened the car door and began throwing punches at the driver's head and face.

'Get out of the car you f***king c***,' Dean told the driver, who kicked him in the abdomen, closed the door and drove away.

Dean was nominated for Best Young Actor at the 2008 and 2009 Inside Soap Awards For his portrayal of VJ. He disappeared from the spotlight altogether after the gig

Dean referred to himself as a 'work in progress' in a social media post made in August. 'From the good life to struggle street to finding my feet,' he wrote on Facebook. 'Underestimate me at least that makes two of us.' He is now in Parklea prison (pictured)

The attack on the Uber driver was captured on CCTV and Dean pleaded guilty in May this year to assault with intent to rob and intentionally destroying property.

Dean's next run-in with police came on the afternoon of September 18 at Paddington when he allegedly failed to comply with a Covid-19 direction.

According to police Dean then assaulted a senior constable by kicking the officer in the leg. He is yet to enter pleas to those two alleged offences.

After that incident Dean was granted bail on strict conditions including that he abide by a 6pm curfew and be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing.

Next, Dean was arrested near the TSG Tobacconist in Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, shortly before midnight on October 11.

Police allege Dean attacked the tobacconist with a hammer and assaulted another man after stealing a iPhone from the shop.

The tobacconist suffered minor head injuries and was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics.

Dean was then refused bail and has been in custody ever since.

Dean left Home and Away as a 17-year-old when he was replaced in the long-running soap by Matthew Little. At the time his on-screen mother Nicodemou said she viewed Dean as a 'surrogate son' after their years spent together on the show. The pair is pictured

He has not entered pleas to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of common assault, larceny, affray and being armed with a weapon to commit an indictable offence.

All charges were mentioned in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday when Dean's solicitor sought an adjournment until December 7.

Dean referred to himself as a 'work in progress' in a social media post made in August, before his two most recent arrests.

'From the good life to struggle street to finding my feet,' he wrote on Facebook. 'Underestimate me at least that makes two of us.'

Dean has not had an acting credit since leaving Home and Away as a 17-year-old when he was replaced in the long-running soap by Matt Little.

At the time his on-screen mother Nicodemou said she viewed Dean as a 'surrogate son' after their years spent together on the show.

Dean was nominated for Best Young Actor at the 2008 and 2009 Inside Soap Awards For his portrayal of VJ Patterson. He disappeared from the spotlight altogether after the gig.
The much-maligned AstraZeneca vaccine could prove key to Australia dodging yet another Covid wave sweeping the nation if the UK's experience is any guide.

One EU country after another is going back into lockdown in the latest battle against Covid, with the continent on red alert as the bitter winter weather starts to bite.

More than 4,000 are dying every day across Europe at the moment with Russia, Germany, Romania, Poland, Austria and the Netherlands among the worst hit.

Daily cases numbers are frequently running at double the previous peaks from earlier in the pandemic - and are still rising, with more than 310,000 cases a day.

But UK deaths and case numbers have remained relatively constant since July, and experts believe the AstraZeneca jab may be playing a key part in that.

Professor Bryan Williams, the emeritus director of the Melbourne-based Hudson Institute, also told Daily Mail Australia that there were more vaccines currently in testing which could potentially deal with any new strains such as Omicron.

The much-maligned AstraZeneca vaccine could prove key to Australia dodging yet another Covid wave sweeping the nation if the UK's experience is any guide (pictured, racegoers enjoy the Melbourne Cup after Victoria's lockdown ended)

One EU country after another is going back into lockdown in the latest battle against Covid, with the continent on red alert as the bitter winter weather starts to bite (pictured, Lipizzaner horses go to training in Austria without any spectators as the country re-enters lockdown)

While daily cases numbers are still worryingly high in the UK, running around 40,000 a day, deaths have become relatively rare at just 10 per cent of the country's worst figures.

The UK and Australia were the two main nations to have a widespread rollout of the locally produced and Oxford University-created AstraZeneca vaccine.

Most other countries relied on mRNA jabs like the US-produced Pfizer, while China and Russia produced their own.

Pfizer and other mRNA jabs package the vaccine in a droplet of fat, while the AstraZeneca delivers its vaccine via the shell of another harmless virus, the adenovirus.

Now researchers are exploring whether the use of AstraZeneca may have played an important role in the UK's resistance to the latest wave.

More than 4,000 are dying every day across Europe at the moment with Russia, Germany, Romania, Poland, Austria and the Netherlands among the worst hit (pictured, a man walks past a closed tourist information office in Austria during the fresh lockdown)

There has been violence on the streets of Europe over Covid clampdowns as the virus gains ground once more (pictured: protesters set up fire in the street during a demonstration against Belgium government's measures to curb the spread of Covid-19)

AstraZeneca is suspected to cause a longer T-cell response than other vaccines - a vital part of the immunity process - which could make it more effective in a long-term battle against Covid.

'That seems to be important in any vaccine over other vaccines,' Professor Williams said.

'But it's really difficult to tell because huge numbers in the UK population [around 10 million] have had Covid, even before vaccination.

'We're looking at a very large amount of immunity within the population because of natural exposure, plus the effect of vaccination with AstraZeneca.'

CURRENT COVID-19 VACCINES Three main types of vaccines have so far been used in the fight against Covid-19 around the world, but more are in trials and under development. ADENOVIRUS VECTOR VACCINES This type includes AstraZeneca, and uses a modified adenovirus to deliver DNA coded with a SARSCoV2 protein to spark the body's immune system into action. A similar mechanism is also used in the Russian Sputnik V and Chinese Convidecia vaccines which have been rolled out in China, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Moldova, Belarus, Hungary, Serbia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. The US-made Johnson & Johnson jab is also the same type but was initially only a single-dose vaccine, until US authorities recommended a second booster shot in October 2021. mRNA VACCINES The two other vaccines currently approved in Australia - Pfizer and Moderna - both use this platform to deliver Covid-19 immunity. Both contain RNA or messenger RNA in a drop of fat which then causes some cells to develop a harmless version of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to kickstart the body's resistance to the disease. Side effects are very rare but the vaccine needs to be stored at a very low temperature, which causes distribution challenges, especially in third world countries. A freeze-dried version is currently under development which would not need to be kept cold. It has been approved and used throughout the world except for a handful of countries including Russia and China. INACTIVATED VIRUS VACCINES These are more traditional forms of vaccines which take laboratory-cultivated Covid-19 virus particles and kill them with heat or formaldehyde but still retain the proteins needed to create an immune response when injected. It is the same type of technology that was used in the 19th and 20th century against cholera, plague, typhoid and rabies. It's the mechanism behind the Chinese CoronaVac/Sinovac, BIBP and WIBP vaccines, India's Covaxin, Russia's Covivac, Kazakhstani QazVac, and Iran's COVIran Barekat. SUBUNIT VACCINES Often known as protein vaccines, this a controversial new technology which just uses a small piece of protein to create the immune response. Critics claim the proteins may be too small to be recognised by the human immune system. The vaccines are largely still in testing, but Russia has authorised its EpiVacCorona for use, along with Turkmenistan. China, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Malaysia are also using a Chinese version, ZF2001. The US-produced Covovax has been undergoing trials in Australia, Mexico and India and has been authorised in Indonesia and the Philippines. INTRANASAL VACCINES These nasal spray vaccines are the holy grail against Covid - easy to distribute and easy to use, with no needle fear. So far there are no nasal spray vaccines for Covid-19, but there is one for the flu - brand-name FluMist in the US and FluEnz in Europe - which may see a Covid version developed eventually. FUTURE VACCINES New technologies that are being developed that could be used in the fight against Covid include virus-like particles, which mimic the virus without including any virus material, DNA vaccines which uses genetically modified cells to re-write the body's blueprint to fight the disease, lentivirus vaccines which inject new genes into the body to make it immune, conjugate vaccines which is a two-pronged varied of protein vaccines, and using a harmless variant of the rabies virus vesicular stomatitist - currently used as a 'trojan horse virus' to help fight AIDS - which also carries the Covid-19 spike protein. Advertisement

Professor Bryan WIlliams has warned Australia now faces a surge in Covid case numbers as restrictions are relaxed, borders open and families gather over Christmas (pictured, crowds of Sydneysiders enjoy the beach at Bondi after Covid restrictions were lifted)

UK deaths and case numbers have remained relatively constant since July, and experts believe the AstraZeneca jab may be playing a key part in that (pictured, High Street shoppers go mask-free in Amersham in the UK)

The professor warned Australia now faced a surge in Covid case numbers as restrictions are relaxed, borders open and families gather over Christmas.

But he was confident the mass vaccination rollout had reached a stage where the impact on health will be minimal - for now.

'Increasing travel is going to result in potentially increasing numbers of infections even among the vaccinated population,' the professor said.

'We've got a very different situation here. The number of people here that have been affected by Covid naturally is very low, relative to the population.

Professor Williams is confident the mass vaccination rollout had reached a stage where the impact on health will be minimal - for now (pictured, masked shoppers in Sydney's Pitt Street)

Professor Williams said a booster program will be absolutely vital to maintain protection among the population before the country heads into winter (pictured, shoppers view Christmas displays at Sydney's David Jones department store)

'But we have a very highly vaccinated population. That doesn't mean to say we won't have breakthrough infections, but their viral loads are much lower than anyone who's unvaccinated and they seldom end up in intensive care or dying from Covid.'

He said a booster program will be absolutely vital to maintain protection among the population before the country heads into winter.

'I am concerned that we will get through the summer okay with a very high vaccination rate,' he said.

'But come winter, people will have a waning immunity to the virus.

Professor Bryan Williams (left), of Melbourne's Hudson Institute, believes AstraZeneca may have a longer immunity window than other vaccines, like the Pfizer jab (right) and other mRNA vaccines mainly rolled out across Europe

AstraZeneca is suspected to cause a longer life T-cell response than other vaccines - a vital part of the immunity process - which could make it more effective in a long-term battle against Covid (pictured, early Christmas shoppers in London)

'It is going to be important to have a third dose of the vaccine - it doesn't really matter which vaccine you get - but it will be important to get the third dose, the booster dose. That is certainly important.'

He added: 'I think it is best under the current political environment that these third doses should be highly encouraged rather than mandated.

'My impression, from talking with colleagues who were vaccinated early this year, is that they are all getting their shots as soon as they are eligible.

'I suspect this will be the same for the general double-vaccinated population. But active encouragement and ease of vaccination will be required.'

The Pfizer (pictured) and other mRNA jabs package the vaccine in a droplet of fat while AstraZeneca jab delivers its vaccine via the shell of another harmless virus, the adenovirus

Low vaccination rates in highly populated third world countries mean new strains may develop which could spread worldwide again (pictured, empty tourist spots in Austria)

Globally, low vaccination rates in highly populated third world countries mean new strains may develop which could spread worldwide again, just as Delta did when it broke out from India earlier this year.

At the moment the Omicron variant is causing most concern. Experts say it has more than 30 mutations  the most ever recorded in a variant and twice as many as Delta  that suggest it could be more jab-resistant and transmissible than any version before it.

'There are other vaccines coming which will give different levels of protection from the Delta strain of Covid and any other strains that happen to come along,' Professor Williams said.

'It's important the vaccines keep pace with that, and they will, because the new ones will be different from the current mRNA and AstraZeneca jabs.

An Australian booster programme will be absolutely vital to maintain protection among the population before the country heads into winter, said Professor Williams (pictured, sunseekers enjoy the end of restrictions at Bondi Beach)

Professor Williams says politics may prevent booster shots from being made mandatory, but he believes everyone who has already been double-jabbed will want their third dose (pictured, racegoers at Randwick Racecourse after Covid restrictions had been lifted)

'These will be introduced and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration over the next several months.

'So far though, there is no evidence that there is any strain more infectious than the Delta strain - but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen.'

Evolution suggests Covid will eventually develop into a more infectious but far less lethal disease, until it become something like the common cold.

'That's been found with other viruses, and certainly that's in the virus's interest in terms of evolution,' Professor Williams said.

'Common respiratory illnesses are caused by different strains of coronavirus - and they just give you a cold basically.'
At least 19 people are dead and 32 more were injured after a bus carrying Catholic pilgrims to a religious site in Central Mexico crashed on Friday.

Officials said the bus apparently lost its brakes and slammed into a building in the State of Mexico.

Six of the victims suffered injuries so severe they were flown to a hospital in Toluca, the state capital.

Ricardo de la Cruz, the assistant state interior secretary, said the accident occurred in the township of Joquicingo, southwest of Mexico City.

The bus was heading from the western state of Michoacan to Chalma, a town that has been visited by Roman Catholic pilgrims for centuries.

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At least 19 people are dead and 32 more were injured after a bus apparently carrying pilgrims to a religious site in central Mexico crashed on Friday

State officials said the bus apparently lost its brakes and slammed into a building in the State of Mexico

Six of the victims suffered injuries so severe they were flown to hospital in Toluca, the state capital

There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured passengers.

Many Mexicans go on religious pilgrimages as December 12, the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, approaches.

Because they often walk or bike on narrow roads or travel in aging buses, accidents are not uncommon.

Mexico State borders Mexico City on three sides, and includes both remote rural villages and crowded suburbs of the capital.

Chalma was a site sacred in pre-Hispanic times before the 1521 conquest.

After the Spanish came, believers say, a cross miraculously appeared in a cave that had been dedicated to an Aztec god, making Chalma a Christian pilgrimage site.

The state Red Cross said 10 ambulances had rushed to the area.

The bus was heading from the western state of Michoacan to Chalma, a town that has been visited by Roman Catholic pilgrims for centuries

Many Mexicans go on religious pilgrimages as December 12, the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, approaches. Because they often walk or bike on narrow roads or travel in aging buses, accidents are not uncommon
Tanya Plibersek's husband has revealed he would love to see his wife as prime minister as the pair open up about their relationship.

Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Michael Coutts-Trotter said there was no better candidate suited for the top job in parliament house.

'Would I like her to be prime minister one day? Yes,' he told The Good Weekend.

'I think Tanya is extraordinary. She's the smartest person I know, and has the soundest judgement. She's the real deal. So I'd love to see her end up in The Lodge.'

His glowing referral came as Mr Coutts-Trotter and Ms Plibersek dished on their relationship after being married for 21 years and sharing three children.

The pair revealed their first impressions of each other, the moment they fell in love and the first date when Mr Coutts-Trotter came clean about his drug trafficking past.

Tanya Plibersek's husband (pictured, Michael Coutts-Trotter) has revealed he would love to see his wife as prime minister as the pair open up on their relationship and love at first sight

His glowing referral came as Mr Coutts-Trotter and Ms Plibersek dished on their relationship after being married for 21 years and sharing three children (pictured, now aged 20, 16 and 11)

'The whole story came out that night,' Ms Plibersek said.

'Not only about going to jail, but about his drug addiction. He was going to three Narcotics Anonymous meetings a week in those days.'

Mr Coutts-Trotter was thrown in jail in 1984 for conspiracy to import heroin from Thailand after becoming hooked on the drug as a teenager. He served three years.

He was 24-years-old when he met Ms Plibersek, then aged 20, at university.

The pair had their first date at a Thai restaurant on Oxford Street.

Mr Coutts-Trotter revealed that he wanted Ms Plibersek to know about his chequered past from the get-go.

His honesty paid off as the pair revealed they fell immediately in love with each other on that night.

Mr Coutts-Trotter was smitten by the 'beautiful and super smart' Ms Plibersek.

Ms Plibersek described her husband as 'funny' and said she never feared he would relapse because of his disciplined nature.

The pair admitted they had their couple's quarrels and that Ms Plibersek even tried to get out of the car on Anzac Bridge during a heated debate about electricity privatisation.

While the couple are completely open with each other they respect their boundaries when it comes to work.

Ms Plibersek revealed there are some aspects of their office life they cannot share with each other.

'Would I like her to be prime minister one day? Yes!' Mr Coutts-Trotter said about his wife Ms Plibersek

The pair revealed their first impressions of each other, the moment they fell in love and the first date when Mr Coutts-Trotter came clean about his drug trafficking pas

Mr Coutts-Trotter has worked his way up the ladder to become one of the country's most respected public service officers.

The former Department of Communities and Justice head was made the Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet in October.

Under his new role in the state's most prestigious department, he is tasked with implementing the government's signature policies and providing specialist policy and procedural advice to the premier and his ministers.

Mr Coutts-Trotter was sent to St Ignatius College, Riverview, to be taught by the Jesuits on a scholarship but could not quite fit in with any group.

'There were a few things about my life that made me stand out a bit,' he said.

'I was just a posh-sounding English kid trying to fit in and I didn't.'

All teenagers need some sort of friendship group and he found the wrong one.

'I started to fit in with kids who felt pretty marginalised themselves and those were the kids who were drinking, smoking and stealing things,' he said.

He would binge drink and began smoking marijuana as soon he could. 'In the modern language I self-medicated'.

The pair admitted they had their couple's quarrels and that Ms Plibersek even tried to get out of the car on Anzac Bridge during a heated debated about electricity privatisation

The former Department of Communities and Justice head was made the Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet in Octobe

He finished school at the end of Year 12 aged just 16 years and 9 months, left home not long after and was soon injecting drugs with new friends.

While Mr Coutts-Trotter initially found some comfort in heroin it eventually took over his life. He funded his habit by supplying the drug.

'I was using two-and-a-half, three grams of heroin a day plus a whole lot of other uppers and downers but heroin was my drug of choice,' he said.

Mr Coutts-Trotter decided to move from small time dealer to drug smuggler when he became involved in a scheme to import half a kilogram of heroin from Thailand.

A joint Commonwealth-NSW police task force was aware of his plans and he was followed from Redfern Mail Exchange to a private hotel on Elizabeth Street near Central train station.

A dozen police officers arrested the 19-year-old carrying about 100g of the drug, part of an intended half-kilogram haul.

By the time Mr Coutts-Trotter was sentenced aged 21 he was clean of drugs, working for a PR firm and had re-established relationships with his family. (Pictured about 1985 in drug rehab)

After four to six weeks on remand Mr Coutts-Trotter was bailed to the Salvation Army's William Booth facility at Surry Hills then accepted into the Miracle Haven rehab centre (pictured)

Upon his arrest Mr Coutts-Trotter, who is 193cm tall, weighed just 50kg.

Mr Coutts-Trotter admitted to conspiring to import a prohibited drug and was remanded to Long Bay.

After four to six weeks he was bailed to the Salvation Army's William Booth facility at Surry Hills then accepted into Miracle Haven rehabilitation centre on the Central Coast.

That place 'was actually well named' and Mr Coutts-Trotter spent more than a year on their drug rehab program.

Ms Plibersek had previously told Daily Mail Australia she accepted people would always be interested in her husband's criminal history but publicly airing 'ancient history' could be hard on their family.

'It's always a little bit embarrassing and personal when these things are in the paper,' she said. 'It's a bit exposing and I worry about how it affects my children.'

'I think the real difficulty of this story is to talk to your children about the fact that their father's been in jail.'
A man was shot and killed by a stray bullet while eating Thanksgiving dinner inside his home in the Philadelphia suburbs Thursday night.

Edilberto Miguel Palaez Moctezuma, 25, was shot in the torso just before 9:30 p.m., Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Friday.

He was found unresponsive and flown to Penn Presbyterian hospital where he was pronounced dead, police reported.

Kevon Clarke, 19, of Norristown, allegedly fired several shots in the area during a dispute with relatives over liquor that had gone missing from a gathering earlier in the day, officials said.

Clarke is named in a warrant charging him with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, reckless endangerment and weapons offenses. He is still at large and considered armed and dangerous, police said.

Kevon Clarke, 19, (pictured) is suspected of firing the bullet that fatally shot Edilberto Miguel Palaez Moctezuma, 25, while he was celebrating Thanksgiving in his own home

Moctezuma was hit by the stray bullet in his home on Arch street in Norristown, Pennsylvania

No one in the Norristown home on Arch Street, where Moctezuma was celebrating Thanksgiving, was involved in the argument outside that apparently sparked the shooting, prosecutors said.

The 19-year-old and his girlfriend, Jacqueline Brown, along with two other individuals were allegedly asked to leave a party on Haws Avenue earlier in the day.

Once the group left the party, Brown was texted by a cousin asking about alcohol that was discovered missing from the party. The cousins coordinated to have the alcohol handed over at Clarke's residence on Basin Street, police reported.

Brown's cousin double-parked at the residence when she noticed Clarke 'brandishing a gun and quickly drove off,' the press release said.

She claims to have heard multiple gun shots as she drove away when Clarke then called her shouting 'You trying to set me up, you could have got me (expletive) killed,' and then continued on threatened to 'bang up your crib,' which the cousin interpreted as a threat to shoot into her home, police reported.

A stray bullet shot through a window at Moctezuma's home less than a block away.

Neighbors told ABC 6 they heard at least a dozen shots fired on Thursday and noted that several cars were struck by bullets.

'I was sitting in my home enjoying my TV and Thanksgiving night and I heard what I thought at first was fireworks, and lo and behold it was five shots. After that I heard another eight shots,' a neighbor told the outlet.

An autopsy performed by Forensic Pathologist Dr. Hannah Kastenbaum with the Philadelphia Coroner's Office which ruled his death a homicide.

Steele described the victim as 'an innocent man who wasn't safe even in the confines of his own home.'

'Mr. Palaez Moctezuma was murdered while eating Thanksgiving dinner inside his home, and to be clear, he and his family were not involved in the dispute,' he said in the release.

Police said that two different surveillance videos and an analysis of the bullet hole helped them determine that the bullet had came from Clarkes location. They also hope to speak with two other men seen running from the scene.

The DA's office did not elaborate but noted that Clarke is 'not even legally able to own a gun.'

Montgomery County Detectives and Norristown Police Department announced a joint investigation on Friday.

Researchers found that gun violence increased in almost every state in America, with midwestern states like Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin suffering the largest increases

While a vast majority of states did she sharp increase in violence, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming all had less violence compared to their peers

Gun violence across the country spiked during the COVID pandemic and has continued to ravage the United States.

Researchers from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, in Hershey, found a 30 percent increase in gun-related injuries and deaths during the pandemic when compared to 2019.

Additionally, 49 of the 50 states saw a spike in gun violence with only Alaska recording a decrease during the first year of the pandemic.

The research team believes stressors caused by the pandemic and the increase in firearm purchases caused the spike in violence that has struck the nation.

There may be other factors tied to the rise in violence, though.

Violent crime has escalated in a number of major U.S. cities, such as New York, Chicago and Minneapolis, since the start of the pandemic, with the murder rate nationwide reaching its highest point since the mid-1990s.

Some law enforcement officers also say a decrease in police presence following Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protests has allowed to crime to rise.

Shootings across America have not just been the result of gang activity with many being random acts of violence.
The Biden administration's Interior Department is calling for an increase in leasing fees for gas and oil drillers after a review of practices on federal lands.

However, the report largely ignores climate change issues and does not recommend stopping leasing federal lands to gas and oil drillers, something President Biden campaigned on. The report was commissioned by the president at the start of the year.

It outlines fiscal reforms for America's oil and gas federal programs, which the report says currently 'fail to provide a fair return to taxpayers, even before factoring in the resulting climate-related costs that must be borne by taxpayers.'

Biden has faced criticism from climate activists for continuing to auction drilling bids in the Gulf of Mexico, something at odds with what the president promised during his bid for the White House.

The report argues that these programs are outdated and haven't had their fees raised in a century.

The Biden administration's interior department is calling for an increase in leasing fees for gas and oil drillers

Biden has faced criticism from climate activists for continuing to auction drilling bids in the Gulf of Mexico, something at odds with what the president campaigned on

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (pictured) said the reforms would allow the United States to pursue fiscal and environmental goals

'Consideration should be given to raising royalty rates and, to the extent allowed by statute, to increasing the current minimum levels for bids, rents, royalties, and bonds,' the report states.

The review also demands Congress act 'on pending legislation to provide fundamental reforms to the onshore and offshore oil and gas programs.'

The report has been criticized by environmental groups, who argue it doesn't do enough to address climate change.

'These trivial changes are nearly meaningless in the midst of this climate emergency, and they break Biden's campaign promise to stop new oil and gas leasing on public lands,' said Randi Spivak, public lands director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

'Greenlighting more fossil fuel extraction, then pretending it's OK by nudging up royalty rates, is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. There's no time left for baby steps that let the fossil-fuel industry wreak even greater havoc on the Earth.'

House Natural Resources Chair Raul Grijalva (left) said the report lacks permanent solutions

Biden and Haaland have both faced criticism for not pursuing reforms to stop climate change quickly enough

'We urge the Biden administration to build on this report by phasing out new oil and gas leasing altogether,' said Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, 'and we call on Congress to include these reforms in the final Build Back Better Act to ensure that our public lands are part of the climate solution, instead of enriching oil company CEOs at the public's expense.'

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said the report will allow the nation to balance both fiscal and environmental goals.

'The Interior Department has an obligation to responsibly manage our public lands and waters - providing a fair return to the taxpayer and mitigating worsening climate impacts - while staying steadfast in the pursuit of environmental justice,' Haaland said in a statement Friday.

'This review outlines significant deficiencies in the federal oil and gas programs, and identifies important and urgent fiscal and programmatic reforms that will benefit the American people.'

The Biden administration had tried to stop new oil and gas drilling early in its tenure, but a lawsuit by 13 states blocked that pause. The decision is currently under appeal.

The Biden administration had tried to stop new oil and gas drilling early in its tenure, but a lawsuit by 13 states blocked that pause

House Natural Resources Chair Raul Grijalva said the report lacks permanent solutions.

'The administration needs to manage public lands and waters consistent with its climate commitments, and today's report does not offer a plan to do that,' the Arizona Democrat said in a statement. 'What it does offer is a set of important and long overdue reforms to the federal fossil fuel leasing program, which until now has been a public subsidy for oil and gas drilling and extraction.'

Grijalva added that there needs to be greater public transparency around the contracts.

Friday's report also follows President Biden's announcement that the country will release emergency oil reserves to combat high energy prices ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

President Biden promised America would 'lead by example' at the UN climate summit COP26 earlier this month.
The National Police Association is calling for bystanders to step in and help if they see an officer being assaulted rather than film it for 'likes and attention,' as more than 50,000 officers have been attacked this year alone.

'This year, over 50,000 law enforcement officers have been assaulted while on duty,' Mark Solan, a National Law Enforcement Expert, says in a video. 'The vast number of these attacks were filmed and uploaded to social media in the pursuit of likes and attention.'

Just this week in New York City, a police officer was seen being attacked by a man who tried to choke him while the two tussled on the floor in a Brooklyn Target store - while an looker filmed it and then posted it online.

The association is now offering three 'simple steps' for bystanders to follow to help officers in distress.

The first step is to 'call 911 and give the officers your exact location.'

After that, bystanders are instructed to offer the officer help. If accepted, bystanders are to 'do whatever you can to safely help.' If declined, then witnesses can start to film the interaction, according to the association.

The association claimed bystanders filmed the assaults for 'likes and attention'

The National Police Association is calling on bystanders to stop filming officers being assaulted and instead step in and help. The association has offered three 'simple steps' to help offers, including calling 911 and offering assistance

The advertisement included snippets of several officers being thrown to the ground, including one of a New York City cop being thrown so hard to the ground that he rolled off the subway platform onto the tracks.

It also showed several bystanders cheering while they filmed multiple interactions.

Along with the tweet airing the advertisement, the National Police Association shared a video from the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (NYC PBA) that showed the incident of a police officer and Target shopper wrestling on the floor.

The National Police Association also shared a Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York tweet showing an NYPD officer wrestling with a Target shopper

At one point the officer appeared to be choked

Although the video has no sound, the video shows a police officer being held down by a shopper in a gray shirt and at one point being choked.

It takes several attempts for the officer to get to his feet while many bystanders continued to walk by or even stop to stare.

'We have a police officer in distress, [and] nobody helps him. Is this the city we want? Has this become normal? It has to stop,' NYC PBA President Patrick Lynch said.

'We need your help. We need your help on the street, [and] we need your help to force our reckless [elected] officials to do their job.'

The National Police Association shared clips of officers getting assaulted, including one NYPD officer who was thrown to the ground so hard he rolled off the subway platform and onto the tracks

Several bystanders did nothing while officers were in distressed

Several clips showed bystanders ignoring the situation or even standing to watch

The FBI reported that 59 officers had been killed while on duty since September 30 this year. A 51 percent increase compared to last year.

Almost 10,000 law enforcement agencies reported more than 60,000 assaults in 2020.

'We are looking at now 59 officers or agents murdered in the line of duty this year. Thats an over 50 percent increase from last year,' FBI Director Christopher Wray said.

'That basically translates to every five days  more often than every five days in this country  an officer is murdered in the line of duty. And thats totally unacceptable, and its a tragedy and it needs attention.'

Almost 3,000 officers were attacked with firearms, 6.1 percent were injured in these attacks. More than 40,000 were assaulted by hands and feet and almost 1200 were attacked with knives or other cutting objects, according to the FBI.

Police forces have been facing staffing shortages across the nation since the start of the pandemic. In addition to low staffing, officers in big cities - like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles - are facing a sharp increase in violent crimes.

Total crime is up 1.9 percent in New York City, with felony assaults up an 8.4 percent this year and transit crimes up a shocking 141 percent in one week.

More than 10,000 burglaries have occurred in Los Angeles since the start of 2021 and motor vehicle theft is up almost 10 percent. LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the increase in robberies is due to the availability of handguns.

'The number of handguns that are in the streets today  you'd have to go back probably at least a decade or more to find this level,' Moore said.

Homicide (17.3 percent) and aggravated assault (5.8 percent) are also up in Los Angeles.

Murder is up shocking 133 percent in the Windy City, as well as criminal sexual assault (81 percent), theft (33 percent), burglary (27 percent), and aggravated assault (5 percent).
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Chris Cuomo was spotted loading Christmas wreaths into his car on Thanksgiving day hours before going on a tirade about cancel culture and the holidays.

The CNN anchor and radio host was seen loading several Christmas wreaths into his Tesla before lamenting about hating the holiday on his SiriusXM radio show Let's Get After It with Chris Cuomo.

Cuomo, 51 and his wife Cristina, 51, picked out their Christmas decorations in Amagansett on Thursday.

He was sporting dark camouflaged shorts, a black zip-up hoodie, a gray beanie and sneakers while loading the decor into the car.

Cristina was seen wearing blue jeans, a white and navy blue stripped sweater and a navy puffer jacket with her name emblazoned on it in gold carrying a bouquet to the car.

Chris Cuomo was spotted loading Christmas wreaths into the trunk of his Tesla on Thanksgiving in New York

Cuomo, 51, was sporting dark camouflaged shorts, a black zip up hoodie, a gray beanie and sneakers on Thursday

Cuomo's wife, Cristina, 51, joined him as they picked out Christmas decorations to bring home with him

The CNN anchor and Sirius XM radio host filled his car with Christmas greenery in Amagansett on Thanksgiving

Cuomo went on to explain that Thanksgiving is his 'favorite holiday' but that 'woke folk trying to kill it' for him

Cuomo's holiday tirade aired on the latest episode of his Sirius XM radio show, Let's Get After It with Chris Cuomo

In the latest edition of Let's Get After It, released on Thursday, Thanksgiving day, Cuomo expressed his love for the holiday and his frustration with 'woke folks' who 'kill it' by pointing to the historical context.

Cuomo opened by stating that Thanksgiving is his 'favorite holiday.'

'In fact, it's really the only one I really like, I like Easter also in terms of like religious, like, that's the one for me. I love the message of rebirth and renewal. Boy, do we need that s***,' the New York Post reported.

He went on to list other holidays he doesn't enjoy. 'Christmas doesn't do it for me. Halloween, candy, New Year's, depressing,' he claimed.

The radio host circled back to his 'favorite holiday,' Thanksgiving: 'This is my jam and this is my jam!'

But he complained that the national holiday is being ruined by 'woke folk' and cancel culture. 'And now you woke folk trying to kill it for me,' he said. 'Listen, man, you know, don't come up at me with all this pilgrim stuff.'

'I don't give a damn about the pilgrims and the indigenous people, the Native Americans, the Indians, wherever, whatever, whatever group of them wants to be called,' Cuomo said. 'I don't care about any of that.'

He continued trying to reason: 'I care about the suffrage. I care about the exploitation. But I don't need that story for Thanksgiving. I don't need it at all.'

His older brother, disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, had shared a more uplifting Thanksgiving message with a family photo including his mother and three daughters.

Andrew, 63, resigned from office in August after investigators working for New York Attorney General Letitia James authored a report concluding he had sexually harassed 11 women.

He tweeted Thursday: 'Today and everyday, Im thankful for my girls Cara, Mariah & Michaela and for our familys rock, my mom, Matilda Raffa Cuomo.'

Andrew Cuomo, 63, has been with charged with a sex crime by the Albany County Sheriff's Office. He denies the claims and his lawyer Rita Glavin said 'timing of the charge' is 'highly suspect' as it was announced on the same day New York Attorney General Letitia James announced she was running for Governor

Chris (right) has waned in popularity since his older brother Andrew (left) has faced criticism for his handling of the COVID pandemic and been forced to resign as governor of New York amidst allegations of sexual misconduct from several women

Thursday's Thanksgiving episode of Let's Get After It advertises: 'Embracing the suck is hard, especially at a time when the hits keep on coming.'

Cuomo is listed to offer a 'different perspective: take the time to reflect and be thankful for all the things that shape who you are. Be thankful for the failures because you learn from them, and appreciate that you can draw strength from what isn't easy.'

His holiday tirade on the radio show comes as his daily primetime CNN program hit an all-time low this month, according to Nielsen Media Research ratings data.

Cuomo's daily 9 p.m. Cuomo Prime Time show program drew 684,000 total average viewers last week with 156,000 in the advertiser-coveted age demographic of 25 to 54.

It is a fraction of the 1.137 million total viewers and 377,000 demo viewers that the show pulled in when it started in June 2018.

Prime Time was the 25th-ranked cable news program in total average viewers for the week.

By comparison, over on Fox News, Cuomo's rival Sean Hannity pulled in an average of 3.486 million viewers, 572,000 in the 25 to 54 demographic.

On MSNBC, Rachel Maddow, in the same time slot attracted 1.915 million viewers with 263,000 in the demo.

Cuomos primetime program still manages to bring in more viewers than his old morning show program, New Day, which sees 324,000 viewers on average tuning in to watch.

Cuomo's ratings began to decline after his brother was forced to resign as governor of New York following accusations of sexual harassment by several women.

In August, Cuomo Prime Time was still CNNs highest-rated show with an average of 964,000 viewers and 222,000 in the demographic.
A family has spotted an exhausted kangaroo swimming in floodwaters trying to reach dry land after New South Wales was hammered by wild weather.

Amelia Smith captured the footage on Tuesday, near the Mooki River in the Northern Tablelands district of the state, while her family took a boat ride during the floods to look at the damage caused to wheat and cotton crops.

Severe weather across NSW has led to SES crews conducting two dozen flood rescues as well as responding to almost 600 requests for help since Friday.

The video showed a worried kangaroo paddling through deep floodwaters as it looked around at its surroundings submerged in water in the hope to find some land to stand on.

Amelia Smith captured the footage of the kangaroo swimming through floodwaters on Tuesday near the Mooki River in the Northern Tablelands district of the state

Ms Smith and her two sons offered some words of encouragement for the marsupial as it swam past.

'Keep on going buddy,' Ms Smith said, while one of her children said, 'Keep on swimming.'

The kangaroo continued to swim towards the little area of land filled with grass.

Ms Smith tried to direct the roo to higher land and said: 'That's it. Almost there'.

SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said it has been a hectic 24 hours throughout NSW but particularly in the Upper Hunter.

Ms Smith and her family were taking a boat ride during the floods to look at the damage caused to wheat and cotton crops when they came across the roo

Ms Smith and her two sons offered some words of encouragement for the marsupial as it swam past and tried to direct it to higher land

'That continues to be where our focus is today,' he told ABC TV on Saturday morning.

'Scone and Muswellbrook were affected by floodwaters over the last 24 hours and will continue to be to an extent today, with the focus shifting downstream.'

Flooding is on the cards in Singleton on Saturday evening and then at Maitland into Sunday, Mr Storey said.

However the statewide situation remains volatile, with numerous watches and warnings active following a month of heavy rainfall.

Extreme weather across NSW has led to SES crews conducting two dozen flood rescues as well as responding to almost 600 requests for help since Friday (Pictured: Scone in the Upper Hunter Shire of NSW)

Areas of major concern include along the Namoi River at Gunnedah, in the state's northeast, and the Castlereagh River around Molong in the central west.

'This is quite a large statewide flood risk at the moment,' Mr Storey said.

'We are urging all communities and those flood prone areas to be aware of the risk and monitor the local conditions and follow the advice.'

The statewide situation remains volatile, with numerous watches and warnings active following a month of heavy rainfall (Pictured: floodwaters causing a fence to be knocked down in Scone, NSW)

Sydney's Warragamba Dam was expected to spill on Friday evening, with the peak overflow volume increasing to a rate of 100 gigalitres per day by Saturday morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology said some areas of the state had been hit with more than 100mm of rain on Friday. The downpour was likely to ease over the weekend but the risk of flooding persists.

There were major flood warnings for the Peel River at Tamworth and the Namoi at Gunnedah, Boggabri, Narrabri, Wee Waa, Bugilbone and Goangra.

The Bureau of Meteorology said some areas of the state had been hit with more than 100mm of rain on Friday (Pictured: Scone, NSW)

Wee Waa could be cut off for more than a week due to the flooding, while an RFS helicopter was called in to rescue a man trapped on the roof of his car in floodwaters at Caroona on the Liverpool Plains on Friday.

Mr Storey said it was a good time to stay off the roads.

The Oxley Highway is closed in both directions between Carroll and Gunnedah and the Kamilaroi Highway between Curlewis to Breeza.

At Muswellbrook, the New England Highway is closed in both directions.
Boris Johnson will order a crackdown on prison discipline, sex offences and drug use next month under plans to reassure the public that he is focused on tackling crime.

The Prime Minister will unveil a major law and order package as part of efforts to get back to bread-and-butter politics after weeks of turmoil triggered by U-turns and rows about sleaze.

The Governments white paper on prisons will focus on improving discipline in jails.

Prison governors will be given powers to hand out fast-track punishments to convicts guilty of low level offences.

The Prime Minister will unveil a major law and order package as part of efforts to get back to bread-and-butter politics after weeks of turmoil triggered by U-turns and rows about sleaze

And under the zero-tolerance approach, prisoners who trash their cells will be forced to repair the damage they have caused. Measures will also be taken to cut off the supply of drugs to jails.

Separately, the PM will also order a wider crackdown on drug use in society.

Sources said Mr Johnson also wants to see better protection for victims in the criminal justice system.

And there will be new efforts to drive up prosecution rates for rape and sexual assaults, which remain shockingly low.

The PM is expected to unveil a change in the law to ensure rape victims have the automatic right to give evidence by video link to avoid the trauma of having to face their tormentor in court.

The move follows a report by the Victims Commissioner Dame Vera Baird who found that allowing rape victims to pre-record their evidence would avoid the distress of having to come face-to-face with their perpetrators.

The law and order package is part of a wider plan to restore the Governments fortunes after allegations of sleaze and damaging U-turns

Details of the crime package are still being finalised. But Whitehall sources said Mr Johnson was determined to improve discipline in prisons in order to boost rehabilitation rates.

A source said ministers wanted to improve the situation which currently results in 80 per cent of crimes being committed by former offenders.

The prisons white paper will include a major focus on tackling low level offences in jails and using jail time to boost the skills of offenders.

Under current disciplinary rules, dealing with even minor offences in prison can take months. A Whitehall source said that the whole system is too slow and clunky, adding: We want governors to be empowered to hand out new penalties which support prisoners in their rehabilitation.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is also expected to use the white paper to set out measures to help offenders find a job when they leave prison. Currently, just one in seven jail-leavers find a job within six months.

The law and order package is part of a wider plan to restore the Governments fortunes after allegations of sleaze and damaging U-turns.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove will also unveil the levelling up white paper next month, which will put flesh on the bones of the PMs pledge to spread opportunity more evenly across the country.

A Government source said: Its been a difficult couple of weeks but the PM has remained focused on the Governments priorities and we have important stuff coming up before the end of the year.
Civil servants were offered a crystal healing for beginners session to ease their work stresses, it has emerged.

Classes available earlier this month included a two-day wellbeing programme called Its all about me, which focused on being kind to yourself.

Another event was entitled Reshaping negative thoughts and language into positive affirmations, according to the Guido Fawkes website.

An afternoon session called Time to Unmind aimed to provide staff with tools, training and exercises to support your mental wellbeing.

Civil servants were offered a crystal healing for beginners session to ease their work stresses, it has been revealed [File photo]

The day started with an hour-long counselling session for ethnic minority colleagues.

The Beginners Guide to Crystal Healing and Deep Relaxation was an interactive class about the alternative therapy that claims crystals and semi-precious stones have curative properties, but has no scientific basis. Celebrity adherents include Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry.

A minister told the Guido Fawkes website: This is hocus pocus b******s which youd expect in LA, not in Whitehall.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office, which distributed the list of activities, said: Like most large organisations, the civil service runs events aimed at improving the wellbeing of staff.

We are putting in place additional due diligence to ensure our internal offer to staff is appropriate and value for money. The session in question incurred no cost to the taxpayer.

The Beginners Guide to Crystal Healing and Deep Relaxation was an interactive class about the alternative therapy that claims crystals and semi-precious stones have curative properties, but has no scientific basis

Yesterday it emerged that an anti-racism trainer had been drafted in to give lessons to civil servants despite making anti-Semitic statements in the past.

Mizanur Rahman oversaw a session at the Cabinet Office in 2019 entitled An Inclusive Britain. But in social media posts from 2014 he had compared Israel to white supremacy.

In 2019 the Home Office was criticised for spending nearly 3,000 on sending civil servants to a recreation of TV game show the Crystal Maze.
A north Queensland mayor is due to face court after being charged over a drunken assault on two female security guards on his outback town's horse racing weekend.

Richmond Shire Mayor John Wharton allegedly assaulted the women in a venue on Racecourse Rd, Richmond, about 9.15pm on August 28.

The incident occurred on the night of the annual Richmond Bush Sprints, the town's annual horse racing event.

Richmond Shire Mayor John Wharton allegedly assaulted the women in a venue on Racecourse Rd, Richmond, about 9.15pm on August 28

Police said Mr Wharton was charged with two counts of common assault and creating a disturbance in a licensed premises.

The 68-year-old won't be standing aside during the proceedings and has indicated he's planning to fight the charges in court.

He's due to appear in Richmond Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Professor Chris Whitty has said he fears Britons will not accept lockdown rules to fight off the Omicron super-variant over the winter because of 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions.

England's chief medical officer told a panel discussion hosted by the Local Government Association that he worried whether the Government could still 'take people with us'.

It comes as Belgium became the first European Union country to announce a case of the variant Omicron, which has been identified in other places including South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel.

It is though the strain, which has more than 50 mutations - the most ever recorded in a variant and twice as many as Delta - could be more jab-resistant and transmissible that any version before it.

'My greatest worry at the moment is that people... if we need to do something more muscular at some point, whether it's for the current new variant or at some later stage, can we still take people with us?', Professor Whitty said.

Professor Chris Whitty has said he fears Britons will not accept lockdown rules to fight off the Omicron super-variant over the winter because of 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions

He admitted that some of the changes the public has had to make have been 'very destructive' to society and the economy.

However, despite his worries, the chief medical officer struck a positive note, saying he believed the Government will be able to maintain public support for coronavirus measures.

'I think the extraordinary thing has been the ability of the UK population, with very, very small exceptions, to just accept that there are things we collectively have to do to protect one another and do collectively, including things that have been very destructive to social and economic situations for individuals and families,' he said.

'Obviously, we want to avoid having to do those at all if we can, and to do the minimum ones necessary, but will we be able to maintain public support?

'And I think my overall view is, I think we will.

'Provided you are clear with people what the logic is, provided they feel that we're being entirely straight with them as to all the data... but I think that's always a worry.'

Professor Whitty added that the longer the pandemic goes on, the harder it is to know what the public's response will be.

'It's easier to be confident of people's response right at the beginning than it is after people put up with two years of their lives being interfered with...

'You can only do a public health intervention on the scale we've had to do if the majority of the population  and as it turned out, the great majority of the population  support it,' Whitty said.

'What has been really clear is the great majority of people really take this very seriously and do want to have protections put in place.'

The latest YouGov polling shows public support for Christmas restrictions, such as compulsory face masks and working from home, to kerb the spread of Covid-19

He admitted the latest YouGov polling showed public support for Christmas restrictions, such as compulsory face masks and working from home, to kerb the spread of Covid-19.

But the polls revealed there was little support for a ban on indoor socialising and closing pubs and restaurants.

Professor Whitty said it was clear the UK was not 'out of the woods' but said 'the things that are probably the most important... that is heading the right way.'

He said there were three reasons for optimism - that vaccination was 'taking the edge off' school outbreaks, boosters were having a 'material impact' in reducing hospitalisations, and that the European Delta surge had not yet reached the UK.

It comes as Britain's daily Covid cases breached 50,000 today for the first time in a month and deaths crept up by 2 per cent in a week - but hospital admissions were down 12 per cent.
Parents and doctors risk being criminalised if they question children who want to change gender, critics have warned.

They fear a new law  aimed at sparing gay people from being subjected to cruel 'conversion therapy'  could be used to end legitimate discussions with young people who want hormone treatment.

MPs and peers believe the Conversion Therapy (Prohibition) Bill is being rushed through Parliament, preventing them from giving it the detailed attention it requires.

The Government is allowing only a six-week consultation on its proposals  half the usual length  and ministers have refused to confirm that lawyers will be able to pore over the draft, in a process known as pre- legislative scrutiny.

If the Bill is tabled in the spring as planned, it will not include recommendations from an ongoing review of gender identity services by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass, commissioned amid concern over a surge in teenagers being prescribed puberty blockers.

The Bill is also set to enshrine the controversial theory of 'gender identity' in law for the first time, despite disagreement over what it means.

Dr David Bell (pictured) stressed that therapists should be able to discuss the ideas patients have about themselves  but they could now be accused of illegally trying to convert a young person if they do not simply agree with and 'affirm' whatever gender they identify with.

'There's no doubt in my mind that part of the motivation behind this Bill is to interfere with neutrality of clinicians,' said Dr David Bell, the author of a damning report on the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock NHS trust where he served as staff governor.

The retired consultant psychiatrist stressed that therapists should be able to discuss the ideas patients have about themselves  but they could now be accused of illegally trying to convert a young person if they do not simply agree with and 'affirm' whatever gender they identify with.

'It's going to result in the good psychotherapists, those who are open-minded, [no longer] taking on these patients for fear of being taken to criminal courts,' he said.

Pointing out that therapists are already banned from conversion practices by professional regulations, Dr Bell said: 'We don't need the invasion of criminality into this.

'It's a very blunt and dangerous instrument that will interfere with the capacity of therapists to do their work, and it means that children and adolescents will suffer.'

He also warned it was wrong for the Bill to use the terms 'gender identity' and 'conversion therapy' without them being clearly defined.

'Given the complexity of this, given the highly charged, toxic environment in which it occurs in, I think Parliament requires not less time but more time to consider this. I'm shocked that it's been given such a short process,' he said.

Addressing the issue in the Commons, Mark Jenkinson, Tory MP for Workington in Cumbria, said: 'This is a complex and sensitive area, and proposals risk criminalising clinicians and parents who encourage children to take time before embarking on a potential lifetime of medical treatment.

'It also cuts right across the Cass review reporting early next year.'

Dr Bell, is a consultant psychiatrist who worked at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, which runs the UK's only gender identity development service for children

Asked directly by Mr Jenkinson to confirm whether ministers would 'ensure significant pre-legislative scrutiny', Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Government would continue 'to consult with all interested parties and those who have been involved with conversion therapy, in addition to the public consultation, which is designed to hear the views of the wider public'.

The Government insists the ban on conversion therapy will not override the ability of clinicians to offer support.

A spokesman for the Government's Equality Hub said it was 'committed to banning the practice of all coercive conversion therapy in this country'.

They added: 'We are currently consulting on a ban and our proposals strike the right balance between ensuring legitimate clinicians can continue to practise freely whilst ensuring those at risk are protected from this abhorrent practice.'

Equalities minister Mike Freer will be quizzed on the issue by the Equalities Select Committee next week.

He will be asked about the Government's definition of 'conversion therapy' as well as 'informed consent' and 'gender identity'.
A warning has been issued to residents in parts of New South Wales and Queensland after a number of dramatic rescues were made overnight as wild weather lashed the east coast.

State Emergency Services (SES) received more than 850 calls for help and performed 34 flood rescues across NSW overnight.

Major flood warnings were issued across NSW and QLD as the states were expected to receive over a month's worth of rain in one day.

A woman and her puppy were rescued by NSW SES crews overnight after becoming trapped in flood waters at Muswellbrook (pictured)

Rescue crews were called to retrieve a woman and her puppy from a causeway in Muswellbrook in the NSW Upper Hunter Region at 11pm on Friday.

The woman had attempted to flee to safety after a deluge lashed the area, causing her home to become flooded.

SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey says it has been a hectic 24 hours throughout the state but particularly in the Upper Hunter.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported some areas of the state had been hit with more than 100mm of rain on Friday

'That continues to be where our focus is today,' he told ABC TV on Saturday morning.

'Scone and Muswellbrook were affected by floodwaters over the last 24 hours and will continue to be to an extent today, with the focus shifting downstream.'

In the state's Central West occupants of two vehicles driving on Nyrang Creek Bridge had a lucky escape after it gave way from flooding.

One car plunged into the floodwaters while the second vehicle was forced to jump the collapsing bridge.

Nyrang Creek bridge has been taken out by the heavy rains. There is no access to the winery directly from Canowindra. Posted by WALLINGTON WINES on Friday, November 26, 2021

The driver was taken to Orange Hospital and remains in a stable condition, while the passenger escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.

Flood warnings remain in place over the weekend for NSW inland rivers, and the Hunter, Hawkesbury Nepean Rivers.

'This is quite a large statewide flood risk at the moment,' Mr Storey said.

'We are urging all communities and those flood prone areas to be aware of the risk and monitor the local conditions and follow the advice.'

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported some areas of the state had been hit with more than 100mm of rain on Friday.

By 9pm the downpour caused Sydney's Warragamba Dam to reach capacity and it began to spill.

There could be 'downstream impacts' from release of excess water, said WaterNSW, the body responsible for the dam.

Across the border the deluge turned deadly when a Central Queensland man was killed after his ute was swept away in floodwaters at Hibernia.

Sydney's Warragamba Dam (pictured) to reach capacity and it began to spill by 9pm on Friday

Queensland police were forced to issue a stark warning to motorists driving into floodwaters amid series of risky rescue operations overnight.

In Darling Downs officers pulled two women and an infant from travelling in a vehicle to safety after floodwaters rose half a metre over Freestone Creek Bridge.

Nearby police used rope to form a human chain and enter waist high currents to rescue a woman from her flooding vehicle on Jack Smith Gully Road.

Darling Downs District Superintendent Danny Shaw warned driver's not to be complacent about floodwaters amid the heavy rainfall.

'As we can see from these incidents overnight, flash flooding can occur very quickly and without any notice, even on roads that you usually travel on without any issues,' Superintendent Shaw said.

State Emergency Services (SES) received more than 850 calls for help and performed 34 flood rescues across NSW overnight

'This type of rain also causes significant structural damage to roads, so even if you think it looks safe, you can never be sure exactly what is underneath the water.

The hardest hit areas were in central Queensland and the Wide Bay regions, with the Kilmarnock Station near Clermont taking 182mm and Bundaberg 192mm.

This comes as a La Nina weather event was officially declared by the Bureau of Meteorology on Wednesday, predicting wild weather in the east, central and southern parts of the country.

Eastern parts of Queensland, NSW and possibly eastern Victoria will be most likely to experience increased rainfall during this period.

Sydney and Brisbane were expected to see between 50 and 100mm of rain in the coming three days with severe weather warnings in place across the states.

Eastern Victoria is likely to see between 25 and 50mm of rain with flood warnings in place for some regions.

Major flood warnings were issued across NSW and QLD as the states were expected to receive over a month's worth of rain in one day

Andrew Watkins, head of operational climate services at the Bureau of Meteorology, said that while this La Nina was weaker than some previous ones, it could still cause serious flooding after Australia experienced its wettest spring since 2011.

'Last year we saw a weak-to-moderate La Nina event, we're backing it up with a weaker La Nina event, far weaker than what we saw in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012,' Mr Watkins said.

'It's not uncommon to have back-to-back La Nina events.

'The most comparable event is 2007-2009 when we saw heavy rains in November and December but then it backed off into the later summer months.'

'It does increase the risk of floods but it reduces the risk of bushfires.

'Our issue at the moment is we already have quite wet soils, quite wet rivers and quite high catchments, so any further rainfall raises the risk of widespread flooding.'
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned rich nations that not sharing vaccines is 'coming back to haunt us'.

Mr Brown also blasted the European Union for 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's move to buy up jabs made in South Africa.

The former Labour leader claimed the emergence of new strains such as Omicron, a super-mutant variant first reported in South Africa on November 24, could have been avoided if the West had properly shared vaccine supplies.

He said the West had been 'forewarned' of the failure to do share vaccine doses but that still only three per cent of people in low income countries had been jabbed compared to around 60 per cent in rich nations.

'In the absence of mass vaccination, Covid is not only spreading uninhibited among unprotected people but is mutating, with new variants emerging out of the poorest countries and now threatening to unleash themselves on even fully vaccinated people in the richest countries of the world,' Mr Brown wrote.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned rich nations that not sharing vaccines is 'coming back to haunt us'

The former prime minister said the West had been 'forewarned' of the failure to do share vaccine doses but that still only three per cent of people in low income countries had been jabbed compared to around 60 per cent in rich nations

'The good news is that our medical genius has ensured that the new Omicron variant has been identified quickly; is being sequenced at speed; and, if it proves not only more transmissible but immune to current vaccines, a new vaccine could potentially soon emerge,' he wrote in the Guardian.

'But given the contrast between the success of our scientists and the failure of our global leaders, only a herculean effort starting this week can allay fears that new mutations among unvaccinated people in the least-protected places will take Covid into a third year  with even fifth, sixth and seventh waves.'

He went on to accuse the EU of 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's attempt to purchase South African-made vaccines and said the move 'impeded' the nation's efforts to vaccinate its population'

Gordon Brown went on to accuse the EU of 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's attempt to purchase South African-made vaccines and said the move 'impeded' the nation's efforts to vaccinate its population'

Mr Brown's comments came as the World Health Organisation labelled the recently-discovered Omicron strain of Covid-19 a 'variant of concern' on Friday evening.

Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology... the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern, named Omicron,' the UN health agency said in a statement.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty said alarmist warnings were simply 'speculation' because the variant had spread only in 'very small numbers'.

He also questioned whether the public would accept the return of coronavirus restrictions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs that, while there was 'huge international concern', vaccines had put Britain in a strong position. While scientists said existing jabs could be tweaked to tackle the variant.

In a rush to limit the spread, the EU suspended all flights to southern Africa after the first case was confirmed in Europe, in Belgium, on Friday.

Britain had already put six nations - South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia - on the travel 'red list', and was poised to add two more last night.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had earlier called for an EU-wide travel ban to southern Africa warning that the Omicron strain could be world-dominant in months.

Passengers flying to the Netherlands from South Africa were banned from getting off the plane as the continent tightened its borders in an attempt to shut out the strain which scientists have described as the 'worst variant ever'.

They were eventually let off the runway after being forced to take a test and leave their details with contact tracers.

By contrast, British arrivals from the variant's epicentre Johannesburg were left to mingle with hundreds of others as they flew into Heathrow on the last flights out of Africa before the red list was re-imposed at noon.

Passengers flying into Heathrow revealed they were not tested or questioned about their travel history.
An individual 'with a knife and hostile intent' was shot and killed outside the entrance to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego on Friday.

The person was fatally shot by a military police officer at the Gate 5 entrance after they exited their vehicle and ignored verbal commands to stop, MCRD officials reported.

'Base personnel issued verbal commands to stop the vehicle at which point the individual exited their vehicle and approached with a knife and hostile intent,' 1st Lt. Joshua Collins said in a statement to Fox News.

Scroll down for video

An individual 'with a knife and hostile intent' was fatally shot outside a military base Friday. Military personnel is seen at the gate

The person was shot at the entrance to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego on Friday

The Gate 5 entrance located is listed as a civilian entrance on the MCRD San Diego map

The incident occurred around 11:50am. Emergency services were called and pronounced the individual dead at the scene at 12:16 pm.

A red tarp has been set up to block the Jeep Grand Cherokee the individual drove onto the base where it has remained at the gate since this afternoon with its license plate removed.

The Gate 5 entrance located at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Washington Street is listed as a civilian entrance.

The deadly situation is currently being investigation by Naval Criminal Investigative Service who have sealed off the area.

NCIS issued a statement, saying 'Out of respect for the ongoing investigative process, at this time we are not able to provide additional details.'

Marine Corps Recruit Depot personnel has not responded to DailyMail.com for a comment.

The military base is located north of San Diego International Airport. It serves as a first training stop for enlisted recruits entering the United States Marine Corps on the West Coast.
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Thousands of protesters have gathered in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast to fight against vaccine mandates.

The Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccination group planned 30 protests in towns and cities across Australia on Saturday.

Crowds of people took to city centre in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast with flags of their nations and signs which showcased their disapproval of mandatory vaccinations, while on the Gold Coast protestors were seen performing an emotionally-charged Haka during the rally.

A large group gathered at Sydney's Hyde Park at midday on Saturday after Health Minister Brad Hazzard granted exemptions to unvaccinated protesters to rally.

Mr Hazzard said organisers must 'take reasonably practicable steps' to ensure people attending the rally were not a close contact of a Covid case, ensure people wear a mask and socially distance.

Sydney protesters attend the 'Millions march against mandatory vaccinations' after NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard granted an exemption for unvaccinated residents to attend rallies

Thousands of protesters have gathered at Sydney's Hyde Park to fight against vaccine mandates

Thousands attend the 'Millions march against mandatory vaccinations' to protest against vaccine mandates in Sydney

Protestors are seen performing the Haka in the Gold Coast despite Iwi leaders calling for it to stopped

Over a thousand people are believed to have taken part in the march as the crowd continuously became larger.

The large crowds saw protesters walking around the same part of Sydney's CBD two hours after the protests had begun.

A festival style stage was set-up nearby at St Mary's Cathedral where protesters braved the rain to listen to music and speeches through loudspeakers.

A man in a mask is seen holding a sign that read: No lawful judges isnce 14 February 1966

A woman is seen carrying a sign that reads 'We've been lied to' as she marched through Syndey on Saturday

A group of women seen holding up signs stating that they will not comply with Covid-19 measures, they believe mandating vaccinations are a violation of human rights and want 'peado's...removed from parliament'

Woman holding a sign at the march that reads: 'Quit being rapey. No means no'

Attendees held up large flags from their nations in the crowd as they marched and through the streets and gathered around the stage in Hyde Park.

Flags seen in the protests included the Italian, Macedonian, Greek, Croatian, Australian and Aboriginal flags.

A person seen showcasing Pauline Hanson and One Nation material at the rally

Woman seen holding a poster that reads: 'Still going to Kochie's for Xmas'

A festival style stage was set-up nearby at St Mary's Cathedral where protesters braved the rain to listen to music and speeches through loudspeakers (Pictured: A man speaking to the crowd at the protest)

Woman holding a sign filled with messages at the Millions March against Mandatory Vaccinations in Sydney

Many vocal protesters also created signs with their messages, which they proudly showcased through the CBD.

Controversial MP Craig Kelly was spotted among the crowd shaking hands and high-fiving demonstrators, a week after the United Australia Party member gave a dramatic speech at a previous anti-vaxx rally.

Police were in attendance at the rally watching over the large crowds.

Many vocal protesters created signs with their messages, which they proudly showcased through the CBD

Women seen holding signs that claim 'media is the virus' and 'coercion is not consent'

Woman seen holding sign that reads: 'Hold the bloodline #SavetheNT'

A man seen holding a sign which that reads: 'Covid 1984,' which refers to George Orwell's dystopian fiction novel '1984'

However, the protests have been reported to be untroubling.

Severe rain and wild winds hammered Sydney, but it didn't stop the vocal protesters from flocking to the rally to communicate their message.

Individuals seen standing with signs calling the major political parties of Australia 'liars' and call to put a stop to big pharmaceuticals and Bill Gates

Two women seen holding United Australia Party corflutes

Two women hold a sign which asks for children not to be used for clinical trials

Teachers at the protest urging there be no vaccine mandate for teachers

Teachers at the protest urging there be no vaccine mandate for teachers

Individuals seen holding signs opposing vaccines for children

Couple seen at the protest with their children

Group of individuals seen holding signs at Hyde Park

Police were in attendance at the rally watching over the large crowds

The protests have been reported to be untroubling

Police lined up outside Pitt Street Mall in Sydney's CBD

Protestors seen taking to the streets of Sydney's CBD to march for their 'freedom'

Woman seen holding a sign referring to the chances of contracting the virus

A man seen in the crowd holding a sign with memes referring to the vaccine mandate

Group of individuals proudly showcase their messages as they march through the Sydney CBD

A couple seen posing with a United Australia Party poster

Large crowds seen from inside Westfield Pitt Street Mall complex

South of the border crowds gathered on Melbournes state parliament steps against Covid vaccine mandates and the Andrews governments controversial pandemic bill.

It is the third weekend in a row that protesters have assembled in Melbourne's city centre.

Crowds gathered on Melbournes state parliament steps against Covid vaccine mandates and the Andrews governments controversial pandemic bill

Protesters blocked Spring Street in the state's CBD brandishing banners and beating drums as they marched toward Bourke Street chanting 'sack Dan Andrews'

A large crowd flocked to state parliament at about 12pm on Saturday.

Protesters blocked Spring Street in the state's CBD brandishing banners and beating drums as they marched toward Bourke Street chanting 'sack Dan Andrews'.

Signs seen in the crowds outside Flinders Street Station in Melbourne's CBD

Flags of countries were also seen at the protests which included flags from Greece, Lebanon and North Macedonia

Groups of individuals held up flags in amongst the crowds, waving Australian, Aboriginal and Eureka flags.

Flags of countries were also seen at the protests which included flags from Greece, Lebanon and North Macedonia.

Signs were also seen in the large crowds of protestors which read: 'fear God not Dan,' and 'end segregation now.'

Independent MP Catherine Cumming made another appearance in the crowd as she was seen dancing to the music.

It is the third weekend in a row that protesters have assembled in Melbourne's city centre

Group of young individuals seen gathering at the Melbourne CBD protest

Woman seen holding a large inflatable Dan Andrews that says: 'Get on the beers and pull my ears'

Man seen in the crowd of the rally holding a Donald Trump flag

Police seen watching the crowds that gathered in Melbourne's CBD for the protest

Large crowds gathered in Melbourne's CBD waving flags and holding signs to oppose mandatory vaccines

In Queensland, protests were staged in the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and the Gold Coast.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was in attendance at the rally at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast along with her close colleague Malcolm Roberts.

Protesters perform an emotionally-charged Haka at the rally against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations on the Gold Coast

The former flag of South Africa (centre) seen being flown during a protest against the Queensland Government's mandatory vaccination laws on the Gold Coast

Ms Hanson's appearance comes after her vaccine discrimination bill - which sought to 'protect' Australians from mandates - failed in the senate this week.

A group of men and women at the protest performed an emotionally-charged Haka performance for the crowd showcasing their heritage.

Ms Hanson also spoke to the protesters in attendance at the rally about the bill she brought to parliament during the week, and a conversation that she had with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the matter.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was in attendance at the rally at Broadbeach

The large crowd was enwrapped in Ms Hanson as they cheered for her and applauded her.

Protesters who attend rallies across Queensland had been advised that they will cop a $4000 fine as they would be going against the rules set out by the state's chief health officer.

The Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccination group planned 30 protests in towns and cities across Australia.

Ms Hanson also spoke to the protesters in attendance at the rally
Joe Biden is being accused of being a hypocrite after he announced a ban on travel from eight southern African countries in response to the new Omicron COVID variant despite labeling Donald Trump as 'xenophobic' when the Republican imposed a ban on travelers last year.

On Friday, Biden, who is vacationing in Nantucket for a Thanksgiving break with his family, said travel will be banned from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

U.S. citizens and green card holders will still be able to travel to the U.S. from the banned countries, but no one else will be allowed when the ban begins Monday.

Biden tweeted a different tune when he was running for the Democratic nomination for president in February 2020, hammering Trump for travel bans for those coming from China and Europe when the virus first began to spread.

'We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus,' Biden tweeted. 'We need to lead the way with science  not Donald Trump's record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering. He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency.'

President Biden spoke with reporters today outside The Nantucket Tap Room where he said he decided on the ban out of an abundance of caution. He is Nantucket celebrating Thanksgiving with his family

President Joe Biden on Friday banned travel from eight African countries - shaded red in the map. South Africa is the only one to have direct flights to the United States, with 13 a week. Now citizens of the eight countries, or anyone who has been there recently, are unable to enter the US

Biden sent another tweet the same day where he slammed Trump for imposing an 'African Ban' when he restricted travel to six additional African countries, including Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania, Fox News reported.

'Trump further diminished the U.S. in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban. This new 'African Ban,' is designed to make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States. It's a disgrace, and we cannot let him succeed,' Biden tweeted.

Now Biden has created his own 'Africa ban,' sparking calls of hypocrisy from GOP critics of the Democrat.

'Today the Biden Administration announced a Travel Ban on South Africa and 7 other African nations over the 'New COVID Variant' Here was Joe Biden and Kamala Harris when Trump banned Travel,' someone tweeted with a link to Biden's 2020 tweets.

'JOE BIDEN JUST IMPOSED AN AFRICAN TRAVEL BAN,' one person tweeted. 'RACIST! RACIST! RACIST!'

Longtime journalist Brit Hume added in a tweet: 'This was Biden on what he called the 'African Ban' last year. Now he's imposed one himself.'

Biden's decision came after the UK and Israel on Thursday halted travel, and the EU followed suit.

The moves have been made in response to a new COVID variant, known as Omicron, which was first identified in Botswana and is now spreading rapidly through South Africa. It has also been found in Israel, Hong Kong and Belgium, and is worrying scientists because it appears to be able to easily reinfect those who have already been infected, or who have had the vaccine.

Yet only a few hours before Biden announced his decision, his chief scientist, Dr Anthony Fauci, said he thought a ban was unlikely.

Fauci appeared to have changed his mind after speaking to South African scientists. He then relayed the information to Biden, with Biden saying the decision was ultimately made on Friday after speaking to Fauci.

'This is really something that's in motion,' he said in an interview with CNN, broadcast shortly before 8am ET.

'And we just arranged right now a discussion between our scientists and the South African scientists a little bit later in the morning, to really get the facts.

'Because you're hearing a lot of things back and forth.

'We want to find out, scientist to scientists, what is going on.'

He said they were 'in very active communication' with their South African colleagues.

Asked whether he thought there should be a travel ban, like the British one, he replied: 'Obviously as soon as we find out more information we'll make a decision as quickly as we possibly can.'

Dr Anthony Fauci said Friday there is not enough evidence about the South African variant to halt flights to the US despite the UK, Israel and the EU all suspending travel because of it. Hours later, Biden banned the flights

He added: 'You always put these things on the table, but you don't want to say you're going to do it until you have some scientific reason to do it.

'That's the reason why we're rushing now to get that scientific data to try and make an informed decision about something like that.'

Pressed on what measures the US would take, if Omicron was found in the country, he said the priority would be finding out if it did evade vaccines.

He added: 'There is always the possibility of doing what the UK has done, namely block travel from South Africa and related countries,' Fauci

'That's certainly something you think about and get prepared to do. You're prepared to do everything you need to do to protect the American public.

'But you want to make sure there's a basis for doing that, and that's what we're doing right now.'

It was unclear who then spoke to the South African experts.

But, six hours later, at 2:38pm ET, Biden tweeted that he had decided to implement a travel ban.

He issued a statement, saying: 'This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa.

'As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries.'

FULL BIDEN OMICRON STATEMENT This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa. As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on November 29. As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises. For now, I have two important messages for the American people, and one for the world community. First, for those Americans who are fully vaccinated against severe COVID illness  fortunately, for the vast majority of our adults -- the best way to strengthen your protection is to get a booster shot, as soon as you are eligible. Boosters are approved for all adults over 18, six months past their vaccination and are available at 80,000 locations coast-to-coast. They are safe, free, and convenient. Get your booster shot now, so you can have this additional protection during the holiday season. Second, for those not yet fully vaccinated: get vaccinated today. This includes both children and adults. America is leading the world in vaccinating children ages 5-11, and has been vaccinating teens for many months now  but we need more Americans in all age groups to get this life-saving protection. If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, now is the time. Finally, for the world community: the news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations. The United States has already donated more vaccines to other countries than every other country combined. It is time for other countries to match Americas speed and generosity. In addition, I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally. I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly. Advertisement

From Nantucket, the president told reporters that he had made the decision after a 30 minute conversation with Fauci and his team.

'We don't know a lot about the variant except that it is a great concern and seems to spread rapidly,' said Biden.

'I spent about a half hour this morning with my covert team led by Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and so that was the decision we made.'

On February 5, 2020, Ron Klain, the former 'Ebola czar' and a campaign adviser who is now the White House chief of staff, testified before Congress that Trump's travel ban was ineffective.

'We don't have a travel ban,' Klain tells a House Foreign Affairs panel. 'We have a travel Band-Aid right now.

'First, before it was imposed, 300,000 people came here from China in the previous month. So, the horse is out of the barn.

'Second, what we have restricted is not travel to or from China, but passports to and from China.

'There's no restriction on Americans going back and forth. There are warnings. People should abide by those warnings.

'But today, 30 planes will land in Los Angeles that either originated in Beijing or came here on one-stops, 30 in San Francisco, 25 in New York City. Okay?

'So, unless we think that the color of the passport someone carries is a meaningful public health restriction, we have not placed a meaningful public health restriction.'

Biden himself maintained the skepticism about Trump's policy, tweeting on March 12, 2020, after Trump expanded the travel ban to include Europe: 'A wall will not stop the coronavirus. Banning all travel from Europe  or any other part of the world  will not stop it. This disease could impact every nation and any person on the planet  and we need a plan to combat it.'

By the end of March 2020, however, Biden's spokespeople were insisting that he was not against travel bans entirely.

On March 25, one spokesman, Andrew Bates, attempted to backpedal.

'This was not in reference to coronavirus travel restrictions. Travel restrictions, when supported by science, advocated by public health officials, and backed by a full strategy can be warranted,' he said.

'Travel restrictions can buy time; but here, the time they bought for preparation was squandered when Trump used it to downplay, rather than ready the country for, the disease.'

And on April 3, 2020, his deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said: 'Joe Biden supports travel bans that are guided by medical experts, advocated by public health officials, and backed by a full strategy.

'Science supported this ban, therefore he did too.'

Fauci himself was supportive of Trump's bans.

In March 2020, testifying before Congress, Fauci was asked if the European travel ban would have a significant impact on reducing the spread of community cases.

He replied: 'A firm yes.'

He added: 'Because if you look at the numbers it's very clear that 70 percent of new infections in world are coming from that region, from Europe.

'Of the 35 or more states that have infections, 30 of them now, most recently, have gotten them from a travel related case from that region.'

Yet by the end of the 2020, in the midst of the second wave and with questions being asked about halting flights from the UK, Fauci was less convinced.

'It might be premature to do that,' he told PBS on December 21.

'I don't think that that kind of a draconian approach is necessary.

'I think we should seriously consider the possibility of requiring testing of people before they come from the U.K. here.

'But I don't think that there is enough evidence right now to essentially lock down any travel from the U.K., but seriously to consider the possibility that you might want to require people who are coming here to be tested within a period of time, you know, 24, 34, or 76 hours before they get on a plane to come to the United States.'
Comedian Dave Chappelle, who is set to have a theater named after him at his alma mater, has said people can still influence whether he receives the honor by raising money for the institution and stating whether they are for or against the idea.

Chappelle, who was heckled this week while addressing pupils at his old school, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C., posted news of his 'donation challenge' on his Instagram account.

His challenge comes after the comedian was heckled by some students who were unhappy about his controversial Netflix special.

Dave Chappelle has said urged people to donate to his alma mater stating whether they are in favor or against the naming of a theater after him

The comedian wants to raise money either in favor or objecting to a building on the campus of Duke Ellington School of the Arts bearing his name

Chappelle was heckled on Tuesday by students while visiting his old school

Chappelle is urging people to donate in favor or against his alma mater's theater being named after him

Chappelle said that he will gladly step aside once the public have had their say by donating

'Talk is cheap (Unless I do it). The Duke Ellington school is a glorious institution. Within those walls I found a context to explore my creativity seriously. Duke Ellington, in large part, prepared me to undertake this noble and difficult profession. It was a fine institution before any of it's current occupants got there. God willing, it will be a fine institution long after their tenure is done. My only intent is to insure Duke Elling the opportunity to train its artists unfettered,' Chappelle began in a statement spread over four pictures.

'Having the theater named after me is a great honor. Although, that was not my idea, aim or desire. At the request of our beloved school's founder, Peggy Cooper Kafritz, I accepted,' he continued.

'In April, I intend to honor that request. If you object to my receiving this honor, I urge you to donate to the school noting your objection. If you are in favor of the theater being named 'Chappelle', I urge you to donate to the school, noting your approval.

'Whichever opinion donates the highest collective dollar amount, wins. If by April, those against the 'Chappelle' theater exceed the donations of those who are neutral or in favor of the theater being named 'Chappelle', I will gladly steal aside. If not, I will happily attend the naming ceremony. And if you don't care enough to donate please shut the f**k up, forever. - Dave'

Comedian Dave Chappelle (pictured) was heckled this week while addressing pupils at his old school, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC, with some audience members complaining about his controversial Netflix special The Closer

Chappelle has been under fire this year over jokes about transgender people in his comedy special The Closer - but the comedian has always denied being anti-trans.

During The Closer, he made one comment stating that 'gender is a fact', leading to the trans community blasting the comedy special.

The controversial show caused Netflix staff to protest and mass outrage on social media against some of his jokes.

Stopping by his old school on Tuesday, Politico Playbook reports that during an address to some 580 students, one member of the audience questioned the comedian about his jokes.

The pupil reportedly said to Chappelle: 'I'm 16 and I think you're childish, you handled it like a child.'

The same student also reportedly described Chappelle as a 'bigot'.

And responding to that pupil, Chappelle said that 'with all due respect', he didn't believe that the pupil could make any of the daily decisions he himself has to make.

Stopping by his old school (pictured) on Tuesday, he delivered an address to some 580 students, and one member of the audience questioned the comedian about his jokes, describing him as 'childish' and a 'bigot'

Students are pictured gather ingto welcome Duke Ellington School of the Arts alum, Dave Chappelle, to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in an earlier encounter in September 2017

Chappelle also reportedly told one student 'N***** are killed every day', after the audience member yelled out that 'your comedy kills'.

The school had originally delayed his appearance from November 23 to April 22 over fears that students may stage a walk-out protest, before going back on this plan.

Chappelle's spokeswoman Carla Sims told Politico that 'They are complaining that he talked and said the n-word. If anything, Dave is putting the school on the map.'

And a school official confirmed that the comments directed at Chappelle during his appearance had in fact been encouraged by the comedian, who asked those who had taken issue with his comedy to question him.

During his visit at the school, Chappelle also gave three students tickets to his 'Untitled' documentary and provided 600 meals for pupils and staff for Thanksgiving.

MailOnline has approached Dave Chappelle's representatives for additional comment.

It comes after Chappelle was recently nominated for a Grammy Award despite facing backlash for his comments on transgender people in his Netflix special, The Closer.

The Grammy nominations come just one month after Chappelle faced calls to be canceled over jokes made in the stand-up special which was almost entirely centered around members of the LGBTQ community.

Critics are questioning cancel culture after Marilyn Manson, Dave Chappelle (pictured) and Louis C.K. were nominated for Grammy Awards despite having previously been 'cancelled'

The comedian courted controversy with his jokes in which he asserts 'gender is a fact,' and criticizes what he says is the thin skin of the trans community.

The jokes were based upon earlier observations made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's who in 2019 stated that transgender women were not actually women and were a threat to her identity.

His Grammy nomination is for the Netflix special, 8:46, in the best spoken word album category.

In the wake of the backlash, LGBTQ activists slammed Chappelle for his jokes about the trans community and transgender employees at Netflix staged a walkout to protest the streaming service for airing the special.

Several social media users applauded the nominations, mocking cancel culture - or rather the lack thereof

Chappelle's upcoming documentary was also pulled by distributors and invites to film festivals were rescinded.

Last month, responding to backlash over The Closer, Chappelle posted a one-minute video posted to Instagram, saying: '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 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 yelled at the end of the video.
A glamorous lawyer posted a gushing birthday message to her friend just weeks before discovering she was in a relationship with her husband.

High-profile Sydney funds manager Charlie Aitken split from his wife of more than 20 years, Ellie Aitken, two weeks ago.

Mr Aitken has since confirmed he's in a relationship with Hollie Nasser who is the wife of Mr Aitken's investment partner Chris Nasser.

The split has caused a major fallout for the company, Aitken Investment Management, with Mr Nasser resigning from his position as director of the board and Ms Aitken stepping down as an executive.

Ellie Aitken (pictured left) shared a post to Instagram where she gushed about her close friend Hollie Nasser (pictured right)

Ellie Aitken and Charlie Aitken (pictured) were married for two decades and have two children together

The Aitkens founded the company with Mr Nasser a key investor.

'I can confirm I am separated from Ellie Aitken and am in a relationship with Hollie Nasser,' Mr Aitken told the Daily Telegraph.

'My sole focus is my children and I'll make no further comment.'

Mr Nasser, a wealthy publican, has separated from his wife but remained tight-lipped about the split.

'While the affair has greatly impacted me and my children, it is a private matter and I do not wish to go into any detail about it,' he said.

The relationship has left many shocked as both couples had been friends for years.

Ellie Aitken and Hollie Nasser pictured together left and right. 'I can confirm I am separated from Ellie Aitken and am in a relationship with Hollie Nasser,' Charlie Aitken said

Ms Aitken is a former corporate mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Clayton Utz and one time director of the NSW Polo Association

Hollie Nasser is the wife of Mr Aitken's investment partner Chris Nasser (both pictured), they have also separated

Weeks before the split was confirmed, Ms Aitken - a lawyer and at one stage a fashion designer - shared a post to Instagram where she gushed about her close friend Hollie and shared multiple pictures of the two together.

'Happy happy birthday to my beautiful (Hollie). So lucky to have you in my life. Heres to sharing many more good times together in the years to come.'

Mr Aitken is believed to have since moved out of the family and is now living with Ms Nasser in a serviced apartment in Bondi Junction.

Ms Aitken is a former corporate mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Clayton Utz and one time director of the NSW Polo Association.

In 2011 however, she transitioned out of the legal sphere and into luxury lifestyle fashion with the launch of her label Aitken And Co.
Former President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has reportedly been reaching out to some of the connections he built during his father-in-law's administration for investment in a new firm.

Kushner has reached out to leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other Persian Gulf states to try and get backing for Affinity Partners, Kushner's new company, according to The New York Times.

The former Director of the Office of American Innovation and senior advisor to his wife's father, Donald Trump, has purportedly not been entirely successful in his efforts, which seek to raise an amount 'in the low billions of dollars' by early next year, The Times said.

Rulers in both Qatar and the UAE have reportedly declined to invest in Affinity. However, Kushner has purportedly found interest from Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's $450 billion Public Investment Fund.

The Times reported that the Saudi PIF is currently in negotiations with Kushner over a 'sizable investment.'

Jared Kushner (pictured right), son-in-law and former senior advisor to ex-President Donald Trump, is attempting to line up Middle Eastern investment in a new firm

Kushner worked extensively in the Middle East and has interest in the firm from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, run by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured right)

Kushner was crucial in organizing Trump's first international state visit to Saudi Arabia in 2017

Kushner favored the Emiratis in their feud with the Qataris during his time at the White House.

While the UAE sees Kushner as an ally, they reportedly questioned his past business acumen, which is largely limited to the time he spent in charge of his family's real estate business.

Kushner became close with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, defending the head of state when US intelligence determined he'd ordered the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi over criticism of the royal family.

He also pushed for Trump to make his first international visit to Riyadh in 2017.

Ethics experts question Kushner's attempt to raise money from officials he dealt with on behalf of the government, especially with the spectre of Trump running for president again in 2024.

'When former White House officials start cashing in their time served with our government by cozying up to monarchs, it turns the stomach a bit. Is it illegal? No,' said Nick Penniman, the founder and chief executive of good government advocates Issue One. 'Is it swampy and seemingly hypocritical? Yes.'

The Times reports that the Saudi PIF is currently in negotiations with Kushner over a 'sizable investment.

Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (pictured left) has also attempted to get Middle Eastern backing since leaving the White House

Kushner, seen here with wife Ivanka, President Trump, First Lady Melania and Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, was heavily involved in Middle Eastern policy during Trump's administration

Kushner's signature achievement during the Trump administration was the Abraham Accords, which opened diplomatic relations between Israel and various Arab states

Kushner's signature work in the Middle East under his father-in-law was the Abraham Accords, a series of treaties that opened diplomatic relations between Israel and various Arab states.

The former senior advisor has moved to Miami with wife Ivanka and their children since leaving the White House.

Kushner has stated no desire to get back into politics, but has attempted to build off his work in the Middle East by establishing a nonprofit called the Abraham Accords Institute for Peace.

He launched Affinity in Miami in recent months and hopes to work heavily in the Middle East, with a focus on building relationships between the Israelis and Saudis.

Kushner has begun staffing and, as CEO, will start going after investment from the United States in coming months.
A baby-faced bikie has showed off provocative new ink reserved for fully-patched gang members - but will have to wear make-up to cover up his tattoos within weeks.

Samuel Wilmott, 21, of Perth, proudly displayed a Rebels MC tattoo on his arm on social media while standing with a young woman he called his glamorous 'wifey', Chantelle Bate, on her 22nd birthday.

'Happy 22nd wifey, hope you have an amazing day love you,' Willmott wrote in a post tagging Ms Bate, while raising his Rebels forearm tattoo in front of her so it could be clearly read.

Daily Mail Australia understands the pair are not in a relationship, but are close friends.

Willmott, who police last year said was a Rebels bikie nominee, appeared in the West Australian District Court on Friday over a hearing involving an alleged half-a-million dollar find in a backyard, which was not related to Ms Bate.

Baby-faced bikie Samuel Willmott has showed off provocative new ink reserved for fully-patched gang members, but he may be forced to wear make-up to cover them within days

The young bikie also showed off new head and face tattoos in the recent picture.

Under a new Western Australian government law preventing bikie gangs from displaying their 'brands', Willmott will soon have to cover his ink or face 12 months in jail and a $12,000 fine.

New legislation is expected to pass into law in Western Australia on December 9 which will mean Willmott and other bikies have to wear make-up to hide their gang tats.

The new bill, which is touted as Australia's 'toughest', targets 46 clubs including the Rebels, Coffin Cheaters, Hells Angels, Bandidos and Gypsy Jokers and by banning all wording associated with them in public.

Acting WA Police commissioner Col Blanch said people such as heavily-tattooed Hells Angel Dayne Brajkovich may need to start wearing make-up or 'band-aids'.

Among Brajkovich's many tattoos are the word 'Hells Angels' on his forehead and '1%er' on his neck.

The law will make it illegal to 'display prohibited insignia', including the wearing of gang patches and even going out in public with visible tattoos referencing gangs.

Facial tattoos, clothing, or even stickers or painted insignia on a motorcycle or car will be included in the bill.

'I would start with things like Band-Aids or make-up certainly or have it removed or alternatively, people can choose the option not to live in Western Australia if this law passes,' Mr Blanch told 6PR's Mornings Program, referring to Brajkovich.

The maximum penalties for wearing prohibited insignia under the new law are 12 months in jail, a $12,000 fine for individuals or up to $60,000 for 'corporations'.

Willmott and his friend Ms Bate pose for a social media post. Ms Bate described Willmott as 'my ride or die' - but the pair are not dating

Willmott posted a photo of himself wearing Rebels insignia with his motorbike in September

Dayne Brajkovich leaving court. A new law in Western Australia could force him to wear make-up to cover up his tattoos

In October Coffin Cheater bikie Chris 'Ballistic' Orchard, whose motto is the implied threat that 'I shake hands to negotiate  I throw hands to renegotiate' compared the new ban on gang insignia to 'Nazi Germany'.

'Just like that we (are) now in North Korea (or) Nazi Germany whatever you want to call it we are there freedoms gone anyone who thinks this s**t is right you are delusional,' Orchard wrote on Facebook.

'How about instead of making us remove or cover our tattoos you f**ks force child molesters to get tattoos to identify them and force them to show them at all times in public?' he said.
The glamorous wife of a property developer jailed for trying to smuggle $80million worth of cocaine into Australia may be kicked out of her $2.5million mansion to pay back the lawyer who represented her husband.

Former Sydney party boy Matthew Doyle, 33, pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug after he was arrested in September 2019.

He is serving a maximum of eight years behind bars and has now been served a bankruptcy notice by Robert Kaufmann - who represented Doyle before his guilty plea for drug smuggling.

Mr Kaufmann claims Doyle owes him legal fees of more than $184,000.

Former Sydney party boy Matthew Doyle, 33, (pictured with wife Kelsea) pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug after he was arrested in September, 2019.

Doyle would be forced to give up his assets to pay the debt if Mr Kaufmann is successful, including the home the 33-year-old's wife Kelsea and their young child share in Burraneer in Sydney's south, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Other assets include another property in nearby Caringbah, a Land Rover, shares in 16 companies and cash.

The bankruptcy matter will be heard in the Federal Court on February 1.

Mr Kaufmann had sued Doyle earlier this year in a civil matter and won the case with the court ordering the now convicted drug smuggler to pay the large sum.

But as Doyle did not meet the October 20 deadline Mr Kauffman is now attempting to have the 33-year-old declared bankrupt.

Doyle will have until January 28 to contest the bankruptcy claim, and if he fails will ordered to appear to defend the application.

His former lawyer has claimed Doyle owes him more than $184,000 in legal funds. Mrs Doyle has always vowed to stand by her husband (pictured together) who will serve a minimum of five years behind bars.

Mrs Doyle has always vowed to stand by her husband, who will serve a minimum of five years behind bars.

'It's been an extremely tough 12 months for our family. I'm just thankful it's now over,' Mrs Doyle said after he was sentenced in September last year.

'I would love to be left in peace to get on with looking after my child and supporting my husband and I would appreciate the media would finally give me some privacy.'

Matthew Doyle (left, with his wife Kelsea) pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug

Kelsea Doyle would potentially lose her home if the lawyer's bankruptcy notice is successful

Undercover police had been posing as drug dealers while Doyle and his accomplices attempted to smuggle in the cocaine into Australia.

Detectives had recorded conversations with Doyle since April 2019.

In one recording, Doyle claimed he 'was not a gangster but a businessman and loved money and loved making money for people and making friends'.
A teacher's assistant accused of raping a six-year-old girl was allegedly only stopped when a teacher noticed a phone propped up and facing the school toilets.

The 21-year-old allegedly filmed himself raping the young girl during a series of despicable sexual attacks on children over three days, Brisbane Magistrates Court heard on Saturday.

Police allege a year three teacher at the Brisbane school found the phone and then called police, who confronted the aide.

He allegedly confessed to a video on the phone showing him raping a female year one student 'for about 10 minutes inside a toilet cubicle at the school', Magistrate Suzette Coates said.

A teacher's assistant who allegedly raped a six year old girl was only stopped when a teacher noticed a phone propped in a strange spot - facing into school toilets. Pictured is a stock image of a classroom, not including the alleged perpetrator or victim.

When police searched the man's computer they allegedly found two videos of the man allegedly abusing young girls, The Courier-Mail reported.

Police allege the man admitted to making the videos, which court documents say showed him making two young girls remove their clothes and being sexually interfered with.

The offences all occurred within three days, the court heard.

His computer also allegedly contained pornographic cartoons depicting sex involving young children, police allege.

The man is facing sexual assault charges including three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 by a carer and four counts of making child exploitation material.

He is also charged with three counts of possessing child exploitation material.

His application for bail was opposed by police, who called the allegations 'significantly predatory'.

The defendant had a blue card, which is needed to work with children, but no criminal history.

Senior Police prosecutor Perri Cardiff said he 'sought out' work with access to 'young children'.

The alleged paedophile, 21, filmed himself raping the six year old in swimming pool toilets during a series of despicable sexual attacks on children over three days, Brisbane Magistrates Court heard

Judge Coates called the alleged facts 'very disturbing'.

'The fact that he works as a teacher where he is in a position of trust and hes (alleged to have) abused that trust,' she said.

The alleged paedophile was remanded in custody.
A Sydney socialite who spent eight months in a prison cell is now hoping to make up for her crimes by supporting women who have found themselves in her shoes.

Annabel Walker spent eight months behind bars after being jailed for fraud and deception in September 2020.

The 33-year-old extorted about $26,000 from those closest to her including her friends and boyfriend.

She defrauded her former employer, hotel operator Australian Leisure Group, out of $17,000.

Walker, who once wore designer clothes, said she now treasures a cheap white singlet she bought in prison using her $16 weekly wage, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Former Sydney socialite Annabel Walker has opened up on what her life is like after spending eight months in prison for fraud and deception

'I can't throw it out because I worked hard for these singlets. It reminds me of how excited and proud of myself I was when I got it,' she said.

Walker spent a stint at Silverwater women's jail but served the majority of her sentence at Dillwynia Correctional Centre.

She says she believed prison was the only way she was going to 'set myself straight'.

Surrounded by women convicted of terrifying crimes, Walker watched on in horror as inmates got into violent fights or took drugs.

'You're with some people who aren't stable and I think that's probably the scariest thing because everything is heightened,' she said.

'And that's one of the hardest things because you never feel safe.'

She said she quickly had to get used to a lack of privacy, recalling a fellow inmate holding up towels around her so she could shower without being filmed.

Instead of dining at fancy restaurants as she did before her stint in jail, Walker lived off crackers and tuna as she struggled to stomach the meals provided to her.

Despite once living in a prison cell, Walker said it was her release back into society that was harder.

She said she was overwhelmed with anxiety about the judgement she received having been a former inmate.

She secured a rental property to live in but getting employment wasn't as easy.

Walker stole thousands from friends and even her boss but has vowed she will never break the law again

The 33-year-old said she sent about 50 messages to women's justice organisations but getting a call back was near impossible.

Walker eventually enrolled in a program which helps mentor and find jobs for women with criminal records named Success Works.

She was later referred to another organisation Keeping Women Out of Prison where she secured a role as an executive assistant.

The 33-year-old is now working on a program which details every step of life in prison from when the sentence is handed down to release day.

Speaking earlier this year in an interview with No Filter, Walker said she felt like she had a 'target' on her back in prison due to her privileged upbringing.

Walker said despite living in a jail cell for eight months, the transition back to society was even harder

She used to show off her lavish lifestyle on social media, drinking champagne at expensive Sydney eastern suburbs restaurants, wearing designer handbags, and holidaying in luxurious resorts - making the transition to prison that much harder.

'I definitely did have a target on my back because I was well-spoken and I also was just oblivious to everything going on,' she said.

'There's two kinds of people in jail. There's the ones that look at you and just see that you're suffering and you might be weak and they might want to help you. And then there's ones that see that as ''I'm gonna walk all over you''.'

Walker now works for an organisation that helps support women in the criminal justice system

She said while she saw a 'lot of love' during her prison stint, jail was a 'frightening' place to be.

'There's a lot of drugs in prisons, but women that are pregnant like a woman shot up something at eight months pregnant and lost her baby,' she said.

'She'd stayed sober for eight months, got the temptation and then she had a stillborn.'

Walker is hoping to turn her life around by supporting women with criminal records, having being jailed herself for eight months

Walker described having regular 'degrading' strip searches at all hours of the day and night.

'If you have your period you have to pull your tampon out and show them that it's not drugs. And I've had that happen where I've had my period and pretty degrading,' she said.

In another blow, Walker's uncle and grandmother both died while she was behind bars, meaning she missed both of their funerals.
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The devastated father of the first confirmed victim of the Channel migrant tragedy has accused France of allowing 'butchers' to send innocent people to their deaths.

Baran Nouri Hamadamin was one of 27 people who drowned after a flimsy boat capsized six miles off Calais during stormy weather this week.

The newly engaged student had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

Five people have been arrested in France over the deaths but Calais police have so far failed to charge anyone despite Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin insisting that all those detained were 'directly linked'.

The tragedy has sparked another diplomatic spat between London and Paris, with Emmanuel Macron accusing Boris Johnson of breaking French sovereignty after the Prime Minister tweeted an open letter to him outlining a five-point action plan to clampdown on people-smugglers.

In an extraordinary fit of pique, the French government withdrew Home Secretary Priti Patel's invitation to a crisis meeting today.

Home Office minister Damian Hinds this morning defended Mr Johnson's letter, telling Radio 4's Today programme: 'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

He added: 'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

Speaking from his home in Soran, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Miss Hamadamin's father Nuri Mohammed Amin urged President Emmanuel Macron to stop allowing people-smugglers to treat people 'like animals'.

Miss Hamadamin, a newly engaged student, had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

She had been sending Snapchat messages to her fiance Karzan Asaad before the dinghy began to lose air. As he tracked her phone GPS, the signal went dead just over four hours into the journey  and she tried to reassure him in her last message that rescuers were on the way. Her body was tragically identified by a relative at a French morgue yesterday.

Mr Amin said: 'This is a tragedy not only for me but for the whole of Kurdistan and the world. I ask the French government to tighten their borders and stop those butchers. They are not smugglers, they are mafias. This is my only request.

'Those boats that they are using are not made for that purpose. They treat those poor people like animals. Where were her human rights? It is the role of the French government to have a strict procedure to stop those butchers to avoid further tragedies. And I hope our people stop even thinking about migrating using similar ways.'

Smugglers threatened to shoot migrants, including bride-to-be Mariam Nouri Dargalayi (pictured with fiance), unless they boarded the doomed dinghy that went down in Channel

Policemen inspect the beach near Wimereux, France on November 25, 2021

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the press conference with Prime Minister Mario Draghi at Villa Madama in Rome

This is the first picture of the flimsy and dangerous dinghy that sank off Calais, killing 27 people

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said

The new arrivals bring the total number to have made it to the UK this month to more than 6,000, exceeding the previous record of 3,879 in September. This year's total is now a record-breaking 25,772

How many UK-bound migrants have died trying to cross the Channel this year? Before this week's accident, a total of seven people were confirmed to have died trying to make it across the Channel to Britain this year. A further seven migrants were missing, presumed drowned, after various incidents this year. March 2021: One migrant missing and feared drowned after the boat he was in trying to reach the UK capsized. August 2021: At least two migrants drowned off the coast of the UK while another died after being airlifted to hospital as part of a huge air and sea rescue operation after a boat carrying around 40 people began taking on water. October 2021: Three Somali migrants feared to have drowned after falling overboard while trying to reach Britain. A further four people, including two children, died while crossing. November 2021: One migrant dies in day of record 853 crossings in early November. Yesterday, at least 27 migrants died off the coast of Calais in the deadliest ever incident in the Channel. Advertisement

Friends of the migrants who drowned in the Channel this week said yesterday that people-smugglers threatened to show them unless they boarded the overcrowded dinghy.

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said.

The chilling details emerged as more were named among those feared drowned in Wednesday's tragedy off the coast of Calais.

Mr Hinds told the BBC this morning: 'British and French officials have been working together throughout, in fact we've been working together for years on these really important issues. The partnership is strong.

'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

He also defended Mr Johnson's suggestion of Britain joining patrols of French beaches to reduce the numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats.

'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

Mr Hinds acknowledged the challenges of policing the French coastline, but added: 'There is more that can be done and clearly we can't just say it's difficult because it's hundreds of miles of coastline, we have to do what's necessary to save human life.'

He did not say how much of the 54million Britain had offered to France to clamp down on Channel crossings has been paid but said 'more than a euro has been paid', after criticism from the French.

Mr Asad, who is said to have British citizenship and is now working as a barber in Bournemouth, said: 'I am in a very bad state. It is very sad for me, and for everyone. I had continuous contact with my wife and I was tracking her live with GPS. After four hours and 18 minutes, from the moment she went into that boat, I think they were in the middle of the sea, then I lost her.

'She was a happy person. Someone went to see her body in France, so I know it's her.'

Last night a cousin in Iraq, Krmanj Ezzat, said: 'Her mother and father are totally devastated. The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life. It's a total tragedy and the whole family are in shock.

'I understand why so many people are leaving for a better life, but this is not the correct path. It's the route of death. Please don't take this route, it's not worth it. Baran chose a very difficult way to come to Britain and you see what happened to her. Karzan was waiting for her in England. She was learning English, she was very smart.'

Mr Ezzat fears four more family members were also on the boat. Yesterday, the family of Deniz Ahmed Mohammed, a 27-year-old Kurd, said he left them a final voicemail saying: 'Just pray for us.'

Childhood friends Harem Pirot and Shakar Ali, from the town of Ranya, northern Iraq, were also among the feared victims.

Shakar Ali, 25, (left) and Harem Pirot, 23, (right) who grew up as neighbours in Iraq and set off together to find a new life in the UK are believed to have been on board the dinghy

Friend of Shakar and Harem Sanger Ahmed also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad (pictured), 18, a student

The family of 27-year-old Deniz Ahmed Mohammed (left) said he left them a final voicemail saying 'just pray for us', while Riaz Mohammed, 12, (right) is also feared to be among dead

Police search Wimereux beaches near Bolougne from this morning days after 27 migrants died heading to the UK as Storm Arwen threatens to take more lives if more people try to cross

Deflated dinghies used to carry migrants across the Channel pictured at a storage facility in Whitfield, Dover

Rows of vessels used to ferry migrants and refugees are being kept as evidence for smuggler prosecutions

How are people smuggling gangs exploiting English Channel crossings? The sinking of a migrant boat with the loss of 27 lives off the coast of France has once again raised concerns about the people-smuggling trade. For years law enforcement on both sides of the English Channel have been playing a game of cat and mouse with criminal gangs as tactics change and evolve. National Crime Agency (NCA) deputy director Andrea Wilson said: 'We look to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in people smuggling at every step of the route. 'Much of this criminality lies outside the UK, so we have built up our intelligence-sharing effort with law enforcement partners in France and beyond. 'This includes having NCA officers based in those countries, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations. 'This approach is bringing operational results in the form of arrests and prosecutions, as we have seen with this particular case. One focus in the UK and abroad has been on disrupting the supply of dinghies and other vessels that could be used in Channel crossings. The sale of dinghies in French towns has reportedly been banned, with kayaks seen withdrawn from sale at a Calais store. However one alleged smuggling gang targeted by police last year was thought to have been buying inflatable boats and engines from as far away as Germany and the Netherlands. In the last couple of years, inflatable boats used in crossings have got bigger and bigger, now able to carry dozens of people - but not safely. Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Government have repeatedly pledged to make the Channel route 'unviable', but the NCA previously said it views organised immigration crime as a 'continuous threat'. Earlier this month, an international operation saw 18 people arrested by French border police in the Calais, Le Havre and Paris regions of France. More than 100,000 euros in cash and bank accounts was also seized. The organised crime group (OCG) was involved in the supply of boats which would each be able to carry between 40 and 60 people, the NCA said. The network would then arrange departures from the shore of northern France, recruiting migrants in the various camps there. Ms Wilson said much of the NCA's work has to be done covertly, but added: 'We know it is having an impact. 'We are continuing to look at ways to disrupt the supply of vessels to people-smuggling OCGs, and target those who knowingly do so.' A joint UK-France intelligence cell that started in July 2020 has been involved in almost 300 arrests relating to small boat crossings, the Home Office said earlier this month. Advertisement

Their friend Sanger Ahmed said: 'I spoke to them on the phone on the morning they went. They were saying it was only a tiny boat and people smugglers might shoot people if they tried to back out. They suspected the boat was overcrowded with around 50 people on it. I think they could have been forced on the boat.

'People smugglers are armed and don't care if the boat is overloaded or if the weather is bad. We have all heard the stories about people being threatened with a gun unless they get on.'

In the squalid camp near Dunkirk, where the doomed migrants waited for a chance to attempt the crossing, numerous sources have made shocking claims to the Daily Mail about what happened on Wednesday lunchtime.

Two boats had been set to leave from the Loon-Plage beach, just outside Dunkirk. Sources described how one of the boats had suffered engine problems, yet the greedy smugglers did not want to miss out on their cash windfall.

'The smugglers told the migrants that the remaining boat was completely new and so it would be strong enough to carry all of them,' said one source inside the camp.

Another migrant said: 'It is all about money for them. There are too many people who have too much to lose.'

The overcrowded dinghy, around 30ft long, was so flimsy it was likened to a children's paddling pool, and appears to have simply crumpled after either taking on water or colliding with a ship.

The Mail told yesterday how migrant Mohammed Aziz, 31, made a frantic phone call to his friend Peshraw Aziz and said: 'It's not good, the engine isn't powerful enough  I don't know if we're going to make it.'

Multiple sources in the camp have claimed the boat could have had as many as 50 people on board, and the French authorities are braced for the death toll  currently at 27  to rise.

Speaking of his friends, Sanger said he has known Harem, thought to be 23, and Shakar, a 27-year-old geology graduate, all his life and they were all neighbours in Ranya, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Sanger said he travelled with Harem and Shakar to Turkey.

His friends made their way to France via Italy while he decided to come via Belarus, and the trio arranged to meet up in France.

Sanger also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad, 18, a student. He also believes an Iranian called Sirwan, aged around 25, and a man called Hever, in his 20s and from Ranya, may have died. The youngest victim is feared to be Riaz Mohammed, 12, who was pictured wearing a life jacket.

Sanger added: 'I'm not sure if I will get a boat now  if there's a chance on a lorry I might not take that risk.'

Migrants in the camp told the Mail police controls are so lax that traffickers brazenly launch their human cargo in broad daylight in full view of security officers.

Karl Maquinghen, a French skipper who has been at sea for 21 years, sounded the alarm on Wednesday afternoon when he found bodies floating in the water.

'Seeing so many dead people right next to us, it was like a horror film,' he said yesterday.

'You can't sleep  as soon as you close your eyes, you see bodies again. We were petrified to even pull up the nets for fear there was one inside. If we had arrived five minutes earlier, we might have been able to save them.'

A relative of Deniz said his family in Ranya feared the worst. 'He was suffering poverty then spent everything he collected to go to the UK, and this is what happened,' nephew Darya said.

'My grandfather hasn't even eaten until now. It is like a funeral for them.'

A final voicemail from Deniz said: 'Now we are on the water, Inshalla [God willing] we will arrive safely. Just pray for us.'

Kent MP Craig Mackinlay said that with Storm Arwen set to blast 75mph winds towards France, Macron must ensure that nobody crosses today to avoid more deaths in the Channel. But despite the warning only small groups of police were seen on patrol near Calais.

Militant French fishermen blocked lorries from entering the Channel Tunnel yesterday

Other pictures from the protest showed fishermen burning pallets in front of stranded lorries

A man holds a sign that translates as 'Save our migrant brothers and sisters' at a memorial for people who have died while crossing the English Channel

A migrant prays at a makeshift migrant camp in Loon Beach - the day after 27 migrants died crossing the Channel - in Dunkerque near Calais

Migrants in Grand Synthe near Dunkirk, France who still hope to cross the English Channel

Migrants who were found soaked after a failed attempt to cross the Channel walk out from a shelter and take a bus to a warm place, in the rue des huttes in Calais

He told MailOnline: 'The French should be putting maximum on the ground resources across the 20 miles of high risk beaches north and south of Calais. Bad weather will push the traffickers to use the shortest possible route'.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke said: 'Conditions on the English Channel look set to become even more treacherous in the coming days.

'It's urgent that France works with the UK and EU allies to stop more lives being lost. No-one should be making this kind of journey across a stormy sea. The French authorities should appeal for people to heed the weather forecast and stay where they are.'

The Elysee Palace had already warned Mr Johnson not to 'exploit' the disaster for political gain, but the premier penned a letter overnight with a five-point plan for cooperation. His urgent five-point plan included measures such as starting joint patrols with France to stop boats leaving French beaches, deploying sensors and radar technology and using airborne surveillance.

Mr Johnson also argued that France should agree to take back migrants who reach Britain, saying it would have a 'significant' impact on the migrant crisis and reduce the dangers posed by people traffickers.

Setting out his five-point plan, he tweeted: 'Tonight I have written to President Macron offering to move further and faster to prevent Channel crossings and avoid a repeat of yesterday's appalling tragedy which claimed the lives of at least 27 people.

A refugee looks out from his tent at dawn in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

A refugee lights a fire to keep warm at daybreak in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron went into meltdown at Boris Johnson (pictured) branding the PM 'not serious' for sending a five-point plan with demands for ending migrant tragedies

'I pay tribute to the emergency services who have been dealing with this devastating situation.

'Following our conversation last night I know President Macron recognises, as I do, the urgency of the situation we are both facing. If those who reach this country were swiftly returned the incentive for people to put their lives in the hands of traffickers would be significantly reduced. This would be the single biggest step we could take together to reduce the draw to Northern France and break the business model of criminal gangs.

'I am confident that by taking these steps and building on our existing cooperation we can address illegal migration and prevent more families from experiencing the devastating loss we saw yesterday.'

Since he published the plan, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told Miss Patel that she is no longer welcome at the crisis meeting on Sunday.

A spokesman for Mr Darmanin, who accused Britain of 'bad immigration management' and enticing migrants with benefits and slack labour rules, said: 'We consider Boris Johnson's public letter unacceptable and in opposition with discussions between counterparts.

'As a consequence, Priti Patel is not invited anymore to the meeting on Sunday.'

Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who is running for the French presidency in looming elections, also waded into the spat accusing Mr Johnson of being 'in a state of mind of confrontation on all subjects'.

Wednesday's tragedy deepened animosity between Britain and France, already at odds over post-Brexit trade rules and fishing rights. Mr Johnson said France was at fault and Mr Darmanin accused Britain of 'bad immigration management'.
Rescue crews have saved dozens of Australians from rising floodwaters including a six-week-old baby as severe storms continue to pummel the country's east coast.

The wild weather that pounded NSW on Friday night headed north on Saturday, hammering Queensland's south-east as severe thunderstorms tracked across the Darling Downs region west of Brisbane.

The number of rescues across Queensland grew to nine by Saturday evening, compared to the 34 made by the NSW State Emergency Service the previous night.

On Saturday evening the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning to residents living from Goondiwindi near the NSW border to Chinchilla, inland from the Sunshine Coast.

The bureau said severe thunderstorms and possible flash flooding could batter the region, which is west of the Great Dividing Range, on Saturday night.

The flooding in the eastern states moved from central west of NSW northwards to hammer southeast Queensland. In NSW a bridge collapse caused a vehicle to fall in

Queensland firefighters were called to nine rescues overnight as cars became stuck in rising floodwater

That alert was later cancelled just before 9pm, with the BoM saying the 'immediate threat of severe thunderstorms has passed'.

Further severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for farming communities across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, west of Toowoomba.

About 230mm of rain has fallen in the Lockyer Valley Queensland's south east over the past five days.

Many towns recorded a month's rain in just hours on Friday evening leading to nine rescues from flood waters - including a six-week-old baby.

'Just after 10.40pm police and emergency services were called to the Cunningham Highway at Warwick where water had risen half a metre over Freestone Creek Bridge,' Queensland police said.

Police entered the fast-flowing waters to extract two women and an infant from a vehicle and bring them back to safety.

Just 10 minutes later at Jack Smith Gully Road at Swan Creek, police used rope to form a human chain and waded through 'strong, waist high currents' to retrieve a woman through the driver's windo.

Police issued stark warnings to motorists after officers were forced to put their own lives at risk in a number of flood water rescues throughout the Darling Downs area overnight

At point a digger was used to assist in a floodwater recue in Queensland as rivers burst their banks

Earlier at Barney View two campers were rescued from deep waters while two motorists were saved from separate vehicles at Tingoora.

'As we can see from these incidents overnight, flash flooding can occur very quickly and without any notice, even on roads that you usually travel on without any issues,' Darling Downs Superintendent Danny Shaw said.

'It's not worth risking the lives of yourself, your loved ones, and those of emergency services.

'I'm urging residents to use common sense  back away from flooded roadways, delay your journey if necessary. If it's flooded, forget it.'

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the Darling Downs on Saturday evening

On Friday before 7am morning a man drowned at Hibernia.

A passerby noticed the ute and dead man near the Gregory Hwy, west of Rockhampton.

'Firefighters were called to a number of swift-water rescues overnight as cars became stuck in rising floodwater,' said Queensland Fire and Emergency in a statement.

Flooding wreaked havoc across the NSW central west and parts of the Hunter Valley on Thursday and Friday

Police were involved in dozens of fast-water rescues in NSW and Queensland as floodwaters rose

'Never drive, walk or ride through flood waters. If it's flooded, forget it,' the Bureau warned.

Locals should also 'seek shelter, preferably indoors' and steer clear of fallen trees and powerlines.

During the afternoon 'flood watch' advisories were issued for 17 catchment areas in southern and eastern Queensland, where 'widespread flooding' is expected.

'A lingering trough over Queensland will bring further showers and thunderstorms to most areas of Queensland over the next few days.'
Western Australia has slammed shut its border with South Australia in a reaction to fears over the new Omicron African variant of Covid-19.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has blocked access to travellers from SA because of emerging concern over the highly-infectious new virus strain and recent cases of Delta in its neighbouring state.

The ruling means only double-vaccinated South Australians can enter WA, where they must immediately go into quarantine for 14 days.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has ruled SA travellers to WA must be double-jabbed and need to immediately self-isolate for 14 days over fears about the new Omicron strain of Covid-19

They must also undergo regular Covid-19 tests.

The rule change comes amid fears the newly-named Omicron 'super-variant' is already in Australia, possibly via a via a repatriation flight from South Africa.

On Saturday Australia closed its border to nine African nations including South Africa and Zimbabwe.

'The new variant emerged in southern Africa and is now understood to have been detected in Europe, Asia and the Middle East,' Mr McGowan said.

United States and Europe earlier placed six countries on the red list before Australia added another three - Malawi, Mozambique and Seychelles

'With little known about the variant, it is important we act with an abundance of caution in dealing with potential spread into WA from overseas travellers arriving in other States.

South Australia has recorded eight new Covid-19 infections in the past three days after registering just one in the preceding eight days.

Adelaide opened its border to New South Wales on November 23 for double-vaccinated travellers, raising concerns in WA, which has maintained a fiercely protective Covid-zero strategy.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook was worried that overseas travellers could enter South Australia without quarantine if they came from Victoria, NSW or Canberra.

'South Australias relaxed border policy has seen increased infections from other States, and while they have not yet had community transmission, there is an increased number of exposure sites,' Mr Cook said.

WA had previously treated SA as a 'very low risk' point of origin, meaning South Australians could freely travel west even if unvaccinated.

The change reclassifies SA travellers as 'low risk' meaning while they do not need approval, they must now be double-jabbed and have to quarantine for 14 days.

SA arrivals to WA between November 23 and November 27 at 3pm are expected to familiarise themselves with the latest SA exposure sites and report it if they have been at one of them.

WA officially considers NSW to be 'high risk' under its controlled borders plan.

Travellers from NSW are not permitted to enter WA without approval.

If approved to enter WA, visitors from NSW must immediately self-quarantine in a 'suitable premises' for 14 days.

They must also received a negative Covid test result before travelling and before leaving quarantine.

NSW recorded 235 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and has had nearly 81,000 cases since the pandemic began.

Australia has joined Europe and the United States and closed its borders to nine countries in southern Africa to prevent a new highly-infectious Covid strain called Omicron from spreading to the country

WA considers Victoria to be an 'extreme risk' point of origin.

Travellers to WA from Victoria must receive WA government approval before flying in and then quarantine for 14 days in a government-approved facility at their own expense.

WA considers travellers from Canberra a 'medium risk'.

Mr Cook said his state's 'strong international border controls remain in place'.

WA Health minister Roger Cook said his state's 'strong international border controls remain in place'

Failure to follow WA health orders can result in fines ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 fine or even jail.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced Australia would be joining Europe and the US in closing its borders to nine southern African countries in an attempt to stop the new variant from entering the country.

There are though 20 returned travellers quarantining in the Northern Territory who were repatriated from South Africa last week - one of whom has tested positive to Covid.

Health officials in the Northern Territory are expected to confirm whether or not the infected case has the hyper-virulent new variant later on Saturday evening.
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Low vaccination rates in South Africa down to vaccine hesitancy stifling demand so much that is had to delay delivery of dose rather than a lack of supply, experts claimed today.

Gordon Brown yesterday claimed rich nations not sharing vaccines with the rest of the world is now 'coming back to haunt us' with the new super mutant Omicron variant is taking hold in South Africa and spreading across the world.

The strain is feared to make vaccines 40 per cent less effective at stopping transmission than they are against Delta and has already popped up in Belgium and Israel, with health officials fearing it may have reached the Netherlands and Australia as well.

But British immunologist Dr Andrew Croxford said rich countries are not 'to blame' for South Africa's low vaccination rate and the development of the strain. He said 'major vaccine hesitancy' is stifling the country's jab drive, adding no country would be able to vaccinate its whole population 'even if you fly a billion doses over'.

And South Africa's deputy director-general of the Department of Health Dr Nicholas Crisp on Wednesday said the country has 'plenty vaccine and capacity but hesitancy is a challenge'.

South Africa asked Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to delay delivery of Covid vaccines because it now has too much stock, health ministry officials said earlier this week.

About 35 per cent of South Africans are fully vaccinated, higher than in most other African nations, but half the government's year-end target.

It has averaged 106,000 doses a day in the past 15 days in a nation of 60million people. The programme was slowed by insufficient doses earlier this year.

Now deliveries have been delayed due to oversupply, making the country an outlier in the continent where most are still starved of vaccines. The continent as a whole is short of the nearly 470million doses needed to reach the World Health Organization's goal of fully vaccinating 40 per cent of the world's population by the end of the year.

About 35 per cent of South Africans are fully vaccinated, higher than in most other African nations, but half the government's year-end target

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far. Graph shows: The seven-day average for cases in the country

Cases of the new super mutant Covid variant Omicron have been sequenced in South Africa, Bostwana, Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong. Health officials believe the strain may have reached Australia and are sequencing tests from two flights from South Africa to the Netherlands today

Gordon Brown warns rich nations not sharing jabs is 'coming back to haunt us' Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned rich nations that not sharing vaccines is 'coming back to haunt us'. Mr Brown also blasted the European Union for 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's move to buy up jabs made in South Africa. The former Labour leader claimed the emergence of new strains such as Omicron, a super-mutant variant first reported in South Africa on November 24, could have been avoided if the West had properly shared vaccine supplies. He said the West had been 'forewarned' of the failure to do share vaccine doses but that still only three per cent of people in low income countries had been jabbed compared to around 60 per cent in rich nations. 'In the absence of mass vaccination, Covid is not only spreading uninhibited among unprotected people but is mutating, with new variants emerging out of the poorest countries and now threatening to unleash themselves on even fully vaccinated people in the richest countries of the world,' Mr Brown wrote. 'The good news is that our medical genius has ensured that the new Omicron variant has been identified quickly; is being sequenced at speed; and, if it proves not only more transmissible but immune to current vaccines, a new vaccine could potentially soon emerge,' he wrote in the Guardian. 'But given the contrast between the success of our scientists and the failure of our global leaders, only a herculean effort starting this week can allay fears that new mutations among unvaccinated people in the least-protected places will take Covid into a third year  with even fifth, sixth and seventh waves.' He went on to accuse the EU of 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's attempt to purchase South African-made vaccines and said the move 'impeded' the nation's efforts to vaccinate its population'. Advertisement

Writing on social media, Dr Croxford said: '[There are] many comments on low vaccination rates in South Africa and rich nations being to blame.

'It seems supply isnt the problem, but rather demand, where major vaccine hesitancy is stifling efforts.

'Of course, it could have been faster, but not every country has a 100 per cent ceiling for full vaccination even if you fly a billion doses over, and cultural differences may reduce whats even achievable in some places.

'Who knows what kind of anti-vaxx myths find fertile ground there.'

Dr Crisp said South Africa had 16.8million doses in stock and said deliveries had been deferred.

'We have 158 days' stock in the country at current use,' a spokesman for the Health Ministry told Reuters.

'We have deferred some deliveries. It is entirely owing to hesitancy.

'We have plenty vaccine and capacity but hesitancy is a challenge.

'Unfortunately it means that many unvaccinated people may have an unhappy festive season and will possibly result in hospitals being congested.'

He did not say when deliveries would now take place.

Stavros Nicolaou, chief executive of Aspen Pharmacare, which is packaging 25 million doses a month of J&J vaccines in South Africa, said most of the vaccines bound for South Africa would now go to the rest of the continent.

Mr Nicolaou, who is also chairman of public health at business lobby Business for South Africa, said deliveries would likely be deferred until the first quarter of next year.

Vaccines packaged at Aspen's plant are part of the African Union's agreement to buy 220 million doses from J&J.

The AU and J&J did not respond to an email seeking comment.

A Pfizer spokesperson said: 'We remain adaptable to individual country's vaccine requirements whilst continuing to meet our quarterly commitments as per the South Africa supply agreement.'

South Africa's government has been seeking to boost the rate of daily administered doses.

'There is a fair amount of apathy and hesitancy,' said Shabir Madhi, who led the clinical study for the AstraZeneca vaccine in South Africa.

To ramp up vaccinations, the government has launched pop-up vaccination centres and sought help from community leaders.

It has also opened inoculations to children aged 12 to 17.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far.
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A former Labour Cabinet minister today blamed the migrant crisis in the Channel on Brexit and condemned Boris Johnson for 'infuriating' Emmanuel Macron.

David Miliband, chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, told Radio 4's Today programme that the Prime Minister's open letter to the French President  in which he outlined a plan to clamp down on people-smugglers sending asylum seekers to Britain  was 'unwise'.

London and Paris are engaged in yet another diplomatic spat after 27 migrants drowned off the coast of Calais when their dinghy capsized this week.

President Macron, a prominent opponent of Brexit who has clashed with Mr Johnson over a range of issues including fishing rights, claimed the Prime Minister's letter was a breach of French sovereignty. He responded by dramatically disinviting Home Secretary Priti Patel from crisis talks.

Speaking to the BBC, Remainer Mr Miliband said the migrant crisis is 'a graphic demonstration of what Brexit means' and appeared to take France's side in the war of words.

'I think the French government were quite wrong to disinvite the UK (for talks) because obviously the UK needs to be part of it,' the former Foreign Secretary said.

'But the Government was most unwise to write a letter, apparently an hour after the Prime Minister spoke to President Macron, which on any reading could be seen to be designed to infuriate President Macron. You can say that he was wrong to be infuriated but it wasn't sensible to try and infuriate him. And in the end we're going to have to make up and make good for what Brexit has created.'

Mr Miliband said that before Britain left the EU, there was a scheme that gave the UK the right to send some asylum seekers back to the bloc.

'That doesn't exist and that's one of the things that means we're still going to be negotiating Brexit for some time to come,' he added.

David Miliband (pictured) has criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson for trying to 'infuriate' French President Emmanuel Macron in the row over how to deal with the migration crisis

The PM (pictured yesterday) wrote directly to the French president to formally offer hundreds of British personnel to stop desperate migrants from taking to the water

Policemen inspect the beach near Wimereux, France on November 25, 2021

This is the first picture of the flimsy and dangerous dinghy that sank off Calais, killing 27 people

Smugglers threatened to shoot migrants, including bride-to-be Mariam Nouri Dargalayi (pictured with fiance), unless they boarded the doomed dinghy that went down in Channel

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said

The new arrivals bring the total number to have made it to the UK this month to more than 6,000, exceeding the previous record of 3,879 in September. This year's total is now a record-breaking 25,772

How many UK-bound migrants have died trying to cross the Channel this year? Before this week's accident, a total of seven people were confirmed to have died trying to make it across the Channel to Britain this year. A further seven migrants were missing, presumed drowned, after various incidents this year. March 2021: One migrant missing and feared drowned after the boat he was in trying to reach the UK capsized. August 2021: At least two migrants drowned off the coast of the UK while another died after being airlifted to hospital as part of a huge air and sea rescue operation after a boat carrying around 40 people began taking on water. October 2021: Three Somali migrants feared to have drowned after falling overboard while trying to reach Britain. A further four people, including two children, died while crossing. November 2021: One migrant dies in day of record 853 crossings in early November. Yesterday, at least 27 migrants died off the coast of Calais in the deadliest ever incident in the Channel. Advertisement

The devastated father of the first confirmed victim of the Channel migrant tragedy has accused France of allowing 'butchers' to send innocent people to their deaths.

Baran Nouri Hamadamin was one of 27 people who drowned after a flimsy boat capsized six miles off Calais during stormy weather this week. The newly engaged student had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

Five people have been arrested in France over the deaths but Calais police have so far failed to charge anyone despite Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin insisting that all those detained were 'directly linked'.

Home Office minister Damian Hinds this morning defended Mr Johnson's letter, telling Radio 4's Today programme: 'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

He added: 'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

Speaking from his home in Soran, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Miss Hamadamin's father Nuri Mohammed Amin urged President Emmanuel Macron to stop allowing people-smugglers to treat people 'like animals'.

Miss Hamadamin, a newly engaged student, had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

She had been sending Snapchat messages to her fiance Karzan Asaad before the dinghy began to lose air. As he tracked her phone GPS, the signal went dead just over four hours into the journey  and she tried to reassure him in her last message that rescuers were on the way. Her body was tragically identified by a relative at a French morgue yesterday.

Mr Amin said: 'This is a tragedy not only for me but for the whole of Kurdistan and the world. I ask the French government to tighten their borders and stop those butchers. They are not smugglers, they are mafias. This is my only request.

'Those boats that they are using are not made for that purpose. They treat those poor people like animals. Where were her human rights? It is the role of the French government to have a strict procedure to stop those butchers to avoid further tragedies. And I hope our people stop even thinking about migrating using similar ways.'

Friends of the migrants who drowned in the Channel this week said yesterday that people-smugglers threatened to show them unless they boarded the overcrowded dinghy.

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said.

The chilling details emerged as more were named among those feared drowned in Wednesday's tragedy off the coast of Calais.

Mr Hinds told the BBC this morning: 'British and French officials have been working together throughout, in fact we've been working together for years on these really important issues. The partnership is strong.

'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

Shakar Ali, 25, (left) and Harem Pirot, 23, (right) who grew up as neighbours in Iraq and set off together to find a new life in the UK are believed to have been on board the dinghy

Friend of Shakar and Harem Sanger Ahmed also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad (pictured), 18, a student

The family of 27-year-old Deniz Ahmed Mohammed (left) said he left them a final voicemail saying 'just pray for us', while Riaz Mohammed, 12, (right) is also feared to be among dead

Police search Wimereux beaches near Bolougne from this morning days after 27 migrants died heading to the UK as Storm Arwen threatens to take more lives if more people try to cross

Deflated dinghies used to carry migrants across the Channel pictured at a storage facility in Whitfield, Dover

Rows of vessels used to ferry migrants and refugees are being kept as evidence for smuggler prosecutions

How are people smuggling gangs exploiting English Channel crossings? The sinking of a migrant boat with the loss of 27 lives off the coast of France has once again raised concerns about the people-smuggling trade. For years law enforcement on both sides of the English Channel have been playing a game of cat and mouse with criminal gangs as tactics change and evolve. National Crime Agency (NCA) deputy director Andrea Wilson said: 'We look to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in people smuggling at every step of the route. 'Much of this criminality lies outside the UK, so we have built up our intelligence-sharing effort with law enforcement partners in France and beyond. 'This includes having NCA officers based in those countries, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations. 'This approach is bringing operational results in the form of arrests and prosecutions, as we have seen with this particular case. One focus in the UK and abroad has been on disrupting the supply of dinghies and other vessels that could be used in Channel crossings. The sale of dinghies in French towns has reportedly been banned, with kayaks seen withdrawn from sale at a Calais store. However one alleged smuggling gang targeted by police last year was thought to have been buying inflatable boats and engines from as far away as Germany and the Netherlands. In the last couple of years, inflatable boats used in crossings have got bigger and bigger, now able to carry dozens of people - but not safely. Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Government have repeatedly pledged to make the Channel route 'unviable', but the NCA previously said it views organised immigration crime as a 'continuous threat'. Earlier this month, an international operation saw 18 people arrested by French border police in the Calais, Le Havre and Paris regions of France. More than 100,000 euros in cash and bank accounts was also seized. The organised crime group (OCG) was involved in the supply of boats which would each be able to carry between 40 and 60 people, the NCA said. The network would then arrange departures from the shore of northern France, recruiting migrants in the various camps there. Ms Wilson said much of the NCA's work has to be done covertly, but added: 'We know it is having an impact. 'We are continuing to look at ways to disrupt the supply of vessels to people-smuggling OCGs, and target those who knowingly do so.' A joint UK-France intelligence cell that started in July 2020 has been involved in almost 300 arrests relating to small boat crossings, the Home Office said earlier this month. Advertisement

He also defended Mr Johnson's suggestion of Britain joining patrols of French beaches to reduce the numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats.

'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

Mr Hinds acknowledged the challenges of policing the French coastline, but added: 'There is more that can be done and clearly we can't just say it's difficult because it's hundreds of miles of coastline, we have to do what's necessary to save human life.'

He did not say how much of the 54million Britain had offered to France to clamp down on Channel crossings has been paid but said 'more than a euro has been paid', after criticism from the French.

Mr Asad, who is said to have British citizenship and is now working as a barber in Bournemouth, said: 'I am in a very bad state. It is very sad for me, and for everyone. I had continuous contact with my wife and I was tracking her live with GPS. After four hours and 18 minutes, from the moment she went into that boat, I think they were in the middle of the sea, then I lost her.

'She was a happy person. Someone went to see her body in France, so I know it's her.'

Last night a cousin in Iraq, Krmanj Ezzat, said: 'Her mother and father are totally devastated. The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life. It's a total tragedy and the whole family are in shock.

'I understand why so many people are leaving for a better life, but this is not the correct path. It's the route of death. Please don't take this route, it's not worth it. Baran chose a very difficult way to come to Britain and you see what happened to her. Karzan was waiting for her in England. She was learning English, she was very smart.'

Mr Ezzat fears four more family members were also on the boat. Yesterday, the family of Deniz Ahmed Mohammed, a 27-year-old Kurd, said he left them a final voicemail saying: 'Just pray for us.'

Childhood friends Harem Pirot and Shakar Ali, from the town of Ranya, northern Iraq, were also among the feared victims.

Their friend Sanger Ahmed said: 'I spoke to them on the phone on the morning they went. They were saying it was only a tiny boat and people smugglers might shoot people if they tried to back out. They suspected the boat was overcrowded with around 50 people on it. I think they could have been forced on the boat.

'People smugglers are armed and don't care if the boat is overloaded or if the weather is bad. We have all heard the stories about people being threatened with a gun unless they get on.'

In the squalid camp near Dunkirk, where the doomed migrants waited for a chance to attempt the crossing, numerous sources have made shocking claims to the Daily Mail about what happened on Wednesday lunchtime.

Two boats had been set to leave from the Loon-Plage beach, just outside Dunkirk. Sources described how one of the boats had suffered engine problems, yet the greedy smugglers did not want to miss out on their cash windfall.

'The smugglers told the migrants that the remaining boat was completely new and so it would be strong enough to carry all of them,' said one source inside the camp.

Another migrant said: 'It is all about money for them. There are too many people who have too much to lose.'

The overcrowded dinghy, around 30ft long, was so flimsy it was likened to a children's paddling pool, and appears to have simply crumpled after either taking on water or colliding with a ship.

The Mail told yesterday how migrant Mohammed Aziz, 31, made a frantic phone call to his friend Peshraw Aziz and said: 'It's not good, the engine isn't powerful enough  I don't know if we're going to make it.'

Multiple sources in the camp have claimed the boat could have had as many as 50 people on board, and the French authorities are braced for the death toll  currently at 27  to rise.

Speaking of his friends, Sanger said he has known Harem, thought to be 23, and Shakar, a 27-year-old geology graduate, all his life and they were all neighbours in Ranya, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Sanger said he travelled with Harem and Shakar to Turkey.

His friends made their way to France via Italy while he decided to come via Belarus, and the trio arranged to meet up in France.

Sanger also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad, 18, a student. He also believes an Iranian called Sirwan, aged around 25, and a man called Hever, in his 20s and from Ranya, may have died. The youngest victim is feared to be Riaz Mohammed, 12, who was pictured wearing a life jacket.

Sanger added: 'I'm not sure if I will get a boat now  if there's a chance on a lorry I might not take that risk.'

Migrants in the camp told the Mail police controls are so lax that traffickers brazenly launch their human cargo in broad daylight in full view of security officers.

Karl Maquinghen, a French skipper who has been at sea for 21 years, sounded the alarm on Wednesday afternoon when he found bodies floating in the water.

'Seeing so many dead people right next to us, it was like a horror film,' he said yesterday.

'You can't sleep  as soon as you close your eyes, you see bodies again. We were petrified to even pull up the nets for fear there was one inside. If we had arrived five minutes earlier, we might have been able to save them.'

Militant French fishermen blocked lorries from entering the Channel Tunnel yesterday

Other pictures from the protest showed fishermen burning pallets in front of stranded lorries

A man holds a sign that translates as 'Save our migrant brothers and sisters' at a memorial for people who have died while crossing the English Channel

A migrant prays at a makeshift migrant camp in Loon Beach - the day after 27 migrants died crossing the Channel - in Dunkerque near Calais

Migrants in Grand Synthe near Dunkirk, France who still hope to cross the English Channel

Migrants who were found soaked after a failed attempt to cross the Channel walk out from a shelter and take a bus to a warm place, in the rue des huttes in Calais

A relative of Deniz said his family in Ranya feared the worst. 'He was suffering poverty then spent everything he collected to go to the UK, and this is what happened,' nephew Darya said.

'My grandfather hasn't even eaten until now. It is like a funeral for them.'

A final voicemail from Deniz said: 'Now we are on the water, Inshalla [God willing] we will arrive safely. Just pray for us.'

Kent MP Craig Mackinlay said that with Storm Arwen set to blast 75mph winds towards France, Macron must ensure that nobody crosses today to avoid more deaths in the Channel. But despite the warning only small groups of police were seen on patrol near Calais.

He told MailOnline: 'The French should be putting maximum on the ground resources across the 20 miles of high risk beaches north and south of Calais. Bad weather will push the traffickers to use the shortest possible route'.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke said: 'Conditions on the English Channel look set to become even more treacherous in the coming days.

'It's urgent that France works with the UK and EU allies to stop more lives being lost. No-one should be making this kind of journey across a stormy sea. The French authorities should appeal for people to heed the weather forecast and stay where they are.'

The Elysee Palace had already warned Mr Johnson not to 'exploit' the disaster for political gain, but the premier penned a letter overnight with a five-point plan for cooperation. His urgent five-point plan included measures such as starting joint patrols with France to stop boats leaving French beaches, deploying sensors and radar technology and using airborne surveillance.

Mr Johnson also argued that France should agree to take back migrants who reach Britain, saying it would have a 'significant' impact on the migrant crisis and reduce the dangers posed by people traffickers.

Setting out his five-point plan, he tweeted: 'Tonight I have written to President Macron offering to move further and faster to prevent Channel crossings and avoid a repeat of yesterday's appalling tragedy which claimed the lives of at least 27 people.

A refugee looks out from his tent at dawn in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

A refugee lights a fire to keep warm at daybreak in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

'I pay tribute to the emergency services who have been dealing with this devastating situation.

'Following our conversation last night I know President Macron recognises, as I do, the urgency of the situation we are both facing. If those who reach this country were swiftly returned the incentive for people to put their lives in the hands of traffickers would be significantly reduced. This would be the single biggest step we could take together to reduce the draw to Northern France and break the business model of criminal gangs.

'I am confident that by taking these steps and building on our existing cooperation we can address illegal migration and prevent more families from experiencing the devastating loss we saw yesterday.'

Since he published the plan, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told Miss Patel that she is no longer welcome at the crisis meeting on Sunday.

A spokesman for Mr Darmanin, who accused Britain of 'bad immigration management' and enticing migrants with benefits and slack labour rules, said: 'We consider Boris Johnson's public letter unacceptable and in opposition with discussions between counterparts.

'As a consequence, Priti Patel is not invited anymore to the meeting on Sunday.'

Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who is running for the French presidency in looming elections, also waded into the spat accusing Mr Johnson of being 'in a state of mind of confrontation on all subjects'.

Wednesday's tragedy deepened animosity between Britain and France, already at odds over post-Brexit trade rules and fishing rights. Mr Johnson said France was at fault and Mr Darmanin accused Britain of 'bad immigration management'.
The relationship between China and the World Health Organisation has come under renewed scrutiny after the UN body appeared to skip over the Greek letter 'Xi' and call the new Covid variant 'Omicron' instead.

Last night the WHO sparked criticism from China hawks after it named the mutation 'Omicron' instead of 'Nu' or 'Xi'.

The UN body has been using Greek letters such as 'Alpha', 'Beta' and 'Delta' to describe the variants, saying on its website it would 'be easier and more practical to be discussed by non-scientific audiences'.

However, its decision to name the variant from southern Africa 'Omicron' has sparked speculation that the WHO deliberately skipped over 'Xi' to avoid angering the President of China, Xi Jinping.

President Xi is alleged to have significant influence over WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister whose country has been a major recipient of Chinese investment.

Tedros has been accused of using his role to make further appointments that were preferable to Beijing, including making Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe a goodwill ambassador.

The Chinese government has been accused of using an 'aggressive' influence campaign on the WHO's response to the initial Covid outbreak which led to it missing its chance to stop the pandemic. It is also alleged that the UN body's independence was eroded prior to the global spread of the virus in early 2020.

Donald Trump Jr wrote on Twitter: 'As far as I'm concerned the original will always be the Xi variant.'

Donald Trump Jr tweeted: 'As far as I'm concerned the original will always be the Xi variant'

President Xi is alleged to have significant influence over WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister whose country has been a major recipient of Chinese investment

The relationship between China and the World Health Organisation has come under further scrutiny after the UN body appeared to skip over the Greek letter 'Xi' and call the new Covid variant 'Omicron' instead

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

And Republican Senator Ted Cruz retweeted a Telegraph editor who cited a WHO source saying Xi was skipped to 'avoid stigmatizing a region'.

'If the WHO is this scared of the Chinese Communist Party, how can they be trusted to call them out next time they're trying to cover up a catastrophic global pandemic?' Mr Cruz said.

Wall Street Journal columnist Ben Zimmer suggested: 'Kudos to the WHO for skipping over the potentially confusing Nu and Xi names and going straight to Omicron.'

A WHO spokesman told The New York Post that it avoided 'Nu' because it feared 'people would think it was the new variant, rather than a name'.

They added: 'And Xi because it's a common surname and we have agreed [to] naming rules that avoid using place names, people's names, animal, etc. to avoid stigma.'

Earlier this year, an investigation by The Sunday Times revealed efforts by Beijing to control the WHO's decision making, sabotage investigations and even install officials.

The newspaper claims the WHO failed to publicly challenge Chinese misinformation, delayed declaring an international emergency, and discouraged governments from placing travel bans on China to protect its economy.

It has also been suggested officials agreed a 'backroom deal' with the Chinese to water down the inquiry into the origins of Covid-19.

This meant steering scientists away from the theory coronavirus actually escaped from a Wuhan laboratory, rather than coming from wild animals in a wet market in the city in December 2019.

The theory was initially dismissed as 'extremely unlikely' by the WHO but now experts say there might have been 'human error' at the lab.

Central to the paper's claims is that close ties between the WHO's leadership and China had impacted on its ability to challenge the country over the emergence of the virus.

It is suggested China has for some time been using financial leverage over poorer nations to install its preferred figures into key roles at the WHO as well as other UN-governed bodies.

Chief among the decision makers at the WHO is Tedros, who is a long-time friend of China. He visited President Xi in January 2020, two months before the pandemic began.

Between 2000 and 2012, there were around 130 official Chinese finance projects in Zimbabwe, with some totalling hundreds of million of pounds to build hydroelectric dams and provide agricultural machinery.

In June last year, Zimbabwe was one of 53 countries to back the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations, derided by Western nations as a clampdown on protestors and free speech by China.

Professor Richard Ebright, a fellow of America's Infectious Disease Society, told the Times that China's efforts had a 'decisive role' in affecting the agency's failure to act.

An investigation has claimed that China used 'aggressive' influence on the World Health Organisation to control decision making, sabotage investigations and even install preferred officials in the run up to the coronavirus pandemic

While China has tried to insist the virus originated elsewhere, academics, politicians and the media have begun to contemplate the possibility it leaked from a high-level biochemical lab in Wuhan - raising suspicions that Chinese officials simply hid evidence of the early spread

'There was no scientific or medical or policy justification for the stance that the WHO took in January and February of 2020. That was entirely premised on maintaining satisfactory ties to the Chinese government,' he said.

'Through that process, the WHO actively resisted and obstructed efforts by other nations to implement effective border controls that could have limited the spread, or even contained the spread of the outbreak.'

The support for Tedros especially had a 'remarkably high return on the investment' compared to the funds and influence used to help him get elected.

A spokesperson for the organisation hit back at the claims, saying: 'WHO's top priority is ending the acute stage of the Covid-19 pandemic.'

They later added: 'The Sunday Times piece is riddled with inaccuracies, falsehoods, half-truths, unsubstantiated assertions, willful distortions and the intentional omission of anything that didn't fit the pre-determined premise of the story.

'There have been several independent reviews of the global response to Covid-19, including the work of WHO, and these reviews note the work of the organisation and the early warnings we issued.

'Frankly, WHO's top priority is ending the acute stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are supporting countries to implement comprehensive, evidence-based responses, based on the consistent use of public health measures and the equitable use of life-saving tools including vaccines.

'In particular, we are working to enable all countries to vaccinate health workers, older people and other vulnerable groups, at a time when 75 per cent of vaccinations have taken place in only 10 countries.'
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Professor Calum Semple today urged calm, insisting that vaccines are 'still likely to protect you from severe disease'

The new Covid variant is 'not a disaster' and some people may be 'hugely overstating the situation', according to a Sage adviser.

Last night the World Health Organisation branded the so-called 'Omicron' mutation a 'variant of concern' as countries including Britain and the US moved to shut their borders to six countries from southern Africa, the area of suspected origin.

The variant's sudden appearance this week sparked panic in Whitehall circles, with Downing Street's scientists warning that it could be vaccine-resistant and Health Secretary Sajid Javid threatening to reimpose lockdown if necessary.

In a rush to limit the spread, the EU suspended all flights to southern Africa after the first case was confirmed in Europe. Britain had already put six nations on the travel 'red list'  and was poised to add two more last night.

But microbiologist Professor Calum Semple today urged calm, insisting that vaccines are 'still likely to protect you from severe disease'.

The Sage adviser told BBC Breakfast that he supported new travel restrictions on South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe, but added: 'This is not a disaster, and the headlines from some of my colleagues saying 'this is horrendous' I think are hugely overstating the situation.

'Immunity from the vaccination is still likely to protect you from severe disease.

'You might get a snuffle or a headache or a filthy cold but your chance of coming into hospital or intensive care or sadly dying are greatly diminished by the vaccine and still will be going into the future.'

Prof Semple said that while it may not be possible to stop the variant coming to the UK, it is still important to delay its arrival.

'If you can slow the virus coming into your country it gives you more time for your booster campaign to get ahead of it,' he went on. 'It also gives the scientists longer to understand more about the virus in case there is anything we really should be worrying about.'

Asked what other measures he thought were advisable, Prof Semple said he was in favour of compulsory facemasks in shops and on public transport, and handwashing.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said 'it is extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen'. Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, he also insisted that vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the Omicron variant.

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far. Graph shows: The seven-day average for cases in the country

Experts warned Britain could face restrictions being reintroduced in the country this Christmas but the Prime Minister hopes travel bans could prevent the need for another lockdown

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

'That tells you that despite those mutations existing in other variants, the vaccines have continued to prevent serious disease as we've moved through Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta,' he told the programme.

'At least from a speculative point of view, we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed. It's extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen.'

This week, Mr Javid told MPs in the Commons that the Government 'won't hesitate to act' if further restrictions are necessary.

'One of the lessons of this pandemic has been that we must move quickly, and at the earliest possible moment,' the Health Secretary said. 'We're heading into winter and our booster programme is still ongoing, so we must act with caution.'

Pressed on whether the Government could implement its Plan B for winter, Mr Javid said the current rules 'remain the policies that I think we need at this time'.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium yesterday  despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not southern Africa where the strain emerged.

And Germany today confirmed its first suspected case, with initial sequencing suggests a traveler from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later today.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far.

The US has joined the growing list of countries to close their borders, with Joe Biden saying the pandemic will not end until global vaccinations are in place. And Australian authorities  who also banned travel to nine countries in the region  fear the variant may have already entered the country.

Experts warned Britain could face restrictions being reintroduced in the country this Christmas but the Prime Minister hopes travel bans could prevent the need for another lockdown.

England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said he fears Britons will not accept lockdown rules to fight off the variant over the winter because of 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions.

No cases have been recorded in Britain so far but Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser of the UK's Health and Security Agency, warned it was 'possible' the strain' is already in the country.

News of the variant saw the FTSE 100 suffer its sharpest drop since January, closing down at 3.7 per cent, spelling alarm for travel companies banking on winter bookings.

A senior aviation source told the Times there were 'serious jitters' in all corners of the industry, adding: 'There is now a massive question mark over Christmas. It is clear the red list will expand and that will have a massive knock on.'

Meanwhile, Government sources said ministers 'want to restrict travel to avoid restrictions at home at all costs', even if it means risking a serious blow to the travel industry.

Originally known as the 'Botswana' variant, the strain was last night named 'Omicron' by the WHO and officially designated a 'variant of concern'. Its discovery earlier this week was so significant because it has around 30 mutations, including some linked to an increased risk of transmission. One expert described it as the 'worst' variant so far.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated around 862,300 people caught the virus on any given day in the week up to November 20, up 4.5 per cent on the 824,900 the week before

Symptomatic Covid cases rose by nearly a fifth last week with more than 76,000 Britons falling ill each day, according to the ZOE symptom-tracking study

In a rush to limit the spread, the EU suspended all flights to southern Africa after the first case was confirmed in Europe. Britain had already put six nations on the travel 'red list'  and was poised to add two more last night. A government adviser suggested that the public should be 'ready for the possibility' of a return to Covid restrictions. But a senior government source told the Mail: 'People should not panic.'

It come after former Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned rich nations that not sharing vaccines is 'coming back to haunt us'.

Mr Brown also blasted the European Union for 'neocolonialism' over the bloc's move to buy up jabs made in South Africa.

The former Labour leader claimed the emergence of new strains such as Omicron, a super-mutant variant first reported in South Africa on November 24, could have been avoided if the West had properly shared vaccine supplies.

He said the West had been 'forewarned' of the failure to do share vaccine doses but that still only three per cent of people in low income countries had been jabbed compared to around 60 per cent in rich nations.

'In the absence of mass vaccination, Covid is not only spreading uninhibited among unprotected people but is mutating, with new variants emerging out of the poorest countries and now threatening to unleash themselves on even fully vaccinated people in the richest countries of the world,' Mr Brown wrote.

Experts had previously warned low vaccination rates across the world could cause the virus to mutate and called for countries in the West to send jabs abroad where they are needed.

Chris Whitty fears Britons WON'T accept lockdown rules to fight off Omicron super-variant over winter due to 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions

Professor Chris Whitty has said he fears Britons will not accept lockdown rules to fight off the Omicron super-variant over the winter because of 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions.

England's chief medical officer told a panel discussion hosted by the Local Government Association that he worried whether the Government could still 'take people with us'.

It comes as Belgium became the first EU country to announce a case of the variant Omicron, which has been identified in other places including South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel.

It is though the strain, which has more than 50 mutations - the most ever recorded in a variant and twice as many as Delta - could be more jab-resistant and transmissible that any version before it.

'My greatest worry at the moment is that people... if we need to do something more muscular at some point, whether it's for the current new variant or at some later stage, can we still take people with us?', Professor Whitty said.

Professor Chris Whitty has said he fears Britons will not accept lockdown rules to fight off the Omicron super-variant over the winter because of 'behavioural fatigue' caused by two years of restrictions

He admitted that some of the changes the public has had to make have been 'very destructive' to society and the economy.

However, despite his worries, the chief medical officer struck a positive note, saying he believed the Government will be able to maintain public support for coronavirus measures.

'I think the extraordinary thing has been the ability of the UK population, with very, very small exceptions, to just accept that there are things we collectively have to do to protect one another and do collectively, including things that have been very destructive to social and economic situations for individuals and families,' he said.

'Obviously, we want to avoid having to do those at all if we can, and to do the minimum ones necessary, but will we be able to maintain public support?

'And I think my overall view is, I think we will.

'Provided you are clear with people what the logic is, provided they feel that we're being entirely straight with them as to all the data... but I think that's always a worry.'

Professor Whitty added that the longer the pandemic goes on, the harder it is to know what the public's response will be.

'It's easier to be confident of people's response right at the beginning than it is after people put up with two years of their lives being interfered with...

'You can only do a public health intervention on the scale we've had to do if the majority of the population  and as it turned out, the great majority of the population  support it,' Whitty said.

'What has been really clear is the great majority of people really take this very seriously and do want to have protections put in place.'

The latest YouGov polling shows public support for Christmas restrictions, such as compulsory face masks and working from home, to kerb the spread of Covid-19

He admitted the latest YouGov polling showed public support for Christmas restrictions, such as compulsory face masks and working from home, to kerb the spread of Covid-19.

But the polls revealed there was little support for a ban on indoor socialising and closing pubs and restaurants.

Professor Whitty said it was clear the UK was not 'out of the woods' but said 'the things that are probably the most important... that is heading the right way.'

He said there were three reasons for optimism - that vaccination was 'taking the edge off' school outbreaks, boosters were having a 'material impact' in reducing hospitalisations, and that the European Delta surge had not yet reached the UK.

It comes as Britain's daily Covid cases breached 50,000 today for the first time in a month and deaths crept up by 2 per cent in a week - but hospital admissions were down 12 per cent.
A policeman who saw the bodies of the Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids tragedy's four victims is suing the theme park - claiming he has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder in the years since.

Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett, his partner Roozi Araghi, and NSW mother Cindy Low all died when the Gold Coast ride malfunctioned on October 25, 2016.

Police officer Andrew James Mainey was sent to the scene to help paramedics and held a sheet over the bodies of those who had just been killed.

Four people died on Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride on October 25, 2016 when the ride malfunctioned

'I could also see bodies caught up in the gears of the Thunder River rapids ride,' Mr Mainey said in an affidavit to court, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

'I was required to stand on the conveyor belt, which was situated above the bodies caught in the gears.

'I remember holding the black sheet up for a period of time while the recovery process was being undertaken.'

Over the next five days Mr Mainey stood guard at the ride's entrance while the police investigation was underway.

Five years on from the tragedy, Mr Mainey said he has suffered nightmares because of what he saw.

Those killed include Canberra woman Kate Goodchild (nee Dorsett), 32, (right) and her brother Luke Dorsett (left)

Dreamworld's parent company was sued $3million over the incident which took the lives of Roozi Araghi (left) and Cindy Low (right)

He injured his knee during an arrest in September last year and took several weeks off work.

When Mr Mainey saw a GP to assess the severity of his injury, they recommended he speak to a psychiatrist who then in December last year diagnosed him with PTSD as a result of what he witnessed at Dreamworld.

Leaving his role in the police force, Mr Mainey's lawyers applied to court to make a personal injuries claim.

An inquest found there had been no thorough engineering risk assessment of the Thunder River Rapids in the 30 years it was open to the public

Dreamworld's parent company Ardent Leisure was given a notice of claim in March but it is yet to be filed in court.

Ardent Leisure last September was fined $3.6million after pleading guilty to safety charges.

An inquest also found there had been no thorough engineering risk assessment of the Thunder River Rapids in the 30 years it was open to the public.

Ardent Leisure has been contacted about Mr Mainey's claims.
Russia today announced it has started serial production of its deadly 6,670 mph Zircon - or Tsirkon - hypersonic missile amid acute tensions with the West.

The 'unstoppable' weapon is being rushed into manufacture even before the end of state trials, reported TASS.

The go-ahead for full-scale production at a top-secret plant at Reutovo, near Moscow, follows recent 'successful' tests of the Mach-9 capable missile which Russia boasts will evade all Western defences.

The Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic missile was successfully fired at a ground target on the coast of the Barents Sea on July 19, 2021

'Serial production of Tsirkon missiles is underway at NPO Mashinostroyenia (plant), although state trials of this products surface launches will continue,' said an informed source.

Vladimir Putin has ordered the missile to be deployed next year by the Russian Navy boasting that it is 'truly unparalleledin the world'.

Most recently, there was a successful test of the hypersonic missile from a frigate in the White Sea on 18 November.

Kremlin deputy premier Yury Borisov (pictured) said last month that Russia had outpaced the West in hypersonic weapons, and intends to maintain its lead

A recent announcement said that further submarine Zircon tests would only proceed in 2024 or 2025

A month earlier the Zircon was fired from a submarine for the first time.

It has been identified by Moscows state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putins weapon of choice to wipe out American cities in the event of an atomic conflict.

The 'multi-purpose hypersonic missile is designated to strike sea and ground targets', reported TASS.

It can strike targets at a distance of more than 625 miles.

Relations with the West are deeply strained over Russias reported troop build-up near its border with Ukraine, triggering fears of invasion.

The go-ahead for full-scale production at a top-secret plant at Reutovo, near Moscow, follows recent 'successful' tests

Senior US State Department official Karen Donfried on Friday expressed American concerns over 'large and unusual' Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian frontier.

NATO foreign ministers will next week discuss options for dealing with the perceived Russian threat, amid claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of Moscows backing for a plot to overthrow him, a claim the Kremlin has denied.

Other flashpoints relate to Russian gas supplies to Europe during the winter amid shortage fears, and Moscows ally Belarus encouraging a flood of migrants to break into the EU.

The Zircon will be deployed on Russian frigates and, later, on submarines.

The Zircon has been identified by Moscows state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putins weapon of choice to wipe out American cities in the event of an atomic conflict

The 'multi-purpose hypersonic missile is designated to strike sea and ground targets', reported TASS

A recent announcement said that further submarine Zircon tests would only proceed in 2024 or 2025.

A defence ministry source said this week: 'They will be carried out from the Project 885M submarine Perm that will differ from its predecessors by a slightly modified design.

'If the submarine is not ready for the Zircon test-launches in 2024, they will be resumed in the first half of 2025.'

Kremlin deputy premier Yury Borisov said last month that Russia had outpaced the West in hypersonic weapons - and intends to maintain its lead.

NATO foreign ministers will next week discuss options for dealing with the perceived Russian threat

'We have broken forward, specifically, in the sphere of hypersonic weapons and (those) based on new physical principles,' he said.

'We now have serious advantages in this regard over the leading Western countries - and will try to maintain this position.'

The hypersonic missiles are being developed at Military-Industrial Corporation Research and Industrial Association of Machine Building MIC NPO Mashinostroyenia at Reutovo in Moscow region.
A woman fears she was spiked while visiting a Christmas market in Manchester after she discovered what appeared to be a 'pin prick' on her leg.

Anya Whitaker-Keating, 19, believes she was spiked while visiting Manchester from her home in Leeds with her friend on November 20.

Speaking about her experience, Anya said she had been enjoying some drinks at the market before blacking out and waking up the next morning in her hotel room.

She said she had only had two glasses of wine and some beer before blacking out.

Anya Whitaker-Keating, 19, (pictured) believes she was spiked while visiting Manchester from her home in Leeds with her friend on November 20

Upon waking up, she said she felt 'really drowsy' and her friend told her she had been acting as if she had been extremely drunk.

Anya, who works in sales, said: 'It got to about 4 or 5 o'clock and I started to feel a bit drowsy and that's the last thing that I can remember.

'We booked a hotel, but I don't remember going to it, I just remember waking up in the morning and I was sweating and did not know what happened.'

A day later, at the start of the new week, Anya said she noticed a small mark at the top of her leg, and after calling the doctors, was advised to go to A&E where she was given a Hepatitis B jab.

Blood samples were also taken away to be analysed, but the results have not yet come back and doctors were unable to confirm at the time whether or not she had in fact been spiked.

Speaking about her experience, Anya said she had been enjoying some drinks at the market before blacking out and waking up the next morning in her hotel room - later discovering a small mark at the top of her leg (pictured)

Looking back on the experience, Anya said: 'It's horrendous. I was really shocked as I've seen this happening to other people and I was just shocked that it happened.'

She added that the incident has made her more cautious now and that she does not feel like going out again for some time.

Greater Manchester Police have since confirmed that the have been made aware of the incident and that enquiries are now underway.

Councillor Pat Karney, the town hall's city centre spokesman, said: 'We are, of course, horrified to hear of this report. No one enjoying themselves at the Christmas Markets - or any venue in the city centre for that matter - should have their safety put at risk.

'We want our Christmas Markets to be a safe place and security are posted across each of the event spaces and are very visible.

'If you see anyone acting suspiciously or you are worried that you may have been spiked, please speak to a security guard and you will receive help.'

It comes after earlier this week when Conservative minister Mims Davies, 46, called on Priti Patel to enforce tougher measures to protect women from a national 'spiking epidemic' after revealing she found evidence someone had tampered with her drink during a night out.

She explained that she 'had to be carried home' after finding an unidentifiable black substance in her glass while out drinking with friends in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, two years ago.

Mrs Davies, MP for Mid Sussex, 'blacked out' after the event and admitted she still doesn't know anything about the dark substance she discarded on the floor that night.

Mims Davies, 46, explained she 'had to be carried home' after finding an unidentifiable black substance in her glass while out drinking with friends in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, two years ago

The Tory MP says she has written directly to Home Secretary Priti Patel in a bid to see tougher action taken on the 'spiking epidemic'.

The latest incident comes as police investigate the scale of the UK's so-called 'spiking epidemic' amid a rise in claims that women have been drugged at nightclubs, bars and late-night venues using needles to inject 'date-rape' drugs.

The employment minister told the BBC she thought little of the fact she had pulled 'something black' from her drink and threw it on the floor.

'It was only later on I thought: 'Blimey, what was that?', she explained.

Mrs Davies wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) and said further restrictions should be put in place to prevent would-be spikers from being able to easily access drink-tampering products online

Mrs Davies said further restrictions should be put in place to prevent would-be spikers from being able to easily access drink-tampering products online.

'What on earth is in those products? Who's buying them and who's sourcing them?,' she asked.

'There's more to this than meets the eye.'

Those found guilty of drink spiking offences in England and Wales face the prospect of up to 10 years behind bars.

This year, Britain's nightlife venues were rocked by an avalanche of accusations that young people, particularly women, were being spiked by injection and having their drinks tampered with.

This year, Britain's nightlife venues were rocked by an avalanche of accusations that young people, particularly women, were being spiked by injection and having their drinks tampered with. Pictured: A bar in Manchester on October 23, 2021, is seen empty as people staged protests

Hundreds of clubbers came forward to share their experiences of having drinks tampered with and even being injected with unknown substances while partying with friends.

Those horrifying claims led to new measures being put in place at nightclubs, bars and pubs across the country, including cup covers, more thorough searches by security and drinks-testing equipment being used in a pilot.

Students ditched their favourite venues in protest during a nationwide movement known as Girls Night In which saw thousands boycott bars and clubs across England.

It comes as nearly 300 spiked by injection reports have been recorded across the UK in the last two months alone, new figures have revealed.

The statistics from the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) confirm fears that the new form of assault is sweeping the country, after 274 reports were lodged with local police forces between September and November 8.
South Africa today said it should be 'applauded not punished' for detecting the super mutant Omicron Covid variant.

The strain makes vaccines at least 40 per cent less effective against transmission than they are against Delta, according to experts, but scientists believe jabs still prevent it causing severe disease and hospitalisations.

Britain, the US and EU all banned flights from southern Africa coming into their countries yesterday after the discovery of the strain, which originated in the region.

But the South African foreign affairs ministry said the decision 'is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker'.

It said: 'Excellent science should be applauded and not punished.'

The ministry pointed out that new variants had been discovered in other parts of the world.

'Each of those cases have had no recent links with Southern Africa, but the reaction to those countries is starkly different to cases in Southern Africa,' it said.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Pictured: Shoppers wearing face masks on a crowded sidewalk in Pretoria, South Africa, today

Two cases of Omicron Covid in UK Two cases of the super-mutant Omicron Covid variant have been detected in the UK, the Health Secretary has announced. Sajid Javid announced this afternoon that two cases of the strain were found in Nottingham and Brentwood, Essex  with both cases linked to travelling to southern Africa. Some 48 flights carrying up to 300 people each  nearly 15,000 people in total  from South Africa have come to the UK since November 11, when the variant was first discovered in Botswana. The individuals and all members of their households were told to enter self-isolation after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the sequencing. Boris Johnson will hold a press conference at 5pm this evening to discuss Britain's reaction to the new strain, with four more countries expected already added to the no-fly list this afternoon. Mr Javid said the health secretary said Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia would be added to the list, adding 'we've always been very clear that we won't hesitate to take further action if that is what is required'. Last night the World Health Organisation branded the mutation a 'variant of concern' as countries including Britain and the US moved to shut their borders to six countries from southern Africa, where the variant is believe to have emerged. Advertisement

Israel and Belgium were the first two countries to detect the mutation after it was initially reported in Botswana, Hong Kong and South Africa.

British Health Secretary Sajid Javid today confirmed two cases have been sequenced in Britain as well.

Meanwhile, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Australia all have suspected cases that are still being sequenced.

South Africa's government insisted its 'capacity to test and its ramped-up vaccination programme, backed up by a world-class scientific community should give our global partners the comfort that we are doing as well as they are in managing the pandemic'.

With more than 2.95million cases and 89,783 deaths, South Africa is the worst-hit country in Africa by the pandemic.

Britain announced it would be adding four more countries from its no-fly list this afternoon, taking the total banned nations to ten.

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola were added to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Mr Javid said anyone who has travelled in the last 10 days to the countriesmust self-isolate and take PCR tests.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: 'We will continue to work closely with the international community to quickly gather and analyse information on this variant to understand any possible increase in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.'

Ministers said non-UK and Irish residents who have been in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England from 4am on Sunday.

Those who are permitted to return will be ordered to isolate in a Government-approved facility for 10 days.

South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe were added to the red list on Friday, and the UK imposed a ban on flights leaving from those nations.
Three arrivals to Australia on flights from Africa have tested positive for Covid, prompting urgent analysis of their samples amid fears they could be carrying the super-infectious new Omicron strain of the virus, as Australia closes down travel from southern Africa and reintroduces strict quarantine regulations.

Two of the passengers arrived into Sydney Airport and one into the Northern Territory on a repatriation flight from South Africa.

NSW recorded 185 new Covid-19 on Sunday morning, while Victoria recorded 1,061 new cases and four deaths.

Australia has closed its border to nine nations in southern Africa, which is the source of Omicron, and anyone who has already arrived from those countries must immediately undergo 14 days quarantine.

All overseas travellers arriving into New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT will have to isolate for 72 hours upon arrival amid fears of the growing Omicron African variant of Covid-19. Pictured are overseas arrivals on November 1 at Sydney Airport as hotel quarantine requirements were removed in NSW

New South Wales, Victoria and ACT have gone further and announced that arrivals from any overseas country must now self-isolate for 72 hours and get tested on arrival.

The two people who tested Covid positive arrived in Sydney on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha on Saturday night, just five hours before the midnight closure of the border, and it was not yet known whether their strain of the virus was the new Omicron version or the now common Delta strain.

The Northern Territory authorities as yet have no genomic sequencing in relation to the passenger's infection strain, NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said.

But the person has been in supervised quarantine at the national Howard Springs facility, south of Darwin, since arriving, she said.

'So there is a very low risk to the community and we wish that person well,' Ms Fyles said.

NT health chief Dr Charles Pain says he expects the sequencing test results for the South African case to be processed by Monday.

The passenger arrived in Darwin on Thursday and his positive virus result was confirmed on Friday evening.

The Northern Territory's other infection was locally acquired and is of a 50-year-old man from Katherine who is a household contact of an existing case.

He has also been housed at Howard Springs during his entire infectious period and is not considered a risk.

A total of 14 people on the flight that arrived in Sydney were from the nine southern African countries identified as an Omicron risk, and they have all been put into supervised quarantine.

The new quarantine restrictions came into effect at midnight on Saturday and require all international arrivals in the three states - including fully vaccinated passengers - to be tested when they land.

The three state governments announced the change just hours after Australia closed its border to nine African nations - South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Seychelles and Malawi.

Dr Paul Griffin who is the Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health in Brisbane told ABC News we still know too little to judge its risk.

'I don't think we're back to square one. I mean, I think a lot of us thought this is what this virus is going to keep doing, going to keep evolving and we are going to keep finding new variants,' he said.

'The way we've controlled this virus so well so far will still work, will still help us. Things like masks, social distancing, ventilation will protect us from Omicron.

'The main thing is we still don't really know the properties of this variant, so it certainly has a large number of concerning mutations but now we have to establish what that means in terms of how infectious it is...

'Its capability to evade our vaccines, and all of that hasn't been established yet, so he we just need to get that information now,' he said.

Returned travellers from those countries must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days on arrival into Australia.

The introduction of self-isolation rules in the three states comes only four weeks after Victoria and NSW removed hotel quarantine requirements for fully-vaccinated travellers on November 1.

The ACT ended hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals on November 12.

The Victorian health department says the new rules will apply to unvaccinated children under 12 and unaccompanied minors, along with any household contacts of the returned travellers.

All airline cabin crew arriving from overseas into NSW will also have to isolate for 14 days or until their next departure.

These rules are slightly different in Victoria with vaccinated cabin crew to isolate for 14 days if they had been to one of the nine African countries of concern.

In the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm on Saturday night, NSW recorded 185 new Covid cases, with 94.5 per cent of people aged 16+ having had one Covid vaccine dose and 92.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Victoria recorded 1,061 new cases and four deaths. Of those aged 12 and over, 90 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan on Saturday evening shut his state's borders to South Australia in a bid to lock out the mutant new strain.

United States and Europe earlier placed six countries on the red list before Australia added another three - Malawi, Mozambique and Seychelles

The ruling means only double-vaccinated South Australians can enter WA, where they must immediately go into quarantine for 14 days.

South Australia has also tightened its border rules following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

All international travellers and people arriving in SA from high-risk locations in Australia will once again be required to quarantine for 14 days.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said authorities were also in the process of tracking down about 100 Australians who recently arrived from the blacklisted countries and will now need to go into quarantine for two weeks.

Professor Kelly warned it was too early to tell if Australia would be plunged back into lockdown if the virus made its way across the Indian Ocean.

'In terms of ruling in or out, what else we might do, as the health minister has clearly said, we will do what we need to do,' he said on Saturday.

'At this stage, to move toward speculation about where we might end up in Australia, even if it came here, and we don't have it here yet, that is premature.'

He said while little was known about Omicron, it was 'quite different' to previous variants of concern.

'We do not, at this point, have any clear indication that it is more severe, or any definite indication of issues in relation to the vaccine.'

Mr Kelly added that there was too little information about the current variant to make any long-term decisions.

The UK confirmed its first two official Omicron infections on Saturday, with Germany and the Czech Republic also reporting suspected cases.

Germany's initial sequencing suggests a traveller from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron.

Officials are awaiting full sequencing later on Saturday local time.

This chart shows the proportion of cases that were the B.1.1.529 variant (blue) and Delta variant (red) over time in Guateng province in South Africa, where the virus is most prevalent. It suggests that the mutant strain could outcompete Delta in the province within weeks

Belgium has also revealed its first Omicron case - named by the World Health Organisation on Friday night - prompting EU chiefs to call for an 'emergency brake' on all travel from southern Africa after it was also found in Israel.

The Belgian health ministry said a case of the new B.1.1.529 strain was confirmed in an unvaccinated young woman who had returned from Egypt 11 days ago, suggesting it is already being seeded across the continent and is widespread in Africa.

Omicron variant The World Health Organization declared Omicron a 'variant of concern' quicker than it did with other variants Omicron highlights the need to boost vaccination in poorer parts of the world such as Africa Experts say mask wearing, social distancing and better ventilation will help prevent all variants of Covid-19, including Omicron Advertisement

It came as the WHO designated it a 'variant of concern', its highest category.

Experts said there is early evidence to suggest Omicron has an 'increased risk of reinfection' and its rapid spread in South Africa suggests it has a 'growth advantage'.

However, Angelique Coetzee, the chairwoman of the South African Medical Association, said that it was too early to begin imposing travel restrictions.

'It's a hasty decision,' she said. 'I would understand if it was two weeks later and we knew much more about this viral infection that is going around, this mutation.

'But for now, it is a storm in a tea cup, we have only become aware of this viral mutation ... in the last week. So far what we have seen are very mild cases, so I'm not sure why we are all up in arms.'

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had earlier called for an EU-wide travel ban to southern Africa warning that the Omicron strain could be world-dominant in months.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries starting on Monday, following the detection of the new variant.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBC News that he 'not be surprised' if the Omicron variant was already in the United States.
Roaming packs of thieves ransacked another luxury retailer in Los Angeles on Black Friday before descending on Home Depot despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom's vow to crack down on the string of organized 'smash and grabs' plaguing the state.

The Bottega Veneta store in LA's trendy Beverly Grove shopping district saw a large group enter the store at 5:21 p.m. and snatch pricey merchandise before one robber pepper-sprayed someone in the face, the LA Police Department reported.

At the Home Deport, in Lakewood, eight people made their way into the home improvement chain at 7:55 p.m. and stole sledgehammers, wrenches and hammers, threatened customers and then fled in 10 getaway cars.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department told CBS that the Home Deport robbery was especially worrying because the tools stolen could likely be used to rob more stores in the area.

Sheriff's deputies added that an entire section of sledge hammers was cleared out at the Home Depot, hammers similar to those that gangs of thieves have used to smash glass displays to nab jewelery and other high-end products, like iPhones.

Both the Home Depot and Bottega Veneta incidents are currently under investigation.

The Bottega Veneta store also issued a statement saying it would limit the number of customers allowed inside its store, NBC reported.

The Bottega Veneta store, in Beverly Grove, saw a large group enter and snatch pricey merchandise before one robber pepper-sprayed someone in the face on Friday

At the Home Deport, in Lakewood, eight people made their way into the home improvement chain and stole sledgehammers, wrenches and hammers, threatened customers

California Governor Gavin Newsom vowed on Monday to get tough with organized gangs of thieves who have ransacked and looted luxury retail stores across the state

The robberies come as Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco - where the robberies have been most prominent - promised to end the 'smash and grabs' to avoid anymore damage to California stores before Black Friday.

The governor on Monday pledged to provide 'exponential level of support' in the next state budget to help cities combat retail theft rings.

Newsom said his office met with retailers last week who asked for more police patrols.

'You will see substantially more starting today, in and around areas that are highly trafficked and coming into the holiday season Black Friday in shopping malls,' he said.

The Bottega Veneta store issued a statement saying it would limit the number of customers allowed inside its store

Police fear the Home Depot bandits stole tools to perform more heists in the area

The gang of eight robbers fled the scene in 10 getaway cars on Black Friday

On Wednesday, four young men, believed by police to be between the ages of 14 and 18, entered and grabbed $20,000 worth of merch from a Santa Rosa Apple store before fleeing in what authorities called a 'brazen daytime burglary' in broad daylight.

A detective from the Santa Rosa Police Department said they werent notified about the theft until 10 minutes after it occurred due to an Apple in-house protocol.

In the last week, thieves have made off with tens of thousands of dollars in luxury goods, amid soft misdemeanor theft laws in the Democrat-run state.

California's Proposition 47 - lighter sentences for thieves Proposition 47 was passed by California voters on November 5, 2014. It made some 'non-violent' property crimes, where the value of the stolen goods does not exceed $950, into misdemeanors. It also made some 'simple' drug possession offenses into misdemeanors, and allows past convictions for these charges to be reduced to a misdemeanor by a court. Under California law, though, if two or more person's conspire to 'cheat and defraud any person or any property, by any means which are in themselves criminal' they can face no more than one year in county prison, a fine of $10,000 or a combination of the two. Advertisement

Controversial state law Proposition 47 bars prosecutors from charging suspected shoplifters accused of stealing less than $950 worth of merchandise with felonies.

'People see the ability to commit these 'smash-and-grab incidents' knowing that there is little consequence, especially if the thefts are kept below the threshold of a felony offense,' Lynda Buel, president of Ohio-based security consulting firm SRMC, told CNN. 'It's easy, it's fast, and the payback is good.'

Police official blame the law for the recent string of thefts, which include 20 robbers smashing their way into a Nordstrom at The Grove retail complex in LA on Monday night, making off with $5,000 worth of merchandise; and a CVS pharmacy in the city was struck just an hour later, where looters stole $8,000 from a cash register.

Nine people have been charged in connection with robberies last week at Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdale's in the downtown area and in Union Square, a posh shopping district popular with tourists that was teeming with holiday shoppers.

Ben Dugan, president of the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, said: 'We're not talking about someone who needs money or needs food. These are people who go out and do this is for high profit, and for the thrill.'

Aside from the organized crime rings, the growing problem has been attributed to police officers' apparent reluctance to pursue retail criminals in the current political climate, prosecutors' failure to prioritize larceny and theft, and the decriminalization of low-level offenses in some jurisdictions.

Law enforcement also say that mercenary thieves are being recruited for up to $1,000 to steal the expensive goods which are then shipped across state lines and sold on the internet. The sophisticated method makes it harder for cops to track the criminals.

Best Buy CEO Corie Berry said this week that the situation has become so dire that her company is stepping up security measures to protect its staff and shoppers.

'This is traumatizing for our associates and is unacceptable,' Barry said on a call with analysts on Tuesday. 'We are doing everything we can to try to create [an] as safe as possible environment.'

Barry warned that employees could start quitting their jobs, rather than face the threat of hammer- and crowbar-wielding thieves terrorizing stores.

Police were able to pursue one of the getaway cars, which had fled onto the 110 Freeway

The robbery (not pictured) occurred at 7pm on the eve of Thanksgiving and left a security guard injured.

Last week, the San Francisco Bay Area saw a string of audacious 'smash-and-grab' robberies, including an incident involving a gaggle of hammer-wielding masked bandits who ransacked jewelry, sunglasses and clothing stores at the Southland Mall in the San Jose suburb of Hayward.

Dramatic footage released on Monday showed a group of about 40 to 50 robbers smashing glass display cases at Sam's Jewelers at the mall at around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Staffers are seen screaming in terror as the heist unfolded.

Around the same time last Sunday evening, packs of thieves ransacked a sunglasses store and a Lululemon store in San Jose, stealing nearly $50,000 in merchandise, San Jose police Sgt. Christian Camarillo said Monday.

The group that targeted the Lululemon store included two women and two men, including one who had a 'visible gun in his waistband,' he added.

Last Saturday, police said as many as 80 suspects, some wearing ski masks and carrying crowbars, targeted a Nordstrom in the San Francisco suburb of Walnut Creek, assaulting employees and stealing merchandise before fleeing in waiting cars, police and witnesses said.

Two employees were assaulted and one was hit with pepper spray during what police called a 'clearly a planned event.' Walnut Creek police said they arrested two suspects and recovered a gun.

A day prior, roving bands of thieves brandishing hammers and crowbars hit a string of high-end retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdales, as well as a Walgreens pharmacy and several marijuana dispensaries, in the vicinity of Union Square in San Francisco, a high-end area popular with tourist that was crowded with holiday shoppers.

A group of about 40 to 50 teenage shoplifters made off with an unknown amount of jewelry and other items in Hayward, California, on Sunday. Experts and officials say national crime networks are behind many of the 'smash-and-grab ' operations

Los Angeles police say at least 20 people used sledgehammers to break the glass at a Nordstrom on Monday night and ransack its shelves before fleein

Videos of the chaotic scene posted on social media by witnesses showed police officers dragging one suspect from a waiting car and people running with merchandise in their arms or dragging suitcases.

The 'smash-and-grab' operations are usually organized by local people who recruit their crews and send them to steal specific merchandise requested by criminal organizations throughout the country, Dugan said.

'Crew bosses organize them, they'll give him the crowbars, and in some cases even rent them cars, or provide them with escape routes or a list of products to actually go out and steal. It looks very chaotic but it's actually very well organized,' Dugan said.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in September that large-scale store thefts orchestrated by organized crime rings are costing retailers across the US an estimated $45billion in annual losses.

Raoul has formed the Organized Retail Crime Task Force comprised of public and private entities to tackle the problem head on.

'These brazen, violent crimes are committed by sophisticated criminal organizations that are involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and other serious crimes,' Raoul said.

'Even during the looting we saw last year, we came to understand that some of these criminal acts were not merely opportunistic, but organized in advance,' he said.

'The Organized Retail Crime Task Force will allow investigators and prosecutors in my office to better collaborate with our law enforcement partners and ensure cooperation between law enforcement, as well as retailers and online marketplaces, to protect communities, consumers and combat the rise in retail crime.'
Three men were shot dead and four others injured, including a 13-year-old, after a shootout inside a Nashville apartment on Friday, while a 10 year-old was shot in a separate incident in North Carolina, police said.

The deadly West Nashville gun battle took place inside a Torbett Street apartment around 9:45 pm Friday night, with authorities saying there were no signs of forced entry.

Two guns were recovered inside the Nashville apartment, according to a tweet by the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Four others inside the apartment sustained non-life threatening injuries, among them a 13-year-old and three adults.

Pictured: The crime scene in West Nashville on Friday night, where a 13-year-old was shot and injured in a shooting that claimed three lives

Pictured: distraught family members on scene after a shootout inside a Nashville apartment left three young men dead and four injured, including a 13-year-old

The Nashville shooting occurred in an apartment on Torbett Street, pictured, with authorities saying there were no signs of forced entry. Two guns were recovered at the scene

The three who were killed in Friday's deadly shootout 'are young men, late teens and early twenties. We are still working to identify them,' Kristin Mumford, a spokesperson for the police department, told WSMV.

No arrests have been made as of Saturday, and police said an investigation into the fatal shootout is ongoing.

'Suspect info is being sorted out, we're working to find out exactly what happened prior to the gunfire,' Mumford said.

'We are still working to identify them.'

Meanwhile, about 500 miles east of Nashville in Durham, North Carolina, a 10-year-old was wounded after a ricocheting bullet hit him during a shooting at mall on Black Friday.

No arrests have been made as of Saturday, and police said an investigation into the fatal shootout, pictured, is ongoing

Pictured:Kristin Mumford, a spokesperson for the police department, said the three who were killed in Friday's deadly Nashville shootout 'are young men, late teens and early twenties'

Two others were wounded by gunshots and three others were injured from non-gunshot related wounds during the incident, according to the Durham Police Department.

All six of those who were shot or injured are expected to recover, Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews said at a news conference on Friday.

Andrews added that the Durham shooting 'occurred between two groups that knew each other' and that they 'were not indiscriminately firing.'

In that incident, one person was detained by police, however, no names or charges have been released as of Saturday.
Former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan died on Tuesday age 90. Pictured speaking in front of his home in Seoul, South Korea in 1995

The widow of South Korea's last military dictator issued a brief apology over the 'pains and scars' caused by her husband's brutal rule.

Dozens of relatives and former aides gathered at a Seoul hospital on Saturday to pay their final respects to Chun Doo-hwan who died age 90 on Tuesday.

Chun's widow, Lee Soon-ja, offered a 'deep apology' for the 'pains and scars' on behalf of the family as the five-day funeral procession came to a close yesterday.

Without specifying Chun's misdeeds, she said: 'As we wrap up the funeral procession today, I would like to offer a deep apology on behalf of our family toward the people who suffered pains and scars during my husband's time in office.'

Chun took power in a 1979 coup and violently crushed pro-democracy protests a year later, before being jailed for treason in the 1990s.

Lee Soon-ja, wife of former President Chun Doo-hwan, enters the funeral home for her husband at Severance Hospital in Seoul, South Korea

Chun's family held a funeral service at Seoul's Severance Hospital before taking his remains to a memorial park for cremation.

During the service at the hospital, widow Lee Soon-ja said that her husband had wished to be cremated and that his ashes be spread in border areas near North Korea.

Chun never apologized for his atrocities, which included overseeing a massacre of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in the southern city of Gwangju in 1980.

This one of the darkest moments in the country's modern history, which came as he attempted to solidify his rule following the coup.

The coffin of late former President Chun Doo-hwan is moved to a hearse at Yonsei University Severance Hospital in central Seoul today

Cho Jin-tae, a senior official at a foundation representing Gwangju victims, said Lee's vague expression of remorse rang hollow.

He called for Chun's family to back her words with action, including cooperating with truth-finding efforts into Chun's major wrongdoings.

'I don't think anyone will be consoled by Lee Soon-ja's comments today,' Cho told The Associated Press.

Chun was an army major general when he seized power in December 1979 with his military cronies, including Roh Tae-woo, who later succeeded Chun as president after winning the country's first democratic election in decades.

The two died nearly an exact month apart, with Roh's death coming on Oct. 26.

Widow Lee, centre, watches the coffin containing her husband's body

While Roh was given a state funeral, there has been much less sympathy for Chun, who had been nicknamed the 'butcher of Gwangju'.

Although Roh never directly apologized over the crackdown, his son repeatedly visited a Gwangju cemetery to pay respects to the victims and apologized on behalf of his father, who was bed-ridden in the 10 years before his death.

Chun's coup extended military-backed rule of the country following the assassination of his mentor and former army general, Park Chung-Hee, who had held power since 1961.

During their back-to-back dictatorships, South Koreans suffered huge human rights abuses although the national economy grew dramatically from the ruins of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Chun's family held a funeral service at Seoul's Severance Hospital before taking his remains to a memorial park for cremation. Pictured in 1997

Aside from the bloody crackdown in Gwangju, Chun's government also imprisoned tens of thousands of other dissidents during the 1980s, including future president and 2000 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kim Dae-jung.

Kim, then a prominent opposition leader, was initially sentenced to death by a military tribunal on accusations of fomenting the Gwangju uprising.

After the United States intervened, Kim's sentence was reduced and he was eventually freed.

Desperate to gain international legitimacy, Chun's government successfully pushed a bid to host the 1988 Olympics.

This process was accompanied by massive house clearings and roundups of vagrants and homeless people as officials tried to beautify the country for foreign visitors.

A mourner bows at a memorial altar for the late former South Korean dictator Chun Doo-hwan

Chun's government also facilitated the international adoptions of Korean children, mostly to white families in America and Europe.

This created what is now the world's largest diaspora of adoptees.

More than 60,000 children were sent abroad during Chun's presidency, most of them newborns procured from stigmatized unwed mothers who were often pressured to relinquish their babies.

Public anger over his dictatorship eventually fueled massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing Chun to accept a constitutional revision to introduce direct presidential elections.

This was considered as the start of South Korea's transition to democracy.

Roh, the governing party candidate, won a hotly contested December 1987 election, largely due to a splitting of the vote between liberal opposition candidates Kim Dae-jung and his chief rival, Kim Young-sam.

Chun pictured leaving a district court after attending an appellate trial on the charge of libel in Gwangju, South Korea, in August this year

After Roh left office in 1993, Kim Young-sam became president and had both Chun and Roh stand trial as part of a reform drive.

The two ex-presidents were convicted of mutiny and treason over the coup and the Gwangju crackdown, as well as corruption. Chun was sentenced to death and Roh to 22 1/2 years in prison.

The Supreme Court later reduced those sentences to life imprisonment for Chun and 17 years for Roh.

After spending about two years in prison, Roh and Chun were released in late 1997 under a special pardon requested by then President-elect Kim Dae-jung, who sought national reconciliation.
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President Joe Biden and his family attended mass during his holiday on Nantucket in Rhode Island after being 'fully briefed' on the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and enacting an African travel ban to protect against it.

The White House said that Biden has been 'fully briefed' on Omicron as fears rise over the new super mutant variant - and the president's top health expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he 'wouldn't be surprised' if the strain was already in the U.S.

The president was joined by his son Hunter and three of his grandchildren, including Hunter's infant son Beau, named for the president's late eldest son. President Biden and one of his granddaughters, Finnegan, were greeted by Father John Murray for mass at St. Mary Our Lady of the Isle Catholic Church.

Earlier Saturday, the president and first lady Jill Biden were joined for lunch by Hunter, Hunter's wife Melissa, daughters Ashley and Naomi, granddaughters Finnegan, Maisy and Natalie, grandson Hunter, and Hunter and Melissa's new baby Beau Biden, as well as Peter Neal, Naomi's fiance.

Biden has been slammed for still allowing flights from South Africa to land in the U.S. as tension builds amid the new variant, but senior health officials and the Covid response team, including Fauci, have reportedly been monitoring the latest updates on Omicron and are in regular touch with health officials around the world.

Vice President Kamala Harris called the travel ban 'necessary' during an appearance in downtown Washington Saturday, as part of the annual Small Business Saturday that takes place every year after Black Friday.

When asked about any further travel restrictions, Harris paused and said: 'We'll take it one step at a time, but as of now, we've done what we believe is necessary.'

President Joe Biden headding to a toggery shop on Nantucket on his way to mass Saturday

Biden attended mass at St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Catholic Church

Biden and his family greet the priest at St. Mary

Biden spent time with his granddaughter Finnegan (pictured right), his son Hunter's daughter

Granddaughter Natalie (pictured left), Biden's late son Beau's daughter, joined the president and Finnegan at church

Biden, walking down Main Street in Nantucket with his granddaughters, has been 'fully briefed' on the Omicron variant

Biden, only America's second Catholic president, attends mass regularly

President Biden and Finnegan were greeted by Father John Murray for mass

Biden is often seen with at least one of his seven grandchildren on his weekends away from the White House

Biden has been slammed for still allowing flights from South Africa to land in the US after enacting the ban

President Biden also walked down the vacation go-to island's main street

The president's son Hunter also took in the sights on Main Street with his son Beau, named for his late brother

Biden, walking Main Street with Natalie and Finnegan, has his COVID response team led by Dr Anthony Fauci keeping him up to date on the virus

Biden and granddaughter Finnegan pass by a Christmas tree on Nantucket

Biden departing St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church following mass

Biden, Finnegan and other family members leaving church Saturday evening

The Secret Service escorted the first family away from St. Mary

Hunter and Natalie flank the Biden patriarch on the way out of mass

'I have been briefed,' Harris added. 'As the president has said, we're gonna take every precaution and that's why we've taken the measures we have.'

Israel on Saturday said it would ban the entry of all foreigners into the country and reintroduce counter-terrorism phone-tracking technology in order to contain the spread of a new and potentially more contagious coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement that the ban, pending government approval, would last 14 days. Israel, the first country to shut its borders completely over the Omicron variant, has so far confirmed one case of the variant and seven other suspected cases.

Meanwhile, a South African doctor is offering some early information about the symptoms sufferers of the Omicron variant have, calling them 'mild but unsual.'

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, a board member of the South African Medical Association, first saw otherwise healthy patients demonstrating these symptoms beginning November 18 and flagged it as a possible variant.

'It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two not feeling well,' Coetzee said. 'So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer the loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some are currently being treated at home.'

Coetzee said around two dozen of her patients that tested positive for the coronavirus displayed these new symptoms.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the African travel ban at a Small Business Saturday event in Washington

Vice President Harris attended the event with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff

Harris and Emhoff spent the day supporting various small businesses as part of the Thanksgiving weekend tradition

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, the South African doctor who first alerted authorities to the presence of the Omicron variant

Most of those displaying symptoms were men said they were 'feeling so tired,' and half of them were unvaccinated. The patients comprised a range of ages and ethnicities.

At the same time, a flight from Johannesburg landed at Newark airport Saturday morning - one of the last before Biden's travel ban goes into effect on Monday.

According to Flight Aware, there are two more direct flights Saturday from South Africa slated to land in the US - one flight will arrive at Newark, New Jersey, and the other will arrive in Atlanta, Georgia.

Eight flights are also scheduled to depart South Africa for New York on Sunday before travelers from eight African countries - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi - are not allowed into the country.

Meanwhile, one-in-ten passengers who landed in Holland from Johannesburg tested positive for Covid, although it was unclear which were infected with the Omicron strain.

The Dutch health ministry said Saturday that at least 61 new cases of Covid entered the Netherlands from South Africa, leading Dr Anthony Fauci to sound the alarm about the dangers Omicron poses to Covid-weary US residents.

When asked if he thinks Omicron is already in the US while on the Today Show Saturday morning, Fauci replied: 'I would not be surprised if it is.

'We have not detected it yet but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you're already having travel-related cases...it almost invariably is ultimately going to go all over.'

'You have to be careful and assume that that's the case,' he added, noting that Omicron could possibly 'evade' vaccinations.

He also showed concerns about 'transmissibility' as Biden says US citizens and green card holders from other regions of Africa will still be allowed to travel to the US.

Dr Anthony Fauci said he 'wouldn't be surprised' if it the new Covid variant Omicron was already in US. On the Today Show Saturday morning he said that he's concerned about the 'transmissibility' but there were still a lot of unknowns

How concerned should the U.S. be about the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron? Dr. Anthony Fauci says he "wouldn't be surprised" to find the variant already in the country. pic.twitter.com/Mp13hYxxWW  TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 27, 2021

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Earlier today United Airlines flight 187 arrived stateside from Johannesburg but it is still unclear if any passengers tested positive for Covid.

The CDC has yet to identify any cases of the new Covid strain in the US but the UK has said two people have been diagnosed with the Omicron variant.

'In South Africa - even though the numbers are relatively small - its ability to infect people who have recovered from infection, and even people who have been vaccinated, make us say: 'This is something you gotta pay really close attention to. And be prepared for something that's serious,'' Fauci said.

'It may not turn out that way but you really want to be ahead of it, and that's the reason why we're doing what we're doing.'

Biden has said the pandemic will not end until global vaccinations are in place.

On Friday, Biden announced a ban on travel from eight southern African countries in response to Omicron - hours after his chief scientific advisor suggested the move was unlikely, and despite Biden himself declaring last year that 'banning travel will not stop it'.

Fauci said on his Today Show segment this morning that 'blocking travel from a given country is to just give us time to assess it better'. He made the comment only a few hours before Biden announced his decision the chief scientist said he thought a ban was unlikely.

He also noted that the travel bans are 'not any reason to panic' but added: 'It has a large number of mutations, particularly in that area of the virus that relates to its ability to bind to the cells in your nasal pharynx and in your lung.'

The president implemented the bans while spending Thanksgiving in Nantucket for a break with his family.

He made the decision to halt flights from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi as of Monday after a 30-minute conversation with Fauci and his team.

He told reporters that US citizens and green card holders will still be able to travel into the country from the banned regions but no one else will be allowed.

The decision came after the UK and Israel halted travel on Thursday and the EU followed suit.

Bradley Field (left) and Benjamin Field (right) arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa this morning on United Airlines flight 187

Benjamin Field hugged his father upon arriving at Newark International Airport, New Jersey from OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa

Other passengers from flight UA187 - one of the last flights before Biden's travel ban comes into effect - deplaned at Newark International Airport Saturday morning

Long queues formed at the New Jersey airport as Biden's impending travel ban will forbid travel from regions in South Africa, which include Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi

The following day New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency as Covid transmission reached rates not seen since April 2020.

Hochul insisted that the troubling new variant of Covid that first emerged in Botswana is 'coming'.

Her warning came as a leading epidemiologist told DailyMail.com the new strain was deeply troubling, urging tougher travel restrictions and saying the virus could spark 'pandemic 2.0'.

Fauci told the Today Show that there are still a lot of unknowns and a question he is trying to answer is if an infection by the Omicron variant is more serious than an infection by the Delta variant.

'Are the antibodies that are induced by the vaccines that we are using - do they protect against this?' he also noted he was wondering.

Speaking to CNN yesterday, Fauci said that he was 'in very active communication with South African colleagues'.

South African experts yesterday also attempted to calm the wave of panic over the variant, describing it as a 'storm in a tea cup'.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has implemented new Covid restrictions in response to the 'monstrous' new Omicron variant after placing seven countries in southern Africa on a red list - from which all travelers must go into hotel quarantine.

All passengers arriving to the UK must take a PCR test on day two after landing and isolate at home until they get the result and all contacts of someone infected with Omicron variant must isolate for 10 days.

Flanked by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a press conference on Saturday, the Prime Minister also announced that the rules on face masks in public spaces will be tightened.

President Biden spoke with reporters in Nantucket, where he celebrated Thanksgiving with his family, and said that he decided on the ban out of an abundance of caution

Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference after cases of the new variant were confirmed in the United Kingdom

In an address to the nation, Mr Johnson warned that Omicron 'diverges quite significantly from other configurations of the virus' and warned it will 'reduce the protections of our vaccines over time'.

Four more countries  Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola  will also be added to the no-fly list on Sunday. All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned yesterday amid growing international panic about the 'variant of concern,' which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection.

Earlier today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that two cases of the strain were detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex and confirmed that both were linked to travel to southern Africa.

The infected individuals and all members of their households have been told to self-isolate after the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the sequencing.

Meanwhile near Amsterdam, around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport from Johannesburg - the epicenter for the new strain that experts fear is 40 percent more vaccine evasive than Delta - hours after travel bans were put in place.

The Dutch government banned all air travel from southern Africa early on Friday. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said that passengers already en route to the Netherlands would have to undergo testing and quarantine upon arrival.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium on Friday - despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not South Africa where the strain emerged.

Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases today. Germany's initial sequencing suggested a traveler from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later today.

And Australian authorities - who also banned travel to nine countries in the region - fear the variant may have already entered the country.

Passengers waited on their Covid test results at Schiphol Airport, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands last night

Passengers from KLM flight KL598 from Cape Town, South Africa wait to be screened at Amsterdam Airport, the Netherlands, yesterday

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday - more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday. But infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalizations with the new variant have occurred so far.

However, Botswana does have four confirmed Omicron cases and South Africa has 77 - with the real figure likely in the hundreds - and Hong Kong has two, meaning 83 cases of the variant are confirmed so far.

It has also been found in Israel, Hong Kong and Belgium, and is worrying scientists because it appears to be able to easily reinfect those who have already been infected, or who have had the vaccine.

Fauci concluded on the Today Show by saying that the new strain is another reason 'it is absolutely essential that unvaccinated people get vaccinated and that vaccinated people get boosters'.

As of Friday at 5am EST, the CDC website's travel advice page for South Africa had the country listed as 'Level 4: Very High Level of Covid-19,' with flights to the US permitted from the African country since November 8.

The levels range from Level unknown, Level 1: Low, Level 2: Moderate, Level 3: High and Level 4: Very High.

The CDC had the country listed as Level 1 on Monday.

The page also asks anyone traveling to and from South Africa to be fully vaccinated, or for those who are not to be tested for Covid. It also recommends travelers follow measures that are in-place in South Africa, including wearing a mask and social distancing.

The US Embassy issued a Covid-19 update on their website Saturday and alerted that the US Department of State announced that travel to South Africa had also advanced to 'Level 4 - Do Not Travel - due to the newly identified Covid-19 Omicron variant'.

The statement added: 'US citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who are eligible to travel but are not fully vaccinated will need to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test one (1) day before their flight. US citizens and LPRs who are fully vaccinated will need to present airlines with proof of vaccination and of a negative Covid-19 test three (3) days before their flight.'

South Africa's infection rate spiked 93 percent in a day yesterday amid fears the strain is driving the surge. Local scientists say it has likely spread to all the country's nine provinces, but there is yet to be a surge in hospitalizations in the virus epicenter Johannesburg.

Travelers from South Africa have been allowed entry into the US since November 8, when restrictions barring entry to people from more than 30 countries - implemented at the start of the pandemic - were partially lifted.

Newer rules, which came 19 months after the travel ban was implemented, require international visitors to show both proof of vaccination and a negative Covid test.
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The EU's former Brexit negotiator has dramatically urged France to tear up its migrant treaty with Britain and send asylum-seekers across the Channel as tensions between London and Paris boil over.

Michel Barnier, the former French Europe minister who dreams of unseating Emmanuel Macron at next year's presidential elections, vowed that he would pull France out of the Treaty of Touquet governing Anglo-French border relations if he wins the ballot.

Under the terms of the agreement struck in 2003, each country has immigration control points at Dover and Calais. Britain is responsible for financing and running security at its border sites in northern France. In return, it is up to France to stop migrants trying to enter the UK illegally.

Paris has complained that, in practice, they are managing the British border with mainland Europe. They have also claimed that the treaty has resulted in huge numbers of migrants setting up campsites  such as the infamous Jungle dismantled in 2016  at its ports as they attempt to enter Britain.

London has accused the French of failing to stop migrants illegally crossing the Narrow Sea, despite paying Paris 54million in installments to increase patrols in a bid to curb Channel voyages. France has previously has raised the prospect of ending checks on migrants unless Britain backs down in the ongoing post-Brexit dispute over fishing licences.

Mr Barnier's extraordinary intervention comes amid yet another Anglo-French diplomatic spat over the deaths of 27 migrants who drowned off the coast of Calais after their dinghy capsized this week.

President Macron, who has clashed with Boris Johnson over a range of issues including fishing rights, claimed the Prime Minister's open letter  in which he outlined a plan to clamp down on people-smugglers sending asylum seekers to Britain  was a breach of French sovereignty. He responded by disinviting Home Secretary Priti Patel from crucial crisis talks.

Today, a former Labour Cabinet minister blamed the Channel crisis on Brexit and appeared to take sides with President Macron in their war of words.

David Miliband, chief executive of the International Rescue Mission, told Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Johnson's letter to the French President was 'unwise'. The former Foreign Secretary, who supported the Remain campaign in the 2016 referendum, said the crisis is 'a graphic demonstration of what Brexit means'.

'I think the French government were quite wrong to disinvite the UK (for talks) because obviously the UK needs to be part of it,' he said.

'But the Government was most unwise to write a letter, apparently an hour after the Prime Minister spoke to President Macron, which on any reading could be seen to be designed to infuriate President Macron. You can say that he was wrong to be infuriated but it wasn't sensible to try and infuriate him. And in the end we're going to have to make up and make good for what Brexit has created.'

Michel Barnier, the former French Europe minister who harbours hopes of challenging Emmanuel Macron's in next year's presidential elections, called on the French government to pull out of the Treaty of Touquet governing Anglo-French border relations

The PM (pictured yesterday) wrote directly to the French president to formally offer hundreds of British personnel to stop desperate migrants from taking to the water

Policemen inspect the beach near Wimereux, France on November 25, 2021

This is the first picture of the flimsy and dangerous dinghy that sank off Calais, killing 27 people

Smugglers threatened to shoot migrants, including bride-to-be Mariam Nouri Dargalayi (pictured with fiance), unless they boarded the doomed dinghy that went down in Channel

David Miliband (pictured) has criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson for trying to 'infuriate' French President Emmanuel Macron in the row over how to deal with the migration crisis

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said

The new arrivals bring the total number to have made it to the UK this month to more than 6,000, exceeding the previous record of 3,879 in September. This year's total is now a record-breaking 25,772

How many UK-bound migrants have died trying to cross the Channel this year? Before this week's accident, a total of seven people were confirmed to have died trying to make it across the Channel to Britain this year. A further seven migrants were missing, presumed drowned, after various incidents this year. March 2021: One migrant missing and feared drowned after the boat he was in trying to reach the UK capsized. August 2021: At least two migrants drowned off the coast of the UK while another died after being airlifted to hospital as part of a huge air and sea rescue operation after a boat carrying around 40 people began taking on water. October 2021: Three Somali migrants feared to have drowned after falling overboard while trying to reach Britain. A further four people, including two children, died while crossing. November 2021: One migrant dies in day of record 853 crossings in early November. Yesterday, at least 27 migrants died off the coast of Calais in the deadliest ever incident in the Channel. Advertisement

Mr Miliband said that before Britain left the EU, there was a scheme that gave the UK the right to send some asylum seekers back to the bloc.

'That doesn't exist and that's one of the things that means we're still going to be negotiating Brexit for some time to come,' he added.

The devastated father of the first confirmed victim of the Channel migrant tragedy has accused France of allowing 'butchers' to send innocent people to their deaths.

Baran Nouri Hamadamin was one of 27 people who drowned after a flimsy boat capsized six miles off Calais during stormy weather this week. The newly engaged student had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

Five people have been arrested in France over the deaths but Calais police have so far failed to charge anyone despite Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin insisting that all those detained were 'directly linked'.

Home Office minister Damian Hinds this morning defended Mr Johnson's letter, telling Radio 4's Today programme: 'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

He added: 'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

Speaking from his home in Soran, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Miss Hamadamin's father Nuri Mohammed Amin urged President Emmanuel Macron to stop allowing people-smugglers to treat people 'like animals'.

Miss Hamadamin, a newly engaged student, had travelled through Germany and France to join her fiance in the UK, paying human-traffickers to take her across the Narrow Sea.

She had been sending Snapchat messages to her fiance Karzan Asaad before the dinghy began to lose air. As he tracked her phone GPS, the signal went dead just over four hours into the journey  and she tried to reassure him in her last message that rescuers were on the way. Her body was tragically identified by a relative at a French morgue yesterday.

Mr Amin said: 'This is a tragedy not only for me but for the whole of Kurdistan and the world. I ask the French government to tighten their borders and stop those butchers. They are not smugglers, they are mafias. This is my only request.

'Those boats that they are using are not made for that purpose. They treat those poor people like animals. Where were her human rights? It is the role of the French government to have a strict procedure to stop those butchers to avoid further tragedies. And I hope our people stop even thinking about migrating using similar ways.'

Friends of the migrants who drowned in the Channel this week said yesterday that people-smugglers threatened to show them unless they boarded the overcrowded dinghy.

Up to 50 people were supposed to board two boats ahead of the fatal voyage  but one vessel suffered engine trouble, those stuck in camps in France claimed. Rather than curtail the trip that would have netted them tens of thousands of pounds, the gun-toting gang corralled the migrants into one boat, it was said.

The chilling details emerged as more were named among those feared drowned in Wednesday's tragedy off the coast of Calais.

Shakar Ali, 25, (left) and Harem Pirot, 23, (right) who grew up as neighbours in Iraq and set off together to find a new life in the UK are believed to have been on board the dinghy

Friend of Shakar and Harem Sanger Ahmed also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad (pictured), 18, a student

The family of 27-year-old Deniz Ahmed Mohammed (left) said he left them a final voicemail saying 'just pray for us', while Riaz Mohammed, 12, (right) is also feared to be among dead

Police search Wimereux beaches near Bolougne from this morning days after 27 migrants died heading to the UK as Storm Arwen threatens to take more lives if more people try to cross

Deflated dinghies used to carry migrants across the Channel pictured at a storage facility in Whitfield, Dover

Rows of vessels used to ferry migrants and refugees are being kept as evidence for smuggler prosecutions

How are people smuggling gangs exploiting English Channel crossings? The sinking of a migrant boat with the loss of 27 lives off the coast of France has once again raised concerns about the people-smuggling trade. For years law enforcement on both sides of the English Channel have been playing a game of cat and mouse with criminal gangs as tactics change and evolve. National Crime Agency (NCA) deputy director Andrea Wilson said: 'We look to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in people smuggling at every step of the route. 'Much of this criminality lies outside the UK, so we have built up our intelligence-sharing effort with law enforcement partners in France and beyond. 'This includes having NCA officers based in those countries, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations. 'This approach is bringing operational results in the form of arrests and prosecutions, as we have seen with this particular case. One focus in the UK and abroad has been on disrupting the supply of dinghies and other vessels that could be used in Channel crossings. The sale of dinghies in French towns has reportedly been banned, with kayaks seen withdrawn from sale at a Calais store. However one alleged smuggling gang targeted by police last year was thought to have been buying inflatable boats and engines from as far away as Germany and the Netherlands. In the last couple of years, inflatable boats used in crossings have got bigger and bigger, now able to carry dozens of people - but not safely. Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Government have repeatedly pledged to make the Channel route 'unviable', but the NCA previously said it views organised immigration crime as a 'continuous threat'. Earlier this month, an international operation saw 18 people arrested by French border police in the Calais, Le Havre and Paris regions of France. More than 100,000 euros in cash and bank accounts was also seized. The organised crime group (OCG) was involved in the supply of boats which would each be able to carry between 40 and 60 people, the NCA said. The network would then arrange departures from the shore of northern France, recruiting migrants in the various camps there. Ms Wilson said much of the NCA's work has to be done covertly, but added: 'We know it is having an impact. 'We are continuing to look at ways to disrupt the supply of vessels to people-smuggling OCGs, and target those who knowingly do so.' A joint UK-France intelligence cell that started in July 2020 has been involved in almost 300 arrests relating to small boat crossings, the Home Office said earlier this month. Advertisement

Mr Hinds told the BBC this morning: 'British and French officials have been working together throughout, in fact we've been working together for years on these really important issues. The partnership is strong.

'The tone of the letter is exceptionally supportive and collaborative, it absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions.'

He also defended Mr Johnson's suggestion of Britain joining patrols of French beaches to reduce the numbers of people crossing the Channel in small boats.

'Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the Prime Minister's letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.'

Mr Hinds acknowledged the challenges of policing the French coastline, but added: 'There is more that can be done and clearly we can't just say it's difficult because it's hundreds of miles of coastline, we have to do what's necessary to save human life.'

He did not say how much of the 54million Britain had offered to France to clamp down on Channel crossings has been paid but said 'more than a euro has been paid', after criticism from the French.

Mr Asad, who is said to have British citizenship and is now working as a barber in Bournemouth, said: 'I am in a very bad state. It is very sad for me, and for everyone. I had continuous contact with my wife and I was tracking her live with GPS. After four hours and 18 minutes, from the moment she went into that boat, I think they were in the middle of the sea, then I lost her.

'She was a happy person. Someone went to see her body in France, so I know it's her.'

Last night a cousin in Iraq, Krmanj Ezzat, said: 'Her mother and father are totally devastated. The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life. It's a total tragedy and the whole family are in shock.

'I understand why so many people are leaving for a better life, but this is not the correct path. It's the route of death. Please don't take this route, it's not worth it. Baran chose a very difficult way to come to Britain and you see what happened to her. Karzan was waiting for her in England. She was learning English, she was very smart.'

Mr Ezzat fears four more family members were also on the boat. Yesterday, the family of Deniz Ahmed Mohammed, a 27-year-old Kurd, said he left them a final voicemail saying: 'Just pray for us.'

Childhood friends Harem Pirot and Shakar Ali, from the town of Ranya, northern Iraq, were also among the feared victims.

Their friend Sanger Ahmed said: 'I spoke to them on the phone on the morning they went. They were saying it was only a tiny boat and people smugglers might shoot people if they tried to back out. They suspected the boat was overcrowded with around 50 people on it. I think they could have been forced on the boat.

'People smugglers are armed and don't care if the boat is overloaded or if the weather is bad. We have all heard the stories about people being threatened with a gun unless they get on.'

In the squalid camp near Dunkirk, where the doomed migrants waited for a chance to attempt the crossing, numerous sources have made shocking claims to the Daily Mail about what happened on Wednesday lunchtime.

Two boats had been set to leave from the Loon-Plage beach, just outside Dunkirk. Sources described how one of the boats had suffered engine problems, yet the greedy smugglers did not want to miss out on their cash windfall.

'The smugglers told the migrants that the remaining boat was completely new and so it would be strong enough to carry all of them,' said one source inside the camp.

Another migrant said: 'It is all about money for them. There are too many people who have too much to lose.'

The overcrowded dinghy, around 30ft long, was so flimsy it was likened to a children's paddling pool, and appears to have simply crumpled after either taking on water or colliding with a ship.

The Mail told yesterday how migrant Mohammed Aziz, 31, made a frantic phone call to his friend Peshraw Aziz and said: 'It's not good, the engine isn't powerful enough  I don't know if we're going to make it.'

Multiple sources in the camp have claimed the boat could have had as many as 50 people on board, and the French authorities are braced for the death toll  currently at 27  to rise.

Speaking of his friends, Sanger said he has known Harem, thought to be 23, and Shakar, a 27-year-old geology graduate, all his life and they were all neighbours in Ranya, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Sanger said he travelled with Harem and Shakar to Turkey.

His friends made their way to France via Italy while he decided to come via Belarus, and the trio arranged to meet up in France.

Sanger also told of his fears for two other Iraqi Kurds  Hassan, in his late twenties, and Twana Muhammad, 18, a student. He also believes an Iranian called Sirwan, aged around 25, and a man called Hever, in his 20s and from Ranya, may have died. The youngest victim is feared to be Riaz Mohammed, 12, who was pictured wearing a life jacket.

Militant French fishermen blocked lorries from entering the Channel Tunnel yesterday

Other pictures from the protest showed fishermen burning pallets in front of stranded lorries

A man holds a sign that translates as 'Save our migrant brothers and sisters' at a memorial for people who have died while crossing the English Channel

A migrant prays at a makeshift migrant camp in Loon Beach - the day after 27 migrants died crossing the Channel - in Dunkerque near Calais

Migrants in Grand Synthe near Dunkirk, France who still hope to cross the English Channel

Migrants who were found soaked after a failed attempt to cross the Channel walk out from a shelter and take a bus to a warm place, in the rue des huttes in Calais

Sanger added: 'I'm not sure if I will get a boat now  if there's a chance on a lorry I might not take that risk.'

Migrants in the camp told the Mail police controls are so lax that traffickers brazenly launch their human cargo in broad daylight in full view of security officers.

Karl Maquinghen, a French skipper who has been at sea for 21 years, sounded the alarm on Wednesday afternoon when he found bodies floating in the water.

'Seeing so many dead people right next to us, it was like a horror film,' he said yesterday.

'You can't sleep  as soon as you close your eyes, you see bodies again. We were petrified to even pull up the nets for fear there was one inside. If we had arrived five minutes earlier, we might have been able to save them.'

A relative of Deniz said his family in Ranya feared the worst. 'He was suffering poverty then spent everything he collected to go to the UK, and this is what happened,' nephew Darya said.

'My grandfather hasn't even eaten until now. It is like a funeral for them.'

A final voicemail from Deniz said: 'Now we are on the water, Inshalla [God willing] we will arrive safely. Just pray for us.'

Kent MP Craig Mackinlay said that with Storm Arwen set to blast 75mph winds towards France, Macron must ensure that nobody crosses today to avoid more deaths in the Channel. But despite the warning only small groups of police were seen on patrol near Calais.

He told MailOnline: 'The French should be putting maximum on the ground resources across the 20 miles of high risk beaches north and south of Calais. Bad weather will push the traffickers to use the shortest possible route'.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke said: 'Conditions on the English Channel look set to become even more treacherous in the coming days.

'It's urgent that France works with the UK and EU allies to stop more lives being lost. No-one should be making this kind of journey across a stormy sea. The French authorities should appeal for people to heed the weather forecast and stay where they are.'

A refugee looks out from his tent at dawn in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

A refugee lights a fire to keep warm at daybreak in the new Jungle on November 26, 2021

The Elysee Palace had already warned Mr Johnson not to 'exploit' the disaster for political gain, but the premier penned a letter overnight with a five-point plan for cooperation. His urgent five-point plan included measures such as starting joint patrols with France to stop boats leaving French beaches, deploying sensors and radar technology and using airborne surveillance.

Mr Johnson also argued that France should agree to take back migrants who reach Britain, saying it would have a 'significant' impact on the migrant crisis and reduce the dangers posed by people traffickers.

Setting out his five-point plan, he tweeted: 'Tonight I have written to President Macron offering to move further and faster to prevent Channel crossings and avoid a repeat of yesterday's appalling tragedy which claimed the lives of at least 27 people.

'I pay tribute to the emergency services who have been dealing with this devastating situation.

'Following our conversation last night I know President Macron recognises, as I do, the urgency of the situation we are both facing. If those who reach this country were swiftly returned the incentive for people to put their lives in the hands of traffickers would be significantly reduced. This would be the single biggest step we could take together to reduce the draw to Northern France and break the business model of criminal gangs.

'I am confident that by taking these steps and building on our existing cooperation we can address illegal migration and prevent more families from experiencing the devastating loss we saw yesterday.'

Since he published the plan, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told Miss Patel that she is no longer welcome at the crisis meeting on Sunday.

A spokesman for Mr Darmanin, who accused Britain of 'bad immigration management' and enticing migrants with benefits and slack labour rules, said: 'We consider Boris Johnson's public letter unacceptable and in opposition with discussions between counterparts.

'As a consequence, Priti Patel is not invited anymore to the meeting on Sunday.'

Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who is running for the French presidency in looming elections, also waded into the spat accusing Mr Johnson of being 'in a state of mind of confrontation on all subjects'.

Wednesday's tragedy deepened animosity between Britain and France, already at odds over post-Brexit trade rules and fishing rights. Mr Johnson said France was at fault and Mr Darmanin accused Britain of 'bad immigration management'.
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Thousands of teenagers have kicked off the start of their Schoolies week in style with Byron Bay packed with Year 12 leavers keen to let their hair down after a school year blighted by Covid.

The northern NSW town was buzzing with graduating Victorian Year 12 students on Saturday night, who began their celebrations as their Queensland counterparts wrapped up their week of partying on the Gold Coast.

With the Queensland border still shut to Covid-19 hotspots, students from Victoria have chosen Byron as their ideal location to let loose.

NSW's departing Year 12 students will get their own chance to let their hair down in the tourist town next weekend.

One group of young revellers cooled off with a dip in the ocean to get their week-long party started, while others took some time out on the grass near the town's famous beach.

Thousands of teenagers have kicked off the start of their Schoolies week in style with Byron Bay packed with Year 12 leavers keen to let their hair down after a school year blighted by Covid

Time out: A group of girls are seen looking after their mate during the first night of Schoolies in Byron Bay this weekend

The town was buzzing with graduating Victorian Year 12 students on Saturday night, the first day of the second week of the end of year celebrations

Police speak to two young Schoolies in Byron Bay as the state's teens flock to the beach town for a week of celebrations

Schoolies revellers were earlier seen wheeling packed trolleys down the street as they gear up for a week of celebrations.

A queue spilling down the street was seen outside a popular beachfront pub on Saturday night while police on horseback kept a watchful eye.

The young teens dressed to impress as they headed out for the night to celebrate an end to a year most would rather forget.

School was disrupted for many Year 12 students around the country this year thanks to the outbreak of the Covid Delta strain and subsequent lockdowns.

But not even the pandemic was enough to dampen their spirits.

Strike a pose! A group of Schoolies are seen smiling for the camera together as they head out for the night in Byron Bay

The spirits were high for these three revellers on Saturday night as thousands headed out into the town in Byron

Anyone for pizza? One young woman is seen picking up five boxes of pizzas during a week of Schoolies in Byron

Stocking up: Many were seen collecting some groceries on Saturday. A woman in blue is pictured wheeling a trolley with a Vodka Crusier box inside

A group of mates are seen walking along the pavement in Byron Bay wheeling packed trolleys filled with drinks and supplies for the week ahead

Schoolies madness: A large queue outside the popular Byron Beach hotel was seen from early on Saturday evening

Security guards are seen checking the IDs of teenagers visiting the popular Byron Bay pub in front of the ocean on Saturday night

Last week saw Schoolies officially kick off in the Gold Coast, which police said was the best year on record in terms of arrests.

During the seven days, 28 school leavers and 88 non-school leavers otherwise known as 'Toolies' were arrested - half as many as in previous years.

The celebrations in Byron, however got off to a miserable start for some after it was revealed on Wednesday night a positive Covid case had been working at the Aquarius backpackers hostel.

A total of 81 guests and staff have been locked down in the hostel with police guarding the premises to ensure nobody leaves.

NSW Police said there were no reports of any issues with attendees, while Queensland Police praised their Schoolies for the behaviour so far.

Police officers riding on horseback were seen patrolling the streets of Byron Bay's main centre on Saturday night

Time to kill: Lines to get into various clubs and pubs around the town filled up early on Saturday

Some Schoolies revellers are seen chatting to some police officers on horseback

Snack break: A group of girls are seen enjoying a snack as they celebrate the end of their schooling years

Schoolies came after a horror year where students were forced to home-school due to Covid

Thousands of teens will spend the next week partying in Byron Bay

Smile for the camera! Schoolies marks the end of a horror year filled with Covid lockdowns

Let the celebrations begin! A trio of girls are seen heading out for the night in Byron

It's believed the unvaccinated positive case had possibly entered every room in the hostel.

Police have sealed off the building with no-one allowed out after all guests and staff were deemed close contacts by NSW Health which has escalated the crisis.

Everyone in the hostel could now face at least 14 days in isolation there if they have not been vaccinated, and will be repeatedly tested throughout the lockdown.

Even double-jabbed guests and staff will need to stay at the hostel for seven days without leaving while they are monitored and tested, before being able to walk free if they test negative on day six.

It was all smiles out in Byron Bay in northern NSW tonight with hundreds taking to the streets

Rejoice! Many celebrated an end to a horror year amid the pandemic but spirits were high

Boys night: A group of Schoolies look ready for the night ahead as the week kicks off in style

Schoolies attracts thousands of leaving high schoolers every year

Hang on! Two friends are seen trying to coordinate riding a swing together as Schoolies kicks off

Oops! One man laughs as he stumbles to the ground with a can in his hand as Schoolies week begins for many

The unvaccinated employee who sparked the alert is believed to have come to Byron from Victoria to work at the hostel.

One guest from North Queensland told the ABC: 'She has probably been in every room, so, yeah...'

'I don't want it, it's pretty scary, pretty serious,' one Melbourne man shouted from his balcony at the hostel.

Police have mounted an armed guard on backpackers' hostel Aquarius in Byron Bay (pictured) to lock down 81 guests after an employee tested positive to Covid

More than 80 backpackers at a Byron Bay hostel on the NSW north coast have been placed into a week-long lockdown after a guest tested positive to Covid-19

Guests were delivered pizza for dinner from the local Dominos on Wednesday night before a truck delivered breakfast boxes - including apple juice, corn flakes, milk, fruit cups and water - for the trapped guests on Thursday morning.

NSW Health confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the lockdown was initially for 48 hours but has since been upgraded after investigations revealed the possible serious extent of the infection.

Some 80.9 per cent of residents in the Byron Bay local government area are fully vaccinated.
An 11-year-old girl injured in the Wisconsin Christmas parade massacre remains on a ventilator nearly a week after a career criminal out on bail drove his SUV into spectators, killing six people and injuring 60.

Jessalyn Torres, one of nine kids injured in the November 21 crash, suffered a broken pelvis and femur, a fractured skull, lacerations to her lungs, and lost a kidney after Darrell Brooks, 39, plowed through the Waukesha holiday parade.

Torres's mother, Amber Kohnke, told the New York Post that her daughter remains at the Children's Wisconsin Hospital, where the anguished mom spent the Thanksgiving holiday beside her daughter in her hospital room.

'No mother should ever go through this. This is a very traumatic ordeal,' Kohnke, a mother of four, told the Post.

Jessalyn Torres, 11, pictured, one of nine kids injured in the November 21 crash, suffered a broken pelvis and femur, a fractured skull, lacerations to her lungs, and lost a kidney

Torres, pictured center, was injured in the Waukesha Christmas Parade massacre and is still clinging to life and on a ventilator nearly a week after Brooks drove into crowd of spectators

Pictured: Amber Kohnke, Torres' mom, said that her daughter is at the Children's Wisconsin Hospital, where she spent the Thanksgiving holiday bedside her daughter's hospital room

Pictured: Darnell Brooks, 39, is accused of plowing through the small town holiday parade, killing six people and injuring 60

Pictured: Brooks in his red SUV as he plowed through the crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin on November 21

'The hardest part was not being with everyone and Jessalyn, in the condition she is, was not able to be with her family either,' she said.

Kohnke related her experience of watching her daughter struggle to breathe in a series of Facebook posts.

'I hate watching my daughter go through this,' she said in one note. 'Cry a little tear, suck it up, and stay strong for her.'

'Let me say this again she is a fighter!' Kohnke wrote in another post.

'I sat here and held her hand, kissed her head and just watched and cried and told her I was so proud of her.'

Jessalyn, who heartbreakingly told doctors to 'glue her back together' after being transported to the hospital, is among four children who remain in serious condition after the massacre, with three others in fair condition.

Torres, pictured, is among four children who remain in serious condition after the massacre, with three others in fair condition

Torres was performing in the parade with the Waukesha Xtreme Dance group, pictured, on Sunday when an SUV struck her

Darrell Brooks, pictured, appears in Waukesha County Court in Waukesha, Wisconsin on November 23

'I hate watching my daughter go through this,' Kohnke said of her daughter. 'Cry a little tear, suck it up, and stay strong for her'

The other two children are in good condition, the hospital said.

Kohnke said her daughter was dancing in the parade with the Waukesha Xtreme Dance group last Sunday when Brooks barreled into the crowd of spectators, with the impact of the crash throwing her into the air.

Kohnke has raised some $110,000 in an online fundraiser to help cover Jessalyns medical bills.

On Tuesday, Mail Online reported that Darrell Brooks Jr is an amateur rapper whose lyrics include 'f*** the pigs' and 'f*** Donald Trump.'

Brooks, who is also known by his stage name, MathBoi Fly, is also a convicted sex offender.

In 2006, Brooks was convicted in a Nevada court for statutory rape after he had sex with a 15-year-old girl. Brooks was 24 years old at the time of his conviction

Torres, right, heartbreakingly told doctors to 'glue her back together' after being rushed to the Children's Wisconsin Hospital following the SUV massacre

Pictured: Brooks mugshot from his arrest on Nov. 2 just days before the parade massacre

In 2006, he was convicted in a Nevada court for statutory rape after he had sex with a 15-year-old girl. Brooks was 24 years old at the time of his conviction.

Brooks was bailed out of jail on November 19 after posting a $1,000 cash bond on charges of battery, disorderly conduct, bail jumping and resisting an officer.

The Milwaukee District Attorney admitted on Monday the bond was 'inappropriately low.'

The charges are related to an incident on November 2 involving the mother of one of his children in Milwaukee.

Brooks is said to have hunted her down in a hotel before following her in the street in his car, demanding that she get in, before 'punching her with a closed fist' and then 'running her over.'

Court records show he was charged on November 5, and paid cash bond on the 11th, but the records weren't updated until the 19th.
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Scientists are racing to tweak existing vaccines against the new Covid variant spreading rapidly across the planet.

The 'monster' strain, named Omicron and designated a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation on Friday, has reached the UK and Belgium after being discovered in South Africa.

The UN public health body sparked panic by warning that preliminary evidence suggested that the mutation has an increased risk of reinfection and is more transmissible than other strains. Downing Street's scientists previously said that the variant could be vaccine resistant.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid banned flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia yesterday, telling MPs that there is 'huge international concern' about the mutation.

The Prime Minister is due to hold a press conference at 5pm this evening after health officials confirmed two cases of Omicron were found in Nottingham and Brentwood.

Now a number of pharmaceutical firms have said they are working to adapt their vaccines to beat Omicron. AstraZeneca said it has 'developed, in close collaboration with Oxford University, a vaccine platform that enables us to respond quickly to new variants that may emerge' and is 'already conducting research in locations where the variant has been identified'.

Pfizer and BioNTech said that in the event of a variant which could escape the effects of the vaccines, the firm expects 'to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval'.

Novavax said it has 'already initiated development of a new recombinant spike protein based on the known genetic sequence of B.1.1.529 and will have it ready to begin testing and manufacturing within the next few weeks'.

And Moderna said: 'Since early 2021, Moderna has advanced a comprehensive strategy to anticipate new variants of concern. This strategy includes three levels of response should the currently authorized 50 microgram booster dose of mRNA-1273 prove insufficient to boost waning immunity against the Omicron variant.'

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the Omicron variant. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he added that that most of the mutations are in similar regions seen in other Covid variants so far.

Scientists are racing to tweak existing vaccines against the new Covid variant spreading rapidly across the planet

The 'monster' strain, named Omicron and designated a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation on Friday, has reached the UK and Belgium after being discovered in South Africa

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed this afternoon

British vaccine could give strong protection against new super-mutant Covid strain: Tweaked version of AstraZeneca jab is in final trial stages and may be ready within weeks A British vaccine that could provide strong protection against the new super-mutant Covid strain is already in the final trial stages, it was revealed last night. Test results on the formula, developed by the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, are due in the next few days. Should it prove effective, it could be ready for use within a matter of weeks. The news was delivered by immunologist Professor Sir John Bell, a member of the government's vaccine task force, who also revealed it was too late to stop 'the monster' variant currently ripping through Southern Africa from reaching our shores. The latest AZ formula was originally created to fight the first South African variant of Covid, which threatened to spread widely last year before being overtaken by the Delta strain. If needed, it could be 'plugged in' to modify the currently-used AZ vaccine with relative ease and be administered through booster shots. Sir John and his Oxford University colleagues have been closely monitoring the new variant, B11529, which has some 30 mutations, since its surge began a few days ago. But a more detailed analysis will get under way early next week using samples of the virus flown to Britain from South Africa in secure canisters. Scientists hope to learn more about it such as its ability to spread and its capacity to cause serious illness. Advertisement

The EU, US and Canada all followed Britain's move to impose travel restrictions on visitors from southern Africa ahead of the WHO adding the strain, also known as B.1.1.529, to its highest category for concerning variants.

Mr Javid told the Commons on Friday that there are concerns the variant may be more transmissible, make existing vaccines less effective, and it may hinder one of the UK's Covid treatments, Ronapreve.

Ministers were facing calls to go further to prevent a wave of the new variant arriving in Britain while a Delta surge is ongoing, as Belgium became the first EU country to announce a case.

Professor John Edmunds, who advises the Government as part of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), warned that could create a 'very, very, very difficult situation'.

However, Prof Pollard said a new vaccine to combat Omicron could begin 'very rapidly' if required, adding: 'The processes of how one goes about developing a new vaccine are increasingly well-oiled, so if it's needed that is something that could be moved very rapidly.'

Marc Van Ranst, a virologist at the Rega Institute in Belgium, said a sample was confirmed as the variant in a traveller who returned from Egypt on November 11 before first showing symptoms 11 days later.

The six African countries were added to the UK's travel red list on Thursday evening and passengers arriving in the UK from these countries from 4am on Sunday will be required to book and pay for a Government-approved hotel quarantine for 10 days. Downing Street urged anyone who has arrived from those countries recently to get tested.

Mr Javid said discussions are ongoing over the prospect of adding further countries to the red list, telling the Commons the Government 'won't hesitate to act if we need to do so'.

Boris Johnson held a call with South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday afternoon after foreign minister Naledi Pandor said the flight ban 'seems to have been rushed'.

The Prime Minister 'commended South Africa's rapid genomic sequencing' and its 'leadership in transparently sharing scientific data', Downing Street said.

'They discussed the challenges posed globally by the new Covid-19 variant and ways to work together to deal with it and reopen international travel,' a statement said.

Prof Edmunds said the new strain 'is a huge worry' and that 'all the data suggests' it would be able to evade current immunity.

'Our fears are it would do so to a large extent,' he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme.

NOTTINGHAM: One case of Omicron has been found in Nottingham, where infections have been creeping up steadily in recent weeks in line with the national picture

CHELMSFORD: The other was found in Chelmsford, Essex, which has seen a similar trend. The city saw at least 135 new cases on Wednesday, the latest date regional data is available for

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far. Graph shows: The seven-day average for cases in the country

Prof Edmunds urged ministers to look at extending travel restrictions and to prepare a plan to deal with Omicron because 'at some point we're going to get this variant here in the UK'.

Professor Calum Semple, another Sage adviser, told BBC Breakfast: 'If you can slow the virus coming into the country because you're timed for the booster campaign to get ahead of it, and it (then) leaves the scientists to see if there is anything to worry about, which it doesn't seem it.

'The virus will get here by hook or crook, eventually, it will come here as people are asymptomatic, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't try and slow it down.'

He said he is an advocate of masks and hand-washing and said: 'I feel particularly uncomfortable on public transport. I'm pro-mask in the shops and public transport. We still have high levels of coronavirus but the vaccines are working.'

Professor Semple encouraged people to get their coronavirus booster vaccines.

Professor Brendan Wren, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said people should 'stay calm and not overreact', adding that scientists can 'easily modify vaccines to meet new variants'.

Striking an optimistic tone in the Daily Mail, he wrote: 'In the arms race against the virus, humanity is winning - and we are well prepared. This is not the last time another variant will emerge.

'In the meantime, it is vital to remember to stay calm and not overreact.'
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Nearly 50 direct flights from South Africa have arrived in the UK since the new Covid variant was first detected, MailOnline can reveal.

The 'monster' Omicron strain was first detected by health officials in Botswana on November 11 before spreading across the region and then leapfrogging to Europe and the Far East.

All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned by Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday amid growing international panic about the strain, which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection.

But between November 11 and November 26, there were 48 direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to London Heathrow.

During this period, there were two British Airways flights and one Virgin Atlantic flight per day, an analysis by MailOnline has found. If each plane carried 300 passengers, that could mean there have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first detected.

The Prime Minister is due to hold a Downing Street press conference at 5pm this evening, where he will set out further measures, after two cases of the new variant were detected in Nottingham and Brentwood.

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the cases, which are both believed to be connected and linked to travel to southern Africa, after genomic sequencing overnight. The individuals and their households were ordered into self-isolation and targeted testing was being carried out in areas where they are thought to have been infectious

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola will face travel restrictions from Sunday.

Boris Johnson will address the nation alongside chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty.

Mr Javid said 'this is a real reminder that this pandemic is far from over' as he urged people to get their vaccines, including boosters.

Between November 11 and November 26, there were 48 direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to London Heathrow. During this period, there were two British Airways flights and one Virgin Atlantic flight per day. If each plane carried 300 passengers, that could mean there have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first detected

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed this afternoon

The 'monster' strain, named Omicron and designated a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation on Friday, has reached the UK and Belgium after being discovered in South Africa

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far. Graph shows: The seven-day average for cases in the country

How did 10% of passengers to Holland from South Africa arrive with Covid when they all had NEGATIVE tests? Alarm as suspected cases of Omicron are reported in Germany, Australia and Czech Republic alongside confirmed UK and Belgium cases Alarms were today raised after one in ten passengers coming into the Netherlands from South Africa this morning tested positive for Covid and a wave of suspected cases of the new super-mutant variant were spotted in Europe. Around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport, near Amsterdam, from Johannesburg  the epicentre for the new strain that experts fear is 40 per cent more vaccine evasive than Delta  hours after travel bans were put in place. Some 61 of those on the planes tested positive for the virus on PCR tests after they were stopped at the airport, despite having tested negative before boarding the flight. People returning to the Netherlands from outside the EU are required to take to show either a negative PCR tests taken 48 hours before their arrival or a negative lateral flow swab done 24 hours before coming back. The test results have to include name and contact information of the institute, doctor or laboratory that conducted the test. Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium yesterday  despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not souther Africa where the strain emerged. The UK confirmed it had sequenced two cases today  in Nottingham and Brentford, Essex  which were both linked to travel in southern Africa. And Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases today. Germany's initial sequencing suggests a traveler from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later today. And Australian authorities  who also banned travel to nine countries in the region  fear the variant may have already entered the country. Advertisement

'We were concerned from the moment we first identified this new variant,' the Health Secretary told reporters.

'It's a deeply concerning new variant and we do need to learn more about it but the fact that we now have these two cases in the United Kingdom does mean we need to take further measures and that's why I've set this out today.'

Mr Javid did not say whether further restrictions could be added in the weeks before Christmas in light of the presence of the new strain, which the World Health Organisation has designated a 'variant of concern'.

Instead, he said: 'We've made a lot of progress, we all want to see that protected and if anyone's sitting at home thinking what can I do? Get vaccinated.'

Essex County Council said the case within its boundaries was identified in Brentwood, and not Chelmsford as incorrectly first stated by the Department of Health and Social Care, and is linked to the case from Nottingham involving international travel to South Africa.

Mr Javid said anyone who has travelled in the last 10 days to the 10 countries now on the red list, which also includes South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia, must self-isolate and take PCR tests.

The UK is the second European nation to have reported the presence of Omicron after Belgium said it had identified a single case on Friday.

The Netherlands was also of concern, with Dutch authorities saying 61 people tested positive for Covid arriving on two flights from South Africa on Friday. Further tests are under way to determine if any of them had the Omicron variant.

It was unclear when the two individuals were infected, or their full travel history, as countries scrambled to close their borders to much of southern Africa.

Prof Chris Whitty said: 'We will continue to work closely with the international community to quickly gather and analyse information on this variant to understand any possible increase in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.'

Ministers said non-UK and Irish residents who have been in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England from 4am on Sunday.

Those who are permitted to return will be ordered to isolate in a Government-approved facility for 10 days.

Numerous pharmaceutical firms have said they are working to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of Omicron after the WHO warned that preliminary evidence suggests the variant has an increased risk of reinfection and may spread more rapidly than other strains.

The detection of the cases came after Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed optimism that existing vaccines will be effective at protecting against serious disease caused by the new Omicron variant.

He also said it is 'extremely unlikely' it will cause a 'reboot' of the pandemic in Britain as he offered tentative hopes the current jabs will still confer some degree of protection against the variant.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated around 862,300 people caught the virus on any given day in the week up to November 20, up 4.5 per cent on the 824,900 the week before

Symptomatic Covid cases rose by nearly a fifth last week with more than 76,000 Britons falling ill each day, according to the ZOE symptom-tracking study

Prof Sir Andrew, who also chairs the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said a new vaccine could be developed 'very rapidly' if required because they now have a 'well-oiled' process.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that most of the mutations in Omicron are in similar regions seen in other variants, adding: 'That tells you that despite those mutations existing in other variants the vaccines have continued to prevent serious disease as we've moved through Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.

'At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed.

'It's extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen.'

Professor Calum Semple, who advises the Government as part of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), also offered some optimism by saying the current evidence is 'it's not causing more death'.

'The problem this might present is it might evade some of the vaccines but it might not evade the boosters or the two proper doses,' he told BBC Breakfast.

But some experts were more concerned and ministers were facing calls to go further to prevent a wave of the new variant arriving in Britain while a Delta surge is ongoing.

Professor John Edmunds, who also sits on Sage, warned that could create a 'very, very, very difficult situation' and said 'all the data suggests' it would be able to evade current immunity, telling BBC Radio 4's PM programme: 'Our fears are it would do so to a large extent.'

Experts at the WHO said there is early evidence to suggest Omicron has an 'increased risk of reinfection' and its rapid spread in South Africa suggests it has a 'growth advantage'.
A video of a snake trapper teaming up with him mom to remove a large python that was stuck inside his car's tire has gone viral.

Snake trapper Mike Kimmel, who goes by the nickname Python Cowboy, shared a video of him and his mom pulling out a large python stuck in his cars right rear tire the week before Thanksgiving.

The 29-second TikTok, titled 'Thanksgiving in Florida,' starts with Kimmel's mom bravely holding onto the giant reptile's tail behind a car parked in a garage while he grabs onto the head of the python hanging out the tire barrel.

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The TikTok titled 'Thanksgiving in Florida' starts with Kimmel's mom bravely holding on to the snake's tail while he grabs onto the head of the python

As she tugs, Kimmel's mom notes 'My hands are greasy,' while Kimmel shimmies and maneuvers the trapped snake's head.

After a few seconds of effort, Kimmel frees the snake's head and his mom is able to yank it from under the car to cheers from family members off camera.

'Nice job, Mom,' Kimmel says, beaming with pride, 'you're a freaking natural.'

It was not clear how the large python got into the tire well but the video has been viewed 3.6 million times.

Kimmel, who has over 225,000 followers, lists himself as a wildlife consultant and professional hunter based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Pythons believed to be descended from pets freed from captivity over past decades are now ravaging native species in parts of South Florida and overrunning the Everglades. The pythons, which can grow to 20 feet and 200 pounds, are devouring native mammal and bird populations.

After yanking the snake Kimmel tells his mom 'Nice job, Mom! you're a freaking natural'

Kimmel, who has over 225,000 followers, lists himself as a wildlife consultant and professional hunter based in Port St. Lucie, Florida

In November, a python snuck aboard a sailboat in the Florida Keys and ended up staying until the boat finished its nearly 100-mile voyage, police said.

The crew found the 7-foot snake in the boat's shower after docking earlier this month in Marco Island on southwest Florida's Gulf Coast after the trip from Indian Key, a distance of about 95 miles around the southern tip of the peninsula.

Police quickly responded and transferred the invasive snake after its joyride to a local wildlife handler, according to a police news release.
Claimed a Russia-backed attempt against him is expected in the next week

Ukraine's President has claimed he is in danger of a Russian-backed coup against him - and alleges it involves one of his own country's top oligarchs.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy told a news conference that Russian sources had been plotting a coup in Ukraine, and discussions had taken place with businessman Rinat Akhmetov.

The coup, said to come with a $1billion price tag, is expected on either December 1 or 2, sources have claimed.

President Zelenskiy said he had recordings of people from Akhmetov's circle in both countries overheard discussing it.

'It's not only intelligence that we have, it's also audio intercepts, where representatives of Ukraine, so to speak, discuss with representatives of Russia Rinat Akhmetov's participation in the coup in Ukraine,' he said.

The President did not mention any other names and said that Akhmetov was 'being drawn into a war against the Ukrainian state.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told a news conference that Russian sources had been plotting a coup in Ukraine, and discussions had taken place with businessman Rinat Akhmetov

President Zelenskiy said he had recordings of people from Ukrainian oligarch and businessman Rinat Akhmetov's circle in both countries overheard discussing the coup attempt

Mr Akhmetov has reacted angrily to the claims, which he has called an 'absolute lie.'

'I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the president's motives are,' he said in a statement. 'I will continue to defend a free Ukraine, a free economy, democracy and freedom of speech.'

Mr Akhmetov has an estimated net worth of more than $10 billion, and his holding company System Capital Management owns DTEK, which controls 70 percent of Ukraine's power output, as well as telecoms and media companies including the country's fourth most popular TV channel, Ukraina.

Moscow denied any involvement in a coup plot.'Russia has never had any plans to take part,' said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov.

It comes as thousands of Russian troops were stationed at the border near eastern Ukraine, with claims of an invasion that would dwarf the 2014 annexation of the Crimea.

President Zelenskiy said White House officials had shared intelligence in recent weeks indicating there would be 'an internal destabilization effort', and would involve one or more of the country's oligarch figures with ties to Russia.

A map shared with Military Times and replicated above shows how Ukrainian intelligence is bracing for a bloody and ferocious invasion that could see swathes of Ukraine captured in an assault which would dwarf the annexation of the Crimea in 2014

A Ukrainian soldier walks along a trench on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near the village of Talakivka, Donetsk region, on Wednesday

The State Department's top US diplomat for European affairs said yesterday that all options are on the table in how to respond to Russia's 'large and unusual' troop buildup near Ukraine's border, and the NATO alliance will decide on the next move following consultations next week.

'As you can appreciate, all options are on the table and there's a toolkit that includes a whole range of options,' Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried told reporters in a telephone briefing.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he was concerned about the situation in Ukraine, repeated Washington's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and added that he will 'in all probability' speak with his Ukrainian and Russian counterparts Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin.

The comments came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Latvia and Sweden next week to attend meetings of NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Donfried said Moscow's 'large and unusual' troop buildup would top the agenda at the NATO summit.

'It's now for the alliance to decide what are the next moves that NATO wants to take,' Donfried said.

'Next week, we will talk about our assessment of what's happening on Russia's border with Ukraine and we will begin that conversation of what are the options that are on the table and what it is that NATO as an alliance would like to do together,' she said.

U.S., NATO and Ukrainian officials have raised the alarm in recent weeks over what they say are unusual Russian troop movements closer to Ukraine, suggesting that Moscow may be poised to launch an attack on its neighbor, accusations Russia has rejected as fear-mongering.

Asked if Blinken was going to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while in Stockholm, Donfried said she had no such announcements to make but added: 'Stay tuned.'

Vladimir Putin holds a binoculars as he watches the joint strategic exercise of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus in the Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia, on Sept. 13, 2021

On Friday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Ukraine's head of presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, in a call spoke about their concerns over Russian military activities near Ukraine's border.

The two discussed Russia's 'harsh rhetoric' toward Ukraine and agreed all sides should pursue diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

'Mr. Sullivan underscored the United States' unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' Horne said.

The head of Ukraine's military intelligence told the Military Times outlet this weekend that Russia had more than 92,000 troops massed around Ukraine's borders and was preparing for an attack by the end of January or beginning of February.

Moscow has dismissed such suggestions as inflammatory and said it was not threatening anyone and defended its right to deploy its troops as it wished.

Donfried was asked what the United States saw specifically different in Russia's troop buildup this time, but she did not elaborate aside from saying it was 'large and unusual.'

Russia's intentions remain unclear, and East-West tensions are running high with Ukraine, Russia and NATO all conducting military drills and Moscow accusing Washington of rehearsing a nuclear attack on Russia earlier this month.

Asked if recent escalation has prompted Washington to consider more seriously deploying permanent troops in NATO's eastern flank, Donfried did not elaborate on the specific point but said NATO foreign ministers next week would be discussing the wider strategy for the alliance's posturing in the 21st century.

At the OSCE meeting in Stockholm, Donfried said, Blinken will also raise Russia's occupation of Ukrainian and Georgian territories, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and the crisis in Belarus.
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Stand Up to Racism protesters have descended on Downing Street waving placards saying 'refugees welcome' and 'their blood is on your hands'.

Around 150 people have gathered to protest over the deaths of more than two dozen people who drowned while attempting to cross the English Channel this week.

Twenty-seven migrants drowned off the coast of Calais when a dinghy capsized on Wednesday, making it one of the deadliest days of the migrant crisis.

The demonstration on Saturday, organised by anti-racism group Stand Up To Racism, heard speeches from the general secretary of the UK's largest teachers' union - the National Education Union - and several others including religious groups and volunteer organisations directly involved in helping migrants.

Among those who gave speeches was Khaleel Tah Bash, a man claiming to be seeking asylum in the UK who told of his attempt to cross the Channel in a small boat.

Stand Up to Racism protesters have descended on Downing Street waving placards saying 'refugees welcome' and 'their blood is on your hands'

Around 150 people have gathered to protest over the deaths of more than two dozen people who drowned while attempting to cross the English Channel this week

The demonstration on Saturday, organised by anti-racism group Stand Up To Racism, heard speeches from the general secretary of the UK's largest teachers' union - the National Education Union - and several others including religious groups and volunteer organisations directly involved in helping migrants

The 30-year-old, from Syria, told protesters he left his home country to avoid being pulled into political conflict and was rescued by authorities in the Channel.

He said: 'The moment we saw the boat coming closer, everyone started smiling and shouting. Everyone was happy.

'Unfortunately for those victims who lost their lives on Wednesday, that wasn't the case.

'There wasn't anyone there to help them and rescue them, they didn't smile when they made it to this side. They arrived at this end and they are corpses without soul, all their dreams of a safe and warm home, of living in safety, died and drowned in the Channel with them.'

Twenty-seven people died during the crossing on Wednesday, making it one of the deadliest days of the migrant crisis

Women and children were among those on board the boat which capsized after leaving Calais on Wednesday. Just two survived.

One of the victims was 24-year-old Maryam Nuri Mohamed Amin - known to her family as Baran - a Kurdish woman from northern Iraq who was said to be travelling to the UK to join her fiance.

Following the tragedy, politicians argued about how to halt the perilous crossings of the Channel.

An invitation to Home Secretary Priti Patel to attend a meeting of ministers from key European allies in Calais on Sunday was withdrawn after France was angered by Mr Johnson releasing a letter he sent to Mr Macron setting out a battery of proposals, including reiterating a call for joint UK-French patrols by border officials along French beaches to stop boats leaving, which Paris has resisted.

In a statement reported in French media, the interior ministry said the meeting on Sunday would go ahead with interior minister Gerald Darmanin and his counterparts from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany and representatives of the European Commission.

Lara Bishop, a volunteer for asylum-seeker charity Care4Calais, was one of those who gave a speech at Saturday's demonstration.

Speaking afterwards, she said: 'No-one should have to die on our border. We are a first-world nation. We are the sixth biggest economy in the world but we only take 1% of refugees and we make it so difficult for people to cross, and it's not okay for people to be dying in the Channel.

Among those who gave speeches was Khaleel Tah Bash, a man claiming to be seeking asylum in the UK who told of his attempt to cross the Channel in a small boat

Women and children were among those on board the boat which capsized after leaving Calais on Wednesday. Just two survived

'I think the British and the French governments need to remember humanity. At the moment they're using them as political pawns - throwing them between themselves - but these are humans.

'These are people's mothers, brothers, sisters, and I think they've lost all perspective on that, these are just numbers in a political game and I think they need to remember these are humans we're talking about.'

Kevin Courtney, National Education Union (NEU) general secretary, explained how at a union meeting this week, members - some of whom help Care4Calais - 'insisted' on a discussion about the deaths.

Mr Courtney said: 'What future do we want for our children? Do we want a dystopian future with armed guards at the borders watching people drown with a growing fear inside those borders of anyone from outside?

'With a fear that we might become refugees ourselves? Is that the future we want, living behind gated communities?

Kevin Courtney, National Education Union (NEU) general secretary, explained how at a union meeting this week, members - some of whom help Care4Calais - 'insisted' on a discussion about the deaths

More than 25,700 people have made the dangerous journey to the UK in small boats this year - three times the total for the whole of 2020

Figures released by the Home Office on Thursday showed that more than 37,500 asylum claims were made in the UK in the year to September, which is the highest level for nearly 20 years

'That future isn't the future. We are watching 27 people drown this week.'

More than 25,700 people have made the dangerous journey to the UK in small boats this year - three times the total for the whole of 2020.

Figures released by the Home Office on Thursday showed that more than 37,500 asylum claims were made in the UK in the year to September, which is the highest level for nearly 20 years.

The backlog in cases also reached its highest point since comparable records began, with more than 67,500 asylum applications awaiting a decision at the end of September.
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The Omicron Covid-19 variant does spread rapidly and can be transmitted between full-vaccinated people, the UK government said at a press conference tonight.

It comes amid fears the new super-mutant strain makes jabs 40 per cent less effective as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the variant 'might in part reduce the effectiveness of vaccines over time'.

Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said it is not yet clear how effective the vaccine will be as protection against the variant - but said those who are vaccinated or receive the booster jab will be less likely to become seriously ill.

Mr Johnson urged people to come forward for their jab and said the booster campaign would get a 'boost' by reducing the gap between second doses and booster.

Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told the Downing Street press conference vaccine makers are already looking at how they can make them more effective against emerging variants, and that a jab designed to specifically target the Omicron variant could be created in 'about 100 days'.

Meanwhile the prime minister announced new measures to combat the new strain be reviewed in three weeks, including mandatory PCR tests for all arriving international travellers and ramping up the use of face masks.

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will introduce the same measures on international travel as announced by the prime minister, saying it had warned the UK Government of the dangers of removing restrictions.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to 'act as if [Omicron] is already here' by wearing masks, washing their hands, getting vaccinated, and testing and said Holyrood would introduce new requirements for travellers.

Professor Whitty warned the spread of the Omicron variant across the world over the next few days was 'inevitable' but added the majority of cases in the UK remain to be of the Delta variant.

He warned there is currently significant rates of transmission among young people but noted that rates among people aged over 60 and vulnerable groups are improving, meaning hospitalisations and deaths continue to decrease.

Hours earlier, the health secretary confirmed that two people tested positive with the new variant in Essex and Nottingham, that the cases are linked and related to travel from southern Africa.

Last night the World Health Organisation branded the so-called 'Omicron' mutation a 'variant of concern' as countries including Britain and the US moved to shut their borders to six countries from southern Africa, the area of suspected origin.

All warning signs suggest it will become world-dominant in months but scientists have cautioned they have not confirmed any of the effects of the mutations in a laboratory.

South Africas population has very high levels of natural immunity and seems to be spreading with ease, which UK experts think may allow it to easily infect former Covid patients. But there is no rise in hospitalisations in the region, which raises hopes it could be a milder Covid iteration.

The Omicron Covid-19 variant does spread and can be transmitted between full-vaccinated people, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference tonight

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (right) told the Downing Street press conference vaccine makers are already looking at how they can make them more effective against emerging variants, and that a jab designed to specifically target the Omicron variant could be created in 'about 100 days'

While the effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron is currently unclear, Mr Johnson said there are 'good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection'.

Sir Patrick said vaccine makers are already looking at how they can make them more effective against emerging variants.

AstraZeneca said it has 'developed, in close collaboration with Oxford University, a vaccine platform that enables us to respond quickly to new variants that may emerge' and is 'already conducting research in locations where the variant has been identified'.

Pfizer and BioNTech said that in the event of a variant which could escape the effects of the vaccines, the firm expects 'to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval'.

British vaccine could give strong protection against new super-mutant Covid strain: Tweaked version of AstraZeneca jab is in final trial stages and may be ready within weeks A British vaccine that could provide strong protection against the new super-mutant Covid strain is already in the final trial stages, it was revealed last night. Test results on the formula, developed by the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, are due in the next few days. Should it prove effective, it could be ready for use within a matter of weeks. The news was delivered by immunologist Professor Sir John Bell, a member of the government's vaccine task force, who also revealed it was too late to stop 'the monster' variant currently ripping through Southern Africa from reaching our shores. The latest AZ formula was originally created to fight the first South African variant of Covid, which threatened to spread widely last year before being overtaken by the Delta strain. If needed, it could be 'plugged in' to modify the currently-used AZ vaccine with relative ease and be administered through booster shots. Sir John and his Oxford University colleagues have been closely monitoring the new variant, B11529, which has some 30 mutations, since its surge began a few days ago. But a more detailed analysis will get under way early next week using samples of the virus flown to Britain from South Africa in secure canisters. Scientists hope to learn more about it such as its ability to spread and its capacity to cause serious illness. Advertisement

Novavax said it has 'already initiated development of a new recombinant spike protein based on the known genetic sequence of B.1.1.529 and will have it ready to begin testing and manufacturing within the next few weeks'.

And Moderna said: 'Since early 2021, Moderna has advanced a comprehensive strategy to anticipate new variants of concern. This strategy includes three levels of response should the currently authorised 50 microgram booster dose of mRNA-1273 prove insufficient to boost waning immunity against the Omicron variant.'

The Botswana Covid variant, described by experts as the worst strain ever, has all the worrying mutations from previous versions of the virus, plus many more that could make it the most infectious and vaccine-resistant one so far.

The super strain has acquired the mutations of Delta, which made that variant so transmissible that it became world-dominant in months.

And the new variant also includes the vaccine-resistant alterations seen on Beta  another strain of concern that emerged in South Africa and was thought to be best at escaping the immune system until now.

It also contains a drop-out mutation that helped the Alpha variant take off in the UK last winter. In total, the new super strain has 32 mutations on its spike protein, more than any variant before it and twice as many as Delta.

It contains two unique alterations on a specific part of the spike which help viruses open the door to human cells.

Sir Patrick said the government would focus on boosters to increase antibody coverage; production of broader vaccines; and tweaking current jabs to tackle Omicron.

He said: 'Those are the sort of three scenarios, clearly the one which is the one to really go for now is boost, because it is the case that as you keep boosting the vaccine, you get slightly broader coverage because the immune system knows it needs to get broader.

'Because the antibody levels are so high, it actually causes enough coverage of other variants to be effective.'

Mr Johnson said 'we're going to boost the booster campaign' by asking the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to consider giving boosters to 'as wide a group as possible as well as reducing the gap' between second doses and the booster.

Professor Whitty said the JCVI will now need to decide whether to extend the booster vaccine down to adults age 18, and whether a second dose should be offered to children aged 12-15 who decided with their families to get the first dose of the vaccine.

But Sage adviser and microbiologist Professor Calum Semple today urged calm, insisting that vaccines are 'still likely to protect you from severe disease'.

He said: 'This is not a disaster, and the headlines from some of my colleagues saying "this is horrendous" I think are hugely overstating the situation. Immunity from the vaccination is still likely to protect you from severe disease.

'You might get a snuffle or a headache or a filthy cold but your chance of coming into hospital or intensive care or sadly dying are greatly diminished by the vaccine and still will be going into the future.'

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Sajid Javid said today

Between November 11 and November 26, there were 48 direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to London Heathrow. During this period, there were two British Airways flights and one Virgin Atlantic flight per day. If each plane carried 300 passengers, that could mean there have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first detected

Symptomatic Covid cases rose by nearly a fifth last week with more than 76,000 Britons falling ill each day, according to the ZOE symptom-tracking study

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated around 862,300 people caught the virus on any given day in the week up to November 20, up 4.5 per cent on the 824,900 the week before

Professor Whitty added at tonight's press conference that anti-viral pills for Covid-19, which were approved by the UK earlier this month, need a 'rethink' because of the new variant.

He said: 'On the anti-virals, we are going to have to do a bit of a rethink on the basis of this new variant just to be confident we've got the right indications from it.

'There's a variety of ways you could use it in different ways, and what we need to make sure is whatever stock we've got of these, what appear to be highly effective drugs, that we use in the most effective way and for the right people.

'Where you are in the pathway right from the very beginning... working out their place, we do need to think through and I think we probably need to do a rethink of it just to make sure with the new variant we're targeting in the right direction.'

In an attempt to slow the spread, the Prime Minister announced 'temporary and precautionary' measures to be reviewed in three weeks, alongside a 'boost' to the booster campaign.

Face coverings will become compulsory in shops and on public transport from 'next week', a statement from 10 Downing Street said. Boris Johnson said the exact rules on face coverings will be set out soon by Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Johnson also said the government would introduce a new testing regime. Omicron contacts will have to self-isolate and new arrivals will have to quarantine until they test negative for coronavirus, after two cases of the concerning new Omicron variant were detected in the UK.

Currently, all Britons and foreigners entering the UK are required to take a PCR test on day two after their arrival. The new rules add the requirement for isolation pending a negative result, significantly toughening the regime, in a bid to curb the spread of the new strain.

'I very much hope that we will find that we continue to be in a strong position and we can lift these measures again,' Johnson said, promising a review in three weeks, before Christmas.

Professor Whitty made a Christmas plea for the country to 'raise a glass' to the scientists who have produced the vaccines.

He said: 'If I can make one Christmas plea? It would be that when people raise their glasses this Christmas, they do so to the extraordinary scientists who produce the vaccines, the diagnostics, the drugs which will allow this Christmas, if possible, to be in a very different place to what it would have been without them.'

Meanwhile four more countries  Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola  will be added to the no-fly list on Sunday.

All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned yesterday amid growing international panic about the 'variant of concern', which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection.

Mr Johnson admitted the latest restrictions on travel 'sound tough', but added: 'That's the way it's got to be.'

The EU, US and Canada all followed Britain's move to impose travel restrictions on visitors from southern Africa ahead of the WHO adding the strain, also known as B.1.1.529, to its highest category for concerning variants.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  after Sajid Javid announced that two cases of the 'monstrous' new Covid variant were detected. The number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will introduce the same measures on international travel as announced by the prime minister, saying it had warned the UK Government of the dangers of removing restrictions.

A spokesperson said: 'We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the UK Government about its decision to relax international travel rules quickly, precisely because of the risk of introducing new variants into the UK. We also warned against the removal of PCR tests for returning travellers.

'We will be introducing the same measures on international travel as those announced this afternoon by the UK Government and the other devolved governments.

'The emergence of this new variant is a serious development in the ongoing pandemic and reinforces the need for everyone in Wales to get their vaccine or booster when offered, wear face coverings when necessary, and book a test if they develop symptoms.'

Welsh ministers will be meeting on Saturday night and will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend, the spokesperson added.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said 'we all have a part to play in beating' the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

She tweeted: 'There are no confirmed cases of Omicron in (Scotland) yet, but we MUST act as if it's already here. @scotgov is introducing new requirements for travellers, but we all have a part to play in beating this new threat. So wear (masks), wash hands, get vaccines & test before socialising.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said 'this is a real reminder that this pandemic is far from over'.

The detection of the cases came after Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed optimism that existing vaccines will be effective at protecting against serious disease caused by the Omicron variant.

He also said it is 'extremely unlikely' it will cause a 'reboot' of the pandemic in Britain, as he offered tentative hope that the current jabs will still confer some degree of protection against the variant.

Sir Andrew, who also chairs the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said a new vaccine could be developed 'very rapidly' if required because they now have a 'well-oiled' process.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that most of the mutations in Omicron are in similar regions seen in other variants, adding: 'At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease, but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed.

'It's extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen.'

The first case was uploaded to international variant database GISAID by Hong Kong on November 23. The person carrying the new variant was travelling to the country from South Africa.

The UK was the first country to identify that the virus could be a threat and alerted other nations. Experts believe the strain may have originated in Botswana, but continental Africa does not sequence many positive samples, so it may never be known where the variant first emerged.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, told MailOnline the virus likely emerged in a lingering infection in an immunocompromised patient, possibly someone with undiagnosed AIDS.

In patients with weakened immune systems infections can linger for months because the body is unable to fight it off. This gives the virus time to acquire mutations that allow it to get around the body's defences.
Boris Johnson said he is 'pretty to absolutely confident' that this Christmas is 'going to be better' than last year's during a special Covid press conference on Saturday.

The prime minister's comment came as he refused to rule out another lockdown over the festive period while fielding questions from journalists following the discovery of the new super-mutant Omicron variant in Britain.

The strain - designated a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation on Friday - has been detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex, in two people who had recently returned from southern Africa.

There are fears the 'monster' variant could plunge the country into another lockdown over concerns it could dodge the vaccine and be more effective at re-infecting people.

Appearing inside Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: 'We continue to be in a strong position largely thanks to the speed of the vaccine rollout, another booster rollout and I think I'm going to stick with the formula I've used before, which is I'm pretty confident to absolutely confident this Christmas will be considerably better than last Christmas.'

He later backed up his comment, saying: 'I think it will be considerably better than last year.'

Boris Johnson said he is 'pretty to absolutely confident' that this Christmas will be 'considerably better than last Christmas' during a special Covid briefing at Downing Street on Saturday

The prime minister's comment came as he refused to rule out another lockdown over the festive period as he fielded questions from journalists following the discovery of the new super-mutant Omicron variant in Britain (Pictured: Boris during Covid briefing on Saturday)

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Sajid Javid said today

The emergence of the Delta variant last December saw severe restrictions put in place across the UK just days before Christmas.

The country then entered lockdown in early January following a record surge in cases.

The Conservative leader appeared on Saturday alongside Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

On the threat of another lockdown, Sir Patrick said the UK does not have enough information to create modelling yet.

The expert said that so far we know that 'there are pockets of rapidly growing outbreaks'.

He added: 'We will get more information on transmissibility. We will get more information on the vaccines' ability to protect against the virus. But that is going to take some time.

'We can't really get much further than that.

'But if it's very transmissible and does cause big [vaccine] escape then, then clearly that is a major issue to face up to but that isn't what we know at the moment.

'We need to get that information.'

Mr Johnson urged people to get their booster jabs to ensure immunity remains as high as possible among the public.

He added: 'No matter what the effects of this new variant, if you're vaccinated and in particular if you have a booster, your immunity is likely to be stronger.

'So the best thing you can do is to get your booster.'

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the cases, which are both believed to be connected and linked to travel to southern Africa, after genomic sequencing overnight.

The individuals and their households were ordered into self-isolation and targeted testing was being carried out in areas where they are thought to have been infectious

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola will face travel restrictions from Sunday, when they will join South Africa and five other neighbouring nations on England's red list.

Mr Johnson said: 'We need to take targeted and proportionate measures now as a precaution while we find out more.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  after Sajid Javid announced that two cases of the 'monstrous' new Covid variant were detected. The number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

'First we need to slow down the seeding of the variant in this country, we need to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we're dealing with, and for us to get more people vaccinated, and above all to get more people boosted.'

But the Prime Minister said border measures can 'only ever minimise and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together', so all contacts with a suspected case of the new variant will have to isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

'We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport,' Mr Johnson said.

While the effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron is currently unclear, Mr Johnson said there are 'good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection'.

Christmas shoppers browse stalls at the traditional Christmas market in Bath back on November 30, 2017. The 400,000-strong event has been cancelled this year.

The Grassington Dickensian Festival in North Yorkshire (pictured in 2019) has been ditched in favour of two 'safer and more prudent' markets for locals

He said 'we're going to boost the booster campaign' by asking the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to consider giving boosters to 'as wide a group as possible as well as reducing the gap' between second doses and the booster.

It comes as at least 30 areas across the country have already cancelled Christmas events this year, despite no rules in place requiring them to do so.

Bath has pulled its 400,000-strong Christmas market while the The Grassington Dickensian Festival in North Yorkshire has been ditched in favour of two 'safer and more prudent' markets for locals.

Nottingham city council said it had turned Christmas lights on without publicising it to stop crowds gathering, while lights ceremonies were scrapped in Southend, Cambridge, Ely and York.

Other areas with cancelled or scaled back events include Slough, Faversham in Kent and Ambleside in the Lake District.
But he told Downing Street press conference he was 'absolutely confident' that Christmas would be 'considerably better' than last year

Britons have shared their fears of another Christmas under Covid lockdown after Boris Johnson claimed he was 'absolutely confident' that this year's would be 'considerably better than the last' - as the country faces the new Omicron variant.

At a gloomy Downing Street press conference tonight, the Prime Minister announced a clampdown on travel, and plans to increase testing and facemask wearing to fight off the super-mutant virus.

Mr Johnson also refused to rule out a lockdown at Christmas when pressed by reporters, warning that Omicron will 'reduce the protections of our vaccines over time'.

But in a bid to avoid panic over cancelling Christmas, he added: 'Im pretty confident or absolutely confident, that this Christmas will be considerably better than the last one if that will do for the time being.'

Britons quickly took to social media following the PM's comments, with some saying he had 'jinxed' any hope of a normal festive season.

Mark Foley commented: 'Johnson says Christmas isn't cancelled... so Xmas is surely cancelled.'

Linzi added: 'That Downing Street Briefing about the #Omicron variant feels awfully familiar... merry f****** Christmas.'

Britons have shared their fears of another Christmas under Covid lockdown after Boris Johnson claimed he was 'absolutely confident' that this year's be 'considerably better' than the last - as the country faces the new Omicron variant

Another person joked that Boris was optimistic about Christmas because he 'hadn't invited the in-laws' around to No10.

Others pointed Mr Johnson's plans to tighten rules on mask-wearing in shops and on transport by sharing photos of the PM maskless on trains and in the company of NHS nurses.

Earlier today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that two cases of the strain were detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex. Both are linked to travel to southern Africa, the suspected origin of the mutation.

The infected individuals and all members of their households have been told to self-isolate after the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the sequencing.

The Prime Minister said: 'We're not going to stop people travelling, I want to stress that, we're not going to stop people travelling, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.

'Second, we need to slow down the spread of this variant here in the UK, because measures at the border can only ever minimise and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together.

Mr Johnson refused to rule out a lockdown at Christmas when pressed by reporters, warning that Omicron will 'reduce the protections of our vaccines over time'

'We will require all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of your vaccination status. We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport.'

Speaking to reporters today, Mr Javid hinted at a return to further restrictions, saying the Government has 'always been very clear that we won't hesitate to take further action if that is what is required'.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week.

The EU, US and Canada all followed Britain's move to impose travel restrictions on visitors from southern Africa ahead of the WHO adding the strain, also known as B.1.1.529, to its highest category for concerning variants.

Britain's first two Omicron infection came as a spate of cases were found across Europe, with at least 61 new cases of Covid entering the Netherlands from South Africa this morning. Authorities are currently sequencing the tests for the new variant.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia
An Oakland security guard has died from a bullet wound he suffered after the retired cop was shot while he protected reporters at the scene of an armed robbery in the crime-ravaged Bay Area

Kevin Nishita, a father of two and grandfather of three, was on assignment to guard the KRON4 team as it was reporting on the latest smash-and-grab raid in California on Wednesday when a robber targeted the TV crew for their cameras.

Nishita, a former police officer, confronted one of 12 masked robbers to protect the reporters, and the thief shot him in the lower abdomen. He was rushed to Highland Hospital to undergo surgery, but died on Saturday morning.

KRON4, its parent company Nexstar Media Inc., Nishita's employer Star Protection Agency and the Oakland Police Department have issued a $32,500 reward for information on the suspects.

'We are devastated by the loss of security guard and our friend, Kevin Nishita,' KRON4's Vice President Jim Rose said in a statement. 'This senseless loss of life is due to yet another violent criminal act in the Bay Area.'

The death comes as the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and other cities across the country continue to face brazen robberies at the hands of organized flash mobs.

Kevin Nishita, a former police officer, was guarding the KRON4 news team when an armed thieve tried to take their cameras. The robber shot Nishita in the lower abdomen, and the officer was rushed to the Highland Hospital where he died on Saturday

Twelve masked robbers entered the Prime 356 store in Oakland on Wednesday and stripped its shelves of merchandise. KRON4's reporters were near the scene of the incident

The news team from KRON4 had been reporting on Wednesday on a robbery which had involved 12 armed thugs wearing masks and hoods targeting a Prime 356 clothing store in Oakland. Pictured: Police are seen arriving at the scene following the incident

The news team from KRON4 had been reporting on Wednesday on a robbery which had involved 12 armed thugs wearing masks and hoods targeting a Prime 356 clothing store in Oakland.

It is not uncommon for news teams to hire private security to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Police officers also later found an additional victim - a Berkley man who had been hit by shrapnel - who was also transported to hospital. He is in a stable condition.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office, where Nishita had previously served, escorted his body out of the hospital with full law enforcement honors.

'We mourn the loss of retired police officer Kevin Nishita who honorably served our Bay Area Community,' the office tweeted. 'He was protecting/guarding a local news crew when he was senselessly murdered.'

Nishita had also worked for the Hayward, San Jose and Colma Police Departments, as well as for the Oakland Housing Authority.

Will Tran, a KRON4 anchor, said the station was heartbroken to learn about Nishita's death. He had worked alongside reporters for many years.

'My heart is broken. Im scared for me. Im scared for my colleagues. Friends from all stations are talking to each other - our own support group. And then woke up to heartbreak. He was my friend. He was our friend and now he is gone,' Tran tweeted.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office, where Kevin Nishita had previously served, escorted his body out of the hospital with full law enforcement honors.

KRON4 News anchor Will Tran mourned Nishita's death as he was a friend of the station

Nishita's death is the latest development in a saga of recent crime plaguing the Golden State despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom's vow to crack down on the string of organized 'smash and grabs' happening across the state.

The governor on Monday pledged to provide 'exponential level of support' in the next state budget to help cities combat retail theft rings.

Newsom said his office met with retailers last week who asked for more police patrols.

'You will see substantially more starting today, in and around areas that are highly trafficked and coming into the holiday season Black Friday in shopping malls,' he said.

Yet despite the planning, roaming packs of thieves ransacked another luxury retailer in Los Angeles on Black Friday before descending on a Home Depot.

The Bottega Veneta store issued a statement saying it would limit the number of customers allowed inside its store

At the Home Deport, in Lakewood, eight people made their way into the home improvement chain and stole sledgehammers, wrenches and hammers, threatened customers

The Bottega Veneta store in LA's trendy Beverly Grove shopping district saw a large group enter the store at 5:21 p.m. and snatch pricey merchandise before one robber pepper-sprayed someone in the face, the LA Police Department reported.

At the Home Deport, in Lakewood, eight people made their way into the home improvement chain at 7:55 p.m. and stole sledgehammers, wrenches and hammers, threatened customers and then fled in 10 getaway cars.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department told CBS that the Home Deport robbery was especially worrying because the tools stolen could likely be used to rob more stores in the area.

Sheriff's deputies added that an entire section of sledge hammers was cleared out at the Home Depot, hammers similar to those that gangs of thieves have used to smash glass displays to nab jewelry and other high-end products, like iPhones.

Both the Home Depot and Bottega Veneta incidents are currently under investigation.

The gang of eight robbers fled the scene in 10 getaway cars on Black Friday

On Wednesday, four young men, believed by police to be between the ages of 14 and 18, entered and grabbed $20,000 worth of merch from a Santa Rosa Apple store before fleeing in what authorities called a 'brazen daytime burglary' in broad daylight.

A detective from the Santa Rosa Police Department said they werent notified about the theft until 10 minutes after it occurred due to an Apple in-house protocol.

In the last week, thieves have made off with tens of thousands of dollars in luxury goods, amid soft misdemeanor theft laws in the Democrat-run state.

California's Proposition 47 - lighter sentences for thieves Proposition 47 was passed by California voters on November 5, 2014. It made some 'non-violent' property crimes, where the value of the stolen goods does not exceed $950, into misdemeanors. It also made some 'simple' drug possession offenses into misdemeanors, and allows past convictions for these charges to be reduced to a misdemeanor by a court. Under California law, though, if two or more person's conspire to 'cheat and defraud any person or any property, by any means which are in themselves criminal' they can face no more than one year in county prison, a fine of $10,000 or a combination of the two. Advertisement

Controversial state law Proposition 47 bars prosecutors from charging suspected shoplifters accused of stealing less than $950 worth of merchandise with felonies.

'People see the ability to commit these 'smash-and-grab incidents' knowing that there is little consequence, especially if the thefts are kept below the threshold of a felony offense,' Lynda Buel, president of Ohio-based security consulting firm SRMC, told CNN. 'It's easy, it's fast, and the payback is good.'

Police official blame the law for the recent string of thefts, which include 20 robbers smashing their way into a Nordstrom at The Grove retail complex in LA on Monday night, making off with $5,000 worth of merchandise; and a CVS pharmacy in the city was struck just an hour later, where looters stole $8,000 from a cash register.

Nine people have been charged in connection with robberies last week at Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdale's in the downtown area and in Union Square, a posh shopping district popular with tourists that was teeming with holiday shoppers.

Ben Dugan, president of the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, said: 'We're not talking about someone who needs money or needs food. These are people who go out and do this is for high profit, and for the thrill.'

Aside from the organized crime rings, the growing problem has been attributed to police officers' apparent reluctance to pursue retail criminals in the current political climate, prosecutors' failure to prioritize larceny and theft, and the decriminalization of low-level offenses in some jurisdictions.

Law enforcement also say that mercenary thieves are being recruited for up to $1,000 to steal the expensive goods which are then shipped across state lines and sold on the internet. The sophisticated method makes it harder for cops to track the criminals.

Best Buy CEO Corie Berry said this week that the situation has become so dire that her company is stepping up security measures to protect its staff and shoppers.

'This is traumatizing for our associates and is unacceptable,' Barry said on a call with analysts on Tuesday. 'We are doing everything we can to try to create [an] as safe as possible environment.'

Barry warned that employees could start quitting their jobs, rather than face the threat of hammer- and crowbar-wielding thieves terrorizing stores.

Police were able to pursue one of the getaway cars, which had fled onto the 110 Freeway

The robbery (not pictured) occurred at 7pm on the eve of Thanksgiving and left a security guard injured.

Last week, the San Francisco Bay Area saw a string of audacious 'smash-and-grab' robberies, including an incident involving a gaggle of hammer-wielding masked bandits who ransacked jewelry, sunglasses and clothing stores at the Southland Mall in the San Jose suburb of Hayward.

Dramatic footage released on Monday showed a group of about 40 to 50 robbers smashing glass display cases at Sam's Jewelers at the mall at around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Staffers are seen screaming in terror as the heist unfolded.

Around the same time last Sunday evening, packs of thieves ransacked a sunglasses store and a Lululemon store in San Jose, stealing nearly $50,000 in merchandise, San Jose police Sgt. Christian Camarillo said Monday.

The group that targeted the Lululemon store included two women and two men, including one who had a 'visible gun in his waistband,' he added.

Last Saturday, police said as many as 80 suspects, some wearing ski masks and carrying crowbars, targeted a Nordstrom in the San Francisco suburb of Walnut Creek, assaulting employees and stealing merchandise before fleeing in waiting cars, police and witnesses said.

Two employees were assaulted and one was hit with pepper spray during what police called a 'clearly a planned event.' Walnut Creek police said they arrested two suspects and recovered a gun.

A day prior, roving bands of thieves brandishing hammers and crowbars hit a string of high-end retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdales, as well as a Walgreens pharmacy and several marijuana dispensaries, in the vicinity of Union Square in San Francisco, a high-end area popular with tourist that was crowded with holiday shoppers.

A group of about 40 to 50 teenage shoplifters made off with an unknown amount of jewelry and other items in Hayward, California, on Sunday. Experts and officials say national crime networks are behind many of the 'smash-and-grab ' operations

Los Angeles police say at least 20 people used sledgehammers to break the glass at a Nordstrom on Monday night and ransack its shelves before fleein

Videos of the chaotic scene posted on social media by witnesses showed police officers dragging one suspect from a waiting car and people running with merchandise in their arms or dragging suitcases.

The 'smash-and-grab' operations are usually organized by local people who recruit their crews and send them to steal specific merchandise requested by criminal organizations throughout the country, Dugan said.

'Crew bosses organize them, they'll give him the crowbars, and in some cases even rent them cars, or provide them with escape routes or a list of products to actually go out and steal. It looks very chaotic but it's actually very well organized,' Dugan said.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in September that large-scale store thefts orchestrated by organized crime rings are costing retailers across the US an estimated $45billion in annual losses.

Raoul has formed the Organized Retail Crime Task Force comprised of public and private entities to tackle the problem head on.

'These brazen, violent crimes are committed by sophisticated criminal organizations that are involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and other serious crimes,' Raoul said.

'Even during the looting we saw last year, we came to understand that some of these criminal acts were not merely opportunistic, but organized in advance,' he said.

'The Organized Retail Crime Task Force will allow investigators and prosecutors in my office to better collaborate with our law enforcement partners and ensure cooperation between law enforcement, as well as retailers and online marketplaces, to protect communities, consumers and combat the rise in retail crime.'
Sales of a mens cologne promoted by Johnny Depp have risen since a High Court judge ruled that wife-beating allegations against the actor were substantially true.

While the ruling saw the 58-year-old star cancelled by some in Hollywood, Christian Dior retained Depp as the face of its Sauvage aftershave.

A source close to the actor told The Mail on Sunday: Johnnys fanbase has stuck by him and remains loyal to him.

He has enjoyed a professional relationship with Dior since 2015 and he is currently promoting the new Sauvage Elixir cologne, which is selling out on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star was dropped by Warner Brothers from its Fantastic Beasts franchise within days of a High Court ruling last December but remains attached to Dior

Sales have actually increased and Dior has no plans to drop him. In fact, many fans are going out and buying the new cologne to show their support for him.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star was dropped by Warner Brothers from its Fantastic Beasts franchise within days of a High Court ruling last December.

Depp lost his libel suit against The Sun newspaper which had branded him a wife beater. His ex-wife Amber Heard gave evidence that he had assaulted her on multiple occasions.

Depp lost his libel suit against The Sun newspaper which had branded him a wife beaterDepp lost his libel suit against The Sun newspaper which had branded him a wife beater

Print and TV adverts for Sauvage Elixir are running around the world, with the latest commercial showing Depp strumming the hit song Wild Thing on a guitar as a group of wolves gather around him in the desert.

Dior describes Depp as uncompromising, profound, authentic, adding: Never has he been so mesmerising, so rock n roll.

But domestic abuse campaigners have criticised Diors decision to continue to use Depp.

Lawyer Rachel Horman-Brown said: Its extremely disappointing and irresponsible of Dior, especially when we are looking at a situation that isnt just an allegation any more.

The decision was made that Depp was abusive towards his partner and could be called a wife beater, yet Dior continues to use him. It is almost condoning abuse and violence against women.

The Elixir advert has had more than 42 million views on YouTube since its launch in September. One fan said: Thank you Dior for keeping Johnny Depp in your Sauvage campaign. He is perfection.

A spokesman for Christian Dior declined to comment.
A 26-year-old Ohio Army National Guard specialist has been missing for a month and her worried family has hired a private investigator to help find her.

Michaela Nelson, from Xenia, Ohio, was reported missing by the National Guard on October 26.

She had finished her Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Jackson, in South Carolina, on October 2 and failed to return to her unit in Dayton, Ohio.

Nelson last spoke to her family the day she vanished. According to Fox News, she exchanged text messages with her grandmother.

Her father, Lance Nelson, filed a missing person report with the Columbus Police Department and has since also hired Private Detective James Terry, who suggested that Nelson disappeared after deciding to go AWOL following the death of her mother.

Terry said the Nelson family believes Michaela is alive and revealed that 'she's using some sort of phone'.

'She just doesn't have her number on,' the detective added, noting that the phone is off but her FaceTime still rings.

Specialist in the Ohio Army National Guard Michaela Nelson (left and right), 26, from Xenia, Ohio, was reported missing on October 26 - one month after her mother passed away from breast cancer. Her family still believes she is alive and Private Detective James Terry said 'she's using some sort of phone'

Nelson (center) is the oldest of five siblings. She graduated from Cedarville University in 2017 with a Bachelor's in Exercise Science and was pictured on graduation day with her brother Caden (far left), late mother Jacquelyn (second from left), father Lance (second from right) and sister Ariana (far right)

Her cousin Elise Miller said she hadn't talked to Nelson since early last month at Nelson's mother's funeral.

Jacquelyn Jean Miller Nelson passed away from breast cancer on September 16, aged 59. She was survived by her husband and their five children, of which Michaela is the oldest.

Lance Nelson told Dayton 24/7 that his daughter had been dealing with a lot of grief leading up to her disappearance.

'You go through a divorce theres a lot of grief, that was a year ago. Losing her mother a few months ago to breast cancer and then getting evicted from an apartment,' he said.

He last saw his daughter at his wife's funeral and recalled speaking to her through text on October 24.

Nelson was last seen between October 6 and 15 while driving her charcoal gray 2016 Dodge Charger SXT (pictured) with the license plate number JLL4284. License plate readers in Columbus, Ohio, showed that she was driving near an apartment where she had lived

The private detective said that Nelson could be avoiding the repercussions a service member faces if they don't report for duty, which include a Dishonorable Discharge and is punishable with jail time

Terry said she could be avoiding the repercussions a service member faces if they don't report for duty, which include a dishonorable discharge and is punishable with jail time.

But a spokesperson from the Ohio Army National Guard told Fox: 'First and foremost, Spc. Nelsons health and safety are our priority. Any discussion of discipline or administrative action is not a priority.'

A statement issued by the National Guard on Facebook added: 'Our hope is shes found safe as soon as possible. We will continue to be available to provide any assistance needed to her family and law enforcement.'

Nelson enlisted in the National Guard in September 2020.

According to Fox, Nelson was last seen between October 6 and 15 while driving her charcoal gray 2016 Dodge Charger SXT. License plate readers in Columbus, Ohio, showed that she was driving near an apartment where she had lived.

Nelson's sister has since revealed that the license plate number is JLL4284.

However, by the time she was reported missing and police searched the area, Nelson's car was nowhere to be found.

Nelson reportedly had an ex who was the subject of a restraining order but her father told Fox that the document was no longer in effect.

'I think it faded,' Lance said. It was unclear if the restraining order was against Nelson's ex-husband.

Civil protection orders (CPOs) in Ohio last up to five years and can be renewed.

Since November 5 ,Nelson's sister Ariana Frueh has posted to Facebook asking for help in locating her older sister.

'Begging for your prayers.... We just want her to be safe!' she wrote.

Lance said that his daughter had been dealing with a lot of grief leading up to her disappearance. She lost her mother to breast cancer in September and had recently gone through a divorce

Nelson was briefly married to her college sweetheart Cole Swigert (pictured together) but the two have divorced

A week later she posted another photo of her missing sister and said: 'No big update...long story short we are still on the lookout for Michaela.'

Lance, who has been taking care of Nelson's dog Kiki, told Dayton 24/7 that the holiday season will 'be rough' without Nelson.

Nelson, who also went by Kayla Kay and Michaela Kay on social media, had a website where she shared details about her personal and professional life, including her relationship, fitness journey and mental health.

She was accepting new clients for her eight-week personal training program, FASTer Way to Fat Loss.

According to her website, Nelson married her college sweetheart Cole Swigert and became a personal trainer in 2015 as a college student at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.

She graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor's in Exercise Science.

Nelson often shared videos of herself working out and in her Army garb on TikTok, where she boasts nearly 19,000 followers.
Booster jabs could be given to under 40s and the time between doses may be reduced to speed out the vaccine rollout, it has been confirmed as Boris Johnson announced a crackdown to fight the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference today, the Prime Minister said it is not known how the vaccines will fare against the new super-mutant strain amid fears that the variant may make jabs 40 per cent less effective.

Mr Johnson, 57, confirmed that the Government plans to push forward with the booster campaign and plan to dole out six million jabs in England across the next three weeks.

He suggested that booster jabs, which are currently only available to over-40s, will be made available to more age groups while the six-month period in between doses could also be reduced to speed up the rollout.

Mr Johnson also announced that face masks will be compulsory on public transport and in shops, while fully vaccinated arrivals to the UK will be required to self-isolate until they get a negative test, and all contacts of people infected with the Omicron mutation must stay at home for 10 days.

Hours earlier, health secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that two people tested positive with the new variant in Essex and Nottingham. The cases are linked and related to travel from southern Africa.

Boris Johnson, 57, confirmed that the Government plans to push forward with the booster campaign and plan to dole out six million jabs in England across the next three weeks

Announcing a string of tightened restrictions at the press conference, Mr Johnson said: 'We need to bolster our protections against this new variant.

'We don't yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against Omicron but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection.

'If you're boosted, your response is likely to be stronger so it's more vital than ever that people get their jabs and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible.

'From today we're going to boost the booster campaign, we're already planning to do six million jabs in England alone over the next three weeks and now we're looking to go further.'

He also said that the booster jabs could be rolled out to under-40s and offered to people sooner than six months after their second jab to 'buy time' for scientists and take the strain off the NHS.

He added: 'We need to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we're dealing with. And for us to get more people vaccinated and above all, to get more people boosted as well as to help our NHS prepare in what is already a challenging winter.'

The Prime Minister said the 'temporary and precautionary' measures will be reviewed in three weeks, while the Government's vaccine experts will be tasked with considering whether to extend booster jabs to more age groups.

Professor Chris Whitty said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) need to decide whether to extend the booster vaccine down to adults age 18, and whether a second dose should be offered to children aged 12-15 who decided with their families to get the first dose of the vaccine.

The Prime Minister suggested that booster jabs, which are currently only available to over-40s, will be made available to more age groups to fight the Omicron variant (file image)

Mr Whitty also said it is not yet clear how effective the vaccine will be as protection against the variant - but said those who are vaccinated or receive the booster jab will be less likely to become seriously ill.

He warned the spread of the Omicron variant across the world over the next few days was 'inevitable' but added the majority of cases in the UK remain to be of the Delta variant.

Meanwhile, Sir Patrick Vallance said vaccine makers are already looking at how they can make the jabs more effective against emerging variants.

The Chief Scientific Adviser confirmed a vaccine designed to specifically target the Omicron variant could be created in 'about 100 days'.

He told the Downing Street press conference: 'I think it's important to recognise there are three ways in which this can be done and the companies are thinking about this.

'The first is the boosters will give high enough antibody coverage that actually that's going to be enough to cover this.

'That's the first situation and needs to be tested. But that looks like something that anyway is going to give protection, whether there's more needed on top of that we'll have to see.

'The second is that vaccine manufacturers have been producing broader vaccines anyway to get broader coverage across potential new variants. So those are in the pipeline.

'Then a couple of companies have already said they could tweak their existing vaccines and get a new vaccine out specifically against this in about 100 days.

'Those are the sort of three scenarios, clearly the one which is the one to really go for now is boost, because it is the case that as you keep boosting the vaccine, you get slightly broader coverage because the immune system knows it needs to get broader.

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Sajid Javid said today

'Because the antibody levels are so high, it actually causes enough coverage of other variants to be effective.'

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week.

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

Professor Whitty made a Christmas plea for the country to 'raise a glass' to the scientists who have produced the vaccines.

He said: 'If I can make one Christmas plea? It would be that when people raise their glasses this Christmas, they do so to the extraordinary scientists who produce the vaccines, the diagnostics, the drugs which will allow this Christmas, if possible, to be in a very different place to what it would have been without them.'

Asked about this year's festivities, the Prime Minister said: 'We continue to be in a strong position largely thanks to the speed of the vaccine rollout, another booster rollout, and I think I'm going to stick with the formula I've used before, which is I'm pretty confident to absolutely confident this Christmas will be considerably better than last Christmas, if that will do for the time being on that one.'

Last year, people in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were allowed to form a Christmas bubble with up to three households, and meet up from December 23 to 27, while in Wales it was two households.

The bubble had to be exclusive, meaning people could not swap between them, and pubs and restaurants were closed on the day.

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will introduce the same measures on international travel as announced by the prime minister, saying it had warned the UK Government of the dangers of removing restrictions.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to 'act as if [Omicron] is already here' by wearing masks, washing their hands, getting vaccinated, and testing and said Holyrood would introduce new requirements for travellers.

It comes amid fears the new super-mutant strain makes jabs 40 per cent less effective while the World Health Organisation branded the so-called 'Omicron' mutation a 'variant of concern'.

In an attempt to slow the spread, the Prime Minister announced 'temporary and precautionary' measures to be reviewed in three weeks, alongside a 'boost' to the booster campaign.

Face coverings will become compulsory in shops and on public transport from 'next week', a statement from 10 Downing Street said.

The statement, which was issued following the Prime Minister's press conference, said: 'Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport from next week. All hospitality settings will be exempt.'

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

Symptomatic Covid cases rose by nearly a fifth last week with more than 76,000 Britons falling ill each day, according to the ZOE symptom-tracking study

Mr Johnson said the exact rules on face coverings will be set out soon by Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

He also told a hastily arranged news conference the government would introduce a new testing regime. Omicron contacts will have to self-isolate and new arrivals will have to quarantine until they test negative for coronavirus, after two cases of the concerning new Omicron variant were detected in the UK.

Four more countries  Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola  will be added to the no-fly list on Sunday.

All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned yesterday amid growing international panic about the 'variant of concern', which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection.

Mr Johnson admitted the latest restrictions on travel 'sound tough', but added: 'That's the way it's got to be.'

But he said border measures can 'only ever minimise and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together', so all contacts with a suspected case of the new variant will have to isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

'We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport,' Mr Johnson said.

Meanwhile chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said anti-viral pills for Covid-19, which were approved by the UK earlier this month, need a 'rethink' because of the new variant.

He said: 'On the anti-virals, we are going to have to do a bit of a rethink on the basis of this new variant just to be confident we've got the right indications from it.

'There's a variety of ways you could use it in different ways, and what we need to make sure is whatever stock we've got of these, what appear to be highly effective drugs, that we use in the most effective way and for the right people.

Between November 11 and November 26, there were 48 direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to London Heathrow. During this period, there were two British Airways flights and one Virgin Atlantic flight per day. If each plane carried 300 passengers, that could mean there have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first detected

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated around 862,300 people caught the virus on any given day in the week up to November 20, up 4.5 per cent on the 824,900 the week before

All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned by Mr Javid yesterday

'Where you are in the pathway right from the very beginning... working out their place, we do need to think through and I think we probably need to do a rethink of it just to make sure with the new variant we're targeting in the right direction.'

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said 'this is a real reminder that this pandemic is far from over'.

The detection of the cases came after Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed optimism that existing vaccines will be effective at protecting against serious disease caused by the Omicron variant.

He also said it is 'extremely unlikely' it will cause a 'reboot' of the pandemic in Britain, as he offered tentative hope that the current jabs will still confer some degree of protection against the variant.

Sir Andrew, who also chairs the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said a new vaccine could be developed 'very rapidly' if required because they now have a 'well-oiled' process.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that most of the mutations in Omicron are in similar regions seen in other variants, adding: 'At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease, but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed.

'It's extremely unlikely that a reboot of a pandemic in a vaccinated population like we saw last year is going to happen.'
The travel industry is in disarray tonight over the announcement of new Covid travel restrictions following the discovery of the super-mutant Omicron variant in Britain.

The new rules were revealed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a Downing Street press conference this afternoon, where he appeared alongside Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

Anyone who travels to the UK must now take a PCR test by the end of their second day after arrival, and remain in self-isolation until they have a negative result.

But it is not yet clear when the rules will come into place as industry insiders demand further clarification.

Travel expert Paul Charles, CEO of the PC Agency, told Mail Online: 'This is terrible, terrible news for the industry.

The new rules were revealed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a Downing Street press conference this afternoon, where he appeared alongside Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance

Travel expert Paul Charles, CEO of the PC Agency (pictured), said the new travel rules need 'urgent clarification'

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Sajid Javid said today

Anyone who travels to the UK must now take a PCR test by the end of their second day after arrival, and remain in self-isolation until they have a negative result

'We need urgent clarification from the Government about when these rules will come into force.

'Travellers planning on coming to the UK are now in limbo. We don't know if the rules will be in place from tomorrow morning or next week.'

He added that the measures were a 'major set back' for the industry at a crucial time of year.

'Everyone in the industry is feeling the same, this is going to be a very, very tough period,' he added.

'This is going to knock confidence in the industry during the very important Christmas period.

'And it's all over a variant we do not yet have all the facts about.'

Mr Charles added: 'There are always going to be new variants, the government must have a better system in place than relying on travel bans.'

The travel boss said pre-departure and on-arrival testing would be a more 'sensible' approach to tackling the threat of new variants.

He added on Twitter: 'It's a sign of how little UKGov understands global travel that they announce all arrivals have to take PCR tests and self-isolate - but don't say from when.

'Travellers are getting on planes now. Every second of every minute.'

The new rules also state that all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected Omicron case must isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is expected to clarify the timescales of the new rules by Monday.

For those arriving to Britain, the day you land is deemed as Day 0. You must then perform a PCR test before the end of day 2.

So if you arrived on a Monday, the PCR must be taken before the end of Wednesday.

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), said the changes will 'impact consumer demand' and said the government must look at packages to help support travel companies.

It said in a statement: 'These changes will add cost to people's holidays which will undoubtedly impact consumer demand and hold back the industry's recovery, so it's vital that this decision is kept under careful review and restrictions are lifted promptly if it becomes clear there is not a risk to the UK vaccination programme.

'The government must also now consider offering tailored support for travel businesses, which have been amongst the hardest hit during the pandemic.'

Meanwhile some cientists supported the new rules, adding that they believe increased testing will give time to better understand the risk Omicron might pose before the variant becomes more widespread in the UK.

Dr Nathalie MacDermott, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) academic clinical lecturer at King's College London, said: 'The action to ban flights from the most affected countries is never a decision that should be taken lightly.

'But for a brief period it can buy the time needed to better understand the threat posed by this new variant and ensure the implementation of more robust identification and targeted contact tracing for individuals arriving from those countries now placed on the red list.

'The decision by the Government to re-implement the need for a PCR test from all individuals arriving in the UK from abroad on day two, with self-isolation until a negative test is reported, while frustrating for those travelling, is essential in order to rapidly identify cases of infection with the Omicron variant and implement prompt isolation and targeted contact tracing to limit the spread of the variant in the UK.'

Concerns have also been voiced about whether the testing industry can meet a sudden rise in testing demand.

Which? travel editor Rory Boland said travellers will understand the need for restrictions, but the private testing industry which they will have to rely on 'isn't fit for purpose'.

'Testing firms have struggled to provide tests on time over the past year, so it is hard to have confidence they will be able to cope with this spike in demand at short notice,' he said.

'Now that the Government has taken the decision to make PCR tests mandatory, it must take steps to properly regulate the marketplace and implement the CMA's (Competition and Markets Authority) recommendations so that consumers can have confidence they are booking with a provider they can rely on.'

Travellers have vented their frustration over the new rules on Twitter, with scores of trips planned for tomorrow and next week now in question.

'Had booked a two night Christmas market trip to Malaga, hardly seems worth it now if I have to fork out for PCR tests and self-isolation,' wrote one social media user.

Another said: 'Absolute joke, fly back Tuesday meant to be in work on Wednesday. Lateral flow already purchased.'

While one added: 'My flight goes tomorrow morning. I can't afford two days in quarantine. What am I supposed to do?

'They say they don't want to stop travel...well, all my colleagues just cancelled all their flights and hotels.'

Mr Johnson also announced that face masks on public transport and shops will be compulsory - although struggling bars and restaurants will be spared for now.

It marks the first time since last winter that restrictions have been tightened in England - although Scotland and Wales have previously responded to spiking infection rates.

The premier said the measures will be reviewed in three weeks

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  after Sajid Javid announced that two cases of the 'monstrous' new Covid variant were detected. The number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

They do not quite go as far as the formal 'Plan B' outlined by the government in the summer, as Mr Johnson stopped short of bringing back orders to work from home where possible and introducing vaccine passports.

Four more countries  Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola  will be added to the red list from 4am on Sunday. That means only British residents can come to this country, and they have to stay in a quarantine hotel.

South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were put on the banned roster yesterday amid growing international panic about the 'variant of concern', which scientists fear is more transmissible and can dodge vaccines.

Earlier today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that two cases of the strain were detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex. Both are linked to travel to southern Africa, the suspected origin of the mutation.

The infected individuals and all members of their households have been told to self-isolate after the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the sequencing.

The Prime Minister said: 'We're not going to stop people travelling, I want to stress that, we're not going to stop people travelling, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.

'Second, we need to slow down the spread of this variant here in the UK, because measures at the border can only ever minimise and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together.

'We will require all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of your vaccination status.

'We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport.'

The Welsh Government and the Scottish goverment are mirroring the restrictions on international travel, and warning they could go even further.

Another 39,567 Covid cases were recorded in the UK today  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 posted last Saturday  while the number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid fell by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week to 131.
Police say a gunman shot and injured three people after opening fire on a Michigan bus before he was fatally shot by responding officers.

On Saturday at 9:15 am, police said they responded to an 'active shooter' situation at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center off Kalamazoo Avenue between Rose and Burdick streets.

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Police Chief Coakley confirmed that 54-year-old Anthony Oliver got on a bus and shot three passengers who suffered non-life threatening injuries.

On Saturday at 9:15 am police said they responded to an 'active shooter' situation at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center (pictured)

Police arrived at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center off Kalamazoo Avenue between Rose and Burdick streets after reports of an active shooter on Saturday morning

When officers arrived at the scene, they encountered Oliver and exchanged gunfire, police said.

Oliver was shot in the exchange and taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

No officers were injured and police say it is not clear if Oliver knew any of the bus passengers.

Following the shooting, Metro Bus Service suspended service for the rest of Saturday and confirmed that no Metro workers were hurt in the shooting.
Even the least well-read could probably surmise that Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped involves an abduction, but academic chiefs have nonetheless cautioned undergraduates that the 19th Century classic 'contains depictions of murder, death, family betrayal and kidnapping'.

The so-called trigger warning was issued by the University of Aberdeen, which also told students that Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar  written more than 400 years ago and set in 44 BC  features 'sexist attitudes' and has a plot that 'centres on a murder'.

Meanwhile, a warning about Charles Dickens's French Revolution novel A Tale Of Two Cities, which famously features the guillotine, says that it 'contains scenes of violence, execution and death'.

The University of Aberdeen have cautioned undergraduates that Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped 'contains depictions of murder, death, family betrayal and kidnapping'

Documents obtained by The Mail on Sunday under Freedom of Information legislation show the university, which was rated 158th in the recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings, is urging its teaching staff to draw up trigger warnings for literary classics  despite admitting there is no conclusive evidence that they serve any useful purpose.

The university told lecturers that students had expressed 'a strong preference' for warnings on potentially 'distressing' and 'emotionally challenging' novels, plays and poems.

Its staff guidance says: 'Consideration should be given to each and every element of the course, regardless of historical period, fictional setting, medium or any other potentially mitigating factor.'

It adds: 'Verge on the side of caution and don't shy away from providing warnings about what may be considered obvious.'

But it concedes that scientific evidence on the effectiveness of such warnings is inconclusive. Traditionally, universities use trigger warnings to flag up extreme violence and explicit sex, as well as content that might be considered racist, sexist or homophobic.

Critics insist that the warnings have helped created a generation of 'snowflakes' unable to cope with the complexities of life.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said last night: 'It appears the University of Aberdeen has gone completely over the top with this and other trigger warnings on much loved literary classics.

A warning for Jane Austen's Persuasion (right) read 'romanticised notion of military service in the Napoleonic Wars', while A Midsummer Night's Dream (left) warned it 'contains misogyny'

'Given this, do they actually allow their students to watch or read the daily news uncensored? Or are they advised to remain wrapped in the copious amounts of cotton wool provided by the possible well-meaning but misguided institution?'

The MoS revealed last week that the University of Warwick had even replaced the phrase 'trigger warnings' with 'content notes' because it was less 'provocative'.

Aberdeen, which prefers 'content warning', has drawn up a particularly long list of topics it believes might be offensive or harmful to students, including childbirth, abortion and miscarriage, depictions of poverty, entitlement and classism, as well as scenes featuring blasphemy, adultery, blood, alcohol and drug abuse.

Some students have been told they can walk out of lectures 'without penalty' if topics are too upsetting.

It has also issued warnings for five other Shakespeare plays and two Jane Austen novels.

A spokesman said: 'It is important that students are exposed to challenging material, but we have a duty to support them to engage with it.'

Lancaster University has warned students of gothic literature that the genre is known for featuring scenes of 'dread' and 'haunting'.

Its School of English Literature and Creative Writing has also applied warnings to classic films  Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window comes with a warning of 'sexist representations of women'.

A spokesman said: 'We take seriously the ways in which texts can sometimes have a negative effect on readers.'
Secondary schools must prepare to run on-site Covid testing when pupils return after the Christmas holidays, it was revealed yesterday.

The Department for Education (DfE) has emailed headteachers, telling them to conduct asymptomatic testing in early 2022.

The measure is designed to reduce transmission after a period of social mixing over the festive break.

The DfE acknowledged it was a significant ask, giving schools less than three full working days to order the lateral flow testing kits they will need.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) attacked the lateness of the announcement, as well as the extra pressure it places on secondaries.

Secondary schools must prepare to run on-site Covid testing when pupils return after the Christmas holidays, it was revealed yesterday (stock image)

It accused the government of treating schools as an ad hoc branch of the NHS, by expecting them to handle the logistics of staffing and setting up testing stations.

The DfE email to schools said: We would like all secondary schools to prepare to test their pupils once on-site on return in January.

We understand that this is a significant additional ask but testing continues to play a vital role in keeping Covid-19 out of schools.

Testing all pupils in school boosts testing participation and will help reduce transmission after a period of social mixing over the school holidays.

Tests, PPE and funding to support your workforce will be provided as before. After this test on return, pupils should continue to test in line with government guidelines.

To enable testing on return in January, schools have been told they will need to order sufficient testing kits by Tuesday.

The email - seen by the Times Educational Supplement - asks schools to order home testing kits.

It added: Please check your test kit stock levels and make an order of test kits so that both staff and students are able to test over the holiday period if required, and for the first week of January, using home test kits.

Headteachers have also been told that Ofsted will not carry out inspections during the first week of schools return in January unless the watchdog has significant concerns.

To enable testing on return in January, schools have been told they will need to order sufficient lateral flow testing kits (pictured) by Tuesday

However, Julie McCulloch, director of policy at ASCL, said it was not reasonable for the government to once again impose this considerable public health task on schools with minimal support.

She said: The role of schools should be limited to providing a space for test centres and communicating with students.

But the government expects them also to handle the logistics of staffing and setting up testing stations.

It seems to have forgotten that school leaders are educators rather than an ad hoc branch of the NHS.

Their focus is on providing the teaching and learning required by their students, which is particularly important in the context of the disruption caused by the pandemic.

She added: The last thing they need is another huge responsibility which does not even fall within the remit of education.

It is hardly the greatest timing either that this has been communicated in an email late on a Friday afternoon, and that they have been told that they will need to order sufficient test kits for this task by Tuesday, which seems an incredibly short timeframe.

Updated DfE guidance issued yesterday stated that secondary pupils should take one test on-site as they return to school in January, followed by another at home three to four days later.

Further education students, and staff in all education settings, should take one self-test at home either the evening or morning before they return in January, before continuing to test in line with government guidelines.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  after Sajid Javid announced that two cases of the 'monstrous' new Covid variant were detected. The number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

A Department for Education spokesman said: As part of our commitment to protecting face-to-face education, we are asking all secondary school pupils to complete one on-site test as they return to school after the Christmas break, reflecting that mixing between households is likely to increase over Christmas.

Protective measures in place continue to strike a balance between managing transmission risk with testing, hygiene, ventilation and vaccines, and we encourage any eligible young people who havent yet had the vaccine to consider using the Christmas break to do so.

The DfE caused controversy last December by announcing late in the term that secondary schools would be expected to carry out on-site Covid testing in January 2021.

However, this was overtaken by a new national lockdown which was announced by the Prime Minister after the first day of the new term.
While the nation braces for a possible new COVID outbreak from the Omicron strain after the the highly infectious variant was found in Europe, Africa and Asia, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that no cases of the mutant virus has been identified in the country as of Friday night.

The agency said it was following details on the new variant, which was first reported in South Africa and is feared to be more infectious than previous variants. The CDC classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern.'

'We are grateful to the South African government and its scientist who have openly communicated with the global scientific community and continue to share information about this variant with the US Department of Health and Human Services and CDC,' the CDC said in a statement.

'We are working with other US and global public health and industry partners to learn more about this variant, as we continue to monitor its path.'

The agency added that Omicron would be 'identified quickly' if it appears in the US.

The CDC's statement comes as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top health expert, said he 'wouldn't be surprised' if Omicron was already in the country following a flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, landing at Newark airport Saturday morning.

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

Dr Anthony Fauci said he 'wouldn't be surprised' if it the new Covid variant Omicron was already in US. On the Today Show Saturday morning he said that he's concerned about the 'transmissibility' but there were still a lot of unknowns

How concerned should the U.S. be about the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron? Dr. Anthony Fauci says he "wouldn't be surprised" to find the variant already in the country. pic.twitter.com/Mp13hYxxWW  TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 27, 2021

The Newark arrival was alarming after one-in-ten passengers who landed in Holland from Johannesburg tested positive for Covid, although it was unclear if any were infected with the Omicron strain.

On Saturday morning, Fauci told the Today Show 'We have not detected it yet but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you're already having travel-related cases...it almost invariably is ultimately going to go all over.'

'You have to be careful and assume that that's the case,' he added, noting that Omicron could possibly 'evade' vaccinations.

Fauci's concerns about 'transmissibility' come as President Joe Biden has imposed a ban on travelers from from eight African countries - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi - which won't go into effect until Monday.

Eight flights are also scheduled to depart South Africa for New York on Sunday.

US citizens and green card holders from other regions of Africa will still be allowed to travel to the US.

The CDC said it would continue to monitor any and all variants of the virus and would provide updates as more information on omicron becomes available.

Biden has said the pandemic will not end until global vaccinations are in place.

A White House official told DailyMail.com Saturday that the President has been briefed on the latest on omicron. At the same time, senior health officials and the Covid response team have also been monitoring the latest updates on omicron and are in regular touch with health officials around the world.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency as Covid transmission reached rates not seen since April 2020.

Hochul insisted that the troubling new variant of Covid that first emerged in Botswana is 'coming'.

Her warning came as a leading epidemiologist told DailyMail.com the new strain was deeply troubling, urging tougher travel restrictions and saying the virus could spark 'pandemic 2.0'.

President Biden spoke with reporters in Nantucket, where he celebrated Thanksgiving with his family, and said that he decided on the ban out of an abundance of caution

Long queues formed at the New Jersey airport as Biden's impending travel ban will forbid travel from regions in South Africa, which include Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi

A renewed increase of COVID-19 infections would come as the US had enjoyed lower infection rates following the deadly delta variant spike over the summer.

The nation reported about 51,333 new cases this past day and 552 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

There were nearly more than 517,000 new cases reported this past week and more than 5,000 new deaths.

More than 74 per cent of eligible Americans, including kids 5 and up, have received at least one jab of the vaccine, with nearly 60 per cent of the population fully vaccinated against the virus.

Both Pfizer and Moderna have said they would quickly update their vaccines to take on the new variant after health officials warned omicron could still be highly contagious among the already vaccinated.

South African experts attempted to calm the wave of panic over the variant on Friday, describing it as a 'storm in a tea cup'.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has implemented new Covid restrictions in response to the 'monstrous' new Omicron variant after placing seven countries in southern Africa on a red list - from which all travelers must go into hotel quarantine.

All passengers arriving to the UK must take a PCR test on day two after landing and isolate at home until they get the result and all contacts of someone infected with Omicron variant must isolate for 10 days.

Flanked by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a press conference on Saturday, the Prime Minister also announced that the rules on face masks in public spaces will be tightened.

In an address to the nation, Johnson warned that Omicron 'diverges quite significantly from other configurations of the virus' and warned it will 'reduce the protections of our vaccines over time'.

Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference after cases of the new variant were confirmed in the United Kingdom

Meanwhile near Amsterdam, around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport from Johannesburg - the epicenter for the new strain that experts fear is 40 percent more vaccine evasive than Delta - hours after travel bans were put in place.

The Dutch government banned all air travel from southern Africa early on Friday. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said that passengers already en route to the Netherlands would have to undergo testing and quarantine upon arrival.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium on Friday - despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not South Africa where the strain emerged.

Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases today. Germany's initial sequencing suggested a traveler from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later today.

And Australian authorities - who also banned travel to nine countries in the region - fear the variant may have already entered the country.

Benjamin Field hugged his father upon arriving at Newark International Airport, New Jersey from OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa

Passengers waited on their Covid test results at Schiphol Airport, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands last night

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday - more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday. But infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalizations with the new variant have occurred so far.

However, Botswana does have four confirmed Omicron cases and South Africa has 77 - with the real figure likely in the hundreds - and Hong Kong has two, meaning 83 cases of the variant are confirmed so far.

It has also been found in Israel, Hong Kong and Belgium, and is worrying scientists because it appears to be able to easily reinfect those who have already been infected, or who have had the vaccine.

Fauci concluded on the Today Show by saying that the new strain is another reason 'it is absolutely essential that unvaccinated people get vaccinated and that vaccinated people get boosters'.

As of Friday at 5am EST, the CDC website's travel advice page for South Africa had the country listed as 'Level 4: Very High Level of Covid-19,' with flights to the US permitted from the African country since November 8.

The levels range from Level unknown, Level 1: Low, Level 2: Moderate, Level 3: High and Level 4: Very High.

The CDC had the country listed as Level 1 on Monday.

The page also asks anyone traveling to and from South Africa to be fully vaccinated, or for those who are not to be tested for Covid. It also recommends travelers follow measures that are in-place in South Africa, including wearing a mask and social distancing.

The US Embassy issued a Covid-19 update on their website Saturday and alerted that the US Department of State announced that travel to South Africa had also advanced to 'Level 4 - Do Not Travel - due to the newly identified Covid-19 Omicron variant'.

The statement added: 'US citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who are eligible to travel but are not fully vaccinated will need to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test one (1) day before their flight. US citizens and LPRs who are fully vaccinated will need to present airlines with proof of vaccination and of a negative Covid-19 test three (3) days before their flight.'

South Africa's infection rate spiked 93 percent in a day yesterday amid fears the strain is driving the surge. Local scientists say it has likely spread to all the country's nine provinces, but there is yet to be a surge in hospitalizations in the virus epicenter Johannesburg.

Travelers from South Africa have been allowed entry into the US since November 8, when restrictions barring entry to people from more than 30 countries - implemented at the start of the pandemic - were partially lifted.

Newer rules, which came 19 months after the travel ban was implemented, require international visitors to show both proof of vaccination and a negative Covid test.
The Conservative MP who linked male crime to having a female Doctor Who has been reported to Parliament's sleaze watchdog over his outside interests.

Nick Fletcher initiated a debate in Parliament about the 'promotion of electric vehicle usage' while working for a company that installs electric vehicle charging points, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

During the debate, Mr Fletcher said: 'We need multiple fast-charging units everywhere' and urged Ministers to 'move much more quickly'.

He called for charging points 'to be installed with the same frequency as petrol stations'.

Mr Fletcher is a director of Analogue Electrics Ltd, a company he founded in 1994.

Its website says it is seeking to expand the vehicle charging side of its business.

Nick Fletcher (pictured) initiated a debate in Parliament about the 'promotion of electric vehicle usage' while working for a company that installs electric vehicle charging points, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

The Don Valley MP owns more than 75 per cent of shares in the firm and receives a company car, phone and health insurance, to the value of 800 a month, which he declares in his register of interests.

Labour's chair Anneliese Dodds has reported Mr Fletcher to Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary standards commissioner, claiming he may be in breach of lobbying rules.

While Mr Fletcher pointed to his register of interests in his opening speech, Ms Dodds said the MPs' code of conduct states that members cannot initiate proceedings in Parliament that might bring material benefit to any company they receive an outside reward from.

Her letter, seen by The Mail on Sunday, claims the April debate 'appears to be a clear-cut breach' of the code.

Mr Fletcher last night denied he had broken any rules.

Last week, he said positive male role models in television and film were being replaced by women because of pressure from a 'tiny, vocal minority'.

He cited Doctor Who, Star Wars and The Equalizer, claimed this left boys looking up to the Krays and added: 'Is there any wonder we are seeing so many young men committing crime?'

Ms Dodds said: 'Nick Fletcher's idea of being a good male role model appears to be acting like there is one rule for him and another rule for everyone else.'

Last week, Mr Fletcher said positive male role models in television and film were being replaced by women because of pressure from a 'tiny, vocal minority'. He cited Doctor Who, Star Wars and The Equalizer, claimed this left boys looking up to the Krays and added: 'Is there any wonder we are seeing so many young men committing crime?' (Pictured: Jodie Whittaker as Doctor Who)

Since becoming an MP in 2019, Mr Fletcher has appeared in videos for his company, introducing himself with: 'Hello, I'm Nick and I'm the MD of AEL' and 'Hi, I'm Nick from AEL', not mentioning that he is an MP.

A brochure by the company also describes Mr Fletcher as managing director.

Last night, the MP's spokesman said: 'Nick has had no conversations with Ministers or Government officials about Analogue Electrics Ltd.'

Mr Fletcher said: 'I have transparently declared my interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests and declared my interest in the debate.

'I would be happy to cooperate with the standards commissioner with any questions they may have on this matter.'
The Brighton-based charity allow people to define their gender for themselves

The Survivors' Network bosses said the trans woman had every right to be there

But she quit after feeling threatened by a trans woman who joined the sessions

A rape victim who thought she had found a safe all-female space to help her come to terms with the sexual violence she endured has told how she was left deeply troubled by the arrival of a biologically male trans woman 'with no obvious female attributes'.

The mother of two joined a survivors' group seeking support over the rape and childhood abuse that had cast a traumatic shadow over her life.

But she has told The Mail on Sunday how she felt the sanctuary and trust of the sessions were violated by the 6ft newcomer in masculine clothes.

Charity bosses insisted the trans woman had every right to be there as they allow people to define their gender for themselves, saying: 'We do not police gender.'

But the mother, Sarah, said she was disturbed and panicked by the presence of someone with such a masculine appearance.

She explained: 'When I was sexually abused as a child, I was tricked into it by a man. Then I was raped as an adult by a man and felt tricked into it, so I don't always trust men.'

She added she was left feeling even more uncomfortable after sharing her experience of sexual violence in front of the trans woman, who did not speak about any abuse she may have suffered.

Mother of two Sarah, not her real name, joined Brighton-based Survivors' Network. But she said she felt the trust of the therapy sessions were violated by a trans woman (stock image)

Sarah, who was abused between the ages of eight and 12 and raped when she was in her 20s, said that the new arrival disrupted the dynamic of the support group.

'Some women had been abused as children so obviously we had that shared experience of being a girl and abused by a man,' she said.

'We talked a lot about male entitlement, about how men feel entitled to women's bodies. Quite often we just said how we didn't trust men and it felt like a safe space to say that.'

But after the trans woman arrived, such talk became 'nonsensical', Sarah said, adding: 'It felt like the priority of the group was not to talk about male entitlement any more or our shared experiences, but about making sure this person who was born male felt comfortable.

'No matter how much a man says they're a woman, they're still born male.'

Sarah  not her real name  said she wanted to speak out as she felt the rights of women are being eroded to appease trans activists.

'I completely support trans people's right to live how they want to live, but in practice women who have been raped are being left to get on with it on their own because of the approach these groups are now taking to please trans activists,' she said.

'The reason I am speaking out is that I have a daughter and if something like this happened to her, I want her to be able to go to a female-only group if that's what she wants.'

Sarah, now married and in her 40s, was abused by a family friend when a child, and later raped by a man she knew who persuaded her to take drugs.

It was hearing that he was moving back into the area that persuaded her to seek help from the Brighton-based Survivors' Network.

When Sarah first contacted the charity, she noticed that the sessions were for 'self-identifying female survivors', and in her first phone call with a member of staff was asked what her 'gender identity' was.

Imagine you are a woman who has suffered sexual abuse. You find group counselling sessions exclusively for women but you discover that a trans woman is attending (stock image)

However, she believed that as the charity also runs separate groups for trans and non-binary people (who identify neither as male or female), her Wednesday-night session would be most probably exclusively for biological women.

For the first five 'peer support' sessions, that was indeed the case, but in the sixth, the towering transgender woman wearing masculine clothes sat two seats from her.

'When I first went, it was all women and we all had similar experiences so I was reassured and it was really positive,' Sarah said.

But the atmosphere in the sessions  in which the participants would sit in a circle to talk about their experiences  changed abruptly in September with the new addition to the group.

The trans woman was introduced by the session facilitator with the comment: 'Everyone is welcome here.'

Sarah recalls: 'I thought, 'What's that about?' Then I realised there was someone there who I presume identified as a woman, but to me they just seemed like a man.

'She was over 6ft tall, had a deep voice, wore casual trousers and a sweatshirt and had no obvious female attributes.'

Because of her traumatic experiences at being 'tricked' by her male abusers, she said: 'I immediately wanted to walk out. I thought, 'I don't want to be in this space.'

Sarah said there was no outward physical sign that the new member was transitioning to become a woman and the recruit did not volunteer any comment about any sexual abuse that she may have suffered.

'I've no idea why she was there,' Sarah added. 'My paranoid side makes me think they were there for voyeuristic reasons. My rational side thinks they were probably there because they need help.'

After discussing the matter with her husband, Sarah wrote a long, carefully considered letter of complaint to the charity.

'Please understand this is not a personal attack on the individual group member but an account of how their inclusion felt for me,' she explained.

'When the trans service user began speaking, my first instinct was to leave the group and never come back. I knew that I couldn't possibly tell the facilitator or any of the volunteers how I felt because the group is explicitly trans-inclusive and I could be labelled a bigot or a transphobe.'

But a reply from Carys Jenkins, head of operations at the charity, ruled out any change of policy.

'We do not police gender and we do not define who is and is not a woman; we allow women to define this for themselves,' she wrote.

The letter added, in what Sarah considers a cruel snub, that her 'primary option' was to move to one-to-one support or to find another service in the city which 'may be suitable for you'.

Sarah, who works in accountancy, took the advice and tried to find another support group solely for biological females in Brighton, but discovered there were none, as they all stated that they welcomed 'self-identifying females'.

Sarah suggested the charity should set up a service solely for those who were born women  which is allowed under an exemption to equality legislation  but was turned down.

She said: 'I thought, 'How can you let women down so badly?' You're supposed to be a service for women who have experienced sexual violence. How can you completely disregard that the main thing about sexual violence is that you feel triggered by males?

Sarah, now married and in her 40s, was abused by a family friend when a child, and later raped by a man she knew who persuaded her to take drugs (stock image)

'We've been told by men to ignore our instincts and do what they want us to do and now we're being told that by a rape crisis service. It's crazy.

'Survivors' Network runs a group for men. They can run a group for trans people, so male-born people are really well catered for.

'But women, who make up the majority of those who get sexually assaulted, haven't got a space where they can just be with other women.'

Survivors' Network was set up in 1990 by former child abuse victims, and was recognised for its work when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid a high-profile visit in 2018. It is funded by the Government, local authorities and the NHS.

In written evidence to a Commons select committee last year, its chief executive Jay Breslaw opposed tightening rules on single-sex spaces, adding that her charity 'strongly feel that the use of women-only spaces by trans women should be actively encouraged'.

In a statement last night, Survivors' Network said: 'We are a feminist organisation and we support survivors of all genders.

'Survivors of trauma and sexual violence, irrespective of gender identity, need support, care and belief. With 30 years of expert knowledge, we are well equipped to offer this in a safe, survivor-led and empowerment-based way.

'Trans-inclusive feminism is key to our values and central to our services as a rape crisis centre.'

The charity declined to say what, if any, gender reassignment surgery the trans woman at the session also attended by Sarah has received.

They also did not provide details of any vetting process undertaken in the case, but said they had 'robust safeguarding procedures and training in place to support the safety of everyone who accesses and delivers our services.'

Women are being sold down the river  by charities terrified of the trans mob, writes JULIE BINDEL, co-founder of Justice for Women

Imagine you are a woman who has suffered childhood sexual abuse and that you are subsequently raped in adulthood. All your life you have blamed yourself, felt you must somehow have been 'asking for it'.

Finally, you find group counselling sessions exclusively for women where you feel safe and supported. The professionals are compassionate, kind and helpful.

They understand how you are feeling and you share a common ground with the other women seeking help. You start to find your confidence.

But you then discover that a male-bodied trans woman who self-identifies as female is also attending the sessions.

Already abused, raped, traumatised, you desperately need a space away from males to recover.

You feel so threatened that you ask if it is possible to exclude the trans woman from the female-only sessions and suggest they instead join a designated group for transgender people.

Imagine you are a woman who has suffered sexual abuse. You find group counselling sessions exclusively for women but you discover that a trans woman is attending (stock image)

But you are told no, they have as much right to attend women-only group sessions as you do.

This is what happened to Sarah, as the report on these pages reveals. And it is happening to increasing numbers of women across Britain.

Feminists began to set up refuges and other women-only services in the 1970s in response to the tsunami of rape and domestic abuse cases.

As a young woman in the early 1980s, I volunteered in a domestic violence refuge three evenings a week and ran a Rape Crisis Helpline on a shift basis.

The women who called the helpline and came to the refuge were desperate to speak to other women without the prying  and often judgmental  presence of a man.

I recall heartbreaking stories from women about their girlhood, about being raised to take responsibility for themselves from a very early age. About the stigma of reporting any kind of sexual harassment or assault because they knew they would be disbelieved or blamed.

I also recall the look of pure relief on the women's faces as they were told that everybody in the room understood what they were talking about and would unequivocally support them.

We would often talk about how difficult it would be to disclose such traumatic detail of sexual and domestic violation with men present.

It is heartbreaking and enraging in equal measure that, in 2021, women like Sarah are being made to feel like they cannot safely access this much needed group support.

Feminists have offered help to trans activists to set up trans-women-only facilities, in the hope this would stop them demanding access to women-only spaces. But they have never shown any interest in taking up our offer.

Incidentally, this debate goes beyond the four walls of the therapy room. The head of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre  the person ultimately responsible for its culture and policies  is currently a trans woman.

I have no idea why the likes of Edinburgh Rape Crisis and the Survivors' Network have decided that their definition of 'women-only' includes trans women who were born male.

You feel so threatened that you ask if it is possible to exclude the trans woman from the female-only sessions, but you are told no, they have as every right to attend (stock image)

They must know there is a clause in the 2010 Equality Act which explicitly states that it is legal to exclude trans women from group sexual assault therapy sessions where it is 'a proportionate means to a legitimate aim'.

In the UK, gender self-identification is not enshrined in law and must stay that way. I have seen first-hand how allowing people to self-identify as trans women can have a terrible effect on women-only support services.

Under Canada's self-identification laws, for example, men don't even have to begin to meaningfully transition. Many of them still have male genitalia and it is not necessary to seek hormone treatment to get a gender recognition certificate.

I visited the desperately poor Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver, where pimps, drug dealers and violent gangs often profit by selling young women for sex.

Feminists have set up services to help support these young women out of prostitution and keep them safe from predators.

I was shown around one charity that was described as a lifeline for many of the women who have gone through its doors. At a table in the kitchen sat a group who all, to me, looked like men. They had beards and showed no signs of transitioning.

Yet a volunteer told me the group had self-identified as women when they arrived, adding: 'They come here because it's nicer than the homeless hostel and they know it's illegal to throw them out.'

The blood, sweat and tears of feminists went into setting up refuges and counselling sessions that mop up the mess of male violence.

Yet for many women, just knowing that they are in the presence of someone who was born male will be enough to stop them from speaking out.

It is a total disgrace that some of the women who run these vital charities have become so scared of the trans lobby that they have sold women like Sarah down the river.
Ms Watson - dubbed 'the gazelle' to Dominic Cummings's 'pit pony' - has spent the past year as chief of staff to Cop26 president Alok Sharma

It sounds more like one of Aesop's Fables than a story about feuding at the top of Boris Johnson's Government  the tale of the 'chatty pig' and 'the gazelle'.

Treasury frustration over Mr Johnson's leadership style, and the operation he runs at No 10, spilled over in spectacular style last week when a 'No 10 source' told BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg that there was 'a lot of concern in the building about the PM'.

The leak came in the wake of the Prime Minister's shambolic speech to the Confederation of British Industry, during which he lost his place and ad-libbed surreally on the economic symbolism of the Peppa Pig cartoon character.

The leak's culprit had been dubbed the 'chatty pig' in a wry reference to the 'chatty rat' who bounced Mr Johnson into putting the country into lockdown last year by briefing the media about planned Covid restrictions before the PM had made a final decision.

Allies of Boris Johnson have been concerned by claims that one of Dominic Cummings's closest colleagues, adviser Cleo Watson, is in line for a senior role at the Treasury  entrenching perceptions of it as a rival power base

The divide between No 10 and No 11 has been growing since the departure of special adviser Dominic Cummings  the 'dark lord' as he was called in Whitehall  who had tried to rein in the Treasury by establishing a joint economic unit over which he exercised control.

But Mr Cummings's ousting last year in a power struggle with Mr Johnson's wife, Carrie, has allowed the unit, headed by Liam Booth-Smith, to fall under the sway of Chancellor Rishi Sunak, leading the balance of economic power to lurch back to No 11.

Largely on the basis of his former connection to Mr Cummings, and on the tenuous grounds that his unit was technically a No 10 outfit, Mr Booth-Smith was accused of being the 'chatty pig'.

No 10's suspicions about briefings by the Treasury have been sharpened by the fact that Mr Cummings  who has waged war on Mr Johnson's Government from his exile  repeatedly singles out Mr Sunak for praise

The Treasury strongly denies this and the Chancellor has vented his anger in private over the allegations against Mr Booth-Smith. 'Liam has been completely stitched up,' said a source. 'It's completely ridiculous.'

Tensions have been simmering as the clock counts down to April, when the new 1.25 per cent health and social care tax is imposed.

The Chancellor objects to being the public face of rises that have been forced on him by the PM's extravagant spending plans and Mr Sunak insisted during heated negotiations earlier this year that any extra health spending had to come from an explicit tax rather than extra borrowing.

'Rishi's view is that the public will tolerate tax rises and a drop in their standard of living if they think the Government is competent and putting the money to good use, but he is not convinced that they do,' said a source.

The Chancellor objects to being the public face of rises that have been forced on him by the PM's extravagant spending plans and Mr Sunak insisted during heated negotiations earlier this year that any extra health spending had to come from an explicit tax rather than extra borrowing

When a leadership contest to succeed Mr Johnson does eventually come, Mr Sunak is likely to still be the favourite  with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss breathing down his neck. But the Chancellor knows a cost-of-living crisis in marginal seats could scupper his chances.

No 10's suspicions about the Treasury have been sharpened by the fact that Mr Cummings  who has waged war on Mr Johnson's Government from his exile  repeatedly singles out Mr Sunak for praise.

Allies of Mr Johnson have been concerned by claims that one of Mr Cummings's closest colleagues, adviser Cleo Watson, is in line for a senior role at the Treasury  entrenching perceptions of it as a rival power base.

The elegant Ms Watson  dubbed 'the gazelle' to Mr Cummings's 'pit pony' when they worked at No 10  has spent the past year as chief of staff to Alok Sharma, president of the COP26 climate summit this year in Glasgow, and is due a move.

Last night Ms Watson insisted the idea was 'news to me' and said she planned to take a holiday before concentrating on Whips!, the erotic political thriller she is writing about the salacious goings-on she has encountered during her time in Westminster. The Treasury also denies plans to recruit Ms Watson.

Mr Johnson is understood to have privately conceded the need to reboot his No 10 operation and to have sounded out his former chief of staff Lord Udny-Lister to return to the role in place of the incumbent Dan Rosenfeld.

However, Lord Udny-Lister is understood to have told the PM of his concerns that the prevalence of rival factions in Downing Street, in particular young aides close to Carrie Johnson such as special adviser Henry Newman, would complicate the job too much.

A senior Government source predicted that a new Downing Street chief of staff would be appointed early in the New Year.

Complicating the picture further is the rumbling discontent of the MPs who won 'Red Wall' seats  constituencies mainly in the North that had been Labour strongholds  many of whom have better relations with the Treasury than Downing Street.

The Government's 'levelling up' agenda between the North and South, means that billions of pounds are being directed towards their constituencies, which means close contacts with the Chancellor's team.

Amid all of this, the traditional rumours swirl about letters  or emails, as they tend to be now  of no confidence in the PM being sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee.

Party sources are sceptical about the 'dozen' letters said to have gone to Sir Graham, which in any event is substantially short of the 54 needed to trigger a contest.
Comes amid reports Mr Rowland paid off a 1.5 million loan in December 2017 given to Andrew by Banque Havilland - controlled by Rowland family

Prince Andrew was the UK's taxpayer-funded trade envoy at the time

asked for information about how to open a new bank in the principality

Prince Andrew worked secretly behind the scenes to help a controversial multi-millionaire open a bank for the super-rich in Monaco, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Bombshell emails leaked to this newspaper reveal how the Duke of York contacted the office of Albert II, the sovereign Prince of Monaco, on behalf of his financier friend David Rowland and asked for information about how to open a new bank in the principality.

The Duke, who was the UK's taxpayer-funded trade envoy at the time, then offered to provide further help to the Rowland family ahead of a planned meeting with Prince Albert.

The revelation comes after reports that Mr Rowland, one of the Tory Party's top donors, paid off a 1.5 million loan in December 2017 given to Andrew by Banque Havilland, a Luxembourg-based bank controlled by the Rowland family.

Prince Andrew worked secretly behind the scenes to help controversial multi-millionaire David Rowland open a bank for the super-rich in Monaco. Pictured: The Duke of York and Mr Rowland at Royal Ascot in 2006

The MoS revealed two years ago how Prince Andrew quietly used his extraordinary Royal connections to plug Banque Havilland during his decade as UK trade envoy.

Bought from the ashes of a collapsed Icelandic financial institution, Banque Havilland offered discreet private banking services for the world's billionaires and was named after David Rowland's Channel Island home. Andrew publicly opened its Luxembourg headquarters in September 2009.

Now, leaked emails reveal that just three months later, Prince Andrew was quietly helping his friend expand the fledgling bank to the tax haven and billionaires' playground of Monaco.

An email to the Duke from Heather Acheson, Prince Albert's principal attache, suggests that Andrew had contacted the office of his fellow Royal and asked about the process for opening a bank in the principality.

'In answer to your question How difficult is it to get a banking license [sic] in and for Monaco?,' Ms Acheson wrote.

'The Monegasque Authorities don't restrict access to foreign banks on the territory; new banks are most welcome provided they fulfil the "fitness and properness" criteria.'

Bombshell emails leaked to this newspaper reveal how the Duke of York contacted the office of Albert II, the sovereign Prince of Monaco (pictured), on behalf of his financier friend David Rowland and asked for information about how to open a new bank in the principality

She then responded to what appeared to be a second question from Andrew about the process 'one would have to go through' to open a bank by sending him an internet link to a page on France's central bank's website which explained the licensing process.

'Please inform [me] if I may be of further assistance Your Highness,' she added.

The following day, Prince Andrew forwarded Ms Acheson's reply to Jonathan Rowland, David Rowland's son and then director of Banque Havilland.

'Here is the Monaco first response,' he wrote. 'I will be going down in March to see P Albert so between now and then we can do more if required.'

The Court Circular, the official register of Royal engagements, reveals that Prince Andrew did indeed travel to Monaco on March 4, 2010, where he attended a dinner for the Outward Bound Trust that was hosted by the Prince of Monaco.

It is unclear whether Prince Andrew provided any further help or, indeed, whether he raised the matter personally with Prince Albert.

However, in April 2012, Banque Havilland did open a subsidiary in Monaco after buying another private bank there called Dexia Private bank.

The Duke of York was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony, which was not an official Royal visit and not recorded in the Court Circular.

David Rowland reportedly organised a private jet to take Andrew to the elite gathering.

At the time, Jonathan Rowland described Monaco as 'the perfect location for us to grow and drive our business forward'.

Prince Andrew was, however, criticised by the late Labour MP Paul Flynn for giving his 'seal of approval' to the bank.

The Luxembourg regulator fined Banque Havilland 4 million (3.5 million) in 2018 for not having adequate safeguards in place to protect against money-laundering  one of the biggest fines it had ever levied.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Andrew allowed a 1.5 million loan to be paid off by David Rowland in December 2017, despite rules telling Royals to avoid gifts that 'would, or might appear to, place [them] under any obligation to the donor'.

The revelation has renewed calls for MPs to investigate the Duke of York's finances.

Former Government Minister Norman Baker, who wrote a damning book on Royal finances, called on HMRC to also investigate Prince Andrew's activities.

He said: 'The more that is uncovered about Andrew's financial dealings, the more unsavoury it becomes. It's very clear that Prince Andrew, while officially working for the Government, was also working as a private consultant to boost the fortunes of the Rowlands.'

The Duke of York and Jonathan Rowland declined to comment. Prince Albert's office did not respond to a request for comment.
A 19-year-old teen has been charged with six counts of sharing extremist material under the Terror Act.

Elias Djelloul was arrested at an address in east London on Friday following a raid, the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command said.

On Saturday, he was charged with six counts of dissemination of terrorist material, contrary to Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday.

A 19-year-old teen has been charged under Terror Act with six counts of sharing extremist material after Met raided an address in east London

In a statement on Friday, Met Commander Richard Smith urged the public to be the force's 'extra eyes and ears'.

'Every day, teams within the Met and across counter terrorism policing nationally carry out proactive investigations to identify and target those we suspect of being involved in terrorism,' he said.

'We require the public to be our extra eyes and ears and I would encourage anyone who has information that could assist counter terrorism police to call us in confidence and share information.

'Your call won't ruin lives, but could well save them.'
Children as young as 14 are gambling sums of up to 10,000 on volatile digital currencies without their parents' knowledge.

With a craze for cryptocurrencies sweeping through schools, tech-savvy pupils are using smartphones to get involved in trading  despite it being illegal for anyone under 18.

The trend is being driven by platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, where unqualified influencers dispense financial advice to amateur investors drawn in by the promise of easy money.

Pupils as young as 14 are gambling sums of up to 10,000 on digital currencies, despite it being illegal for anyone under 18 (stock image)

Experts are concerned that youngsters could fall prey to scams which have seen some traders lose millions.

Cryptocurrencies are decentralised and unregulated meaning they aren't controlled by a bank or government, as with traditional currencies.

Some pupils have persuaded parents to set up and finance trading accounts for them, before reinvesting the profits, while others buy digital 'coins', such as Bitcoin, at special ATMs.

Peter Jerrom, a maths teacher and former trader, said talk of digital currencies is 'rife' among pupils as young as 14 who view it as 'easy money or free money'.

Some pupils have persuaded parents to finance trading accounts for them, before reinvesting the profits, while others buy digital 'coins', such as Bitcoin, at special ATMs (stock image)

While it has proved useful for maths lessons, he has had to warn some pupils at his comprehensive school in Croydon, South London, that trading is illegal for under-18s.

He said: 'Year 11 students are buying up to 500 worth of digital currency using an app, and the Year 13 students are trading 5,000 to 10,000. It's a high-deprivation area so 5,000 is a very significant amount.

'There are some students doing it without their parents' knowledge. However, there are a considerable number doing it with their parents.'

Gareth Shaw, head of money at Which?, said: 'The rise in young people investing in cryptocurrencies is very worrying, especially as fraudsters have flooded social media with scam investment adverts that prey on victims who may have little or no experience of investing.'
It was an editorial volte-face that confounded The Independent's Left-wing readership.

Why did editor Amol Rajan suddenly swing his newspaper behind David Cameron two days before the 2015 General Election?

A senior political source has claimed to The Mail on Sunday that Mr Rajan  now a rising star at the BBC  had agreed to support the Conservatives if Mr Cameron agreed to attend the birthday party of his proprietor, the Russian businessman Evgeny Lebedev.

Mr Lebedev turned 35 the day after polling day, and The Guardian reported that Mr Cameron had attended the party to celebrate.

Mr Rajan, who has faced controversy in recent weeks over an explosive BBC documentary which prompted the Royal Family to threaten to boycott the Corporation, made history as the first non-white Fleet Street newspaper editor when he was appointed in 2013 at the age of 29.

A former adviser and confidant to Mr Lebedev, Mr Rajan is tipped as a frontrunner to replace BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg.

The source pointed out to this newspaper that in the months before the 2015 Election, Mr Rajan's Independent had been highly critical of the Conservatives' record in the Coalition Government.

A front page story on April 4, one month before the Election, revealed that in a private Whitehall meeting to discuss the Coalition's priorities, a senior Conservative Minister had told a Liberal Democrat Cabinet colleague: 'You take care of the workers and we'll take care of the bosses.'

A senior political source has claimed to The Mail on Sunday that Amol Rajan (pictured)  now a rising star at the BBC  had agreed to support the Conservatives if Mr Cameron agreed to attend the birthday party of his proprietor, the Russian businessman Evgeny Lebedev

A blistering editorial on the same day declared: 'The Conservatives have misread the national mood again, showing that they do not reflect Britain as once they did.'

It added: 'The plain fact is that the Conservatives have misread the national mood again, and it is depressing their electoral appeal The Tory leadership looks and sounds a little too public school, a touch too smug and a bit too sympathetic to business vested interests.

'Despite very welcome moves on equal rights for gay people, and on race, the Conservative Party does not reflect the nation in the way it did when it was at its most electorally successful.'

The newspaper even hinted that it might come out in support of Labour leader Ed Miliband.

'Perhaps Mr Cameron and, disputedly, Nicola Sturgeon are right that Ed Miliband isn't prime ministerial material and that he has never had a real job but, so far, it is Mr Miliband who is proving to have more of the popular touch, outside Scotland.'

Over the following weeks, Independent editorials criticised the Conservatives' Right to Buy plans, saying they would 'only add to the scale of Britain's housing crisis'.

Another editorial branded the Tories' decision not to raise taxes as 'foolish'. In one editorial published on April 27, The Independent said: 'Ed Miliband's call for control on private-sector rents is likely to resonate with many young voters' and that 'the Government has done far too little about [the housing crisis]'.

Mr Lebedev turned 35 the day after polling day, and The Guardian reported that Mr Cameron had attended the party to celebrate (Pictured: Evgeny Lebedev and Prime Minister David Cameron at Chequers on February 16, 2015)

But on May 5, two days before the Election, The Independent performed an about-turn, praising Mr Cameron for creating two million jobs, which it described as 'an exceptional achievement'.

It added that the Tories 'deserve tremendous credit' for improving schools.

And in a complete shift in direction from its earlier support for Mr Miliband, the newspaper said that if the Labour leader got into power, he would rely on the SNP to govern which 'would be a disaster for the country'.

The Independent did not endorse a single party before the General Election but said that a 'Lib-Con coalition would both prolong recovery and give our kingdom a better chance of continued existence'.

The Independent's U-turn did not go unnoticed. The following day, the paper received a flurry of letters from aghast readers.

One wrote: 'I'm at a loss to understand your support for another Tory-Lib Dem coalition to preserve the United Kingdom.'

Another wrote: 'We now know, for sure, that The Independent's sympathies lie somewhere between the left of the Conservative Party and the right of the Liberal Democrats, through its endorsement of the current Coalition Government.

'I find it very disappointing, but not altogether surprising, having sensed an increasingly Right-of-centre bias in recent weeks.'

One reader chided the paper: 'Whoever wrote the editorial comment 'In defence of liberal democracy' would do well to take a refresher course on how political systems actually work.

Mr Rajan (pictured), who has faced controversy in recent weeks over an explosive BBC documentary which prompted the Royal Family to threaten to boycott the Corporation, made history as the first non-white Fleet Street newspaper editor when he was appointed in 2013 at the age of 29

'The one guaranteed way to harm Britain's fragile democracy and to ensure that the Scots will break from the UK is to vote in another confrontational, divisive Conservative government of the kind which has led us to the present turmoil.'

Another reader wrote: 'The cat is now out of The Independent bag.'

Mr Lebedev, a self-confessed Anglophile, went to great lengths to woo Mr Cameron, landing an invitation to Chequers, the Prime Minister's country retreat, in February 2015 to conduct a newspaper interview.

The pair have remained close, with Mr Cameron attending the Russian media mogul's London Christmas party in 2019.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last week how the Queen had united with Princes Charles and William in a threat to boycott the BBC over Mr Rajan's documentary.

The broadcast sparked a furious backlash and an unprecedented statement from the Royal Family that blasted the broadcast's claims as 'overblown and unfounded'.

Mr Rajan last night denied any suggestion that he had changed the editorial line to please his boss.

Mr Lebedev said: 'As far as I am aware, this story is totally false.'

Mr Cameron did not respond to a request for comment.
A Fox News host called President Joe Biden a 'fraud' over the new travel ban after the Democrat had called Donald Trump's similar COVID restrictions 'racist' - as others slammed Biden for waiting until Monday to halt flights from Omicron-hit southern African countries.

Fox News' Unfiltered host Dan Bongino was on a news segment for the network Saturday morning and when asked about the hypocrisy of Biden's 'African Ban' replied.

'Joe Biden's a fraud. Like okay great, we already knew that. That's not breaking news and I didn't get up on a Saturday morning to tell you Biden's a fraud because we already knew that,' Bongino said.

Earlier in the da,y the White House announced that the president had been fully briefed on he new super mutant variant Omicron as the president's top health expert said he 'wouldn't be surprised' if the strain was already in the US.

On Friday, after a 30-minute discussion with Dr Anthony Fauci, the president decided to ban travel from eight African countries - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi - as of Monday.

Fox News host Dan Bongino (left) ripped into the president's travel ban while on the network's morning segment after Joe Biden called Donald Trump's similar restrictions 'racist'. He called Biden a 'fraud' and pleaded with the Democrat Party: 'Can everybody stop with the fear porn, please?'

President Joe Biden on Friday banned travel from eight African countries - shaded red in the map. South Africa is the only one to have direct flights to the United States, with 13 a week. Now citizens of the eight countries, or anyone who has been there recently, are unable to enter the US

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests. There are also suspected individual cases being sequenced in Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia

However, US citizens and green card holders from other regions of Africa will still be allowed to travel to the US.

'Here's the deeper layer to this,' Bongino continued.

'The Democrat Party is the biggest grift in the history of humankind. There has never been a bigger donor scam, collectively, in the history of humanity than the Democrat Party.

'They believe absolutely nothing they say,' he added, recalling when Democrats 'and their media allies lost their collective minds when Trump at the early stages of this pandemic - when everybody thought zero Covid cases may be possible - instituted a travel ban'.

'Trump did a travel ban from some of these same countries in the region, right? When there was a lot of unknowns and they thought it could've worked.

'Now a year-and-a-half later we already know these travel bans do nothing. They've done nothing to stop the Delta, they've done nothing to stop any other variant out there... Joe Biden then does it anyway after calling Donald Trump's travel ban racist.'

Bongino was referring to the early months of 2020 when Trump restricted travel from seven countries, including China, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania.

The Fox host then ripped Biden for 'replicating what he himself called a racist policy'.

Although he announced his own travel bans earlier this week, Biden tweeted a different tune when he was running for the Democratic nomination for president in February 2020.

He hammered Trump for travel bans for those coming from China and Europe when the virus first began to spread.

'We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus,' Biden tweeted. 'We need to lead the way with science - not Donald Trump's record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering. He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency.'

A month later Biden insisted in another tweet: 'Banning all travel from Europe - or any other part of the world - will not stop it.'

Users on Twitter were quick to call out the president, too, citing 'hypocrisy' and calling him a racist.

One reply even suggested that Biden's 'African' ban was implemented to intentionally 'make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States'.

Another user said that Biden's decision to enact the travel ban on Monday instead of immediately 'will probably increase Omicron spread into the US as more people rush to fly back'.

Long queues formed at the New Jersey airport as Biden's impending travel ban will forbid travel from regions in South Africa, which include Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi

Other passengers from flight UA187 - one of the last flights before Biden's travel ban comes into effect - deplaned at Newark International Airport Saturday morning

Benjamin Field hugged his father upon arriving at Newark International Airport, New Jersey from OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa

Bradley Field (left) and Benjamin Field (right) arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa this morning on United Airlines flight 187

Bongino went on to address Democrats and pleaded: 'Can everybody stop with the fear porn, please?'

He cited South African ministers, who claimed have said that Covid cases are 'very mild' and he suggested that 'science (and) reason' prove there's no need to panic.

'Can everybody calm the hell down please?' he repeated.

'They have us intentionally walking into our own ideological prisons believing that what's on the outside is so scary that the government's going to save us inside the prison,' Bongino added of the liberal presidential administration.

Meanwhile, the UK and Israel halted travel on Thursday and the EU followed suit.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has implemented new Covid restrictions in response to the 'monstrous' new Omicron variant after placing seven countries in southern Africa on a red list - from which all travelers must go into hotel quarantine.

All passengers arriving to the UK must take a PCR test on day two after landing and isolate at home until they get the result and all contacts of someone infected with Omicron variant must isolate for 10 days.

People were seen waiting in front of an appointment desk for quarantine and Covid tests inside Schiphol Airport, after Dutch health authorities said that 61 people who arrived in Amsterdam on flights from South Africa tested positive for the virus

Passengers waited on their Covid test results at Schiphol Airport, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands last night

Passengers from KLM flight KL598 from Cape Town, South Africa wait to be screened at Amsterdam Airport, the Netherlands, yesterday

Flanked by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a press conference on Saturday, the Prime Minister also announced that the rules on face masks in public spaces will be tightened.

In an address to the nation, Mr Johnson warned that Omicron 'diverges quite significantly from other configurations of the virus' and warned it will 'reduce the protections of our vaccines over time'.

Four more countries  Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola  will also be added to the no-fly list on Sunday. All flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia were banned yesterday amid growing international panic about the 'variant of concern,' which scientists believe is more transmissible and has an increased risk of reinfection.

Earlier today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that two cases of the strain were detected in Nottingham and Brentwood in Essex and confirmed that both were linked to travel to southern Africa.

The infected individuals and all members of their households have been told to self-isolate after the UK Health Security Agency confirmed the sequencing.

Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference after cases of the new variant were confirmed in the United Kingdom

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed this afternoon

Scientists are racing to tweak existing vaccines against the new Covid variant spreading rapidly across the planet

Near Amsterdam, around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport from Johannesburg - the epicenter for the new strain that experts fear is 40 percent more vaccine evasive than Delta - hours after travel bans were put in place.

The Dutch government banned all air travel from southern Africa early on Friday. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said that passengers already en route to the Netherlands would have to undergo testing and quarantine upon arrival.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium on Friday - despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not South Africa where the strain emerged.

Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases today. Germany's initial sequencing suggested a traveler from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later today.

And Australian authorities - who also banned travel to nine countries in the region - fear the variant may have already entered the country.

South African experts yesterday also attempted to calm the wave of panic over the variant, describing it as a 'storm in a tea cup'.

The country recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday - more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday. But infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalizations with the new variant have occurred so far.

However, Botswana does have four confirmed Omicron cases and South Africa has 77 - with the real figure likely in the hundreds - and Hong Kong has two, meaning 83 cases of the variant are confirmed so far.

It has also been found in Israel, Hong Kong and Belgium, and is worrying scientists because it appears to be able to easily reinfect those who have already been infected, or who have had the vaccine.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases yesterday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket and no hospitalizations with the new variant have occurred so far. Graph shows: The seven-day average for cases in the country

What do we know about the Omicron variant? Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations - double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before. UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana. On Friday, it was confirmed that cases had been identified in Israel and Belgium but currently there are no known cases in the UK. Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain on Friday that sequencing is being carried out around the UK to determine if any cases have already been imported. Work is also under way to see whether the new variant may be causing new infection in people who have already had coronavirus or a vaccine, or whether waning immunity may be playing a role. Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute in Oxford, has said the new variant will 'almost certainly' make vaccines less effective, though they would still offer protection. Pfizer/BioNTech, which has produced a vaccine against Covid-19, is already studying the new variant's ability to evade vaccines. Advertisement

Fauci concluded on the Today Show by saying that the new strain is another reason 'it is absolutely essential that unvaccinated people get vaccinated and that vaccinated people get boosters'.

As of Friday at 5am EST, the CDC website's travel advice page for South Africa had the country listed as 'Level 4: Very High Level of Covid-19,' with flights to the US permitted from the African country since November 8.

The levels range from Level unknown, Level 1: Low, Level 2: Moderate, Level 3: High and Level 4: Very High.

The CDC had the country listed as Level 1 on Monday.

The page also asks anyone traveling to and from South Africa to be fully vaccinated, or for those who are not to be tested for Covid. It also recommends travelers follow measures that are in-place in South Africa, including wearing a mask and social distancing.

The US Embassy issued a Covid-19 update on their website Saturday and alerted that the US Department of State announced that travel to South Africa had also advanced to 'Level 4 - Do Not Travel - due to the newly identified Covid-19 Omicron variant'.

The statement added: 'US citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who are eligible to travel but are not fully vaccinated will need to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test one (1) day before their flight. US citizens and LPRs who are fully vaccinated will need to present airlines with proof of vaccination and of a negative Covid-19 test three (3) days before their flight.'

South Africa's infection rate spiked 93 percent in a day yesterday amid fears the strain is driving the surge. Local scientists say it has likely spread to all the country's nine provinces, but there is yet to be a surge in hospitalizations in the virus epicenter Johannesburg.

Travelers from South Africa have been allowed entry into the US since November 8, when restrictions barring entry to people from more than 30 countries - implemented at the start of the pandemic - were partially lifted.

Newer rules, which came 19 months after the travel ban was implemented, require international visitors to show both proof of vaccination and a negative Covid test.
China and India are set to receive a 1.5 billion climate aid windfall despite scuppering a COP26 deal on reducing reliance on coal power.

Richer countries agreed to double funding for developing nations to prepare for global warming at the Glasgow conference earlier this month.

Despite having two of the fastest growing economies in the world, the UN designates China and India as developing states.

Analysis shows that the two countries received a total of about 700 million from developed countries in 2019, the latest figures available, as well as millions more from investment foundations and private donors.

China and India are set to receive a 1.5 billion climate aid windfall despite scuppering a COP26 deal on reducing reliance on coal power

But the pledge made in Glasgow could see their adaptation funding allowances rocket as high as 1.5 billion  with the British taxpayer footing as much as 38 million of the bill.

China and India will enjoy the bonanza despite helping to water down a key COP26 pledge. Instead of promising to phase out the use of coal, the conference agreed only to phase down its use.

The dilution of the pledge left COP26 President Alok Sharma frustrated and close to tears.

Critics said the system required reform. John OConnell, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: The net zero target must not see working taxpayers landed with the bill. With the highest tax levels in 70 years, family finances are already strained and cannot be expected to pay these green grants to wealthy nations.

Ministers should address the effectiveness of eco-aid like this and protect Brits from paying out for more squandered spending.

China emits more greenhouse gases than the entire developed world combined. According to air quality indexes, India is the most polluted country on the globe.

Yet analysis of latest adaptation climate funding contributions reveal that they accepted a total of about 2.3 billion from climate funds in 2019.

Of that, China pocketed 749 million, including grants and loans from nation states and private donors including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Childrens Investment Fund Foundation.

China's Xi Jinping (left)) refused to attend Cop 26, while India's Narendra Modi gave a speech days before his representatives helped to water down moves to stop coal use

Developed countries contributed 278 million, of which almost 8 million was from Britain, and was used to improve crop production and develop a new power sector for Fujian, a province in the south-east of China. According to statistics published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, India was handed 1.6 billion in funding from across the world, including foundations, private donors, states and investment groups in 2019.

Around 409 million of that came from member states, including 12.6 million from the UK. It was spent on the promotion of women in energy in India, the states solar power network and early warning weather systems.

Under the new funding arrangements, China could next year receive up to 14 million from the UK and India 24 million.

Critics are also concerned about corruption. A recent report by the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway found the ten countries that receive the most climate finance, including China and India, were at a higher risk for corrupt practices.
A mother and her four children, including a daughter aged just five, are feared to be among those who drowned in last week's Channel tragedy.

The Kurdish family, who lived in a squalid camp in Dunkirk before attempting the crossing, are thought to be among at least 27 migrants who died when their flimsy dinghy capsized in freezing waters on Wednesday.

A friend at the Grande-Synthe camp said they were hoping to be reunited in the UK with the children's father and that they had been so excited by the prospect that they had bought a teddy bear for him.

The family were from Darbandikhan in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Khazal Ahmad Khdir, 42, was travelling with her son, Twana Mamand Muhammad Hussein, 19, daughter Hadya Rizger, 17, son Mobeen, 15, and five-year-old daughter Hasty.

They left Iraq a month ago for Turkey. From there they took a boat to Italy before travelling to France in the back of lorries, according to friends at the camp.

Khazal Ahmad Khdir, 42, (pictured far left) was travelling with her son, Twana Mamand Muhammad Hussein, 19, daughter Hadya Rizger (pictured far right), 17, son Mobeen (pictured centre), 15, and five-year-old daughter Hasty (pictured bottom)

Twana Mamand Muhammad Hussein, 19, (pictured) is among those missing feared dead in the Channel tragedy

News that the family was missing and feared dead appeared on Facebook, where one relative said Khazal and her children had made phone calls from the boat before their handsets fell silent.

'Even in the boat there were phone calls,' the relative said. 'We were with them. But that night we heard news about the drowning.

'We have not heard from them since. Please spread the news, we are looking for information.'

The doomed dinghy left Loon-Plage beach near Dunkirk carrying up to 30 people.

Despite initial reports that it had been struck by a larger vessel, it is now believed that the dinghy capsized when it began taking on water and its occupants panicked.

Harem Pirot, 23, from Ranya, Iraqi-Kurdistan is believed to have drowned when the dinghy carrying up to 30 migrants capsized in the Channel on Wednesday

Shakar Ali also known as Shakar Pirot, aged 27 from Ranya, Iraqi-Kurdistan, is among those believed to have been killed in the tragic Channel crossing attempt

It emerged on Friday that Kurdish student Maryam Nuri Muhammadamin was among the dead.

The 24-year-old, known as Baran, was hoping to be reunited with her fiance in Bournemouth.

Another Kurdish woman, called Mahabad, 23, from Erbil, was also reported yesterday to be among the victims, as was Bryar Hamad Abdulrahman, 24, also from Erbil.

Bryar's mother, Shukrya Bakr, 44, told Kurdish media that he had told her on the phone: 'I will resume my phone call with you on the other side of [the Channel], inshallah [God willing].

'That was the last time I spoke to him.'

Former campmates in Dunkirk suggested three further names for victims, who had each paid around 3,000 for a place on the boat.

They were Rezhwan Yasin, Mohammed Kader and Zanear Mustafa from Ranya in Iraqi Kurdistan.

A Somali migrant called Abdul Wahab, 23, is also feared to have died.

His brother Muse, 22, said: 'I am so sad. I had to tell our mother in Somalia and she cried and cried. I don't know how she will cope.'

Bryar Hamad Abdulrahman, 24, (pictured) is also believed to be among the 27 who died in the English Channel on Wednesday

Muhammed Hussein is also believed to be among those who are feared dead following the failed Channel crossing

Detectives from France's Organised Crime squad are leading the investigation and fear the death toll could rise further.

The only two survivors, an Iraqi Kurd named last night as Mohammed Shekha, a 21-year-old shepherd, and a Somalian named Omar, aged in his 20s, have described scenes of 'mass panic' to officers as the dinghy began to deflate.

It comes as smugglers told one migrants family that Deniz Ahmed Mohammed, 27, had reached the UK safely.

'I put him in last night and they reached the other side. Tell your family not to worry,' said the gang leader.

The voice message was sent to obtain a full fee for the crossing, it was reported in The Sunday Telegraph.

A relative identified 21-year-old Maryam Nuri Mohamed Amin, known to her family as Baran, as one of those who died on what was the deadliest day of the migration crisis.

The student was said to have been trying to join her fiance, who already lives in Britain, as her cousin urged the British and French governments to help people resettle rather than 'force them to take this route of death'.

Krmanj Ezzat Dargali told Sky News: 'The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life.

'I understand why so many people are leaving for a better life, but this is not the correct path. It's the route of death.'

Also among those who died was Harem Pirot, 25, and his friend Twana Mamand Muhammad, both from Rayna in Iraq, according to The Observer.

Mr Pirot had been trying to reach England to meet his brother Anwar, a Sheffield graduate living in Cambridge.

The Observer also said there was a family from the Iraqi Kurdish town of Darbandikhan - Khazal Hussein, 45, and her children Haida, 22, son Mubin, 16, and younger daughter Hasti, seven.

Ms Hussein's husband, Rezgar, said: 'My wife and children were unhappy with our life here. They wanted us all to go to the UK.

'I told them I couldn't come because of my job as a policeman. I would lose it. They insisted to go so I agreed I would join them if they made it, and if they didn't, they could come back. I never knew it was risky.'
Priti Patel last night launched a defence of her handling of the migrant crisis as she faced pressure from Ministers and MPs.

It came amid growing Cabinet concern over the Home Secretary's seeming inability to resolve the Channel migrant crisis.

However, Ms Patel's allies hit back last night, defending her record and accusing the French of refusing to cooperate.

Twenty-seven migrants, including women and children, died on Wednesday when their dinghy sank off Calais.

Ms Patel was due to meet President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the crisis, but the French government cancelled the meeting in a fit of pique after receiving an open letter from Boris Johnson, posted on Twitter, which Mr Macron claimed breached protocol.

In a further escalation of rhetoric, Michel Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, who is running in France's presidential election, urged France to tear up its migrant treaty with the UK.

Priti Patel, 49, last night launched a defence of her handling of the migrant crisis as she faced pressure from Ministers and MPs

Ms Patel was due to meet President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the crisis, but the French government cancelled the meeting in a fit of pique after receiving an open letter from Boris Johnson

Civil servants hand 90k to radical group that wants end to all borders A radical migration campaign group that promotes 'abolishing borders' and blamed last week's 27 Channel boat deaths on government policy receives state funding, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Migrants Organise, which has arranged protests outside the Home Office over the migration crisis, has received nearly 90,000 in Whitehall grants over the past three years, Freedom of Information documents have shown. Civil servants are accused of being 'determined to prop up pressure groups with taxpayers' cash' in signing off the funding. The grants have been given by the Home Office, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Greater London Authority. They have given the group 21,502, 40,842 and 27,500 respectively since 2018. Recent social-media posts by Migration Organise include describing the Government's immigration policy as 'cruel and inhumane'. One read: 'The whole damn system has to go!' The group has also retweeted messages saying the deaths of 27 migrants last week were a 'direct result of this Government's horrific fortress Britain policies'. It has also retweeted calls to 'Abolish all borders' and ease migration routes into the UK. Tory MP Craig Mackinlay branded the group's public funding 'madness' last night and said it seemed to be a 'policy of providing the poison for one's own enemy to put into the communal well'. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers should not be subsidising campaigners to preach and protest. 'Some officials seem determined to prop up pressure groups with taxpayers' cash, despite them campaigning on extremely divisive issues and even blockading public buildings. Ministers must stop paying out to political groups pushing for policy changes.' Advertisement

The Prime Minister is understood to have privately rebuked Ms Patel for failing to 'get a grip' on the issue, and was joined in his criticisms by other Ministers at a meeting in the wake of the drowning tragedy.

A source said: 'She has had two years to sort this out, but the situation is worse than ever. She is happy to bask in the limelight when things are going well, but seems to go missing when it goes wrong.'

However, allies of Ms Patel hit back by blaming the French  and her ministerial colleagues.

A Home Office source said: 'This letter debacle shows publicly what Priti has been battling against in private for the last two years. We have made all the offers the Prime Minister made to the French in his letter before.

'We could offer them a pot of unlimited gold and a magic wand to make this all stop and they would still find a reason to say no.

'People say she should get a grip of the situation, and now they can all see for themselves what she's up against.

'Departments across Whitehall have sat on their hands for two years and it's only now they are starting to even look at what our asks of them are.

'What would anyone else have done differently? For two years people have been trying to water down what we have suggested.

'It's only thanks to Priti that offshoring and outsourcing even remain options'.

Ms Patel is understood to be particularly angry about the lack of progress made by the Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, while he was in the role of Foreign Secretary.

On Friday, Mr Macron criticised Mr Johnson for breaking protocol by publicly posting his letter, which was addressed 'Dear Emmanuel'.

The French President, who is gearing up for an election next year, said he would 'work seriously to settle serious issues with serious people', and 'move forward efficiently with the British, if they decide to get serious'.

But the Prime Minister's spokesman defended publishing the letter and said: 'The public understandably want to know what we're doing to prevent this from happening again.'

Meanwhile, the crisis has also divided the Opposition.

Last night, some Labour MPs privately complained that the party was once again alienating its 'patriotic' working-class voters by appearing to side with the French President in the diplomatic spat over Mr Johnson's letter.

The flimsy and dangerous dinghy that sank off Calais on Wednesday, killing 27 people including seven women - one of whom was pregnant - and three children

Baran Nouri Hamadami, from northern Iraq, and pictured with her husband, was among the 27 who drowned in the disaster off the coast of Calais earlier this week

Twenty-seven migrants, including women and children, died on Wednesday when their dinghy sank off Calais. Pictured: Migrants prepare to cross the channel on November 24

The Prime Minister is understood to have privately rebuked Ms Patel for failing to 'get a grip' on the issue, and was joined in his criticisms by other Ministers at a meeting in the wake of the drowning tragedy

Migrants set up camp on a railway line in Grande-Synthe near Calais after police smashed their previous camp

They pointed to how Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds had described the French decision to cancel Priti Patel's invitation to talks as 'a humiliation' for Mr Johnson and his Home Secretary.

The former Labour Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who is now chief executive of the International Rescue Mission, said that Mr Johnson's letter to the French President was 'unwise'.

One senior Labour MP said last night: 'The party's making a mistake here  the working-class vote will support Boris on this.'
Sajid Javid provoked roars of laughter when he won The Spectator magazine's 'comeback of the year' award last week  and paid tribute to 'the CCTV guy at the Department of Health' who caught his predecessor Matt Hancock in the fateful clinch that enabled the return of the Saj to frontline politics.

After the ceremony was over, and while Mr Hancock  who was also at the event  headed to a Prohibition-style basement bar in Soho to dance to 1980s music, Mr Javid went home to deal with the latest plot twists in the Covid pandemic.

Yesterday's announcement that two people in the UK have been found to be infected with the new Omicron Covid variant is being greeted with relative calm by Mr Javid and his officials: they are cautiously optimistic that the vaccine roll-out, combined with travel restrictions, PCR testing, the return of mask-wearing and advanced genome sequencing will remove the need for any more lockdowns.

'We were the first country to identify the significance of this variant, we are talking every day about it and I am being constantly updated on it,' Mr Javid says.

Yesterday's announcement that two people in the UK have been found to be infected with the new Omicron Covid variant is being greeted with relative calm by Sajid Javid (pictured)

'I think for something like that we should act very quickly. I spoke to the Prime Minister and he agreed absolutely.'

Mr Javid is speaking to The Mail on Sunday in his expansive Whitehall office to herald a planned week of health announcements, including a new national force of 'NHS reservists' modelled on the Army Reserve  made up of retired medics and logistic specialists who can swing into action if the NHS comes under strain in the winter, or if the booster vaccine programme needs supercharging.

He is also expected to set out measures to tackle the backlog of hospital appointments, which is now forecast to peak at an astonishing 13 million, and to deal with the endemic waste that saps the Health Service's 162 billion annual budget.

His carefully prepared plans risk being scrambled by concern  which many experts think could be overheated  about the mutant Omicron.

But critically, Britain's world-beating vaccine programme means that confidence is higher than it was with previous variants, such as Delta.

'The good news is that we know a lot more about vaccines than we did at the start of the pandemic. The MRNA technology, which you find, for example, in the Pfizer vaccine, is very quick.

'In theory the MRNA platform should be able to develop something for trial within days. Of course it has to be vigorously tested, but what we can say today is that vaccines can be developed in months now where pre-pandemic, if you'd asked me or anyone else, it would have been years.'

The contact tracing of people who have potentially been exposed to the new variant will be carried out by what Mr Javid hails as the UK's 'world-leading test and trace architecture'.

Sajid Javid provoked roars of laughter when he paid tribute to 'CCTV guy at the Department of Health' who caught Matt Hancock (pictured) in the clinch that enabled the return of the Saj

Javid is cautiously optimistic that the vaccine roll-out and the return of mask-wearing will remove the need for any more lockdowns. Pictured: London in lockdown on November 5

'A really good example of our surveillance capability is the fact that we are the first country to identify the threat of this particular new variant. And in terms of testing, there are hundreds and thousands of tests taking place every day.'

Does he think that Omicron has increased the chances of another dreaded lockdown?

'No, not yet, not yet,' he says, before pointing to Boris Johnson's decision to relax restrictions earlier than other EU countries as key.

'I think we have got enough data now to say, especially when we look at what's happening in other countries in Europe, that we absolutely made the right decision in the summer.

'But I was firmly of the view that of course we need to open up at some point and if you are going to do it, do it into the summer, it's much less risk. It was about opening up at the safest possible time but accepting the transmission.

'I think one of the reasons why in the UK things are very stable at this point in time is because of that decision and the success of our booster programme.'

He adds: 'When I first took up this job, I said we need to learn to live with this virus like we live with flu. We accept that flu comes round every year, sadly people die because of flu and we have given the best help and protection that we can to society, but we don't stop society to deal with flu.

'Today we already have flu vaccines that deal with multiple strains and there is no reason to think that you can't do that with Covid.

'For the next few years, if the world can get regular vaccines like we get the flu vaccine every winter that deals with multiple strains, then I think we will live completely normal lives again and there is every reason to look forward to that.

'There is every reason to think that we'll be able to have normal lives and not have to worry about travel restrictions and things like that. That's where we want to get to.'

In the delicate equation between public health protection and the health of the economy, Mr Javid places particular weight on the long-term damage caused by the lockdowns.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

'Look at all the other damage that was done because of the lockdowns. The impact on our children, on their education, on the non-Covid health impacts, the surge we've seen in mental health referrals  it's off the charts because of the lockdowns.

'The rise in people with heart disease going undiagnosed, cancer cases that were undiagnosed  we couldn't carry on like that.'

Mr Javid is particularly determined to tackle the NHS waiting list, which stands at 5.8 million and is projected to double.

'No one knows the long-term impact of actions taken around the pandemic in Britain and abroad. We will learn more about this over time but what I do know is, especially when it comes to health, it's not just about Covid.'

By next spring, no one will be allowed to work for the NHS unless they have been fully vaccinated. Currently, 100,000 members of staff are not. Will there be staff shortages?

'It's hard to know,' he says. As a country we haven't done anything like this before.

'If I look at other countries... so France did something similar and in three or four months they went from, I think it was something like 70 per cent vaccinated to 99.8 per cent vaccinated. I hope we'll have a similar response.'

The British have been more cautious than the Americans in suggesting that the pandemic could have started after a virus leaked from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Does he still believe the 'Zoonotic' theory that it came from a sickly pangolin infecting a human after being bitten by a bat from caves 1,000 miles away?

'We do need to learn more, there are a lot of questions that still haven't been answered. That first World Health Organisation investigation into the origins, as they've said themselves, is not complete, they want to do more work.

'We do support WHO, others need to gain access to the information that they need and I do think that it's right for the longer term for us to learn everything we can about the origins of this one to better protect against the next one when it comes, which one day there will be another challenge, I'll be honest about that, and the more we learn this time round the better protected we'll be in the future.'

Away from Covid, the Government has been buffeted by rows over the small boats crisis in the Channel and tensions between Downing Street and the Treasury.

Cases of Omicron have already been picked up in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is not yet known whether the variant arrived in the Netherlands yesterday but Dutch authorities are sequencing passengers' tests

Mr Javid himself left No 11 last year after losing a power struggle with No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings, so are these issues inevitable? 'No,' he says quickly.

'Since I've been back in government I have been working incredibly closely with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.

'We will meet as a team at least once a week and have a lot of stuff to do together and every time I see the two of them together it is a great relationship.'

On the migrant crisis, which he had to deal with as Home Secretary, he says: 'The responsibility for this ultimately lies with the people smugglers, the gangs that are taking vulnerable people.

They are misleading them and putting them in harm's way. I think the Home Secretary is doing everything she can, I think she is working incredibly hard on this with her team but it does require others to help us that aren't in our direct control.

'The French are top of the list to be doing everything they can to support us in this.'

This is Mr Javid's sixth Cabinet job. Will it be his last?

'Health has got to be one of the most important jobs in the country right now. I've never felt I've been in such a responsible position.'

For which he can thank Mr Hancock's CCTV implosion  but the two men remain in close contact.

'Matt worked incredibly hard. He did his very best and when we look back at the pandemic, when the worst of this is all over and we look back, I think people will look back and think Matt Hancock played a really important role and was a great public servant.'
The French authorities auctioned off at least seven confiscated small boats on the very day 27 migrants drowned in the Channel.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the vessels, including one almost identical to the dinghy that sank near Calais, were sold online last Wednesday for as little as 160 (135).

Critics questioned the morality of selling the longboats, which are of little use to fishermen or yachtsmen, and fear they will simply end up back in the hands of ruthless people-traffickers.

The French authorities auctioned off at least seven confiscated small boats on the very day 27 migrants drowned in the Channel. Pictured dinghy for illustrative purposes only

The online auction of 15 inflatable dinghies and 50 outboard engines recovered at sea by lifeboats, coastguards or the French Navy was approved by Frances Maritime Affairs department.

A sale page shows that seven craft between seven and nine metres in length were sold for between 160 and 320 each. The engines fetched between 150 and 600.

Six longboats were black but the seventh  Lot 168 on the online site Interencheres  was grey and similar to the flimsy craft that deflated and sank on Wednesday.

The shoddy construction raised fears that the the boats had been built for the people-smugglers by DIY cowboys in secret factories in France, Belgium or Germany.

The site holding the auction accepts payments in cash for items selling below 1,000, with buyers asked to collect purchases from a warehouse at Bourbourg on the coast between Calais and Dunkirk.

At least 27 migrants have drowned in the Channel attempting to cross from France to the UK, just hours after a different group of 40 migrants were pictured launching dinghies from the French coast watched by police. Pictured dinghy for illustrative purposes only

One Breton boat-owner said: I know the maritime world and this type of inflatable boat, nine metres long and with a flexible floor, is not of the kind used by pleasure craft owners.

Who are the buyers of this type of craft? Who is selling them? What is there to stop them being sold to people-smugglers?

A spokeswoman for the sale organisers said no one from the auctioneer Thierry May was available for comment. She referred callers to the Maritime Prefecture in Cherbourg, which authorised the auction.
Britain will be hit by new travel restrictions, heightened testing and the return of compulsory facemasks in shops under new curbs announced by Boris Johnson last night to combat the new Omicron variant of Covid.

Tens of thousands of winter holidays will be affected as those returning from anywhere abroad must take PCR tests and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

As it emerged that one of the two people infected with the Omicron variant in the UK was double-jabbed, scientists at Britain's top secret Porton Down laboratory were studying swabs from the cases to determine how the 'super mutant' strain reacts to vaccines.

In another significant development, it was announced that anyone who comes into contact with someone infected with the new variant must self-isolate for ten days, regardless of their vaccination status.

Outlined by a businesslike Boris Johnson at a Downing Street press conference last night, the new rules  set to be in place for at least three weeks  were met with dismay by the travel industry.

A raft of new Covid rules were announced by PM Boris Johnson at a Downing Street press conference on Saturday (pictured)

Further details, including when the measures will come into force, are expected to be revealed by Ministers today

The return of mandatory facemasks in shops and on public transport was one of the new measures announced on Saturday

One chief executive described it as the 'worst Christmas present ever'.

Further details, including when the measures will come into force, are expected to be revealed by Ministers today.

It is understood that Scotland will impose similar restrictions.

In other developments yesterday:

Mr Johnson said that facemasks must also be worn on all public transport  but said there are no plans to extend the restrictions to pubs, restaurants or cinemas;

It emerged that the two UK cases  in Nottingham and Brentwood, Essex  are linked, with both people thought to have recently returned from southern Africa;

Heathrow announced it will now reopen its Terminal 4 arrivals hall for passengers arriving from red-list countries, who will be required to go to quarantine hotels;

Officials added four more southern African countries  Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia  to the red list, taking the total to ten alongside South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimababwe and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), which were put on the list on Friday.

Mr Johnson offered something of an apology to travellers for the new restrictions, saying: 'I'm afraid [they] may sound tough but that is just the way it's got to be.'

He described the rules on masks and border controls as 'targeted and proportionate measures' needed to give scientists time to understand how transmissible the Omicron variant was and how much it might evade vaccine protection.

'First, we need to slow down the seeding of this variant in our country,' he said.

'We need to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we are dealing with, and for us to get more people vaccinated and above all  to get more people boosted; as well as to help our NHS prepare in what is an already challenging winter.'

While stressing that the Government is 'not going to stop people travelling', he said: 'We will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after arrival, and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.'

In practice, that is likely to mean travellers will have to self-isolate for at least two days  and possibly longer  as most PCR tests take a minimum of 24 hours to come back. Day two testing packages typically cost between 90 and 100, meaning a family of five faces an added cost of 500 for a trip abroad.

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  after Sajid Javid announced that two cases of the 'monstrous' new Covid variant were detected. The number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

Samples from British cases tested at chemical war lab By Stephen Adams Medical Editor for the Mail on Sunday Public health officials were last night in a race to track down anyone who has been in contact with Britain's first confirmed cases of the Omicron variant. The two individuals, one from Nottingham and the other from Brentwood, Essex, are understood to have become infected in southern Africa, where the strain was first identified. Health officials said 'all members of their households are being tested and told to self- isolate', and that wider contact tracing was also under way. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which took over the Covid protection role from Public Health England in October, has so far provided no details about when and where the two arrived back in the UK. The two cases are 'linked' but officials would not say whether this meant that they were on a trip abroad together, were sat close to each other on a plane or were associated in some other way. Samples of the virus taken from the pair have been sent to the agency's top security Porton Down site. Separately, other samples are being flown in bio-secure vials from South Africa. Vaccine experts from the Oxford-AstraZeneca team and Pfizer have also been given access to the samples to fast-track their assessment of whether Omicron can side-step the protection afforded by current vaccines. Advertisement

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said tour operators, travel agents and airlines were 'deeply concerned' by the new travel bans, which threaten the industry's fragile recovery.

'The red list has come back and hotel quarantine has come back. Just as we thought we'd moved on from that, the industry has the worst Christmas present ever,' he said.

'Ministers have left consumers in utter limbo because why would you take the risk of booking holidays knowing the Government could put in place more restrictions?

'This leaves the industry teetering on a cliff-edge again.'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said it will be three weeks before the Government reviews the travel ban  which would be December 17.

Mr Charles said that would lead to cancelled holidays as 'people can't make a decision so close Christmas'.

Willie Walsh, the former boss of British Airways' parent company IAG, said: 'Governments are responding to the risks of the new coronavirus variant in emergency mode, creating fear among the travelling public.

'We must use the experience of the last two years to move to a co-ordinated approach that finds safe alternatives to border closures and quarantine.

'Travel restrictions are not a long-term solution to control Covid variants.'

Mr Johnson insisted the new measures were 'temporary and precautionary' and would be reviewed in three weeks.

He added: 'At that point we should have much greater information about the continuing effectiveness of our vaccines.

'I very much hope we will find that we continue to be in a strong position, and we can lift these measures again.

'But right now this is the responsible course of action, to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant, and to maximise our defences, so we protect the gains we have worked for so hard for and so that we can continue to save lives.'

During the press conference, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty strongly suggested that booster jabs currently available to the over-40s would be extended to all over 18s.

He also gave a hint that 12 to 15-year-olds will get a second vaccine dose too. This group have only been offered a single dose so far, amid concerns about side-effects.

Prof Whitty said there were 'now significant outbreaks' in this age group in schools, so second doses 'clearly should be looked at'.
Ghislaine Maxwell is prepared to take the witness stand in an effort to save her own life, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The 59-year-old says she will do whatever it takes to clear her name at her trial, which begins in New York tomorrow.

A source close to Ms Maxwell, who faces life in prison if convicted of child sex and trafficking charges, said: Ghislaine is absolutely prepared to take the stand. She is prepared to do whatever it takes to save her own life.

She has never shied away from the truth and she is looking forward to her day in court. Defendants in high-profile sex abuse trials often decide not to give evidence and instead put pressure on prosecutors to prove their case.

Ms Maxwell, whose designer wardrobe has been tailored to accommodate her severe weight loss while on remand, fears being scapegoated for the crimes of her ex-boyfriend

But Ms Maxwell, whose designer wardrobe has been tailored to accommodate her severe weight loss while on remand, fears being scapegoated for the crimes of her ex-boyfriend, serial paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

She will make her case to the jury if her defence team think it necessary when the prosecution rests.

Ghislaine is not over-confident by any means but she knows she is telling the truth, said the source.

She has no fear about getting in the witness box.

Four women will claim they were abused by Ms Maxwell, one when she was just 14. However, the judge has ruled that testimony from two of the women cannot be used in court because they were not underage at the time and in the place where the attacks are alleged to have occurred.

The source explained: One is a British accuser who was 17 when the alleged activities took place but that is above the legal age in the UK.

Another woman, Annie Farmer, was 16 when she says she was sexually assaulted in New Mexico, where the legal age of consent is 16.

This is a huge blow to the prosecution, the source said. They cannot prove two of their witnesses were underage so the judge will instruct the jury that their testimony cannot be used to convict Ghislaine.

Ms Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has told The Mail on Sunday: I am innocent.
Civil servants have blocked the word 'Christmas' from efforts to avert a winter Covid crisis, as they fear it would offend minority religions.

The ban, detailed in emails leaked to The Mail on Sunday, was revealed as Boris Johnson announced tighter travel restrictions and new rules on masks in a bid to limit the spread of the new Omicron variant.

Ministers had also planned a publicity blitz telling students to get tested before returning to their families using the slogan: 'Don't take Covid home for Christmas'  but it was vetoed by Cabinet Office officials.

The move sparked a row over 'wokeism' in the Civil Service  which has been disparagingly nicknamed 'The Blob' by critics  with one Muslim Tory MP branding the ban 'ridiculous'.

The ban by civil servants to block 'Christmas' from publicity efforts to avert a winter Covid crisis has been branded as 'ridiculous' by Muslim Tory MP Saqib Bhatti (pictured)

Last night, the Prime Minister threw winter travel plans into chaos by announcing that every traveller arriving in the country must self-isolate until they can produce a negative PCR test, and that anybody who came in contact with someone infected with the mutation must stay at home for ten days.

Masks will be compulsory on public transport and in shops, while experts will now consider whether to extend the booster vaccine to all over-18s.

Mr Johnson said: 'I very much hope that we will find that we continue to be in a strong position and we can lift these measures again, but right now this is the responsible course of action to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant and to maximise our defences so that we protect the gains we've worked for so hard.'

The Downing Street announcement came after two people in the UK were found to be infected with the new variant  one in Brentwood, Essex, and the other in Nottingham. Both cases are linked and connected to travel in southern Africa.

It is understood that one of those infected was double- vaccinated: their swabs are being studied at the Government's research laboratory in Porton Down, Wiltshire, and by the vaccine manufacturers AstraZenica and Pfizer.

As part of the attempt to suppress a winter spike, Ministers drew up plans for the 'Don't take Covid home for Christmas' advertising campaign targeting students, to run from December 3 to 17.

But it is being held up by the Cabinet Office on the grounds that it is not 'inclusive' enough.

The Government plans to use social media 'influencers' on sites such as TikTok, to urge the 1.2 million students who will be travelling home at the end of the term to take a Covid test before they do.

Britain has sequenced two cases of the Omicron variant in Nottingham and Chelmsford, Sajid Javid said today

Another 39,567 Covid cases and 131 deaths were recorded in the UK today. Department of Health officials posted nearly 40,000 daily infections  down 3.36 per cent from 40,941 last Saturday  while the number of people who have died 28 days after testing positive for Covid has also fallen by 12.7 per cent from 150 last week

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated around 862,300 people caught the virus on any given day in the week up to November 20, up 4.5 per cent on the 824,900 the week before

But in an email sent on Thursday, an official said: 'We have been advised by Cabinet Office that we should not use the word Christmas  as the Government campaign needs to be inclusive and some religions don't celebrate Christmas...

'The other option was 'festive season' which keeps the emotional motivation. We have gone with 'Don't take Covid-19 home for the holidays'  as it links to school and university Christmas holidays. The alliteration with 'home' and 'holidays' scans well and is memorable'.

Another official then objects: 'We don't refer to Christmas as the holidays (that's an Americanism). Please can we say, 'Don't take Covid-19 home'.'

Last night, Saqib Bhatti, the Conservative MP for Meriden, said: 'As a Muslim, I find it ridiculous we can't enjoy this special time of year. I look forward to showing my new son his first Christmas tree. The idea you can't mention Christmas is completely ridiculous.

'It's a time to celebrate, whatever your background. It's part of the British culture I love. It's the celebration of all cultures that makes this the most welcoming country in the world.

'I'm proud of that and proud to celebrate Christmas. The Blob needs to stop waging war on Christmas and get on with delivering for the British people.'

In other developments:

Health Secretary Sajid Javid used an interview with this newspaper to announce a new 'NHS Reserves' programme, modelled on Army reserves, comprising retired medics and logistic experts who can swing into action if the NHS comes under strain in the winter and help deliver vaccines;

The number of Covid hospital admissions fell 11.2 per cent over the previous seven days to 768 and the number of deaths dropped by 16.8 per cent to 131  but the number of positive tests rose 8.6 per cent to 39,567;

The total number of booster doses administered surpassed 17 million, amounting to almost 30 per cent of the over-12s;

More than ten per cent of the 600 passengers arriving in the Netherlands from South Africa yesterday tested positive for Covid on PCR tests  despite having to provide proof of a negative lateral flow test taken within 24 hours of departure.

Mr Johnson said that the measures will be reviewed in three weeks. The new mask rules are expected to become mandatory within days.

He said: 'We're not going to stop people travelling, I want to stress that, but we will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result.

'We will require all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for ten days regardless of your vaccination status.

'We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport.'
A competition is offering primary-school-age children a shot at designing the logo that will adorn the sides of rockets launched from UK spaceports next year.

The UK Space Agency's contest is open to children all across the country and will run until March 11, 2022, ensuring kids, parents and teachers have time to enter.

Children can enter either alone, or in teams of up to four people. Entries can be submitted as drawings, paintings or designs developed on a computer.

Winners from each region will receive a special prize, while all entrants will have the opportunity to download their own personalised LaunchUK participation certificate.

Finalists may also have the opportunity, the agency said, to attend the first launch, which will see small climate monitoring and comms satellites carried into orbit.

A second contest  which will see entrants design a satellite to help inform solutions to climate change  is also being opened to older students (aged 16+) and adults.

A competition is offering primary-school-age children a shot at designing the logo that will adorn the sides of rockets launched from UK spaceports next year

BRITAIN'S FIRST SPACEPORT The UK Space Agency selected Sutherland, on Scotland's north coast, as the site for Britain's first spaceport. The site is being developed by US aerospace and defence behemoth Lockheed Martin. The port will boost Scotland's already burgeoning satellite industry. Outside of the US, Scotland produces more satellites than any country. It is hoped the UK will launch an estimated 2,000 satellites by 2030. Advertisement

Following from the Government's National Space Strategy, the UK will be the first country in Europe to host small satellite launches.

'Next year, small satellites will launch from UK spaceports for the very first time, helping to support our world-leading Earth observation capabilities and create high-skilled jobs across the country,' said UK Space Agency deputy CEO Ian Annett.

He added: 'This competition offers young people the chance to learn more about this exciting activity and hopefully inspire them to be the next generation of space talent and be part of the UKs thriving space sector.'

Logo designs submitted to the competition should reflect how data collected from small satellite missions can help us develop solutions to tackle climate change.

According to the UK Space Agency, around half of the different types of data needed to accurately monitor the Earth's climate are presently collected by satellites.

They relay regular data to scientists on such measurements as the extent of the polar ice caps, shifts in global sea levels, the temperatures of the oceans and deserts  and even counts of endangered animals like walruses and whales.

The UK is playing a key role in three upcoming satellite missions  MicroCarb, TRUTHS and Biomass  which will, respectively, measure carbon emissions, improve climate data and monitor the health of the world's forests.

The UK Space Agency selected Sutherland, on Scotland's north coast, as the site for Britain's first spaceport.

Other proposed locations for the UK's spaceports are Newquay in Cornwall, Snowdonia in North Wales and  in Scotland  the Western Isles, Glasgow, Machrihanish and Shetland.

The UK Space Agency selected Sutherland, on Scotland's north coast, as the site for the UK's first spaceport. Pictured: an artist's impression of a British spaceport

'2022 will be a historic year for the UK space and satellite industry, with the exciting prospect of the first small satellites launching from British soil,' said UK Science Minister, George Freeman.

'The continued strength of our growing space industry depends on finding and attracting future talent,' he added.

'This competition is a great way for children to learn about the importance of satellites and to showcase their creativity.'

The contest can be entered online via the UK Space Agency Logo Competition website. Postal entries will also be accepted.
Kadeena Cox checks in to our travel Q&A

This week Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox checks in to our travel Q&A.

She shares the highlight of her Tokyo trip this summer, and more...

Earliest holiday memory?

Having to share a tent with my sisters at a holiday camp in Scarborough  Im one of seven  and we argued every night. Im not a big swimmer though, so was scared of going in the sea.

First trip abroad?

Going to Jamaica in my early teens with my family. My mum comes from the Jamaican bush, which is very rural, and we cooked food on an outdoor stove. I also met my grandad for the first time.

Favourite Olympic city?

Probably Tokyo because I got to see both a traditional village, with its beautiful houses, on the edge of town, and the big city where it was Lights, camera, action! It really wowed me.

Highlight of your Tokyo trip?

Besides winning my gold medals, watching the sun set over Mount Fuji. That was pretty amazing.

And what about Rio in 2016?

My family, who accompanied me, visited Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue  but I was competing until the final day of the Paralympics so didnt have a chance to do any sightseeing. But I had a few caipirinhas before flying home.

Are you a good flyer?

I dont like flying, but try to get some shut-eye. Luckily, I can sleep anywhere.

Kadeena recalls watching the sun set over Mount Fuji when she visited Tokyo for the Paralympics

Top travel beauty tip?

I always carry powder and eyeliner to put on my face in case Im looking sleepy at the end of a flight.

Favourite hotel?

The Royalton White Sands Resort in Jamaica. Its got a beautiful beach by the sea, the rooms are huge and there is a fantastic gym.

Cant travel without?

My laptop so I can watch some trash TV, be it Love Island or Married At First Sight UK. I also need my training kit, so I can do my daily gym session.

Kadeena reveals her dream destination is Machu Picchu, the famous archeological site in Peru

Where next?

Im going to St Lucia next year. What will I do there? Lie by a pool and chill out!

Dream destination?

I was hoping to visit Machu Picchu for my 30th birthday last year, but it didnt happen due to Covid. Hopefully, Ill make it out there someday soon 
Advertisement

Don't let images of mass protests over new Covid restrictions this week in some European countries put you off.

Travel is most definitely on to all countries  except Austria, where a lockdown is in place for the coming fortnight.

Yes, Covid cases may be on the increase, with talk of a fourth wave  and there is widespread concern about the potential impact of the new Covid variant discovered in South Africa this week  but fully vaccinated Britons are welcome across the Continent. Heres our update...

Britons can travel to all countries in Europe, except Austria, where a lockdown is in place for the coming fortnight

AUSTRIAN WOBBLE

WHATS THE LATEST? Lockdown until December 13, with a tourism shutdown before then too. Bars, restaurants, cafes and non-essential shops are closed.

GETTING IN: Proof of full vaccination, having recovered from Covid, or a negative PCR test will be required after the lockdown.

WHEN YOURE THERE: To visit indoor venues or ride ski lifts, full vaccination/proof of recovery is necessary (under-12s exempt). Masks needed in enclosed public places.

WHAT THEY SAY: Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein says the sledgehammer of a lockdown was desperately needed.

MORE INFORMATION: Austria.info.

DUTCH COURAGE?

WHATS THE LATEST? A semi-lockdown with an 8pm curfew on bars and restaurants. Restrictions in place until at least December 4. Further strong measures are expected soon, with the Outbreak Management Team suggesting that curfews could even begin at 5pm.

GETTING IN: You must be fully vaccinated or have proof of a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours of going. Rules for children depend on age (see gov.uk).

WHEN YOURE THERE: A Dutch Covid Pass is required for bars, restaurants and museums (download via Dutch CoronaCheck app). Handshaking is banned. Room service food and takeaway food possible after 8pm.

WHAT THEY SAY: Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called for calm after clashes between anti-vaxers and police.

MORE INFORMATION: Holland.com.

GERMAN JITTERS

The Christmas market in Munich, pictured, has been axed this year to prevent the spread of Covid

WHATS THE LATEST? Munichs Christmas market has been cancelled as part of tougher Covid measures nationwide.

GETTING IN: You can enter without a test if fully vaccinated. Accompanied unvaccinated children under 12 may go without a test. Complete a pre-departure form (einreiseanmeldung.de).

WHEN YOURE THERE: To enter restaurants and bars you must be vaccinated, have proof of recovery or have a recent negative test certificate.

WHAT THEY SAY: The government says a full lockdown cannot be ruled out.

MORE INFORMATION: Germany.travel.

FRENCH RESISTANCE

Skiers will have to be fully vaccinated or have proof of a negative Covid test to access the lifts in the likes of the French resort of Courchevel, pictured

WHATS THE LATEST? From December 15, over-65s must have had a booster jab for indoor venues. Skiers will have to be fully vaccinated or have proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours to access lifts.

GETTING IN: Fully vaccinated tourists may go after completing a sworn statement that they do not have Covid symptoms (interieur.gouv.fr). Under-12s travelling with adults are accepted. Unvaccinated children over 12 need a negative test.

WHEN YOURE THERE: For indoor venues such as restaurants and bars, a Pass Sanitaire is required proving full vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours for children. Download the TousAntiCovid app to register. Face masks mandatory on ski lifts.

WHAT THEY SAY: Lockdowns are currently not necessary, says President Macron.

MORE INFORMATION: Gouvernement.fr.

OK IN CROATIA

Tourists can freely enter Croatia, says the country's tourist board. Pictured is Split, a popular Croatian tourist haven

WHATS THE LATEST? Demos over Covid passes. Cases have fallen slightly recently.

GETTING IN: Fine if youre fully jabbed, recovered or can prove a recent negative test.

WHEN YOURE THERE: Masks required on public transport. Covid passes not needed for bars and restaurants.

WHAT THEY SAY: Tourists can freely enter Croatia, says the tourist board.

MORE INFORMATION: Visit-croatia.co.uk.

BELGIAN CONCERNS

WHATS THE LATEST? Violent protests in Brussels over a work-from-home decree but for tourists, perversely, entry rules are being eased.

GETTING IN: Entry rules for fully vaccinated arrivals were relaxed yesterday so you merely need a negative PCR Covid test less than 72 hours old to get in.

WHEN YOURE THERE: Covid Safe Ticket vaccine passport needed for bars, restaurants and clubs (covidsafe.be/en). Nightclubs will be closed and restaurants and bars will close at 11pm for the next three weeks.

WHAT THEY SAY: Belgiums Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says violent street protests are absolutely unacceptable.

MORE INFORMATION: Visitbelgium.com.

SWISS CAUTION

Travellers hoping to visit Switzerland's Lake Geneva (pictured) are in luck - borders are open to double-jabbed Britons with passenger locator forms

WHATS THE LATEST? A referendum is being held tomorrow on whether to extend the requirement for a Swiss Covid Certificate to allow access to restaurants and bars. Polls suggest a yes vote.

GETTING IN: Borders open to double-jabbed Britons with passenger locator forms (swissplf.admin.ch).

WHEN YOURE THERE: NHS Covid passes are accepted in place of Swiss Covid Certificates. Masks mandatory in indoor public places and on ski lifts.

WHAT THEY SAY: The tourist board is upbeat: Its not too late to book your winter trip!

MORE INFORMATION: Myswitzerland.com.

WELCOME IN ITALY

Free to Rome: Fully vaccinated Britons can currently visit the Italian capital and its many tourist attractions - such as the Trevi Fountain, pictured

WHATS THE LATEST? Anti-vax protests are ongoing over a Covid Green Pass to enter restaurants/bars/cafes, which was recently extended to workplaces.

GETTING IN: Fully vaccinated tourists can enter with a passenger locator form (app.euplf.eu). A negative Covid test within 48 hours of departure is also required.

WHEN YOURE THERE: You need a Covid Green Pass for indoor dining and drinking, and ski lifts (dgc.gov.it). Masks required on public transport.

WHAT THEY SAY: Visitors are very welcome, says Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

MORE INFORMATION: Italia.it.

SAFE IN SPAIN

Costa banker: Spain is still open, though there is talk of an 11pm curfew for bars and a 1am curfew for clubs if Covid rates continue to rise

WHAT ABOUT GETTING HOME? You must complete a passenger locator form (gov.uk) within 48 hours of returning to the UK  and buy/book a Day 2 antigen test. These are about 20. If a lockdown is announced when youre abroad, you should have enough notice to fly back early either at your own expense (claiming via insurance) or your tour operator will arrange this. Before travelling anywhere, check with your insurer that travel disruption caused by Covid is covered. Advertisement

WHATS THE LATEST? Covid numbers are up. Talk of an 11pm curfew for bars and 1am for clubs if rates keep rising.

GETTING IN: Must be fully jabbed or have proof of recent negative Covid test, plus a Health Control Form (spth.gob.es).

WHEN YOURE THERE: Face masks mandatory on public transport. No Covid pass required for indoor public places.

WHAT THEY SAY: The more tourists, the merrier, says tourism minister Reyes Maroto.

MORE INFORMATION: Spain.info.

PORTUGAL POTENTIAL

WHATS THE LATEST? This week Portugal announced that up-to-date negative Covid tests will be required to enter bars, restaurants, hotels and other indoor venues.

GETTING IN: From Wednesday, all visitors from abroad must also show a negative Covid test result (PCR or antigen) before departing for the country.

WHEN YOURE THERE: A recent negative Covid test result is needed for public indoor places. NHS Covid passes should be shown on entry to bars and restaurants.

WHAT THEY SAY: Prime Minister Antonio Costa says that a lockdown is unlikely.

MORE INFORMATION: Visitportugal.com.
Brooke Blurton and her chosen love Darvid Garayeli announced that they've moved in together, following Thursday's Bachelorette finale.

And on Friday, she celebrated their special milestone together by posting a collection of photos and videos on Instagram that showed a glimpse of their new Melbourne home.

The 26-year-old reality TV star uploaded a photo of herself holding up a celebratory glass of champagne with her landscaper beau, 27, in their living room.

'Time to celebrate': The Bachelorette's Brooke Blurton shared a glimpse of her new home with Darvid Garayeli in Melbourne after he revealed they were moving in together. She held up a celebratory glass of champagne and big balloons with her landscaper beau in their living room

They each beamed and held up a D and B balloons, along with the caption: 'D&B over and out! Time to celebrate with our family and friends!'

She posted a video of her home decorated with balloons and roses by her friend and stylist Paul Versace after their interview with The Project.

On her Instagram Stories, she shared a photo of herself and Darvid in the barely decorated kitchen of their new home, along with her pals.

'We're home!' On her Instagram Stories, she shared a photo of herself and Darvid in the barely decorated kitchen of their new home

New chapter: She also posted a video of her home decorated with balloons and roses by her friend and stylist Paul Versace after their interview with The Project. The loved-up couple also cuddled up to Brooke's adorable dog Cobar

Sweet: She rounded out her posts with a clip of them blowing out the candles of their cake that featured a photo of them in the finale

The loved-up couple also cuddled up to Brooke's adorable dog Cobar.

She rounded out her posts with a clip of them blowing out the candles of their cake that featured a photo of them in the finale.

After the finale aired on Thursday, Darvid revealed to fans that they were about to move in together in Melbourne.

He said on Instagram: 'I can't believe I found my person. When I entered this experience, I can honestly say I had no idea what to expect. I've come out of this with my life partner and she's so much more than I could have ever envisioned.

New chapter: The landscaper confirmed shortly after the finale episode aired on Thursday that he and Brooke were very much still an item and that they were about to move in together in Melbourne

'My heart is with someone else': Brooke broke the heart of runner-up Jamie-Lee Dayz (left). She tearfully told her: 'I've really, really loved exploring the possibility of a relationship, and how beautiful that story would be... but unfortunately, it's not ours'

'It's been an absolute roller coaster to get to this point, four months of laughter, tears and endless FaceTimes.

'This is the beginning of a new chapter for both of us and I cant wait to move into our Melbourne abode.

On Thursday, Brooke declared her love for Darvid in the finale after breaking the heart of runner-up Jamie-Lee Dayz, whom she first met on The Bachelor in 2018.

She tearfully told the Jamie-Lee: 'I've really, really loved exploring the possibility of a relationship, and how beautiful that story would be. But unfortunately, it's not ours... my heart is with someone else.'
They began their romance on Channel 10's dating series The Bachelor.

Now Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston are filming a brand new show called 100 Honeymoons, after mulling over their dream honeymoon destination.

The couple are currently holidaying in Mudgee for Nicholson's 32nd birthday, which is also acting as a 'honeymoon' for the pair, even though they aren't yet engaged or married.

A new show for the reality star couple: The Bachelor's Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston are shooting a brand new series called 100 Honeymoons

'Surprise! It's a birthday-slash-honeymoon,' Kingston, 27, revealed to Stellar magazine.

Jimmy chimed in and clarified that the couple aren't married 'yet'.

'We're filming a new series called 100 Honeymoons,' the pilot revealed.

How romantic! The couple are currently holidaying in Mudgee for Nicholson's 32nd birthday, which is also acting as a 'honeymoon' for the pair, although they aren't engaged or married yet

'The premise is that the two of us try out different kinds of honeymoon destinations all over Australia and the world. Next up is a trip to Fiji,' he added.

The couple formed the idea for the show after discussing their 'dream honeymoon destination'.

That, combined with the Jimmy and Holly's love for travel and respective careers in flying and journalism and marketing led to the creation of 100 Honeymoons.

The couple's manager, Benji' Hart, stated that the show's concept has already had 'a lot of interest'.

100 Honeymoons: Jimmy and Holly revealed their show will have the duo 'try out different kinds of honeymoon destinations all over Australia and the world'

'The first six episodes will be available online,' he divulged. 'But then watch this space...'

Jimmy and Holly sparked a romance on the latest season of The Bachelor which aired earlier this year, with their relationship going from strength to strength ever since.

Their series of The Bachelor recorded its lowest-ever TV ratings this year across the board.

It's prompted rumours that the once-hit franchise may soon be cancelled after nine seasons.
Pip Edwards jetted back home to Australia this week after a short trip to the U.S to launch her new P.E Nation swimwear collection.

And on Friday, the 41-year-old stepped out in Sydney in a designer outfit worth more than $3,000.

Pip posed up for a mirror selfie showing off her stylish getup, which included a pair of eye-catching $2,200 Prada combat boots.

Turning heads: Pip Edwards cut a stylish figure in an all-black $3,000 designer outfit on Friday, after jetting back to Australia after a whirlwind trip to the US

Pip wore a black wrap jacket, with a pair of black leggings from Wardrobe.NYC, with jackets typically costing upwards of $1,000.

Pip accessorised with a watch and gold jewellery and wore her short bleached blonde locks out and around her face.

Posting her edgy selfie to Instagram on Friday, Pip captioned it: 'Black Friday,' adding a love heart emoji.

Back on home soil: Pip was spotted at Sydney Airport on Wednesday, after having jetted home to Australia from the U.S. She caught a flight home from New York, but while in the U.S also spent time in Los Angeles

Pip was spotted at Sydney Airport on Wednesday, after having jetted home to Australia from the U.S.

She caught a flight home from New York, but while in the U.S also spent time in Los Angeles.

Before jetting back to Australia, Pip said she couldn't wait to return to Sydney after her whirlwind trip to the Big Apple.

'Home is where I wanna be': Before jetting back to Australia, Pip said she couldn't wait to return to Sydney after her whirlwind trip to the Big Apple

'It's been real. But I can't wait to get home. Home is where I wanna be,' she captioned a photo on Instagram of her view from the aeroplane window.

Pip has built a fashion empire alongside P.E Nation co-founder Claire Tregoning.

The Australian Financial Review reported in 2020 the company had earned $20million in revenue in the last fiscal year.

P.E Nation has effectively quadrupled its profits since it was founded four years ago, having reported $5.2million in 2016/17.
She confirmed her new romance with gym owner and First Dates star Billy Delbosq last month.

And Amy Childs and her beau cosied up at the 21st Annual Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball at The Roundhouse in London on Friday night.

The TOWIE star, 31, looked glamorous in a thigh-split silver gown as she posed with her dapper man.

Sweet: Amy Childs and her new beau Billy Delbosq cosied up at the 21st Annual Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball at The Roundhouse in London on Friday night

She showed off plenty of leg in the daring number which also had a plunging neckline and sequin details.

Amy completed her looked with a pair of matching silver heels, dangly earrings and wore her red tresses in perfect waves while opting for a glamorous makeup look.

Meanwhile Billy, 37, looked smart in a black velvet jacket, crispy white shirt and bow tie as he put his arm around Amy.

Work it! The TOWIE star, 31, looked glamorous in a thigh-split silver gown for the event were she also posed solo

Style: She showed off plenty of leg in the daring number which also had a plunging neckline and sequin details

Amy confirmed her new romance with gym owner and First Dates star Billy in October.

The star went Instagram official with the hunk last month, sharing a cosy snap in the back of a car where their hands were interlocked.

MailOnline revealed Amy was dating Billy in September, after the reality star was spotted enjoying champagne-filled dates with the businessman and attending fitness classes at his gym.

Amy's friends were quick to show support for her new relationship, with the likes of Georgia Kousoulou, Danielle Armstrong, Frankie Sims and Ferne McCann flooding the post with love-struck emojis.

Commanding attention: Amy completed her looked with a pair of matching silver heels, dangly earrings and wore her red tresses in perfect waves

Billy is a successful businessman and owns two companies, Box Gym Fitness in Brentwood and LVT which specialises in domestic flooring.

According to his Instagram bio, he is also a director of carpet and flooring shop Delbosq Ltd.

In 2018, he also appeared on reality dating show First Dates.

In late September the mother-of-two was spotted with Billy in London, which was the first time the couple have been seen out together in public.

Radiant: The former beautician and salon owner opted for a glamorous makeup look for the night out

Their West End outing came after Amy revealed she was seeing someone new during The TOWIE Afterparty show earlier this month.

Afterparty host and former TOWIE star Bobby Norris, 35, asked Amy how her love life was following the breakdown of her relationship with Tim three months ago.

Amy cheekily revealed that had been spending time with someone new and that she was now 'happy again'.

She replied: 'Do you know what, Bob? I do rush into relationships, you know me. I rush in, but do you know what? I'm happy.'

Pose: Amy later posed with a mystery man at the event who wore a black three-piece suit

Looking good: She never fails to pull out all the stops when making a red carpet appearance

Amy added: 'I'm seeing someone, a few dates  lovely. I would just like to see how it goes.'

It comes three months after Amy revealed she had split from ex-boyfriend Tim, despite insisting that he could be 'The One.'

Amy had been dating Tim for more than a year and the couple dramatically parted ways in the summer with Amy jetting off to Ibiza alone.

Together: The mystery man out his arm around Amy as they both posed up a storm for the cameras

The reality personality recently revealed the blazing rows she'd have with ex Tim  and admitted that they don't speak at all following their breakup.

At the time of the break up a source told the MailOnline: 'Amy and Tim are both heartbroken.

'They really hoped to make the relationship work, but the romance between them fizzled out,'

'The breakup is still raw, so Amy is taking some time for herself in Ibiza, where she can have some space to get over things.'

New love: She confirmed her new romance with gym owner and First Dates star Billy last month

Amy lived with Tim during lockdown at her Brentwood home alongside daughter Polly and two-year-old son Ritchie Jnr, who she shares with businessman Ritchie.

Speaking in an interview at the time, the mum-of-two shared: 'Tim and I got together in lockdown.

'There was so much going on, I was seeing him and then he was there all the time, and before you know it I was in a relationship.

'It was all so 'guns blazing', but over the two years we did have problems and it wasn't plain sailing. We did really try to make it work.'

Speaking to OK Online she said: 'We were with each other every single day and we were like a married couple.

We couldn't go anywhere, nowhere was open and you don't really know someone until a good 18-months in and we just didn't get on any more.

She added: 'There were problems, he knew we were having problems and I woke up one day and said: 'I can't do this any more'.'
Liberty Poole and Joey Essex put on a very cosy display on Friday night as they revelled in a night of food, cocktails and bowling during a Skinny Tan bash in London.

Former TOWIE star Joey and the Love Island beauty, 31 and 22 respectively, looked more than happy to have a slew of photographs together as they enjoyed an evening in the capital.

Liberty, who was announced as a Skinny Tan ambassador back in August, was pictured whispering into his ear while enjoying a cocktail.

Close: Joey Essex and Love Island's Liberty Poole put on a very friendly display as the pair got into the Friday feeling at a Skinny Tan bash in Westminster

The blonde beauty, who has been single since her split from Jake Cornish in the villa, donned a revealing cut-out lilac jumper tucked into a leather skirt, while Joey kept things slightly more laid back in a casual tee and jeans.

The reality star looped an arm around Liberty's shoulder as the pair posed with drinks in hands.

A source told MailOnline: 'They did have a couple of drinks and a laugh at Libertys Skinny Tan launch party at STK Westminster.'

Friday feeling: Liberty donned a revealing cut-out lilac jumper tucked into a leather skirt, while Joey kept things slightly more laid back in a casual tee and jeans

Friendly: The former TOWIE star and the Love Island beauty, 31 and 22 respectively, looked more than happy to have a slew of stunning photographs together

Liberty was in a relationship with Jake on the ITV2 dating show, but they ended their seven-week romance and left the show three days before the series finale.

While the couple ended amicably, Liberty was devastated, telling Faye Winter: 'I've just got to be true to myself and I can't do this.'

Joey's last relationship was with Brazilian model Brenda Santos but they split in September 2020 following a whirlwind lockdown romance.

He has previously been linked to Sam Faiers, Amber Turner, Amy Willerton, Stephanie Pratt and Rita Ora.

Smiles: The reality star looped an arm around Liberty's shoulder as the pair posed with drinks in hands

Weekend starts now: A source told MailOnline: 'They did have a couple of drinks and a laugh at Libertys Skinny Tan launch party at STK Westminster'

Having a ball: Liberty showed off her bowling skills at her launch party

Single: Liberty was in a relationship with Jake Cornish on the ITV2 dating show, but they ended their seven-week romance and left the show three days before the series finale

Former flame: Joey's last relationship was with Brazilian model Brenda Santos but they split in September 2020 following a whirlwind lockdown romance

Love Island faces Lillie Haynes and Lucinda Strafford also rocked up to central London for the fun-filled event.

Lillie looked gorgeous in a strapless slit mini dress, parading her lithe legs in killer heels.

Lucinda's Friday night style was very much in sync with Lillie's as she sported a classic black dress with heels.

The Love Island girls struck their best poses for the cameras, with Joey joining them for a beaming group snap.

Aligned styles: Love Island faces Lillie Haynes and Lucinda Strafford also rocked up to central London for the fun-filled event

Blonde beauty: Lillie looked gorgeous in a strapless slit mini dress

London bash: The Love Island girls struck their best poses for the cameras

Liberty's work does not stop at Skinny Tan, as she has been training for ITV's new series of Dancing on Ice which is set to air in January.

Liberty will star alongside Coronation Street legend Sally Dynevor, Pussycat Doll star Kimberly Wyatt, Happy Mondays dancer Bez, Paralympian Stef Reid and Rugby player Ben Fogle.

Paul Gascoigne's son, Regan Gascoigne, pop star Rachel Stevens, professional dancer Brendan Cole, BMX Olympic silver medallist Kye Whyte and The Vamps' Connor Ball complete the line up.
Anthony Field has made a career out of making children and adults joyous with his singing and dancing.

But the Blue Wiggle himself often finds it difficult at times to summon happiness within himself, due to his lengthy battle with depression.

Field, 58, has reminded adults, especially men, that it's always 'okay to cry' in a recent interview with the Canberra Weekly.

Honest: Blue Wiggle Anthony Field opened up this week on his long battle with depression and why it's okay for men to cry

'You might think bottling up is a brave thing to do, but letting it out is even braver,' the entertainer began.

Field says he's already seen some positive results by being a strong mental health advocate for men, with many opening up to him personally over the years.

'It needs to become normal for a man to talk to another man about depression,' he said.

'It needs to become normal for a man to talk to another man about depression': The entertainer says he's already seen some positive results by being a strong mental health advocate for men, with many opening up to him personally

'No one ever knows what another person is going through unless they talk about it, I could have a big smile on my face, but behind closed doors, I'd be struggling  and that's anybody.'

The beloved Wiggles star recalled a moment years ago where his brother 'laughed' at him when he was feeling 'so sad' and wasn't able to pinpoint the reason why.

Field states his brother would ask why he felt 'so sad' when he had achieved immense fame and success.

The veteran Wiggle puts it down to the 'chemistry inside your brain' and added that 'no matter how good things seem' you can still be depressed.

Reason: The beloved Wiggles star recalled a moment where his brother asked why he was 'so sad' when he had achieved immense fame and success. Anthony put it down to the 'chemistry inside your brain' and added that 'no matter how good things seem' you can still be depressed

Anthony says his main solace from his mental health struggles has been performing and playing music, which puts him in a 'beautiful mood'.

Field has been battling with his mental health since his early 20's when he was a school teacher, which is also around the same time he created The Wiggles with bandmates Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt.

He has since encouraged men in all walks of life to open up to their loved ones, or a professional, and be candid about their emotions.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
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Barbra Streisand, Hugh Jackman, Idina Menzel, and Jake Gyllenhaal were among the celebrities using social media to pay their respects to legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, who passed away at the age of 91 on Friday.

'Thank the Lord that Sondheim lived to be 91 years old so he had the time to write such wonderful music and GREAT lyrics. May he rest In peace,' tweeted Streisand.

Sondheim famously presented the now 79-year-old vocalist with the coveted Grammy Legend Award back in 1992.

Rest in peace: Barbra Streisand, Hugh Jackman, Idina Menzel, and Jake Gyllenhaal were among the stars using social media to pay their respects to legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, who passed away at the age of 91 on Friday; seen in 2017

Menzel, 50, took to Twitter to mourn Sondheim, by writing: 'Goodbye dear sir. We will spend our lives trying to make you proud.'

Meanwhile, Jackman, wrote: 'Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those.'

The action star, 53, who has been in multiple Broadway shows, continued: 'As millions mourn his passing I also want to express my gratitude for all he has given to me and so many more. Sending my love to his nearest and dearest.'

'Thank the Lord that Sondheim lived to be 91 years old so he had the time to write such wonderful music and GREAT lyrics. May he rest In peace,' tweeted Streisand

Tributes: Additionally, Idina Menzel took to Twitter to mourn Sondheim, by writing: 'Goodbye dear sir. We will spend our lives trying to make you proud'

'Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those,' Hugh Jackson tweeted

Heartfelt: Gyllenhaal shared a never-before-seen photo of the star during curtain call on the opening night of Sunday in the Park with George, in which he starred as French painter Georges Seurat

Gyllenhaal shared a never-before-seen photo of the star during curtain call on the opening night of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George, in which he starred as French painter Georges Seurat.

'I am grateful to have shared time with the master and maestro of American musical theater, and to have played his George,' he captioned the photo on Instagram.

He continued: 'We have lost a giant. We will miss you. Rest In Peace.'

Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis tweeted: 'RIP legend, icon, greatest composer Mr. Stephen Sondheim! The angels must be singing sir.....Godspeed! Thank you for leaving an incredible legacy Red heartRed heart.'

'RIP legend, icon, greatest composer Mr. Stephen Sondheim! The angels must be singing sir.....Godspeed! Thank you for leaving an incredible legacy,' Viola Davis tweeted

While Anna Kendrick, who starred in the film adaption of Into the Woods with music and lyrics by Sondheim, added: 'I was just talking to someone a few nights ago about how much fun (and f****** difficult) it is to sing Stephen Sondheim. Performing his work has been among the greatest privileges of my career. A devastating loss. (sic)'

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who directed the musical drama Tick, Tick... Boom, which Sondheim made a cameo in, also grieved his friend's passing.

'Future historians: Stephen Sondheim was real. Yes, he wrote Tony & Maria AND Sweeney Todd AND Bobby AND George & Dot AND Fosca AND countless more. Some may theorize Shakespeare's works were by committee but Steve was real & he was here & he laughed SO loud at shows & we loved him,' the Hamilton creator tweeted.

Earlier this month, Miranda described his latest project as a 'love letter to Sondheim' on the Little Gold Men podcast.

Speaking of their relationship, he gushed he 'showed him drafts of the script' with Sondheim and even a screener of the film.

The famed American composer and lyricist passed away 'suddenly' at his Roxbury, Conn. home, according to his lawyer F. Richard Pappas, The New York Times reported.

Pappas said that Sondheim had celebrated Thanksgiving the day prior with his friends surrounding him.

Sondheim created the music for a celebrated list of shows that include A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sunday In The Park With George and more.

Vanessa Williams described working with the visionary as an honor and said it was a 'privilege to have soaked up' his 'incredible aura' while portraying the Witch in Into the Woods back in 2002.

After working together on her Tony-nominated role, she sang for him at the at the Sondheim Hollywood Bowl tribute in 2005 and then again while 'performing in the show stopping production of Sondheim on Sondheim on Broadway in 2010.'

'American musical theater has lost a towering giant. Stephen Sondheim's legacy of song and lyric in unparalleled. From West Side Story to Sweenie Todd, from Gypsy to Sunday in the Park with George, there will never be a master like him,' George Takei tweeted

Paying homage: Robert Rinder shared a quote about Sondheim, which read: 'Art is infinite. It has no beginning and no end'

'I only ever got a few musical notes from him which were about diction but immediately incorporated and cherished every word,' she wrote on Instagram.

She continued: 'The puzzle he gave me remains on my desk still today which reminds me of being invited to his unique brownstone which was chock full of games, books and thought provoking oddities.'

As a musical theater major in college, that once studied his work, she admitted to never dreaming of being able to 'stand next to him' or singing him Happy Birthday, which she was 'honored' to do.

'I was so lucky,blessed and honored to have Mr. Stephen Sondheim see me, hear me and always remember my name. Rest in Musical Peace in Heaven because your music and talent will always live on,' she continued.

Acclaimed Broadway star Audra McDonald, whose voice Sondheim once called 'one of the glories of the American theater,' wrote simply: 'Thank you Steve. Thank you.'

Acclaimed Broadway star: Audra McDonald, whose voice Sondheim once called 'one of the glories of the American theater,' wrote simply: 'Thank you Steve,' adding: 'Thank you'

'Heartbroken': Rachel Zegler, Tituss Burgess and David Alan Grier were among the others to add their voices to the choir

The composer was born on March 22, 1930, to his upper-middle-class parents, Herbert and Janet Sondheim in New York City.

His father was a dress manufacturer while his mother worked in the same industry as a fashion designer and interior decorator.

At a very young age, he studied piano for two years which is where his interest in the musical stage began, and continued throughout his education.

'Just posted this last night as I walked into my friends house for Thanksgiving. F**k,' captioned a doormat that read: 'Phone rings door chimes in comes company'

'Incredible that Sondheim himself gave us the very lexicon of expressions through which to grieve him,' Marc Snetiker tweeted

'Future historians: Stephen Sondheim was real. Yes, he wrote Tony & Maria AND Sweeney Todd AND Bobby AND George & Dot AND Fosca AND countless more. Some may theorize Shakespeare's works were by committee but Steve was real & he was here & he laughed SO loud at shows & we loved him,' Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted

After his parents divorced when he was 10, he took solace in his time with the family of lyricist, producer and librettist Oscar Hammerstein, who won eight Tony Awards and two Oscars for Best Original Song over his career.

At 15, he began writing his first musical By George, which was a satire inspired by his high school in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

He brought the musical to Hammerstein and solicited the master's straightforward opinion - to which Hammerstein replied that the show was the worst he had ever read.

There followed a conversation that has become legendary in theatrical history, where Hammerstein taught the teenage Sondheim the necessary mechanics of writing an effective stage musical.

'It's a central principle, which is to treat songs like little one-act plays, where you present a situation, and then either resolve it or if you don't resolve it move it forward, so that by the time you finish the song you're at a different point than you are when you - this is in terms of the story of the show, of the play - so that each song has a function,' he said on Desert Island Discs.

'What a privilege to have soaked up the incredible aura of legendary Stephen Sondheim in person many times in my life,' Vanessa Williams captioned a sweet Instagram post

'Not the obituary I wanted to read ever,' journalist Dan Savage

In remembrance: Tick, Tick... Boom! actor Bradley Whitford shared a lengthy message to his Twitter account where he expressed his grief over Sondheim's passing

Sondheim came to regard Hammerstein as a parental figure amid his tortured relationship with his mother Foxy, whom he eventually supported in her later years out of what he described as 'filial duty' rather than actual affection.

His career spanned more than 60 years, and he was known for co-creating Broadway theatre classics including Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, which both went on to become hit movies.

West Side Story became his first produced Broadway musical when he was just 27 years old in 1957, and he went on to be praised for having 'reinvented the American musical.'

Brilliant from the start: The composer was born on March 22, 1930, to his upper-middle-class parents, Herbert and Janet Sondheim in NYC

Although he studied to be a composer, he found himself much to his frustration only writing lyrics on West Side Story - a role he repeated two years later on the Ethel Merman vehicle Gypsy, which also garnered a reputation as one of the great Broadway shows of all time.

Ultimately he itched to turn his hand to composing and got his first shot with the 1961 comedy A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, which became a massive success with Zero Mostel in the lead.

However as the 1960s wore on he earned some experience with flops, including Do I Hear A Waltz? with music by Richard Rodgers.

Sondheim reluctantly returned to being just a lyricist for that show in order to fulfill a deathbed promise to Hammerstein, and it became the one musical he regretted.

Then however came the 1970s which have come to be seen by many of his fans as the hero period of his career - his string of collaborations with director Hal Prince.

First came Company, an acid-tongued show about marriage and relationships that brought a new level of urbane maturity to the musical comedy and, as a 'concept musical', experimented with a plotless structure.

In Follies he dazzled the audience with elegant pastiches of various genres from Viennese operetta to interwar Ziegfeld extravaganzas to Fred Astaire toe-tappers - all as a backdrop to a stark depiction of two marriages fraying at the seams.

Honors: Above, Sondheim is presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2015

Through the middle of the decade he and Prince worked on A Little Night Music, a sophisticated romance based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles Of A Summer Night, and Pacific Overtures, a tribute to kabuki theater about the fraught origins of Japan's relationship to the western world.

It was at the end of the decade though that he and Prince produced Sweeney Todd, an operetta about a homicidal barber and the pie shop owner who is romantically obsessed with him - and who finds a gruesome way to dispose of his victims.

Sondheim drew heavily from the film composer Bernard Hermann, known for such movies as Psycho, and has described Sweeney as a 'movie for the stage.'

Although the show was initially not a success, particularly when it went to London, it has come to be regarded as his reigning masterpiece and has been described by Sondheim himself as the easiest show for him to write. 'It just flowed,' he remarked.

However the grand epoch of the Sondheim-Prince collaboration came crashing down with the massive failure of Merry We Roll Along, a sour experimental musical that confounded audiences by going backwards in time.

Celebrated in life: Sondheim seen after winning the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 2011

As he wrote at the end of the first part of his collected lyrics: 'But then I met James Lapine.'

Lapine was the writer-director with whom Sondheim enjoyed an extremely fruitful collaboration in the 1980s.

Their first show was Sunday In The Park With George, the life story of the 19th century French painter Georges Seurat and the show that brought Sondheim together with his late-in-life muse Bernadette Peters.

Sunday In The Park With George included the song Finishing The Hat, which has become widely regarded as Sondheim's own personal treatise on how he works.

Sondheim, Lapine and Peters were together again with Into The Woods, a set of fractured fairytales that turns into a moving exploration of parenthood.

Later in life he scored such musicals as Passion, a romantic melodrama based on an Italian film, and Assassins, a blackly comic show about the people who have either killed or attempted to kill American presidents.

He continued working into the 21st century on such musicals as The Frogs and Road Show and at the end of his life was collaborating on a new musical called Square One.

60-year long career: Sondheim seen standing beside an advertisement for one of his shows in 1976

Beyond talented: The composer had his first big hit with West Side Story when he was just 27 years old, and he went on to be praised for having 'reinvented the American musical' (pictured in 1973)

Bernadette Peters and Nathan Lane, two longtime interpreters of his material, starred in a table read just this year of the show which featured a book by David Ives and is thought to have been about the life of surrealist filmmaker Luis Bunuel.

As for his own love life, Sondheim's affairs included Psycho star Anthony Perkins, with whom he co-wrote the murder mystery film The Last Of Sheila in the 1970s.

However what he called his 'first serious relationship' only took place when he was 60 years old, with playwright Peter Jones.

At the end of his life he was the husband of one Jeff Romley, who is a half-century his junior and married him back in 2017.

Titans of Broadway have admired him and leapt at every chance to sing him, including the late actresses Elaine Stritch and Barbara Cook.

Angela Lansbury was a longtime muse, leading the original London cast of Gypsy and the original Broadway productions of Anyone Can Whistle and Sweeney Todd.

Lyricists were also in awe, including his contemporary Fred Ebb, who in the book Colored Lights recalled how delighted he felt to have one of his shows praised by Sondheim. 'Jesus, I was thrilled!' said Ebb.

Impressive: Sondheim's career spanned more than 60 years, and he was known for co-creating Broadway theatre classics including Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, which both went on to become hit movies; seen in 2008

Yet his admirers also often found him intimidating and inscrutable - even Elaine Stritch, who once demanded of a director: 'You're scared of me, aren't you?', described feeling both 'in love with' Sondheim and 'scared to death' around him.

She recalled sitting at a bar with him 'for three hours' and remarked: 'So we have got a lot to say to one another. But I have got to have 25 scotches in me in order to do it, and so does he.'

On the news of his death, producer Cameron Mackintosh issued a statement to The Guardian which read: 'The theatre has lost one of its greatest geniuses and the world has lost one of its greatest and most original writers. Sadly, there is now a giant in the sky. But the brilliance of Stephen Sondheim will still be here as his legendary songs and shows will be performed for evermore. Goodbye old friend and thank you from all of us.'
Sunrise host David 'Kochie' Koch is celebrating Sunrise's milestone victory as Australia's number one breakfast show for the 18th year in a row.

The Channel Seven program ranked number one in the breakfast timeslot after the conclusion of the official survey ratings.

The 65-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday the show's 18th year at the top is a milestone moment that he, his co-hosts and the crew are proud of achieving.

Big win! David 'Kochie' Koch celebrates Sunrise's victory as Australia's number one breakfast show for the 18th year in a row. Pictured is Kochie with co-host Natalie Barr

'We are really grateful for the support and loyalty of our viewers who have allowed us into their households,' he said.

There have been a handful of days this year where Channel Nine's Today show narrowly beat Sunrise's usually strong ratings.

But, the minor defeats have not been enough to shake Kochie's pride in Sunrise's achievement as he took a thinly-veiled swipe at the competition.

Coming back swinging! There have been a handful of days this year where the Today show narrowly beat Sunrise's usually strong ratings. But, the minor defeats haven't been enough to shake Kochie's pride in Sunrise's achievement as he took a thinly-veiled swipe at the rivals

Still on top: Kochie said, 'We are very proud of what we achieve as a team so you get pretty annoyed when others try and rewrite history when you know that they haven't been No. 1 in 18 years,' he added of the rivals. Pictured are Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon

'We are very proud of what we achieve as a team so you get pretty annoyed when others try and rewrite history when you know that they haven't been No. 1 in 18 years,' he scathingly said of the rivals.

Elsewhere, the Sunrise veteran discussed his future with the high-rating breakfast show in the lead up to his 20th year on the program.

While Kochie said he plans to renegotiate an extension to his contract, he noted it will ultimately come down to the show's direction under executive producer Michael Pell.

Best job in the world: While Kochie said he plans to renegotiate an extension to his contract, he noted it will ultimately come down to the show's direction under executive producer Michael Pell. Pictured together

Kochie added: 'I have always said I love this and it is a privilege to do this job and it is the best job in the world, and while I am still enjoying it and while the viewers are still happy for me to be there I would love to stay.'

While Sunrise took out the TV ratings battle between the two breakfast program rivals for 2021, but the Today show scored the biggest ratings improvement.

According to ratings statistics provided by the Nine network, the Today show was the 'only breakfast show in Australia to grow its audience year on year in total people across the five (major cities)'.

Leaps and bounds! While Sunrise took out the TV ratings battle between the two breakfast program rivals for 2021, but the Today show scored the biggest ratings improvement. Pictured is Karl and Ally

Popular: Today was rated as the number one breakfast show in 2021 for all key demographics in Sydney, Melbourne in Brisbane

Today was rated as the number one breakfast show in 2021 for all key demographics in Sydney, Melbourne in Brisbane.

It rated highest in the 25-54, 16-39 and GS and child demographics from the five major metro cities.

Today performed best in Melbourne and Brisbane for total people and has seen big improvements year on year for total people in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Charlize Theron is taking advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to spend some quality time with her two children, August and Jackson.

The family are spending the weekend in sunny Los Cabos, Mexico, which encompasses the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo in the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.

The Oscar-winning actress was captured touching down in the tropical paradise with her two daughters by her side.

Holiday in the sun: Charlize Theron, 46, took her two daughters, Jackson (right) and August (left), on a tropical getaway to Los Cabos, Mexico, ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend

Theron, 46, looked lovely in a floral maxi dress that she covered up, in part, with a blue jean jacket.

Her bright blonde tresses were styled in a ponytail and rocked a pair of sunglasses.

Keeping a safety first mentality, the Mad Max: Fury Road star wore a black protective mask, even outside, for the walk from the airport turnstiles to an awaiting car.

Jackson, believed to be around 10, hurried alongside her mom in a black and white-patterned dress. The youngest of the girls briskly made her way to the car for the ride to their hotel.

Theron adopted her eldest daughter back in March 2012, which came just over three years before she embraced August, five, into the family.

Fashionista: The Oscar-winning actress wore a blue jean jacket over a purple-patterned dress for the plane ride from the U.S. to Mexico

By her side: Jackson, believed to be around 10, hurried alongside her mom in a black and white-patterned dress. The youngest of the girls briskly made her way to the car for the ride to their hotel

Charlize gave a rare comment on Jackson's gender identity to DailyMail.com back in 2019.

Theron admitted that, like much of the public, she originally 'thought [Jackson] was a boy, too,' until the child communicated her true gender to her.

'She looked at me when she was three years old and said: "I am not a boy!"' recalled Charlize.

Being a prime example of unconditional love and understanding, Charlize never questioned her young daughter's confession and, instead, embraced her fully.

'So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive.

'They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide.

Family: Theron adopted her eldest daughter back in March 2012, which came just over three years before she embraced August, five, into the family

'My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be.

'And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that.'

As for her professional life, Theron is currently enjoying a brief break between projects after shooting her the young adult fantasy film, The School For Good And Evil, over this past summer.

Based on Soman Chainani's 2013 novel of the same name, the story follows the adventures of best friends Sophie and Agatha who are kidnapped to the School for Good and Evil. After their fortunes are reversed, Sophie and Agatha try to figure out a way to return home and their friendship is put to the test.

Sofia Wylie plays Agatha while Sophia Anne Caruso portrays the role of Sophie.

The School For Good And Evil is set to be released on Netflix sometime in 2022.
Kylie Jenner made a rare post as she has been quiet on social media after the tragedy which left 10 dead from Travis Scott's Astroworld festival in Houston earlier this month.

The 24-year-old make-up mogul shared a short Instagram Story video of a Christmas decoration worth over $1,000 as the father of her child, who could be on the hook for billions of dollars in damages, has been hit with numerous lawsuits.

She shared a clip to her 284million followers of a 3-tier, electronic wood Christmas story pyramid which was handcrafted by family run company Muller.

Staying mum: Kylie Jenner made a rare post as she has been quiet on social media after the tragedy which left 10 dead from Travis Scott's Astroworld festival in Houston earlier this month, as they are seen in August 2019

Intricate: The 24-year-old make-up mogul shared a short Instagram Story video of a Christmas decoration worth over $1,000 as the father of her child, who could be on the hook for billions of dollars in damages, has been hit with numerous lawsuits

No doubt it is not an easy piece to get in the US as it would cost at least $1,000 to get one shipped straight from Germany.

Christmas pyramids - which in Germany are referred to as Weihnachtspyramide - are Christmas decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the Ore Mountain region of Germany, but which have become popular internationally.

They are comprised of a decorated pyramidal outer frame with candle holders and a central carousel which often have nativity scenes and other Christmas figures including snowmen, skiers, wisemen, and homes.

Pricey: It is a 3-tier, electronic wood Christmas story pyramid which was handcrafted by family run company Muller which no doubt would cost at least $1,000 to get one shipped straight from Germany

Stunning: Christmas pyramids - which in Germany are referred to as Weihnachtspyramide - are Christmas decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the Ore Mountain region of Germany, but which have become popular internationally

This comes just days after Jenner made her return to social media to wish Hailey Bieber a happy birthday on Monday afternoon.

The Instagram post marked the first time the reality star has posted since the statement shared on behalf of she and Scott , following the Astroworld tragedy which left 10 dead on November 5.

Posting an artful photo to her story of Hailey, 25, and her daughter Stormi, three, she gushed 'happy birthday @haileybieber. You are such a beautiful person inside and out. We love you lots.'

Low profile: Since Travis Scott's November 5 Astroworld tragedy in Houston, Texas Jenner had not posted on social media but broke the hiatus on Monday to wish Hailey Bieber a happy birthday; Jenner (left) pictured September 9 and Bieber (right) pictured November 6

The photo posted to her Instagram story showed the model of wife of Justin Bieber and Stormi swimming in the pool, but it is unclear when the image was taken.

A seemingly family affair, Kim Kardashian as well as Kris and Kendall Jenner had also paid tribute to Hailey.

Kylie seemed to make a quiet return to social media on Monday as additionally a post was shared to her Kylie Cosmetics page for the first time since November 5.

There have been no new posts on her additional companies Instagram pages: Kylie Baby, Kylie Skin and Kylie Swim since November 5 and October 27 respectively.

Birthday wishes: Posting a snap of the now 25-year-old model with daughter Stormi, three, she wrote 'happy birthday @haileybieber, You are such a beautiful person inside and out - We love you lots'

A source told The Sun that in the wake of the Astroworld catastrophe in Houston, Texas on November 5 Kylie has delayed the launch of her holiday makeup line, which has dropped on November 19 for the past four years in a row.

DailyMail.com reached out to Jenner's reps for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.

Prior to her Monday posting, Kylie had only shared an Instagram statement on behalf of she and the rapper following the festival, which has now claimed 10 lives  the youngest victim being just nine-years-old.

She wrote that she and Scott were 'broken and devastated,' clarified that neither were 'aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show' and added that the rapper would have stopped 'performing' had he known about the situation.

Holiday woes: A source told The Sun that in the wake of the Astroworld catastrophe Kylie has delayed the launch of her holiday makeup line; pictured 2020's Grinch collection launch

Missing in action: For the past four years her holiday themed Kylie Cosmetics collection has dropped on November 19

Following a stampede just 30 minutes into Scott's 75-minute set at NRG Park, a 'mass casualty' situation was declared as 300 people were treated on site and 13 were hospitalized.

Some 50,000 people were present at the event on November 5 and the investigation is ongoing.

Lawsuits have been filed by more than 280 people with Houston based lawyer Tony Buzbee representing 125 victims alone.

Buzzbee's case names both Scott and rapper Drake and seeks $750 million in damages on behalf of the victims.

Collectively over $3B in lawsuits have been filed against the two rappers as well as event promoters Live Nation and ScoreMore as well as Apple.

In hot water: Collectively over $3B in lawsuits have been filed against Scott and Drake, as well as event promoters Live Nation and ScoreMore as well as Apple; pictured November 5

Statement: Kylie released a statement on behalf of she and Scott where she said in part 'I want to make it clear we weren't aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing'

A lawyer by the name of Nick Rozansky, attorney at Brutzkus Gubner Rozansky Seror Weber, had told Yahoo Finance that it would be a 'stretch' that all the lawsuits would fall on Scott.

'The law requires him to engage in specific conduct that incited the incidents,' Rozansky said. 'What did he do at Astroworld that night? That's the question the courts will be asking.'

Houston's police chief Troy Finner blamed Scott for not pulling the plug on the deadly Astroworld concert as new footage showed cops casually filming the Travis Scott show nearly 30 minutes after a mass casualty event was declared.

'We've been looking and the timelines have moved and that's why we shouldn't jump ahead of things, lets just wait. that's part of the investigation.'

Supportive: It was said that in the aftermath of the Astroworld tragedy Kylie and Stormi had been hunkered down with Scott in his Houston, Texas mansion before the pregnant reality star flew back to Los Angeles about a week later; pictured June 15

Finner, who said he did not have a close relationship with Scott and had only met him twice, said whether or not the show went on was not up to the police department.

'Authorities ability to end the show - we don't hold the plug, okay? But it's always in a plan, there's always discussion of how that would happen and we had those discussions with the promoters,' Finner said.

'The ultimate authority to end the show is with production and the entertainer,' he added.

Kylie  who is currently pregnant with Scott's second child  had been hunkered down with Scott in his Houston mansion but it was said that she and Stormi had flown back to Los Angeles on November 12.

'Kylie and her team waited until it was late and left the house in blacked out cars heading for the airport, they didn't want anyone to see them,' a source told The Sun.
Her husband Chris Hemsworth loves flexing his muscles for the camera.

But on Friday it was Elsa Pataky's turn to flex her biceps as she posed with a friend during a workout at a Metropolitan gym in her native Spain.

Pataky, 45, shared the snap to her Instagram Stories after recently flying to Europe with her family and enjoying a romantic trip with her husband and actor Chris, 38, through Prague.

Fit: Elsa Pataky has flashed her biceps during a workout at a Metropolitan Gym in Spain with a friend after going on a romantic trip through Prague with husband Chris Hemsworth

'Working out with my girl at @metropolitangym,' the model captioned the post.

Elsa dressed in a black training singlet, black leggings and runners for her intense workout.

The actress also wore a black face mask and kept her watch and necklaces on while carrying a towel in her left arm.

Sweet: Pataky, 45, shared the workout picture to her Instagram Stories after recently flying to Europe with Chris, 38, and enjoying a romantic trip with her husband through Prague

Elsa recently went sightseeing with her husband Chris Hemsworth in the Czech capital of Prague this week.

In one picture shared to Elsa's Instagram, the couple recreated the beautiful painting 'Kiss Under The Bridge' by figurative artist Igor Shulman.

The Spanish model posted two sweet pictures of her and the Thor star going for a walking through the fairytale city.

Earlier in the day, Chris and Elsa shared the country's famous doughnut ice cream cone together.

Dessert: Chris and Elsa shared Prague's famous doughnut ice cream cone together

The family are currently in Prague as Chris is shooting the action thriller film Extraction 2 there. The shoot is expected to last until March.

Elsa is also taking the time in their Europe trip to visit her native Spain.

Chris and Elsa met in early 2010 and married in December that year. The couple are parents to India, nine, and twins Sasha and Tristan, seven.
Heidi Klum indulged in a photoshoot or two while in Mykonos, Greece as she enjoyed a break from filming her hit show Germany's Next Top Model earlier this week.

Now back in her adopted home country of the United States, the longtime supermodel was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Friday.

Heidi showed off her fashion sense in an eye-catching animal print coat that she layered over a flouncy leopard blouse and a pair of fitted plaid trousers.

A vision: Heidi Klum, 48, appeared to be out on a business run in her adopted home city of Los Angeles on Friday

Klum, 48, flashed a big beaming smile in her fashion-forward ensemble, which could be described as stylish business attire.

The native of Germany walked with confidence in a pair of leopard print heels while carrying a military-green camouflage purse.

Her blonde hair was styled long, straight, and with a part in the middle.

Fashionista: Heidi showed off her fashion sense in an eye-catching animal print coat that she layered over a flouncy leopard blouse and a pair of fitted plaid trousers

Confident: The native of Germany walked with confidence in a pair of leopard print heels while carrying a military-green camouflage purse

At one point, she put on a pair of stylish sunglasses, as she made the stroll back to her vehicle with what appeared to be a cup of coffee or hot tea in her hand.

But the most alluring of her entire look was in fact her big beaming smile.

Earlier in the day, Klum had an endearing moment when her oldest of the four children, daughter Leni Klum, took a brief timeout from her modeling photoshoot to send her mother a message.

'This is for my mom. Sorry,' the 17-year-old directed the clip, while dressed in a red and white ensemble and her locks teased with added volume.

Laugh and smiling, she added, 'Everything's great mom. Bye.'

Effortless: Her blonde hair was styled long, straight, and with a part in the middle

Earlier in the day, Klum had an endearing moment when her daughter, Leni Klum, took a brief timeout from her modeling photoshoot to send her mother a message

'This is for my mom. Sorry,' the 17-year-old directed the clip, while dressed in a red and white ensemble and her locks teased with added volume

Mama's girl: Laugh and smiling, Leni added, 'Everything's great mom. Bye'

Feeing the love, Klum shared the video to her Instagram page.

'When your Baby checks in with you from her photoshoot,' she wrote in the caption, along with smiley face emoji with red hearts and a simple red heart emoji.

The animal print theme didn't end with her afternoon outfit.

She also struck a pose in a black-and-white photo in leopard print pjs, and professed, 'Pajamas ALL DAY,' in the caption, along with a couple of red heart emojis.

She also slipped into red animal print from Dolce & Gabbana after she opened a gifted package full of goodies from the legendary fashion brand.

The day's posts also included a photo of Klum puckering her lips while sipping from a cup with big red lips and a large tongue.

Animals: The animal print theme continued with the supermodel confessing to be wearing 'pajamas ALL DAY,' in another Instagram post

Going animalistic: Dolce & Gabbana also gifted Klum with an array of animal print pajamas
Hugh Jackman has shared a moving tribute to Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim after his death at age 91 on Friday.

In a Twitter post, the actor wrote: 'Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those.'

The action star, 53, who has been in multiple Broadway shows, continued: 'As millions mourn his passing I also want to express my gratitude for all he has given to me and so many more. Sending my love to his nearest and dearest.'

Tribute: Hugh Jackman (pictured) has shared a moving tribute to Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim after his death at age 91 on Friday

The famed American composer and lyricist passed away 'suddenly' at his Roxbury, Connecticut home, according to his lawyer F. Richard Pappas, The New York Times reported.

Pappas said that Sondheim had celebrated Thanksgiving the day prior with his friends surrounding him.

At the end of his life he was the husband of Jeff Romley, who is a half-century his junior and married him back in 2017.

Loss: The famed American composer and lyricist (pictured) passed away 'suddenly' at his Roxbury, Conn. home, according to his lawyer F. Richard Pappas, The New York Times reported

'Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those,' Hugh Jackson tweeted

Celebrities around the world paid homage to the legendary composer, including Anna Kendrick who wrote: 'I was just talking to someone a few nights ago about how much fun (and f****** difficult) it is to sing Stephen Sondheim.

'Performing his work has been among the greatest privileges of my career. A devastating loss.'

Tony winner Idina Menzel took to Twitter to mourn Sondheim, writing: 'Goodbye dear sir. We will spend our lives trying to make you proud.'

Music legend Barbara Streisand Tweeted: 'Thank the Lord that Sondheim lived to be 91 years old so he had the time to write such wonderful music and GREAT lyrics. May he rest In peace'.

Celebrities around the world paid homage to the legendary composer, including Anna Kendrick who wrote: 'I was just talking to someone a few nights ago about how much fun (and f****** difficult) it is to sing Stephen Sondheim'

Music legend Barbara Streisand Tweeted: 'Thank the Lord that Sondheim lived to be 91 years old so he had the time to write such wonderful music and GREAT lyrics. May he rest In peace'

Idina Menzel took to Twitter to mourn Sondheim, by writing: 'Goodbye dear sir. We will spend our lives trying to make you proud'

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal shared a never-before-seen photo of the star during curtain call on the opening night of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George, in which he starred as French painter Georges Seurat.

'I am grateful to have shared time with the master and maestro of American musical theater, and to have played his George,' he captioned the photo on Instagram.

He continued: 'We have lost a giant. We will miss you. Rest In Peace.'
They've been engaged since 2019 and have been forced to postpone their nuptials several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But Nikki Bella recently revealed that a 'promise' she made to her soon-to-be husband Artem Chigvintsev, 39, has also contributed to their wedding's delay.

'The one promise I made Artem before we can plan is that his parents can attend. And with where the world's at right now and trying to get two Russian parents into the country, it's almost impossible,' the 37-year-old reality star explained to ET.

A promise: Nikki Bella recently revealed that a 'promise' she made to her soon-to-be husband Artem Chigvintsev, 39, has contributed to their wedding's delay; Nikki pictured in May

Though Artem is an American citizen, the dancer's parents are based in Russia

She continued: 'So, the day I can get two visas is the day we will set our date and say, 'I do."'

Nikki, who shares a one-year-old son Matteo with Artem, now has her sights on a late 2022 wedding, as she wants it to line up with Thanksgiving in November.

'I think last year I said Thanksgiving, right? And I want to say next Thanksgiving. I can't believe it's been a year, but I really do want to get married.

'I mean, selfishly, I just want to have that, like, one big day about me. I can't wait for that and to wear that dress, but I do want to marry Artem.'

Sweet: 'The one promise I made Artem before we can plan is that his parents can attend. And with where the world's at right now and trying to get two Russian parents into the country, it's almost impossible,' the 37-year-old reality star explained to ET; Nikki and Artem pictured in 2019

Two weeks ago on The Bellas Podcast, Nikki revealed that she and her fiance had recently started therapy after being separated for weeks by work.

She was updating her twin sister Brie Bella about a 'rough patch' she and Artem endured as he's been away performing on Dancing With The Stars while she has taken on a new role as a judge for America's Got Talent: Extreme.

'This is the longest we haven't seen each other,' said Nikki.

Professional help: Nikki Bella, 37, told twin sister Brie Bella on The Bellas Podcast that she and fiance Artem Chigvintsev, 39, went 'back into therapy' after hitting a 'rough patch'

She said the lovebirds had been apart for more than six weeks, as Artem is in Los Angeles to film DWTS, while she has been spending time Atlanta for AGT: Extreme.

The WWE star brought along Matteo with her, as he's more 'comfortable' with his mother.

'Teo goes everywhere with mama,' she explained. 'That's where he's comfortable, that's where he does best.

'[But] when you're away from each other, there's different time zones,' she continued. 'Myself having Matteo and working long hours, I need Artem to check in in ways of like, 'How are you? how are you doing? How's Matteo doing? What can I do?''

On her own: Nikki said she brought along one-year-old Matteo while she filmed America's Got Talent: Extreme in Atlanta, but she felt Artem was contributing enough to their marriage

Her needs: 'Myself having Matteo and working long hours, I need Artem to check in in ways of like, 'How are you? how are you doing? How's Matteo doing? What can I do?'' she said

Nikki worried that Artem felt as if he'd done enough just by checking in with her on the phone.

'Sometimes I feel like the other person, mainly the dads, they get into this [belief that] they FaceTimed and that's great, and they get on the phone and that's where it ends for them. And it's just hard when the involvement beyond that isn't there,' she complained.

She admitted the separation has been difficult for her fiance too, even as she has been craving more support.

'It's been hard on [Artem] and it's been hard on me too, to not have my man in my bed,' she added.

Brie added that she hadn't even seen the dancer since the start of the pandemic.

Not enough: 'Sometimes I feel like the other person, mainly the dads, they get into this [belief that] they FaceTimed and that's great, and they get on the phone and that's where it ends for them,' Nikki continued

Getting help: 'We were doing a little rocky for a bit,' she said, before vowing to bring Artem on to talk about how they had gotten back into therapy. 'Now we're stronger than ever,' she said; Artem seen with Nikki and Brie (R) in 2019

Nikki said the two had gotten back into a 'good spot' thanks to some 'sexy FaceTimes' and professional help.

'We were doing a little rocky for a bit,' she said, before vowing to bring Artem on for a future episode to talk about how they had gotten back into therapy.

'Now we're stronger than ever,' she said.

She attributed their rough patch to their different cultural backgrounds, as her fiance was born in the former Soviet Union.

Last month, Nikki told Us Weekly that she wasn't in a hurry to expand her family any further.

'I want this time with just my son.  I just don't want to have another baby interfere with that right now because I go over to [Brie's] household and I'm like, 'This is a lot. Boy, does two change it,'' she said.
She's known for her daring outfits.

And Kimberley Garner pulled out all the stops yet again as she attended a private screening of House Of Gucci hosted by Tanqueray in London on Friday.

The former Made in Chelsea star, 30, stunned as she stepped out in a navy blue blazer, showing off her impressive cleavage by going braless in the look.

Wow: Kimberley Garner pulled out all the stops yet again as she attended a private screening of House Of Gucci in London on Friday

She teamed the jacket with a pair of matching blue trousers, that accentuated her long legs.

The reality star donned white pointed heels and toted a cream handbag with chain detailing.

Her blonde tresses were left to tumble down her shoulders and she finished the look with a swipe of pink lipstick.

Daring: The former Made in Chelsea star, 30, stunned as she stepped out in a navy blue blazer under which she went topless, showing off her impressive cleavage

Coordinating: She teamed the jacket with a pair of matching blue trousers, that accentuated her long legs.

Stunning: Her blonde tresses were left to tumble down her shoulders and she finished the look with a swipe of pink lipstick

Dare to bare: It comes after she risked a very awkward wardrobe malfunction at the world premiere of No Time to Die at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington

The private screening was hosted by Tanqueray to celebrate the Tanqueray Martini making an appearance in the film.

It comes after she risked a very awkward wardrobe malfunction at the world premiere of No Time to Die at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington.

The Sloane Ranger put on a very racy display in a daring white cut out gown as she walked the red carpet for the star-studded screening for Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond.

She ensured she herself had a licence to thrill as she flashed plenty of leg and a hint of side-boob as she posed up a storm for the cameras.

The beauty oozed confidence as she strutted her stuff in the risque number which was slashed at the bust.

It featured a perilously high split which almost revealed more than Kimberley intended.

Kimberley boosted her height with pointed perspex heels with a diamante strap and accessorised her show-stopping look with a dazzling silver cuff.

The stunner let her outfit do all the talking by leaving her blonde tresses in a loose style, while she highlighted her features with a light palette of make-up.

Kimberley made the most of her time on the red carpet as she was also seen posing next to an impressive motorbike, with the star ensuring her legs were on full display.
Hollyoaks' Callum Kerr has announced he's engaged to his long-term partner Olivia Anderson.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, the former soap star, 27, posted a sweet picture with his bride-to-be, with her hand over his face playfully to show off the huge diamond ring on her finger.

He captioned the image: 'Bout last night' with a zip mouth and ring emoji.

Exciting! Callum Kerr, 27, has proposed to his long-term partner Olivia Anderson with a huge diamond ring as they holidayed in her native Texas

'Bout last night': Taking to Instagram on Friday, the former Hollyoaks star posted a sweet picture of the two of them, with her hand over his face playfully to show off the ring

The pair, who have been together for seven years, looked as happy as ever in the snap with Olivia beaming with tears in her eyes.

The pair first met in her home town of Austin, Texas in 2016, and have travelled between England and the US so they could see each other.

She then moved to the UK to be with Callum, before the two of them moved to Austin earlier this year.

Sweet: The pair first met in her home town of Austin, and have travelled between England and the US so they could see each other

Callum played PC George Kiss on the soap from January 2020 to May 2021.

His character came to a messy end when he was killed after a year-long abuse storyline.

Callum has previously said that he would like to continue his acting career in the US.

He told The Sun: 'Working on Glow and Darkness with some huge American names is a good start to doing a few more international projects.

Acting: Callum played PC George Kiss on the soap from January 2020 to May 2021. His character came to a messy end when he was killed after a year-long abuse storyline

'But it's also important to stay authentic and hopefully there's a lot of work in the UK as well because there's some great projects, amazing people and great shows and films coming out.

'It's always good to have an excuse to visit home as well so if I could work it out to be fifty per cent here and fifty per cent back home that would be perfect.'

He has since found work on Fox's Monarch alongside Susan Sarandon, Anna Friel, Trace Adkins and Beth Ditto.

The story follows the first family of country music the Romans and will be the son of a pastor called Wade Stellings.
Lala Kent made quite the fashion statement as she debuted new merchandise following her split from Randall Emmett.

The Vanderpump Rules star, who changed her 'Rand' tattoo to 'bRand new' earlier this month, released new hoodies embroidered with her newly-altered ink.

Interestingly, while debuting the new clothing on her Instagram Stories, Lala, 31, even set the announcement to a song recorded by Randall's nemesis, 50 Cent, according to Us Weekly.

Fashion statement! Lala Kent has debuted new merchandise dissing her ex Randall Emmett

The musical selection will certainly not go unnoticed by fans, considering Randall was once embroiled in an epic feud with the rapper.

The sweatshirts are available in light pink and retail for $50.

Lala debuted her 'bRand new' tattoo earlier this month and was quickly praised by fans over the new ink.

Although she did not reference the tattoo in her caption, multiple fans noticed it and raved about the change-up in the comments section.

'That tattoo update,' @_cdesimone posted along with two applauding emojis.

Rubbing it in? Interestingly, while debuting the new clothing on her Instagram Stories, Lala, 31, even set the announcement to a song recorded by Randall's nemesis, 50 Cent, according to Us Weekly

Trying to make him sweat? Kent released new sweatshirts just in time for the holidays

Black Friday buy: The sweatshirts are available in light pink and retail for $50

Splitsville: Lala ended her relationship with Randall, her fiance of three years, after he was reportedly caught cheating on her with other women during a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee

'Brand new (heart emojis),' commented @mrsmadelinesheppard.

'LOVE THE TATTOO!! (praise emojis),' gushed @welcometowaschington.

Lala ended her relationship with Randall, her fiance of three years, after he was reportedly caught cheating on her with other women during a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

The reality star addressed their break-up on a recent episode of her podcast Give Them Lala... with Randall.

Altered ink: Kent revealed earlier this month she had changed her 'Rand' tattoo to 'bRand new' after splitting from Randall amid cheating allegations

Fresh start: Lala originally got the ink back in 2020 as a sign of affection for her then-beau

'LOVE THE TATTOO!!' Although she did not reference the tattoo in her caption, multiple fans noticed it and raved about the change-up in the comments section

While Lala was not ready to get into much detail about the matter, she did reveal Alcoholics Anonymous had been serving her at this time.

She also said her eight-month-old daughter Ocean, whom she shares with Randall, was her top priority.

'I want to acknowledge that I'm sure everyone knows what is going on between Randall and myself and just in my personal life,' Lala said. 'There will be a time where I feel comfortable enough to open up and share. Today is definitely not that day. It's been a lot, I'm going through a lot.

'I just at this point in time want to protect my child, she's my number one priority, and I know what I signed up for. I'm on a reality television show, but in this moment, it's not about me, it is about my kid and privacy is the only thing that I'm looking for for her sake.

Splitsville: Lala ended her relationship with Randall, her fiance of three years, after he was reportedly caught cheating on her with other women during a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee; pictured 2021

'I'm going through a lot': Kent addressed their break-up on a recent episode of her podcast Give Them Lala... with Randall

'And with that being said, I'm kind of putting my steps into play that you know we work on in AA, which is one day at a time  sometimes it's one minute at a time  and that doesn't just apply to me with drinking, which, surprisingly, even with everything that's going on, I've never felt stronger in my sobriety.'

Last month Page Six alleged Randall had cheated on his partner - who temporarily moved into the Beverly Hills Hotel - while on a work trip in Nashville, Tennessee.

'Randall always lives a double life,' a source claimed to the outlet. 'He lives the life of a husband or boyfriend, and then he lives the life of a serial partier and then goes on a bender.'

Amid the claims, Kent purged her social media pages of her husband-to-be. And she liked a post that accused him of cheating on her following video posted to social media of him partying in Nashville.

She even took to Instagram to share a video of herself moving into the BHH while Beyonces Sorry played.
She always nails the latest fashion trends while out and about.

And Laura Whitmore looked typically stylish as she headed to Newbury Racecourse for a racing event on Saturday afternoon alongside Sara Cox and Jimmy Carr.

The Love Island presenter and mother-of-one, 36, turned heads in a pink, red and blue patterned shirt which she teamed with black corduroy flares.

Looking good: Laura Whitmore looked typically stylish as she headed to Newbury Racecourse for a racing event on Saturday afternoon alongside Sarah Cox and Jimmy Carr

Laura nailed her chic look in the blouse which featured a pretty Peter Pan collar and was tucked into her tight flattering trousers which also matched a blazer she put on later.

The blonde beauty wore her light tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a natural makeup look to show off her pretty features.

Elsewhere radio presenter Sara looked pretty in a bright green dress as she posed with Laura, while comedian Jimmy cut a dapper figure in a blue blazer.

Work it: The Love Island presenter and mother-of-one, 36, turned heads in a pink, red and blue patterned shirt which she teamed with black corduroy flares

Stunning: Laura nailed her chic look in the blouse which featured a pretty Peter Pan collar and was tucked into her tight flattering trousers which also matched a blazer she put on later

Laura was all smiles as she caught up with friends after her recent brief trip to America as travel restrictions for vacationing in the States were lifted earlier this month.

The star has previously revealed that she spent a year living in America when she was 21.

In 2018, she spoke of her experience of her time in the states as a student, as she revealed: 'When I was 21, I studied in the US for five months...

Radiant: The blonde beauty wore her light tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a natural makeup look to show off her pretty features

Chic: She always nails the latest fashion trends while out and about

'In my final year of journalism at Dublin City University, we had the option to go abroad and everyone went to different places, but for me, it was always going to be Boston...

'I loved the idea of this student city  home to dozens of universities, including Harvard  known for its big Irish contingent. It was a great opportunity.'

Posting on social media ahead of her brief trip she wrote 'US is open! Its been a while.'

Catching up: Elsewhere radio presenter Sara looked pretty in a bright green dress as she posed with Laura and Emily Witt

Details: Sara accessorised her look with a gold necklace and wore her blonde tresses in a sleek straight style

Event: Comedian Jimmy cut a dapper figure in a blue blazer as he posed with Denise Lewis

Gang: Sara Cox, Barry Humphries, Elizabeth Spender and Jimmy Carr all posed together

Smart: This Morning's chef Clodagh McKenna looked great in a purple suit

She continued 'Wearing my friend Nicola Roberts' beautiful new merch for the flight, adored with her gorgeous lyrics celebrating 10 years of Cinderellas eyes.

'Love this album! New York here I come. So excited to be back' x

The radio presenter was one of the first Brits to take advantage of the relaxed COVID restriction rules allowing people to travel to the USA.

America has reopened its borders to fully vaccinated UK travellers, as thousands jet off to reunite with family and friends for the first time in two years.

Trio: Isabella and Madeleine Lloyd Webber attended too and had a snap with Jimmy

Beauty: Sara looked great in her green dress as she enjoyed a drink

Races: Clodagh McKenna, Harry Herbert and Madeleine Lloyd Webber posed for a snap together too

The look: Sara wore a pair of black boots with her green dress for the day out

Chatting away: Madeleine Lloyd Webber and Jimmy Carr looked deep in conversation
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Outraged Strictly Come Dancing fans took to Twitter on Saturday night to slam the judges for 'undermarking' AJ Odudu's routine.

The presenter, 33, and her professional partner Kai Widdrington, 26, danced a Couple's Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae, placing them second on the leaderboard with a score of 36.

However fans took umbrage with stand-in judge Cythia Erivo, who was Motsi Mabuse's replacement for the weekend, after she awarded Dan Walker a higher score than AJ.

'That was a 40!' Strictly Come Dancing fans slammed judges for 'undermarking' AJ Odudu (pictured) after Motsi Mabuse's replacement Cynthia Erivo gave Dan Walker a higher score

Despite Cynthia gushing: 'I have a special place in my heart for AJ. I love you so much, I thought that was wonderful,' fans hit out at her decision to give Dan a nine for his Rumba while only awarding AJ eight points.

'THAT was a 40!!! Cynthia, I love you but an 8, AN EIGHT, when you gave Dan a 9??' one frustrated viewer wrote on the microblogging site.

Another aggrieved fan penned: 'They really are marking AJ and Dan on different criteria.' An additional disgruntled tweet read: 'Stop undermarking AJ and Kai STOP IT.'

Routine: The presenter, 33, and her professional partner Kai Widdrington, 26, danced a Couple's Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae

Last week, AJ and Kai continued to fuel romance rumours as they teased a kiss during their romantic Waltz. Ahead of their dance, Kai teased that he wanted to kiss AJ as he encouraged her to get into character as lovebirds Maria and Captain von Trapp.

On Friday, the pair took their rumoured relationship to the next level by going to AJ's native Blackburn and went to a football stadium together where her mum Florence posed in a snap with them.

On Saturday, Dan and his partner Nadiya Bychkova received a score of 31 for their Rumba after leaving the judges stunned with his hip-thrusting actions.

Controversial: Cynthia Erivo, Motsi Mabuse's replacement for the weekend, awarded a nine, in comparison to AJ's eight, to journalist Dan Walker for his Rumba, a decision which prompted the Twitter outrage

Big reaction: 'THAT was a 40!!! Cynthia, I love you but an 8, AN EIGHT, when you gave Dan a 9??' one frustrated viewer wrote on the microblogging site

Dance: They placed second on the leaderboard with a score of 36

Comparison: Dan Walker and his partner Nadiya Bychkova received a score of 31 for their Rumba to Desperado by the Eagles

STRICTLY COME DANCING WEEK 10 LEADERBOARD John and Johannes - 39 AJ and Kai - 36 Rhys and Nancy - 35 Rose and Giovanni - 33 Dan and Nadiya - 31 Tilly and Nikita - 30 Advertisement

Cynthia made her second appearance on the judging panel, this week filling in for Motsi, who revealed she wouldn't be on the show after being pinged by NHS Test and Trace.

Topping the leaderboard the week before the quarter-finals was John Whaite and Johannes Radebe, who wowed the judges with their Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett.

The former Great British Bake Off winner and his dance partner stole the show with their impressively intense routine, scoring an almost perfect score of 39.

Craig gushed: 'I absolutely loved it,' with the baker admitting he was 'chuffed to bits' with his outstanding score.

Elsewhere, CBBC star Rhys Stephenson broke down in tears after his emotional Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston, which saw him score 35.

Shirley said: 'You have astounded me, it was beautiful. I felt your emotion, I never thought I would see that from you. I just want to give you a hug.'

The crowd booed when Craig laid into the routine and listed off a number of things he felt were wrong with it.

He admitted: 'For me, technically, it's not for me, darling.'

Stealing the show: Topping the leader board the week before the quarter-finals was John Whaite and Johannes Radebe, who wowed the judges with their Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett

Blown away: The couple's impressively intense routine scored them an almost perfect 39, with Craig gushing: 'I absolutely loved it'

Delighted: The baker said he was 'chuffed to bits' at receiving an almost perfect score

In his feels: Elsewhere, CBBC star Rhys Stephenson broke down in tears after his emotional Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston

Emotional: The routine scored him 35, with Shirley praising: 'You have astounded me, it was beautiful'

Strictly Week 10 Song and Dance List AJ & Kai - Couple's Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae Rose & Giovanni - Paso Doble to California Dreamin' by Sia Tilly & Nikita - Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa Dan & Nadiya - Rumba to Desperado by the Eagles John & Johannes - Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett Rhys & Nancy - Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston Advertisement

The tenth week of Strictly kicked off with a powerful Paso Doble by Rose Ayling-Ellis and her pro partner Giovanni Pernice.

Theactress, 27, and the Italian dancer, 31, performed the out-of-comfort-zone routine to Sia's California Dreamin', which received mostly positive feedback from the judges.

Rose, who was born deaf, has been tipped to win the series, after moving viewers to tears with her moving performances and raising awareness for the deaf community.

Head judge Shirley praised: 'What a way to open the show. You are a class act. You are bringing it week in and week out.'

Craig, who was back on the panel after testing positive for COVID-19, commended the choreography however wasn't as impressed as his fellow judges.

'I thought it was a little upright and stiff. I didn't feel you pound around the floor as much as you could,' he said.

Cynthia used sign language among some of her comments, saying: 'You have this power in you that moves across the floor. Well done.'

They scored 33 for their efforts.

The penultimate routine of the evening was danced by Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin.

The YouTuber's famous TV chef dad Gordon wiped away tears at the end of their Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa.

Shirley said: 'I think it needed tidying up a bit. Otherwise, a really good go at a very difficult dance.'

Strictly Come Dancing 2021: Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice kicked off week 10 with a powerful Paso Doble

Working hard: The deaf actress, 27, and the Italian dancer, 31, performed the out-of-comfort-zone routine to Sia's California Dreamin', which received mostly positive feedback from the judges

Welcome back: Cynthia made her second appearance on the judging panel, this week filling in for Motsi, who revealed she wouldn't be on the show after being pinged by NHS Test and Trace

Ballroom star: The penultimate routine of the evening was danced by Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin

Emotional: The YouTuber's famous TV chef dad Gordon wiped away tears at the end of their Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa

Earlier this week, Motsi, 40, explained that while she is triple jabbed, she is currently in Germany and is not able to travel back due to UK Government guidelines, which do not recognise the vaccines she received.

Motsi's news comes a week after Craig Revel Horwood was forced to pull out of last week's show after testing positive for Covid-19 .

Taking to her Twitter page on Friday, Motsi wrote: 'I am gutted to say I will have to miss this weekend on Strictly... yesterday, I was contacted by NHS Test and Trace as being in close contact with someone on Sunday November 21 who has since tested positive.

Missing out: Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse revealed she won't be on the judging panel this week after being pinged by track and trace

Being double vaccinated & booster as I am, would normally mean exemption from isolation under the 'close contact' rules, but unfortunately German EU vaccinations are not recognised and neither is my booster in this instance.

'So I must follow UK Government Guidance and can only return after 30 November 2021 to the UK. Our health is the most important thing and luckily I have been tested multiple times this week and am negative.

'I am healthy, I am with my family that's what matters! I wish everyone good luck, sending you my love. Keep dancing. Until then, lots of love and stay safe xx.'

The government website states the EU Digital Covid Certificate (EUDCC) is not recognised as proof of vaccination for passengers travelling to the UK.

A spokesperson for the show then confirmed that guest judge Cynthia Erivo - who covered for Craig last week - would return to take Moti's place.
He's been learning independence skills at residential college to become more self-reliant.

And Harvey Price looked over the moon as he enjoyed a snow day with his mum Katie Price on Saturday.

'Starting to look a lot like Christmas,' the former glamour model, 43, told her fans on Instagram along the festive snaps of her 19-year-old in a rainbow santa hat.

Sweet: Harvey Price looked over the moon as he enjoyed a snow day with his mum Katie Price on Saturday

Harvey grinned as he posed in the Christmas-ready accessory in the chilly white weather.

He wrapped up in a big black coat with a fluffy hood, which he layered under a matching hoodie.

The teenager clutched his iPad as his mum snapped sweet pics of him smiling in the snow while visiting him at his residential home.

During her visit, Katie and Harvey took to the kitchen to bake a cake with the teenager sporting an adorable frog bucket hat.

Festive! 'Starting to look a lot like Christmas,' the former glamour model, 43, told her fans on Instagram along the festive snaps of her 19-year-old in a rainbow santa hat

'Can you guess what we're baking?' Katie asked her followers as she cracked eggs into a bowl in a stylish white roll-neck jumper.

The visit comes after Katie shared a heartwarming photo of Harvey learning independence skills at college earlier this week.

The former glamour model took to Instagram with a snap of her eldest son hanging up laundry.

Cute: During her visit, Katie and Harvey took to the kitchen to bake a cake with the teenager sporting an adorable frog bucket hat

'Can you guess what we're baking?' Katie asked her followers as she cracked eggs into a bowl in a stylish white roll-neck jumper

Alongside the post, the reality star wrote: 'Harvey learning his independent skills'.

Katie was inundated with well wishes from her followers with one writing: 'Excellent Harvey so proud of you'.

Harvey, who Katie had with ex-boyfriend Dwight Yorke, was born with disabilities including partial blindness, ADHD and Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes an excessive appetite.

Family: The visit comes after Katie shared a heartwarming photo of Harvey learning independence skills at college earlier this week

Katie recently detailed horrifying kidnap threats made against her son in her new memoir, Harvey & Me.

In an excerpt from her book, serialised in the Mirror, the star revealed a gang had planned to force her car off the road and hold Harvey to ransom for 1million - leaving her feeling 'unsafe in my own home.'

She wrote of the threats, the first of which came when he was four and the most recent a few years ago: 'He is so innocent, it breaks my heart that anyone would want to hurt him, but we've endured a lot together.

Family: Harvey, who Katie had with ex-boyfriend Dwight Yorke, was born with disabilities including partial blindness, ADHD and Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes an excessive appetite

'The police had intel a gang was planning to force me off the road and seize Harvey for a 1m ransom, They had been watching us and knew Harvey's school. It was utterly terrifying.'

The star revealed a second threat saw Scotland Yard involved, with a warning a gang were planning to 'grab Harvey' after 'staging a car accident.'

A third threat saw the star sent anonymous emails in which they threatened to 'kidnap Harvey and slash his face' if a 50,000 ransom was not paid.

She wrote: 'Criminals target Harvey because they know how vulnerable he is. Harvey needs his medication to survive. He wouldnt be easy to kidnap now because hes so big... but feeling unsafe in your own home is awful. I still have that feeling of looking over my shoulder  I dont think that will ever go away. '

College: Harvey is learning at the same college the former glamour model and her son were seen visiting on her BBC documentary Harvey & Me

Harvey was reportedly accepted to a 350,000-a-year residential college after moving to a transitional home earlier this year.

A source told The Sun: 'Harvey has been accepted into the National Star College.

'She had her heart set on the college since they visited in her BBC documentary Harvey & Me.'

The publication reports the fees are eligible for government funding because of Harvey's complex needs however it is not known if Katie's application for financial aid has been approved.

Change: Katie Price's son Harvey has reportedly been accepted to a 350,000-a-year residential college

In January, Katie made the 'heartbreaking' decision to place Harvey in a residential home three hours from where she lives in order to help him become more self-reliant.

During an interview on Studio 10 in Australia, she said: 'It's not because I don't want to see him, but I have to give him a chance to have an independent life and not let him lead me all the time.'

Katie is also mother to Junior, 16, and Princess, 14, with her ex-husband Peter Andre, 48. She also shares son Jett, eight, and daughter Bunny, seven, with former spouse Kieran Hayler, 34.
They bring all the glamour to the ballroom when they present Strictly each weekend.

And Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman pulled out the stops for Saturday's show in two sensational outfits as they effortlessly took on their hosting duties.

Tess, 52, looked sensational in figure-hugging red dress from Hasan Hejazi as she posed for stunning snaps ahead of the live show.

Wow! Tess Daly looked sensational in a figure-hugging red dress as she posed for stunning snaps ahead of the live Strictly show on Saturday night

Her phenomenal physique was on display in the tight midi number which featured silver belt detailing and was cinched in at the waist.

She completed the look with matching red heels and wore her blonde tresses in perfectly styled waves while opting for a slick of bright red lip.

Meanwhile Claudia dazzled in a white sequin blazer which was teamed with black leather trousers, a black top and white heels.

Radiant: She completed the look with matching red heels and wore her blonde tresses in perfectly styled waves while opting for a slick of bright red lip

Stunning: Meanwhile Claudia dazzled in a white sequin blazer which was teamed with black leather trousers, a black top and white heels

Tess wrote in the caption of her Instagram post where she showed off her outfit: 'Down to just 6 couples tonight, as they dance for their place in the quarter finals next week! See you soon!'

John Whaite and Johannes Radebe danced their way to the top of the Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard on Saturday night.

The former Great British Bake Off winner and his dance partner stole the show with their impressively intense Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett, scoring an almost perfect score of 39.

Craig Revel Horwood gushed: 'I absolutely loved it.'

Dynamic duo: They bring all the glamour to the ballroom when they present Strictly each weekend

Cynthia Erivo - who stepped in for Motsi Mabuse, who has been forced to isolate in Germany - clapped and said: 'I was crazy for it... this is gorgeous.'

Referring to Craig, head judge Shirley Ballas then declared: 'They are back! Fab-u-lous, I stole your line.'

In second place with a score of 36, AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington danced a Couple's Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae.

Hard-to-please Craig said: 'You did brilliantly.' Cynthia said: 'I love you so much.'

Incredible: Tess' phenomenal physique was on display in the tight midi number which featured silver belt detailing and was cinched in at the waist

Elsewhere, CBBC star Rhys Stephenson broke down in tears after his emotional Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston.

Shirley said: 'You have astounded me ... it was beautiful. 'I felt your emotion, I never thought I would see that from you. I just want to give you a hug.'

The crowd booed when Craig laid into the routine and listed off a number of things he felt were wrong with it.

He admitted: 'For me, technically, it's not for me, darling.'

Fashionista: Claudia wowed in her glittery ensemble as she effortlessly presented the show

Newsreader Dan Walker, meanwhile, left the judges gobsmacked with his hip-thrusting actions to his and Nadiya Bychkova's racy Rumba to Desperado by Eagles, and managed a score of 31.

Elsewhere, Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin scored 30 out of 40.

The YouTuber's famous TV chef dad Gordon wiped away tears at the end of their Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa.

And Tilly thought her dad was 'embarrassed' speaking to co-host Claudia Winkleman.

Craig admitted he felt it was a little 'awkward and disconnected'.

EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice kicked off the show with a tantalising Paso Doble to California Dreamin by Sia, which earned them a score of 33.

Shirley hailed Rose as a 'class act'.
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe danced their way to the top of the Strictly Come Dancing' leaderboard on Saturday night.

The former Great British Bake Off winner, 32, and his dance partner stole the show with their impressively intense Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett.

Wowing the judges with their passionate routine, the pair scored an almost perfect score of 39.

Woo! John Whaite and Johannes Radebe danced their way to the top of the Strictly Come Dancing' leaderboard on Saturday night

John and Johannes cut dapper figures as they took to the stage in black trousers, satin waistcoats and mesh underarmour.

Craig Revel Horwood gushed of John and Johannes' gripping routine: 'I absolutely loved it.'

Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo - who stepped in for Motsi Mabuse, who has been forced to isolate in Germany - clapped and said: 'I was crazy for it... this is gorgeous'

Referring to Craig, head judge Shirley Ballas then declared: 'They are back! Fab-u-lous, I stole your line.'

Fabulous: The former Great British Bake Off winner and his dance partner stole the show with their Argentine Tango to The 5th by David Garrett and scored an almost perfect score of 39

In second place on the scoreboard with 36 was AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington who danced a Couples Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae.

Hard-to-please Craig said: 'You did brilliantly,' while Cynthia added: 'I love you so much.'

Elsewhere, CBBC star Rhys Stephenson broke down in tears after his emotional Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston.

Runners up: In second place on the scoreboard with 36 was AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington who danced a Couples Choice to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae

Shirley said of the routine: 'You have astounded me ... it was beautiful. I felt your emotion, I never thought I would see that from you. I just want to give you a hug.'

And the crowd booed when Craig laid into the routine and listed off a number of things he felt were wrong with it.

He admitted: 'For me, technically, it's not for me, darling.'

Emotional: Elsewhere, CBBC star Rhys Stephenson broke down in tears after his emotional Waltz to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston

Meanwhile, newsreader Dan Walker, left the judges gobsmacked with his hip-thrusting actions to his and Nadiya Bychkova's racy Rumba.

The pair danced to Desperado by Eagles and managed a score of 31 with the sultry choreography.

Elsewhere, Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin scored 30 out of 40 for their Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa.

Shocking: Meanwhile, newsreader Dan Walker, left the judges gobsmacked with his hip-thrusting actions to his and Nadiya Bychkova's racy Rumba

The YouTuber's famous TV chef dad Gordon wiped away tears at the end of his daughter's performance.

And Tilly thought her dad was 'embarrassed' rather than emotional as she spoke to co-host Claudia Winkleman.

Of the routine, Craig admitted he felt it was a little 'awkward and disconnected,' as he gave the performance feedback.

Happy: Elsewhere, Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin scored 30 out of 40 for their Samba to Levitating by Dua Lipa

Emotional? The YouTuber's famous TV chef dad Gordon wiped away tears at the end of his daughter's performance

EastEnders star Rose Aylng-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice kicked off the show with a tantalising Paso Doble to California Dreamin by Sia.

Shirley hailed Rose as a 'class act' and the pair scooped 33 points for the energetic performance.

Results from the impressive show will air tomorrow night on BBC One at 7.20pm as the show edges closer to its big finale on December 18.

Stunning: EastEnders star Rose Aylng-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice kicked off the show with a tantalising Paso Doble to California Dreamin by Sia
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The I'm A Celebrity campmates have been REMOVED from Gwrych Castle in north Wales after Storm Arwen sent a 100ft tree crashing into a wall of the building - as it's feared that the show's return could be delayed for days after filming equipment was damaged.

The stars will individually go back into quarantine to ensure they remain covid secure and will only return once the whole production is safely re-established, the technical difficulties are sorted out and the weather conditions died down.

It comes after ITV bosses announced that the two live shows on Saturday and Sunday would be scrapped due to the bad weather and replaced with compilation clips looking back at previous series  while they hope normal service will resume next week.

Chaos: The I'm A Celebrity campmates have been REMOVED from Gwrych Castle as Storm Arwen continues to cause technical difficulties in north Wales

A statement from ITV read: 'Whilst we get the production base back up and running after suffering technical issues due to the storm, we have removed the celebrities from the castle.'

The quarantine conditions for the celebrities will be the same as they had pre-show, where they stayed in cottages in the surrounding countryside area.

According to The Sun, as the falling tree was lifted by the wind and smashed into the castle ramparts, a second, also 100ft tall, was flung through the air, ending up on a path near Cledwyn's Kiosk.

A source told the publication of the possible delays to the show coming back on air: 'This is a crushing blow. No one anticipated the disaster that this storm would cause and it has completely blindsided us.

'The worst damage is to one of our three production areas - the tent where we keep the scanners, the TV editing suite, the production office and our IT equipment. From the outside, it is wrecked.

'At the moment, we still don't know what the damage done to the equipment is, as we can't go in until it has been declared safe.

Weather: The remaining stars will individually return to quarantine to ensure they remain covid secure and will only return once the whole production is safely re-established

'But we need time to get everything fixed and the break buys us some time. We are hoping against hope it will be enough and that we can return on Monday. To go ahead then, we also need the green light to bring more staff back on set. But at the moment, nothing is guaranteed.'

MailOnline has contacted ITV for further comment.

It comes after the show has been cancelled this weekend because of the disruption to production caused by the storm.

In addition Friday's programme was pre-recorded by hosts Ant and Dec for the first time in the show's 19-year history following the ferocious weather conditions.

Safety first: The stars of this year's series will be spending the night out of the castle due to the treacherous storm

The earlier ITV statement about the cancelled shows said: 'Owing to technical difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions in the area, there will be no new episodes of I'm a CelebrityGet Me Out Of Here! this weekend (Saturday and Sunday).

'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows (voiced by Ant & Dec) featuring best moments from previous series.'

It was thought that the gale at 70 mph knocked out satellite systems and caused huge technical disruption for the production crew.

Change: It comes after ITV bosses announced that the two live shows on Saturday and Sunday would be scrapped due to the bad weather and replaced with compilation clips looking back at previous series  while they hope normal service will resume next week

Ant & Dec did not present Friday's episode live for the first time in the show's 19-year history and filmed their segments earlier in the afternoon ahead of the storm worsening.

And while it was hoped that things would continue as normal this weekend, the impact of Storm Arwen has meant that urgent changes have had to be made.

Fans were gutted to hear the news of the shows being cancelled after looking forward to tuning in, with one writing: 'That's a shame, but safety comes first, and that's what counts!'

Another said: 'Nooooooo stay safe everyone!' while a third fumed: 'UGH I HATE WEATHERRR!'

Storm drama: The earlier statement about the cancelled shows said: 'Owing to technical difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions in the area, there will be no new episodes of I'm a CelebrityGet Me Out Of Here! this weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

Reaction: Fans were gutted to hear the news of the show being cancelled after looking forward to tuning in, with one writing: 'That's a shame, but safety comes first, and that's what counts!'

Someone else wrote: 'Bummer not on for the next two nights! stupid storm!', while a fifth posted: 'Stay safe all we understand!'

Ant and Dec posted a short clip of themselves at Ant's Welsh cottage on Saturday ahead of the compilation show and said: 'Hello and welcome to I'm A Celeb, live from my cottage kitchen, this is the best we can do at the minute as we can't get into site at the minute.

'We don't have a live show for you tonight or tomorrow night, these aren't even scripts actually they're just bits of paper we found! There is a show on ITV tonight, it's a highlights show voiced by us. How about we get a Saturday night takeaway and watch I'm A Celeb! Shall we do that! In my cottage!'

Change: Ant and Dec posted a short clip of themselves at Ant's Welsh cottage on Saturday ahead of the compilation show and said: 'Hello and welcome to I'm A Celeb, live from my cottage kitchen, this is the best we can do at the minute as we can't get into site at the minute'

It comes as I'm a Celebrity's production was left 'like a bomb had hit' as the storm unleashed its full force onto the castle where the eleven stars are holed up.

Security staff and production workers had 'to run for their lives' and were 'blown off their feet' as 70mph winds battered the 19th century Gwrych Castle in North Wales.

As exclusive pictures show, marquees where presenters Ant and Dec are driven into were ripped to shreds, while roofs were ripped off and canopies torn apart as the gales struck.

Replacement: 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows (voiced by Ant & Dec) featuring best moments from previous series'

Nightmare: It was thought that the gale at 70 mph knocked out satellite systems and caused huge technical disruption for the production crew

ITV took extra precautions to ensure the celebrities were safe, but the devastation was felt around the set with a three week programme going out nightly.

Urgent checks had initially been made to satellite equipment to ensure that Ant & Dec can resume live broadcasts on Saturday, after Friday night's live show was cancelled and pre-recorded material used due to storm warnings.

A source said: 'It was terrifying. Down at the front of the castle people were running everywhere to try and secure property and the fencing.

'People were blown off their feet. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured.

Destruction: As exclusive pictures show, marquees where presenters Ant and Dec are driven into were ripped to shreds

Storm Arwen impact: The roofs were ripped off and canopies torn apart as the gales struck

Safety first: ITV took extra precautions to ensure the celebrities were safe, but the devastation was felt around the set with a three week programme going out nightly

'But it looks like a bomb has hit the site today. The roofs of the marquees have been ripped or torn off and equipment is lying on on its side along with the fencing.

'It is devastating. But producers have been brilliant in bringing in extra staff and taking extra measures.'

The celebs had to be cordoned off from everyone else who is not a part of the anti-covid bubble and were kept in a safe area as the overnight storm struck.

Security staff stay in caravans at the front of the castle and the battering sent Christmas lights installed there flying.

On Saturday, urgent clearing up was taking place and repairs will be carried out to the marquees, where Ant & Dec and all others who arrive undergo security checks and asked to disinfect their hands.

Keeping track: Urgent checks had been made to satellite equipment to ensure that Ant & Dec can resume live broadcasts on Saturday, after Friday night's live show was cancelled and pre-recorded material used due to storm warnings

Elsewhere, further images taken on Saturday morning show the extreme weather's devastating impact upon a large white tent, which protected a series of trailers and vans for production of the show, with onlookers claiming all non-essential crew have been taken off site due to the dangerous conditions.

Bosses were forced to pre-record Friday's show amid safety concerns for contestants at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, with hosts Ant and Dec recording their segments earlier that afternoon.

Sections of the tent's roof had blown away, which exposed scaffolding structures and demountable buildings beneath to strong wind and rain.

Following shots exhibited the damage done to a subsequent tent, which had collapsed into a recreational vehicle and exposed a series of metal poles.

An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Tonight's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will be broadcast as a pre-recorded show rather than live due to the developing Storm Arwen and precautionary measures we're putting into place on production.

Keeping them safe: The celebs had to be cordoned off from everyone else who is not a part of the anti- covid bubble and were kept in a safe area as the overnight storm struck

Tragic: Following shots exhibited the damage done to a subsequent tent, which had collapsed into a recreational vehicle and exposed a series of metal poles

Terrifying: Sections of its roof had blown away, which exposed scaffolding structures and demountable buildings beneath to strong wind and rain

'Ant & Dec will record their links early evening and these will be played out during tonight's show. Our celebrities will remain inside the castle which is secure and we have contingencies in place to cover all weather scenarios to ensure the safety of our cast and crew.'

Speaking in a short clip posted to their Instagram ahead of the show the duo explained about the change to the set up, with the storm and strong winds clearly audible in the background.

Dec said: 'So you've probably heard we are having to record the show a bit earlier tonight because of the winds and Storm Arwen. It's bad, it's really windy isn't it, you can hear the wind rattling, so we have got to get it done now and get out of here.

'It's due to get worse later, so everybody is afraid that the satellite is going to go down and all of that so it's a bit risky to do a live show. So we will have to do it recorded tonight, that's the first time we've ever done that.'

He then joked: 'It's very very windy, and even worse for that it was lentils for lunch! So Ant is a bit windy as well!'

Weather woes: The castle had been taking a weather battering with gale force winds and driving rain bringing down tree branches and safety signs

Stars including Frankie Bridge and Naughty Boy, who argued on Thursday's show over rice, will face further tensions as the storm hits, forcing contestants to shelter together in the freezing castle.

Gwrych Castle has been taking a battering with gale force winds and rain bringing down tree branches and safety signs.

The Met Office has warned there is worse to come for the area around the castle from a storm they have given the Welsh name of Arwen.

The first heavy blasts meant security guards who had been brought into Gwrych Castle to protect the eleven remaining celebrities had to leave their posts to retrieve and reposition fencing blown down by the extreme weather.

Road signs which had been held down with sand bags were felled and blown into the road as cars had to swerve to avoid them.

Extreme weather warnings have forced the show's producers to take emergency measures to protect its stars who are staying in the 19th century castle.

Protection: Extreme weather warnings have forced the show's producers to take emergency measures to protect its stars who are staying in the 19th century castle

Location: The 19th century castle is positioned high up on a hill in an open space, less than a mile from Liverpool Bay which borders the Irish sea

The Met Office said: 'Storm Arwen will bring very strong northerly winds into coastal parts of Wales and parts of western England Friday night and into Saturday. '

Gwrych Castle is positioned high up on a hill in an open space, less than a mile from Liverpool Bay which borders the Irish sea.

The Met Office added: 'Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Probably damage to trees, temporary structures and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

'Some roads and bridges are likely to close; There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

'Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.'
Irina Shayk was seen out in New York after she was spotted heading to ex Bradley Cooper's house on Thanksgiving.

The 35-year-old svelte supermodel wore a caramel-colored jacket and matching trousers.

The mom-of-one wore a pair of black Burberry sunglasses with a gold chain attachment - a recent favorite of hers.

Bundled up in style! Irina Shayk was seen out in New York City two days after spending Thanksgiving with her ex Bradley Cooper

Under the neutral-colored outwear the statuesque stunner wore a black turtleneck sweater.

Black boots punctuated the fashionista's loose-fitting trousers and the runway star kept her hands warm by tucking them in her pockets.

Her ensemble's two-toned palette continued with a black Burberry purse that she wore over her shoulder.

The Alo ambassador's dark hair was in an off-center part and worn down, and Irina tucked the front strands behind her ears.

Style note: The 35-year-old svelte supermodel wore a caramel-colored jacket and matching trousers

The Russian beauty skipped earrings as she walked along the streets of the Big Apple.

The outing comes after the bombshell was spotted heading to Cooper's home to celebrate the recent holiday.

The A-listers share daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper, four, and they've been co-parenting their little one since announcing their split in 2019.

On Thanksgiving Irina headed to her former flame's home wearing a chic all-black outfit and carrying a dish in her hands.

Go-to accessory: The mom-of-one wore a pair of black Burberry sunglasses with a gold chain attachment - a recent favorite of hers

Earlier this year the former couple sparked reconciliation rumors after they were seen walking in NYC with their arms linked.

At the time, the happy exes smiled as they walked arm-in-arm on their way back to his place.

The two dated for four years before going their separate ways two years ago.

Shayk was briefly linked to Kanye West earlier this year. The romance was short-lived, and a source told PEOPLE in August that the relationship 'was never a serious thing that took off.'
She recently released a collection of powerful essays called My Body.

And Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in a zebra miniskirt and matching coat as she headed to Battersea Arts Centre to discuss her book on Saturday night.

The 30-year-old model put on a leggy display at the WOW: Shameless Festival in London as she stepped out in a pair of red suede boots and the animal print co-ord.

Gorgeous: Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in a zebra miniskirt and matching coat as she stepped out at Battersea Arts Centre to discuss her book My Body on Saturday night

Emily showcased her edgy sense of style in the long-line zebra coat, which she layered over a classic black roll neck jumper.

She accessorised with a large fluffy black hat and added a pop of colour with the pointy-toed boots.

The model accentuated her natural beauty with clear lipgloss and a sweep of blusher and bronzer across her complexion.

Emily showcased her lithe legs in the thigh-skimming skirt as she climbed out of her car before heading into the venue for a conversation about her essay collection.

Stunning: The 30-year-old model put on a leggy display at the WOW: Shameless Festival in London as she stepped out in a pair of red suede boots and the animal print co-ord

Cool: Emily showcased her edgy sense of style in the long-line zebra coat, which she layered over a classic black roll neck jumper

Emily gets very candid in her memoir about taking back ownership of her body after beginning her modelling career as a teenager.

The fashionista has been making the media rounds to promote her vulnerable essay collection, which was immediately a New York Times bestseller.

During a press appearance last week, the mother-of-one said she would be 'horrified' by another teenager doing the same type of photo shoots she did early in her career.

Cute: She accessorised with a large fluffy black hat and added a pop of colour with the pointy-toed boots

Flawless: The model accentuated her natural beauty with clear lipgloss and a sweep of blusher and bronzer across her complexion

The acclaimed star has opened up about her first topless shoot when she was just 17, and while she found it 'validating' at the time, she knows she would feel very different now seeing someone go through the same experience.

'I think that I had no sense of what was happening other than that it was validating, and felt really validating for older men who ran a magazine to say, "You're hot,"' she said during the Changes with Annie Macmanus podcast.

'It felt really good to have that. At the time, that's all I focused on. Now looking back, I'm like, "Wow!"' she added.

Beautiful: Emily showcased her lithe legs in the thigh-skimming skirt as she climbed out of her car before heading into the venue for a conversation about her essay collection

Best foot forwards: She looked confident as she stepped out of her car in the towering heels

Brave: Emily wore her chestnut tresses loose underneath the large fluffy hat as she braved the London weather with bare legs

'I was a child, I actually can visualise that specific picture in my mind and I'm thinking about if I saw a 17-year-old in that way now, I'd be horrified because I can recognise how young I was.

'At the time, it just felt really powerful and cool.

'I think there were things going on under the surface of that that I didn't even realize, was that I was learning to place a lot of value in how desirable I could be to men,' she admitted.

Turning heads: The model strode confidently along the street in her red heels as she smized at onlookers while making her way back to her car

Commanding attention: She looked stunning as she left Battersea Arts Centre after the talk in the eyecatching animal print outfit

Glare: She didn't fail to smoulder as she left the venue after talking about her book

Heading home: Emily looked cosy in her oversized coat as she climbed into her car and headed home after the event

Honest: Emily gets very candid in her memoir about taking back ownership of her body after beginning her modelling career as a teenager

Speaking out: The fashionista has been making the media rounds to promote her vulnerable essay collection, which was immediately a New York Times bestseller

Meanwhile, Emily also talked about her experience during puberty, as she started to develop when she was young and had to deal with conflicting emotions at the same.

She added: 'I think from, like, [age] 10 to 12, I started to feel it at school with other kids, having boobs and under arm hair - it was very scary.

'It both felt exciting because boys paid attention to me but then also they'd make fun of me for having underarm hair.'

Troubling: During a press appearance last week, the mother-of-one said she would be 'horrified' by another teenager doing the same type of photo shoots she did early in her career

Views: The acclaimed star said she found her first topless shoot at 17 'validating' at the time but knows she would feel very different now seeing someone go through the same experience

Emily noted how her mother let her express herself and 'celebrated' her looks and the way the world saw her.

She said: 'She really was all about letting me dress how I wanted and whatever. I think also she celebrated the way that the world perceived me as pretty and beautiful, which to me says less about her and more about how our world works.

'Of course you'd want your daughter to be attractive because you know that they might have an easier life.'
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I'm a Celebrity's production was left 'like a bomb had hit' as Storm Arwen unleashed its full force onto the castle where the eleven stars are holed up.

Security staff and production workers had 'to run for their lives' and were 'blown off their feet' as 70mph winds battered the 19th century Gwrych Castle in North Wales.

Due to the storm ITV bosses announced this afternoon that the two live shows on Saturday and Sunday would be scrapped and replaced with compilation clips looking back at previous series  while they hope normal service will resume next week.

As these exclusive pictures show, marquees where presenters Ant and Dec are driven into were ripped to shreds, while roofs were ripped off and canopies torn apart as the gales struck.

Chaos: I'm a Celebrity's production was left 'like a bomb had hit' as Storm Arwen unleashed its full force onto the castle where the eleven stars are holed up

ITV took extra precautions to ensure the celebrities were safe, but the devastation was felt around the set with a three week programme going out nightly.

Urgent checks have been made to satellite equipment to ensure that Ant & Dec can resume live broadcasts on Saturday, after Friday night's live show was cancelled and pre-recorded material used due to storm warnings.

A source said: 'It was terrifying. Down at the front of the castle people were running everywhere to try and secure property and the fencing.

Dangerous: Security staff and production workers had 'to run for their lives' and were 'blown off their feet' as 70mph winds battered the 19th century Gwrych Castle in North Wales (hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly)

'People were blown off their feet. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured.

'But it looks like a bomb has hit the site today. The roofs of the marquees have been ripped or torn off and equipment is lying on on its side along with the fencing.

'It is devastating. But producers have been brilliant in bringing in extra staff and taking extra measures.'

Destruction: As these exclusive pictures show, marquees where presenters Ant and Dec are driven into were ripped to shreds

Storm Arwen impact: The roofs were ripped off and canopies torn apart as the gales struck

Safety first: ITV took extra precautions to ensure the celebrities were safe, but the devastation was felt around the set with a three week programme going out nightly

The celebs had to be cordoned off from everyone else who is not a part of the anti- covid bubble and were kept in a safe area as the overnight storm struck.

Security staff stay in caravans at the front of the castle and the battering sent Christmas lights installed there flying.

On Saturday, urgent clearing up is taking place and repairs will be carried out to the marquees, where Ant & Dec and all others who arrive undergo security checks and asked to disinfect their hands.

Announcing this weekend's shows were cancelled, ITV said in a statement: 'Owing to technical difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions in the area, there will be no new episodes of I'm a CelebrityGet Me Out Of Here! this weekend (Saturday and Sunday).

'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows (voiced by Ant & Dec) featuring best moments from previous series.'

Keeping track: Urgent checks have been made to satellite equipment to ensure that Ant & Dec can resume live broadcasts on Saturday, after Friday night's live show was cancelled and pre-recorded material used due to storm warnings

Fans were gutted to hear the news after looking forward to tuning in, with one writing: 'That's a shame, but safety comes first, and that's what counts!'

Another said: 'Nooooooo stay safe everyone!' while a third fumed: 'UGH I HATE WEATHERRR!'

Someone else wrote: 'Bummer not on for the next two nights! stupid storm!', while a fifth posted: 'Stay safe all we understand!'

This year's show has had a run of bad luck, with presenter Richard Madeley, 65, being forced to quit after been taken ill and leaving the covid bubble, and music producer Naughty Boy, 36, renewing his threat to walk out.

Scary stuff: A source said: 'It was terrifying. Down at the front of the castle people were running everywhere to try and secure property and the fencing'

Perilous: 'People were blown off their feet. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured'

Precautions: The celebs had to be cordoned off from everyone else who is not a part of the anti- covid bubble and were kept in a safe area as the overnight storm struck

Both Arlene Phillips, 78, and singer Frankie Bridge, 32, have raised concerns over their health.

While security staff had to deal with an intruder who managed to circum navigate the ring of steel thrown around the castle.

In a further blow for the show, ratings for this year's series are seriously down compared to past series.

As of Friday 26 November, ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 6.37million viewers, significantly lower than that of the previous series, which averaged at 11.46.

Tuning in: In a further blow for the show, ratings for this year's series are seriously down compared to past series. As of Friday 26 November, ratings for the ITV programme averaged at 6.37million viewers, significantly lower than that of the previous series, which averaged at 11.46

The viewership so far in the 2021 series pales into comparison to the ratings series 18 in 2018 -won by Harry Redknapp - which averaged a whopping 12.14.

However in more positive news, overnight ratings for I'm A Celebrity on Friday saw the show receive the biggest audience share across the channels with 31.2% and a peak of 5707.3.

Elsewhere, further images taken on Saturday morning show the extreme weather's devastating impact upon a large white tent, which protected a series of trailers and vans for production of the show, with onlookers claiming all non-essential crew have been taken off site due to the dangerous conditions.

Bosses were forced to pre-record Friday's show amid safety concerns for contestants at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, with hosts Ant and Dec recording their segments earlier that afternoon.

Shock! I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here has been sent into chaos after the show's outdoor set was damaged by Storm Arwen on Friday

Sections of the tent's roof had blown away, which exposed scaffolding structures and demountable buildings beneath to strong wind and rain.

Following shots exhibited the damage done to a subsequent tent, which had collapsed into a recreational vehicle and exposed a series of metal poles.

Storm Arwen had been due to hit the local area around 9pm on Friday, which is the same time the episode airs on ITV, with producers fearing the impending weather conditions could impact the satellite link.

Oh no! It comes after bosses were forced to pre-record that evening's show amid safety concerns for contestants at Gwrych Castle in North Wales

Worrying: Images taken on Saturday morning show the extreme weather's devastating impact upon a large white tent, which protected a series of trailers and vans

An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Tonight's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will be broadcast as a pre-recorded show rather than live due to the developing Storm Arwen and precautionary measures we're putting into place on production.

'Ant & Dec will record their links early evening and these will be played out during tonight's show. Our celebrities will remain inside the castle which is secure and we have contingencies in place to cover all weather scenarios to ensure the safety of our cast and crew.'

Speaking in a short clip posted to their Instagram ahead of the show the duo explained about the change to the set up, with the storm and strong winds clearly audible in the background.

Dec said: 'So you've probably heard we are having to record the show a bit earlier tonight because of the winds and Storm Arwen. It's bad, it's really windy isn't it, you can hear the wind rattling, so we have got to get it done now and get out of here.

Tragic: Following shots exhibited the damage done to a subsequent tent, which had collapsed into a recreational vehicle and exposed a series of metal poles

Terrifying: Sections of its roof had blown away, which exposed scaffolding structures and demountable buildings beneath to strong wind and rain

'It's due to get worse later, so everybody is afraid that the satellite is going to go down and all of that so it's a bit risky to do a live show. So we will have to do it recorded tonight, that's the first time we've ever done that.'

He then joked: 'It's very very windy, and even worse for that it was lentils for lunch! So Ant is a bit windy as well!'

Stars including Frankie Bridge and Naughty Boy, who argued on Thursday's show over rice, will face further tensions as the storm hits, forcing contestants to shelter together in the freezing castle.

Gwrych Castle has been taking a battering with gale force winds and rain bringing down tree branches and safety signs.

Eek! Presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly did not present Friday's episode live for the first time in the show's 19-year history and filmed their segments earlier in the afternoon ahead of the storm worsening

The Met Office has warned there is worse to come for the area around the castle later tonight from a storm they have given the Welsh name of Arwen.

The first heavy blasts meant security guards who had been brought into Gwrych Castle to protect the eleven remaining celebrities had to leave their posts to retrieve and reposition fencing blown down by the extreme weather.

Road signs which had been held down with sand bags were felled and blown into the road as cars had to swerve to avoid them.

Extreme weather warnings have forced the show's producers to take emergency measures to protect its stars who are staying in the 19th century castle.

Weather woes: The castle had been taking a weather battering with gale force winds and driving rain bringing down tree branches and safety signs

The Met Office said: 'Storm Arwen will bring very strong northerly winds into coastal parts of Wales and parts of western England Friday night and into Saturday. '

Gwrych Castle is positioned high up on a hill in an open space, less than a mile from Liverpool Bay which borders the Irish sea.

The Met Office added: 'Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Probably damage to trees, temporary structures and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

'Some roads and bridges are likely to close; There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

'Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.'

Amendments: A guard fixed some of the security fencing at Gwrych Castle ahead of the arrival of Storm Arwen

Elsewhere, red alerts  warning of a 'danger to life'  have been issued across the northeast of England and Scotland for the first time in three years as Britons are warned to prepare for flooding, blizzards and power cuts.

The red warning, which covers areas including Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, will be in place from 3pm Friday until 2am Saturday morning.

Public transport in the red zone will be cancelled as the Met Office warned roofs could be blown off and 'power lines brought down.'

As temperatures on Friday plunged well below average to -4.4C in the Lake District, the Met Office warned commuters of 'flying debris' expected to cause chaos on roads, bridges and railway lines.

ITV said it was making preparations for the heavy winter storm and had advised its show's stars that safety measures may have to be taken.

An I'm A Celeb spokesman told MailOnline: 'Show bosses are monitoring Storm Arwen and we have contingencies in place to cover all weather scenarios.'

Meanwhile, local resident Diana Pritchard, a retired dental assistant who lives with husband Ian close to the castle, said: 'We have been warned that the storm is going to last for nine hours from midnight and be absolutely terrible.

Location: The 19th century castle is positioned high up on a hill in an open space, less than a mile from Liverpool Bay which borders the Irish sea

Bad weather: Fencing and signs had been blown over in the area surrounding the derelict Welsh castle

'I hope they take care of the celebrities up there. It's going to be pretty cold windy and wet and who knows what the storm will do to the trees and the structure of the walls around the castle.'

Sharon Roberts, 41, a charity worker of Rhyl, added: 'I live close to the coastline. I'm really worried about the sea and what it might do to the houses alongside as the waves are going to be pretty strong.

'But I would hate to be up there in that castle. They're not going to get any sleep that's for sure.

'I've been watching the show and they seem pretty grumpy with low morale. I wonder what this will do to them.

'It isn't going to help them in terms of spirit. But I'll probably make good TV. The show hasn't been as great this year because no one really knows who most of people are, but a storm hit in the castle will be very dramatic.'

Safety first: ITV said it was making preparations for the heavy winter storm and had advised its show's stars that safety measures may have to be taken

More than 80,000 homes in the UK have been left without electricity after the country was battered by Storm Arwen overnight.

Ferocious gales of nearly 100mph were recorded in Northumberland yesterday and one man in Northern Ireland was killed when his car was struck by a falling tree.

While the Met Office's rare red weather warning expired early today, the forecaster said that amber and yellow warnings for wind remained in place, with the expectation of gusts of 70mph in many areas today and flooding along the North East coastline.

Friday night's rugby union Premiership game between Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors was postponed due to safety concerns.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai on Saturday called a meeting of experts of the health and disaster department to discuss the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

While speaking to ANI, Bommai said, "I have called a meeting of experts of health and disaster departments today in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Kerala and clusters in a few colleges in Dharwad and Bengaluru."

As many as 99 more medical college students and faculty members were tested COVID-19 positive in Karnataka's Dharwad, taking the total number of affected medical students to 281 on Saturday, informed Dharwad District Collector Nitesh Patil.

Karnataka reported 402 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths on Saturday. As per the state's health department, the state has 6,611 active cases of infection. Karnataka has recorded 29,94,963 infections since the onset of the pandemic last year.

With 277 recoveries reported in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries climbed to 29,50,130. The death toll is 38,193. Of the six deaths reported on Friday, one each was reported in Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwada, Hassana, Kodagu and Raichuru.
People with their machinery wade through a waterlogged road after heavy rain near Marina Beach, in Chennai, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. (PTI Photo)

Chennai: State revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran on Saturday said a total of eight people have died due to heavy rainfall in the state.

While speaking to the media here in Chennai, Ramachandran said, "Eight people have died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu, out of which 3 people lost their lives yesterday. Two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Chinglepet and one in Kanchipuram."

He added, "Waterlogging has been reported at 220 places in Chennai, out of which water is cleared at 34 places. The process to pump out floodwater is ongoing at 127 places."

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is meeting governor RN Ravi to discuss heavy rainfall in the state.

Nagapattinam and Cuddalore are the most affected districts due to the incessant rain.

Chennai Meteorological Department on Friday had given a red alert to all coastal districts till today and an orange alert to the adjacent districts.
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is on a poaching spree. In an earnest effort to expand her partys footprint and emerge as the main face of a united Opposition, Ms Banerjee has been busy inducting leaders from other parties, especially the Congress. The Trinamul chief is particularly keen to enlist a maximum number of leaders over the next few months, before the results of the upcoming Assembly election results are declared. She fears that in case the Congress does reasonably well in these polls, it will become more assertive and will claim its position as the leader of the Opposition grouping on the ground that it is a national party while the others have a limited presence. Consequently, Mamata Banerjee is going all out to swell the ranks of her party in this timeframe.

Besides those who have already joined the Trinamul Congress, she is also in touch with G-23 members, the group of Congress leaders who are known to be unhappy with the way Congress is functioning. There is some talk that Ms Banerjee has also reached out to BJPs disgruntled leader Varun Gandhi.

Whether it is the enactment of far-reaching farm laws or a relatively minor matter like the renaming of a railway station, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are acquiring the reputation of taking hurried decisions which often backfire.

This is what happened in Madhya Pradesh. In a bid to woo the sizable tribal population, the state government recently decided to rename the Habibganj railway station in Bhopal after Rani Kamlapati, the 18th-century Gond queen of the region. However, this move soon became a source of embarrassment for chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as it was subsequently pointed out that Rani Kamlapati was married to a Muslim. Many state BJP leaders are upset over this revelation and want the station to be renamed after Atal Behari Vajpayee as originally planned. This is not all. Mr Chouhan stoked a fresh controversy when he described Rani Kamlapati as a Hindu queen. The Gond community has not taken kindly to this description as its members believe they have a distinct cultural and social identity and cannot be classified as Hindu. The chief minister is now busy making amends as his original plan to woo the Gonds has clearly gone awry.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her estranged cousin, BJP Lok Sabha MP Varun Gandhi appear to be competing with each other. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scrapping of the three contentious farm laws, Priyanka shot off a letter to him demanding the dismissal of Ajay Mishra, minister of state for home, whose son has been arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and pressed the Prime Minister not to share a dais with the minister. Coincidentally, Varun Gandhi also wrote to the Prime Minister the same day demanding Rs. 1 crore compensation for the families of those killed in the violence, legal guarantee on MSP to farmers and action against Union minister Mishra. It is learned that Varun Gandhi was not happy that he had been upstaged by his cousin and privately even dismissed her letter as insubstantial. As an MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi considers Uttar Pradesh as his turf while Priyanka is making a valiant attempt to resurrect the Congress in this politically important state.

If the BJP is facing an uphill task in Uttarakhand, the state unit of the Congress is also struggling to put its house in order. Former chief minister Harish Rawat, who is desperate to get his old job back, is unhappy that even though it is widely believed that he is the chief ministerial face of the Congress, this message is not being relayed to the electorate. Mr Rawat is convinced he is being deliberately ignored. At a recent meeting with the partys social media team, which comprises mostly young persons, a visibly upset Mr Rawat bemoaned that despite his stature in the state, the team is ignoring him in its campaigns. The youngsters were apparently taken aback at this emotional outpouring by a senior politician. As for Mr Rawat, he was later counselled by his colleagues that he should not be too concerned with the social media campaign and should instead focus on a personalised public outreach.

Two months ago, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel came close to losing his job as the Congress leadership was giving serious thought to a change of leadership in the state. Though Mr Baghel survived the threat, he is not taking any chances and has since been working overtime on consolidating his position. His supporters have fanned out across the state and set up virtual fan clubs with the express purpose of projecting Mr Baghel as a powerful and popular leader of backward classes. As this movement gathers momentum, the Congress will be hard put to replace Mr Baghel for fear of alienating the politically important backward classes.
Dear God,

I have a curious relationship with you. I have shared every moment of my life with you, and all my emotions, be they those rare helpings of pleasure or the large portions of pain and sorrow. Not a single day has gone by when I did not think about you. God, you have been my one and true confidante! But, believe me, God, despite my best attempts to lock away my mind in a safe almirah, a strange object called reason keeps visiting from nowhere and confronting me with uncomfortable vistas. Please dont mind, but that is when you appear to me as a hypocrite, having double, nay, multiple standards of behaviour.

Godji, you say poverty is dear to you and the highway to salvation or moksha is through garibi only. Yet when I see your plush housing  the gold-studded temples, the tall gurdwaras and the grand offerings to you  the word, irony, in my vocabulary simply melts away with shame. When I see the luxury cars, lavish lifestyles and the foreign travel tickets of your representatives  the pujaris, priests and granthis  it is difficult to swallow the chewing gum of the homilies  the poor are supposed to be rich in faith and learn to have a servants heart and live in humility and gratefulness.

You have communicated to us the lesson, First enquire if your neighbour is not hungry. But we are accustomed to first making sure the religion, caste and race of the person is the right one. Your bandas and servitors are out to bully those who dont tread the path stipulated by them. Even in our Big Brothers house, kids are being given critical race theory-based homework assignments that ask of them the question, What is your race, family make-up and school community group?

Well, I can anticipate your explanation of this contrariness. You will claim that these misdeeds are not your handiwork but that of your creations.

Everything done in your name cant be attributed to you. Granted! You have every right to clear your own name. But answer me this, God, being so powerful and omniscient, how are you unable to reform these wrongdoers? Well? What do I hear you say? Aha! Now, your plea becomes this  we are suffering the consequences of karma. Wah!

It seems that only those who know how to exploit religion get to draw the winning ticket in the lottery of life; having just a faith in God is like having a Jan Dhan khata with a zero balance. And when it comes to the definition of religion, well, things get way uglier. I never imagined that teaching sociology would be so difficult, especially during these last few years. The dictionary meaning of the word, religion, that which holds together, confuses the students. There is always a stifling silence in class when I announce this definition. Unite people! Are you serious? I hear my students think. You cant blame the students. All they see around them is hatred and indifference in the name of religion. All terminology for them comes offloaded with prejudice, skewed beyond redemption. Terminology itself is a T-word. But all T-words today are reserved for members of one particular religious community that is referred to as them, traitors, terrorists and so on.

We live in a society wherein every other day someone or some group of people suddenly arises from deep slumber like an uncoiled kundalini and, instead of being enlightened, gets ready to consume all unity and peace, thanks to the support of one particular force. The ex-White supremacist, Kerry Noble, in his work, Tabernacle of Hate: Why They Bombed Oklahoma City (1998), explains how believers are susceptible to the practice of fanaticism and feelings of chauvinism. He argues that having a perceived enemy and a leader who seeks to control how his people think, in combination with blind belief, is a surefire cocktail of hate. No wonder then that religion in the hands of politicians is like a 40-plus capsule used to divide people.

Now, for how long can I keep my logic locked up the way you and our netas keep the doors firmly closed to the appeals for mercy from the people? How long do we remain deliriously high on the opium of religion and continue in bad faith or mauvaise foi ignoring the fair warnings of Jean-Paul Sartre? Your followers, they are called the faithful, but are they really not mere adherents of prabhuvaad or the masters cult, whosoever the master may be  the politician, the imperialist, the office boss, you or society?

But, really, Mr Godji, for all your highfalutin sermons and teachings, you seem to have turned into a puppet, a katputli, in the hands of the dharmik and the rajneetik who are out to crush unity by imposing uniformity. When will you free yourself? Do you need to be rescued by us, the humble, great unwashed? No doubt we can when we get organised against the misuse of ideas, ideology and identity. But do you really want to be rescued? And if you dont, can we have reason for religion instead? Now, wont that put all our netas out of business?

 Kulbir Kaur
Over two months after Ford announced its plan to exit India, home-grown automobile major Tata Motors has touched base with the US-based auto giant for talks on the sale of its two plants in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Highly placed sources in the know of the developments told DH that a high-level team from Tata Motors has visited the sprawling facilities owned by Ford India in Maraimalai Nagar on the outskirts of Chennai and in Sanand in Gujarat, as part of the negotiations between the two firms.

The talks between the two companies have gained pace in the past few weeks, especially after Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin at his residence in early October. A high-level delegation from the Guidance Bureau of Tamil Nadu also met with high- ranking officials from Tata Motors in Mumbai.

The Tamil Nadu government is acting as an interlocutor between Ford India and Tata Motors as the formers exit is likely to have an impact on those working in the factory and hundreds of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The talks between the two companies are continuing. The state government is just facilitating the talks. Tata Motors is keen on taking over the Sanand plant due to its proximity to its own manufacturing unit. As far as the Maraimalai Nagar plant is concerned, the Tata Group is still exploring its options. But the state government is hopeful, a source said.

Another source told DH that more clarity is expected on the issue in the first week of December when another round of talks is likely to take place between the two companies. If Tata Motors succeeds in its efforts and takes over the Ford factory on the outskirts of Chennai, this will be the companys first foray into south India to manufacture passenger cars.

However, Ford India and Tata Motors were tightlipped on the issue. We continue to explore possible alternatives for our manufacturing facilities but have nothing further to share related to the speculations, a spokesperson for Ford India told DH in response to a query.

A spokesperson for Tata Motors said the company as a policy does not comment on rumours and speculations. Ford India had on September 9 announced its plans to exit India operations by closing its plants. However, the company will continue to cater to the Indian market through imported cars.

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We are a country whose history is an endless crisscross of migrations. And yet, the biggest of our storytelling industries, one built on the energy of these multiple crossovers, simply sucketh and is never sakkath when it comes to telling the story of North and South. This is a paradox that doesnt go away.

There are exceptions each of us can think of, Im sure, but that is my point. These films should not be exceptions. Id love to hear what you think, dear reader. Meanwhile, let me run past you the two honourable exceptions I can think of.

I loved Padosan (1968) for many reasons, including Mehmoods verve, but found myself wishing for more than the limited Carnatic-loving Madrasi caricature that was allowed to him. Where did he come from? What was he doing in that town? Answers to these questions might have left us with a vastly superior film.

The other film that kicks some ass in this department is the somewhat underrated Aiyyaa (2012). Only rarely do Bollywood films build themselves around the idea of female desire and rapture, and that part ensures that the Prithviraj-Rani Mukerji pairing gallop and gambols in the most fun way.

I am not given to giggling usually, but alas, such ambushes laid me low through the watching. If Bollywood ever got a lungi right, leave alone a lungi dance, I have only seen it happen in this beautifully self-aware film. Chennai Express (2013) and its Thalaivaa song is worth only a well-articulated arc of saliva for its laziness in looking at the North-South adventure.

It is this laziness which is the mystery we will have to endure from time to time.

I have survived Vivek Sonis Meenakshi Sundareshwar, and existential questions such as why anybody living in Madurai would begin sentences in Tamil and trail off into Hindi as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Sanya Malhotra wears a look of extraordinary avidity through the film, and it a mystery that is never solved, because nothing in her vicinity inspires such devotion, or indeed explains it.

Maybe they filmed her while she was acting in some other film. And maybe Im just jaundiced, and have forgotten to congratulate Bollywood collectively for its new map of India, for having moved its Tam-brahm fantasies and clueless Rajini references from Madras to Madurai.

The kindest thing I will say is that it produces a Madurai which is magically empty and suffused with a weird kind of light, as if somebody forgot the camera inside a giant coffee filter. It also has a Bengaluru which looks like the inside of the International Space Station. These are the films true achievements. Apart from producing yawns and guiltless sleep. No shame was felt when I fell asleep during my first two attempts at watching.

If you want to set a film in Madurai, and travel across a language/cultural gradient, you dont have to look very hard for real-life inspirations. The city that never sleeps is home to multiple migrant communities that have put down roots and left their mark on local culture. The Saurashtra community is only the most obvious example. I can only wonder about the infernal blindness that ignores these acts of bridging to plump for an empty heritage homestay costume-drama.

Far more interesting things happen when non-Bollywood film-makers turn their eyes to North-South journeys.

The Bombay film, in Tamil cinema, never dodges hard questions for exotica. Even a director like Mani Ratham, who routinely deposits his brains and his politics in sploshy omelette form into his films manages to do one or two interesting things in Nayakan (1987) and Bombay (1995). Pa. Ranjith has a better film about migration, and one that doesnt really need its superstar in Kaala (2018).

Selvaraghavan, whose hit-or-miss genius should have been given better chances, locates North-South encounter in the heart of Chennai in his 7G Rainbow Colony (2004) and makes some interesting points about the way class and caste might come together as he sends his protagonists careening through each others lives. Rajeev Ravis Malayalam film Kammatipaadam (2016) has only a few gritty minutes set in Mumbai, but is far more attentive to these moments, and their potential for hinting at issues that matter. Nagraj Manjules Sairat (2016) has its runaways arrive in a Hyderabad shorn of cliches and stock images.

One could wonder about whether it is gutlessness or blind privilege that besets Bollywood film-makers when it comes to staring into similar ethnographic opportunities that present themselves at every street-corner in their city.

There is also perhaps an arrogance that comes from never having to actually be accountable to an audience when you make films in a language with an invented majority, and tacit official imprimaturs. Maybe all sense of hinterland is trouble in such a situation and must be erased because the alternative would mean revealing fractures and fissions. If this is indeed the reason, then we will have no relief whatsoever from political dodginess and Conjeevaram-centered cliches for a very long time indeed.
AstraZeneca said on Friday it was examining the impact of a new coronavirus variant that is spreading rapidly in South Africa on its vaccine and its antibody cocktail, adding it was hopeful its combination drug would retain efficacy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday designated a new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, detected in South Africa with a large number of mutations, as being "of concern".

AstraZeneca has distributed 2 billion doses of its vaccine worldwide, although rollout of the shot was paused in South Africa in February after it was shown to offer minimal protection against mild to moderate illness caused by the Beta variant, which was dominant in the country at the time.

Read more: WHO designates new Covid strain as 'variant of concern', names it Omicron

"As with any new emerging variants, we are looking into B.1.1.529 to understand more about it and the impact on the vaccine," AstraZeneca said in a statement, adding it was conducting research in Botswana and Eswatini to collect data.

"That will enable us to collect real world data of Vaxzevria against this new virus variant."

The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm emphasised that the vaccine has been shown to be effective against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

AstraZeneca said that it had developed a vaccine platform to respond quickly to new variants with Oxford University, where the vaccine was created. It has previously said it is working on a variant vaccine to better target the Beta variant.

The company has also developed an antibody cocktail which can be used both to prevent and to treat Covid-19.

Although some scientists have expressed concern that the spike protein mutations might hinder the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody drugs, the combination drug made by AstraZeneca might retain its efficacy, the company said.

"We are also testing our long-acting antibody combination AZD7442 against this new variant and are hopeful AZD7442 will retain efficacy since it comprises two potent antibodies with different and complementary activities against the virus," it said.

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Russia's new docking module Prichal on Friday successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian space agency Roscosmos said.

The new addition to the ISS completed an automated docking with the nadir (Earth-facing) port of Russia's Nauka lab module at 1519 GMT, it said.

Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin congratulated the Russian crew members of the ISS on the "successful docking" of the module, the agency said.

The module blasted off into orbit on Wednesday from the Russia-leased Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan, carried by a Soyuz rocket.

Prichal -- which means "pier" in Russian -- is the second permanent addition to the Russian segment of the ISS this year, after the long-awaited arrival of the Nauka science module.

According to Roscosmos, the five-tonne docking module can accomodate up to five spacecraft and will also deliver cargo to the ISS, including food rations, repair tools and hygiene supplies.

The docking of Nauka in July had complications after its thrusters unexpectedly fired, causing the stations to briefly tilt out of orbit.

Last week, Russia faced an international backlash after Moscow destroyed a satellite creating a cloud of space debris that forced the ISS crew to take shelter.

The ISS is due for retirement after 2024, although NASA has said it could remain functional until at least 2028.

Russia has said it intends to create its own orbital station.

Launched in 1998 and involving Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency, the ISS is one of the largest international collaborations in science and engineering.
Hundreds of foreigners on family or business trips in South Africa desperately tried to get back home on the last available flights as several nations imposed restrictions on travellers due to the discovery of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 in this country.

The UK announced on Thursday that all flights to and from South Africa and five neighbouring countries would be banned from Friday noon following an announcement that the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 had been detected in South Africa.

Many other countries followed suit, most of them indicating that only their own citizens would be allowed back, subject to a quarantine period.

In New Delhi, the central government asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where a new variant has been detected.

Also Read | What we know about the new Covid-19 variant in South Africa

According to the government's decision on Friday, airlines will be allowed to operate 50 per cent of their pre-Covid scheduled passenger flights between India and South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana from December 15.

India does not have an air bubble arrangement  which allows special passenger flights between two countries amid Covid-related restrictions  with South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana. Also, these three countries are classified under the "at-risk" category by India's ministry of health.

Tourists from Britain, one of the largest in South Africas tourism and family visit sectors, were particularly hard hit.

I need to get home to be with my family for Christmas, and now it looks like I might be stuck here with my friends, said a tearful Joanne Johnson as airline employees explained the cancellation of flights, adding that arrangements were being made to repatriate British nationals only.

South African pensioners Johan Vermeulen and his wife Annemarie had been looking forward all year to join their son Andre, who had settled in the UK in 1999, and his family.

We havent seen our grandchildren for more than two years now and thought that the pandemic was now easing enough to go there, Annemarie said.

Jarred Sampson said even if he did manage to get onto a flight, he would be faced with the unbudgeted expense of going into quarantine for 10 days on arrival in the UK.

I enquired and even though I have a vaccination passport, I would still be obliged to go into quarantine. This is going to set me back almost two thousand pounds and keep me back from my family in Bristol for a longer period, Sampson said.

An Indian-origin person at the airport, Abdul Patel, said he had a ticket to return to Mumbai via Dubai on Monday, but was trying to get it changed to an earlier flight.

I dont know if India will also be affected, but my family from Surat will be meeting me in Mumbai, Patel said.

An airline employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they expected a lot more pressure over the weekend as even more countries cancelled flights.

During the total lockdown when the pandemic started, we had total chaos as people tried to get out of South Africa urgently, and it looks like we might face an even worse situation this weekend, she said.

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Sri Lanka will ban entry to most travellers from six southern African countries from Sunday, after a potentially more contagious new coronavirus variant called Omicron was identified in South Africa earlier this week, healthcare authorities said here on Saturday.

With effect from Sunday, arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini are required to undergo mandatory quarantine, a circular from the Director General of Health Services said.

The new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which named it Omicron.

A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying Covid-19 variants.

Also read: No cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant in US so far, says CDC

It was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24 and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

A number of countries around the world have now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from these six southern African nations.

As a new Covid-19 variant called nu has been detected from South African countries travellers with a travel history including transit in the past 14 days to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswaitini (Swaziland) will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka, the circular added.

Irrespective of their vaccination status, travellers aged 12 years and above, who are arriving in Sri Lanka over the weekend from these six southern African nations will have to undergo PCR tests, according to the circular.

Sri Lanka continues to record over 700 cases on a daily basis since a six-week lockdown was lifted on October 1.

As on Saturday, the island nation has recorded a total of 561,059 confirmed cases and 14,258 deaths.

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Scientific experts at the World Health Organization warned Friday that a new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa was a variant of concern, the most serious category the agency uses for such tracking.

The designation, announced after an emergency meeting of the health body, is reserved for dangerous variants that may spread quickly, cause severe disease or decrease the effectiveness of vaccines or treatments. The last coronavirus variant to receive this label was Delta, which now accounts for virtually all Covid-19 cases in the United States.

Also Read  US, Canada restrict travel from southern Africa as new variant sparks concern

The WHO said the new version, named Omicron, carries a number of genetic mutations that may allow it to spread quickly, perhaps even among the vaccinated.

Independent scientists agreed that Omicron warranted urgent attention but also pointed out that it would take more research to determine the extent of the threat. Although some variants of concern, like Delta, have lived up to initial worries, others have had a limited impact.

Researchers said that vaccines will most likely protect against Omicron, but further studies are needed to determine how much of the shots effectiveness may be reduced.

Omicron first came to light in Botswana. So far, six people have tested positive for Omicron there, according to an international database of variants. Around the same time, researchers in South Africa stumbled across Omicron in a cluster of cases in the province of Gauteng.

Also Read  No case of new variant detected at Delhi airport in people coming from 'at-risk' countries: Lab

Researchers found more than 30 mutations on a protein, called spike, on the surface of the Omicron coronavirus. The spike protein is the chief target of antibodies that the immune system produces to fight a Covid-19 infection. So, many mutations raised concerns that Omicrons spike might be able to evade antibodies produced by either a previous infection or a vaccine.

Still, vaccines are expected to provide some protection against Omicron because they stimulate not only antibodies but immune cells that can attack infected cells. Mutations to the spike protein do not blunt that immune cell response. And booster shots could potentially broaden the range of antibodies people make, enabling them to fight against new variants like Omicron.

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For now, there is no evidence that Omicron causes more severe disease than previous variants. And it is also not clear yet how quickly Omicron can spread from person to person.
A Delhi Court on Saturday issued summons to former Union Minister P Chidambaram, his son Karti Chidambaram and others in ED and CBI cases in connection with the Aircel Maxis case.

The Court has taken cognizance of the charge sheets filed by the probe agencies in corruption and money laundering charges.

Earlier, the court had reserved its order on the point of cognisance on the CBI-ED charge sheet in the Aircel Maxis case involving Chidambarams and others.

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for probe agencies had earlier informed the court that agencies have sent Letters Rogatory -- documents making a request through a foreign court to obtain information -- to different countries and there are some developments on that.

The CBI had earlier submitted that it is working on a new lead. Both agencies have filed the status report too in court earlier.

The court had earlier directed the agencies to file a status report in the Aircel Maxis case involving P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram which was adjourned sine die.

The court, while asking for reports from the agencies, said that the allegations mentioned in the charge sheet appeared to be "quite serious in nature".

Predecessor Judge O.P. Saini, while granting anticipatory bail, had observed that the entire evidence related to the commission of the crime by the two accused was documentary in nature and not liable to be tampered with by both accused.

The case, which is being probed by the CBI and ED, relates to alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

The probe agencies say the approval was granted in 2006 when P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.

According to rules and the foreign direct investment policy in force at that time, Chidambaram was allegedly empowered to give approval to proposals involving foreign investment only up to Rs 600 crore.

It is alleged that Chidambaram withheld Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance of the deal until his son, Karti Chidambaram received the five-per cent share in the company.

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A Patna-bound GoAir flight from Bengaluru with 139 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Nagpur airport on Saturday after suffering a glitch in one of the engines an official said. The flight made a safe landing at the airport at 11.15 am, the official said.

"The pilot of the GoAir flight contacted Nagpur ATC to inform that one of the engines of the plane is facing a problem, and made a request for emergency landing at Nagpur airport," director of the airport, Abid Ruhi, told PTI. There were 139 passengers on board apart from the crew members, he said. "We made all requisite arrangements by declaring it as full-scale emergency, which includes making available runways, fire tenders, doctors, ambulances and requires coordination with the police. Fortunately, the flight made a safe landing," Ruhi said.

The passengers are waiting at the GoAir terminal and further arrangements are being done for them, he said.

More details awaited.
The Centre has accepted the farmers' demand of decriminalising stubble burning, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Saturday.

Farmer organizations had demanded to decriminalize stubble burning by farmers. Govt of India has accepted this demand as well: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar pic.twitter.com/7719RkEzbt  ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to constitute a committee to deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming, & making MSP system more transparent & effective, Tomar said.

"This committee will have representatives from farmers' organizations," he added. The Bill to repeal the three farm laws will be tabled in the Parliament on the first day of the Winter Session.

More to follow...
The Narendra Modi government has circulated the Farm Laws Repeal Bill among MPs, with the proposed legislation claiming that it is being withdrawn as "the need of the hour is to take everyone together in the 75th year of Independence Day, though only a group of farmers are protesting against it".

The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill said that the three laws that are being repealed were made for the overall socio-economic development of the farmers and rural sector after extensive consultations with various stakeholders.

It said various governments during the last three decades have tried to initiate such reforms, but not in a comprehensive way. Further, there has been technological advancement in recent times.

Read: Bills to repeal farm laws to come in Lok Sabha on Day 1 of Parliament's Winter Session

"Even though only a group of farmers are protesting against these laws, the Government has tried hard to sensitise the farmers on the importance of the Farm Laws and explain the merits through several meetings and other forums. Without taking away the existing mechanisms available to farmers, new avenues were provided for trade of their produce," it said.

"As we celebrate the 75th Year of Independence 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the need of the hour is to take everyone together on the path of inclusive growth and development," the Bill said.

Defending the controversial laws, which were objected by farmers, the Bill said the laws that are being repealed were made to enable the farmers to sell their produce at higher prices and benefit from technological improvements. It would also provide farmers with access to agriculture markets which will help them increase their income, it added.

It said the three farm laws provided freedom to the farmers to sell their produce to any buyer at any place of their choice to realise remunerative prices and created an ecosystem wherein processor, bulk buyers, organised retailer and exporters and the like can directly engage with the farmers. It also created a facilitative framework for electronic trading to improve transparency, price discovery and provided a legal framework for farming contracts to protect the interest of the farmers, economically empower them and assure the price for their produce in advance, the Bill stated.

"For years, this demand was constantly made by farmers, agricultural experts, agricultural economists and farmer organisations across the country. During the Covid-19 pandemic,

reform measures have been undertaken in many sectors of the economy, including agriculture and allied sectors," the Bill said stressing on the reason for bringing out the laws earlier.

Responding to the Bill, CPI Parliamentary Party Leader Binoy Viswam tweeted, "read the statement of objects and reasons placed by the govt in the farm laws repeal Bill. It reveals the real intention behind the repeal move,They still glorify themselves, took no notice of the dead. Modi's plea for forgiveness was bogus. Betrayal is unforgivable."

Read the statement of objects and reasons placed by the govt in the farm laws repeal https://t.co/CdhrKCSm9V reveals the real intention behind the repeal move,They still glorify themselves, took no notice of the dead.Modi's plea for forgiveness was bogus.Betrayal is unforgivable.  Binoy Viswam (@BinoyViswam1) November 27, 2021

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A new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected from Botswana, was on Friday designated as a 'variant of concern' by the WHO, which named it 'Omicron'. While the WHO has asked countries to enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand variants, several countries have already sounded the alarm by imposing travel restrictions on people from southern Africa. In India, meanwhile, no cases have no far been detected. Stay tuned to DH for the latest updates.
A new variant of the Covid-causing virus (SARS-CoV-2), known as B1.1.529, has triggered alarm among scientists across the world due to what appears to be its ability to spread very fast and mutate highly. While it is early to get a definitive answer on the tricks up the virus' sleeves, scientists have asked people to get themselves vaccinated and follow the Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing a face mask in public. Here's more on this virus variant:

When and where has the new variant been found?

The first case was recorded on November 11 in Botswana. The earliest case in South Africa was found three days later. Since then, the new variant has been found extensively in the Gauteng province of South Africa, as well as in Hong Kong and Israel. Gauteng has some of South Africa's largest cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria. Experts are of the opinion that the B1.1.529 is "becoming dominant" in South Africa, displacing the Delta variant. Early signs from diagnostic laboratories corroborate its rapid expansion in Gauteng and it may already be present in many other provinces of South Africa.

Read | Omicron Covid-19 variant a concern, but vaccines likely to work

How many cases of the new strain have been found so far?

As of now, there are over 84 confirmed cases, of which 77 are from South Africa alone. There are nearly 1,000 probable cases that are now being sequenced for confirmation.

Why is the new virus a cause for concern?

There are several extremely worrying signals. The B1.1.529 has an "extremely high" 32 mutations in the spike protein, which is a "real concern" and much more worrisome than any other variant found to date. The virus uses its spike protein to enter human cells and is hence the primary target of medicines and vaccines. Many of the spike mutations independently predict immune (antibody) escape and transmissibility. The new variant has spread very fast in South Africa compared to the previous variants of concerns like Delta and Beta.

What do experts say?

Vinod Scaria, a senior scientist at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, says: "Looking at the (B1.1.529's) exponential rise in two weeks to become the dominant strain in South Africa, I think we need to be cautious and act now and not wait and watch. Vaccines and public health measures are indeed the keys."

Read | South Africa 'punished' for detecting Omicron Covid-19 variant: Government

A point to keep in mind, however, is that the properties of single mutations don't always add up when they occur in combination. But since all the four cases in Botswana and the two cases in Hong Kong are vaccinated individuals, the new strain raises the concerns of "breakthrough infections". Quoting a modelling study, epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding, who is tracking the virus, says the B1.1.529 can have a 500% competitive advantage over the original strain. That is bad news even though more studies are required to confirm or reject such fears.

What's being done to prevent the new strain from spreading to other countries?

India's Health Ministry has asked states to rigorously test and screen passengers travelling from and transiting through countries where the B1.1.529 has been detected. The contacts of such international travellers must also be closely tracked and tested. The new variant has serious public health implications for India now that the country has relaxed visa restrictions and is opening up international travel. The UK has banned travel from South Africa and its neighbouring countries.

What does the WHO say about the B1.1.529?

The World Health Organization has designated the variant, named Omicron, as a Variant of Concern, adding it to the top category of worrying Covid variants.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.

How to detect the new variant?

The WHO says the current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics can be used to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that the state civil service aspirants can write both their preliminary and mains examinations in Assamese along with English, which was so far the only medium.

By virtue of the decision Assam has become the first state in the country to introduce the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) for aspirants to appear in the state civil services examinations, the chief minister told a press conference here.

The PRC is mandatory for the admission of a student to several educational institutions, particularly in engineering and medical colleges in the state.

The announcement comes close on the heels of the recent Cabinet decision to abolish Assamese as the qualifying language paper, a criteria which was introduced by the previous BJP government in the state in 2019.

''It is time that the division of the society stops on the basis of Assamese and English medium education. Parents of students of English medium schools too pay taxes and so why should their wards be deprived from competing in the state civil services examinations? I appeal to all not to further weaken the Assamese society,'' Sarma added.

Various political parties and organisations have criticised the Sarma government's move. Hitting back, the chief minister said, ''Certain sections are criticising the government for the decision but nobody, including us in the government, paid attention to the fact that students of the state cannot write the civil service papers in Assamese whereas it is allowed in the UPSC examinations".

He said that some youths had sent him messages on Friday requesting that they be allowed to write the state civil service examination in their mother tongue. "I discussed the matter with the concerned authorities and took the decision today that aspirants will be allowed to write their papers in Assamese''.

About the abolition of the qualifying language paper, Sarma said that the earlier system was "unfair" for the students from the Brahmaputra valley, both from Assamese and English medium educational institutions as they had to appear for an additional paper.

The aspirants from Barak Valley and the sixth schedule districts in the state were on the other hand exempted from this.

"The abolition of Assamese as a qualifying paper is in the interest of all aspirants from the state. Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have no right to criticise as they had not introduced it. The decision on the qualifying paper was taken by the erstwhile Sarbananda Sonowal government," he said.

Several Assamese youths had approached the Gauhati High Court on the issue and the case is still pending. The Court has asked the government to justify the introduction of a qualifying paper for some aspirants while exempting others.

''The advocate general told me that will not be possible to justify the introduction of a qualifying paper as it goes against the very essence of Article 14 of the Constitution ... The cabinet decision has been welcomed by the students,'' Sarma said.

The government has now introduced three conditions that will benefit the aspirants from the state, he claimed. "We have made it clear that the aspirant must be a resident of Assam, registered in the employment exchange of the state and must speak fluently either Assamese or associate languages Bodo or Bengali, or any other tribal language of the state and also Hindi as many people in the state speak the language'', he said.

The APSC Rules were amended in 2019 according to which applicants had to appear for a compulsory language qualifying paper in Assamese or associate languages Bodo or Bengali, except for those from the sixth schedule districts.

Following this, the Manipuri community of Barak Valley had appealed to the government that they should be exempted from appearing in the qualifying paper. The government subsequently passed an order exempting all aspirants from Barak Valley from appearing in the qualifying paper.

Candidates of the Brahmaputra Valley then contested this in the Gauhati High Court and the case is still pending. The court has, however, allowed APSC to hold the preliminary exams this year.

The government will appeal to the High Court to vacate the case, Sarma said.

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Agitating farmers have deferred the tractor rally to Parliament planned for Monday after a fresh appeal from Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to end the year-long protests against the three farm laws.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), at its meeting on Saturday afternoon, decided to deliberate on the future course of the protests at a meeting on December 4.

Earlier, Tomar announced that the government had accepted the demand of the farmers' organisations to decriminalise stubble burning  one of the six demands put forth by them  and made a fresh appeal to end the agitation on the borders of the national capital.

On the demand to withdraw cases against farmers during the course of the agitation, the minister said a decision on it could be taken by the respective state government after examining the severity of the offence. He also put the onus of fulfilling the demand for compensation on the state governments.

Also Read | Centre decriminalises stubble burning by farmers, says Narendra Singh Tomar

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the setting up of a committee to examine the demands of a more transparent MSP system.

Tomar said the committee would have representatives from farmers' organisations and hence the demand on MSP was also fulfilled.

I appeal to all farmers organisations to be large-hearted and end the protests, Tomar said, pointing out that the government has already taken the decision to repeal the three farm laws.

The SKM slammed the Modi government for making unilateral announcements on their demands without any discussion with them.

In a democracy, it is the duty of an elected government to discuss with the protesting farmers and resolve the disputes amicably, Darshan Pal, a leader of the SKM, told reporters here.

Pal asked the government to hold discussions with the SKM on the remaining demands before December 3 and a decision on the future course of the agitation would be taken the next day.

The struggle will continue till all the demands are met, Pal said.

In a letter to the Prime Minister on November 21, the SKM had placed six demands  legal cover for MSP, withdrawal of cases against farmers, decriminalising stubble burning, removal of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, shelving the amendments to the Electricity Act and a memorial to 700 farmers who lost their lives in the year-long agitation.

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RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was admitted to AIIMS, Delhi on Friday after he complained of fever, news agency ANI reported.

His health was 'stable', sources told the publication.

More to follow...

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The government will bring a Bill to repeal the three contentious farm laws in Lok Sabha on Monday, the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament.

The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 will be tabled by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

It aims to repeal the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and to amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The debate on the Bill would be keenly watched as both the ruling and the Opposition are expected to corner each other on the issue.

Read | Early signs of turbulence

The decision to repeal the Bill was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a televised address to the nation on November 19, a move which was seen as an attempt to minimise any electoral impact in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The Bill was also cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.

A large number of farmers are camping on Delhi's borders -- Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur -- with Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and protesting against the farm bills since 26 November, 2020. They had said they would decide on the next course of action after Parliament passes the Bill while insisting that a law providing statutory backing for MSP should also be passed.

They had also demanded strict action against Mishra and compensation for around 700 farmers who had died during the past one year during protest.

Also read | Stir will continue till farmers' demands are met: Rakesh Tikait

The Opposition has already demanded that the Bill be introduced on the first day of the Winter Session and wanted the government to bring a bill to provide legal backing for Minimum Support Price, one of the demands also put forward by the protesting farmers.

They will also demand the sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, who is linked to the killings of farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri.

The government has not made its decision on the demand for providing legal backing for MSP while it appears that it has dug its heels on the issue of sacking Mishra, whose son was arrested for allegedly running over his vehicle over protesting farmers killing four of them. Another journalist was also killed by the vehicle

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Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday lashed out at the ruling BJP, accusing it of trying to instil fear among people while alleging that its supporters mowed down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri last month.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. The farmers were mowed by vehicles allegedly carrying BJP workers.

Police have arrested Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishras son Ashish in the death case of farmers.

Addressing a public meeting in Sandila here, Yadav said, "Farmers had come out to demand the withdrawal of three farm laws and BJP's MoS for Home and his supporters crushed them under the tyres of a Jeep."

Also Read | Akhilesh Yadav gives Mamatas 'Khela Hobe' a UP flavour to take on BJP

"The British had fired from the front at the Jallianwala Bagh and the BJP people mowed down farmers from behind," Yadav said.

"They think they can do politics by making people afraid. The British ruled by dividing and they think they can rule by making people afraid. This time, no one will get afraid and we will wipe them out," he said referring to the upcoming Assembly polls.

Yadav further said people want change because the state under the BJP has "lagged behind".

On coming to power, the SP chief said they will work for the poor, backwards and farmers.

He also slammed the BJP over employment creation and pointed to the hike it electricity charges. Electricity became expensive as no new power generation plant was started, he said.

OPINION | Battle for Uttar Pradesh: Akhilesh Yadav has seized the moment, but will it be enough?

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav said nowadays he (Yogi) is learning names of power plants but by the time he learns them, his government will go.

Yadav assured that the power sector will be reformed if his SP forms next government in the state.

His party was bringing different hues of political parties together to make a colourful bouquet, he said.

Claiming that this time the BJP is going to be wiped out from Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said, "The kind of crisis the government has created, no one is able to offer laddoos to anyone," referring to the renowned delicacy of Sandila, whose business he said has been hit under the BJP rule.

Addressing the rally earlier, SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar charged the BJP with telling lies and said that the 2022 Assembly elections will be a do or die battle.

"If leaders who tell lies are found anywhere in the world, they are in the BJP," he said.

Taking a swipe at the ruling party, he said the price of fuel was slashed after the BJP lost bypolls in several states recently.

"This time, if you defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, then the price of petrol and diesel will be halved," he said.

He also promised a caste census if the SP-led alliance comes to power in the state.

Earlier, the SBSP had joined hands with the SP.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, Rajbhar's party had tied up with the BJP. Rajbhar was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the state government. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rajbhar broke the alliance with the BJP.

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At least 14 Opposition parties on Friday boycotted the Constitutional Day event in the Central Hall of Parliament, protesting against the violation of fundamental rights and undermining of the Constitution.

Congress said it did not participate in the Constitution Day event in the Central Hall of Parliament in protest and to remind the country that the Constitution is not being respected and is being undermined instead.

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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the BJP of using religion, caste, false advertisements and 'fake' photographs to win the forthcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a party rally at Mahoba town in Bundelkhand region, Priyanka also said that the crowds were not going at the rallies of the BJP leaders and the state government had to press UP Roadways buses to ferry the people to the meetings of the prime minister.

She referred to the gruesome killing of four members of an SC famly and gangrape of one of its members at Prayagraj and said that the UP government had failed to ensure safety of the weaker sections of the society.

Read | 'Dishonesty, corruption, riots': Yogi slams Cong, SP

The Congress leader also raked up the suicides by two farmers while standing in a queue to buy fertilisers before a fertiliser distribution centre at Lalitpur in Bundelkhand recently and said that the farmers had suffered most in this regime.

"The BJP leaders make fake promises....they dish out false advertisements and use fake pictures to showcase their government's work," she said apparently referring to showing photos of an airport in China when prime minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of Jewar Airport in Noida recently.

She also said that the BJP leaders always used religion and caste in a bid to garner votes of the people during the polls. "Caste and religion should have representation in politics but during the elections the governments should give an account of its works," she added.

Read | Smaller parties set to play bigger role in Uttar Pradesh polls

"The prime minister can fly in aircraft purchased for Rs. eight thousand crore but his government does not have funds to provide succor to the debt ridden farmers...the income of farmers has not risen during the BJP regimes," Priyanka said.

She also referred to loss of jobs and large migration of the people during the pandemic and lockdowns and said that the state government and the centre did nothing to provide them any kind of help.

In an apparent bid to target the women voters, Priyanka listed out the promises that her party had made for them and said that they (Women) must chart their path and come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the election.

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Nepal and India on Tuesday agreed to recognise Covid-19 vaccine certification.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in this regard by India's Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra and the Himalayan nation's Health Secretary Roshan Pokharel during a function here.

Due to the lack of mutual recognition of the Covid vaccines, travellers from the two nations were facing trouble.

People who have been fully vaccinated can now travel in the two nations after showing the vaccine certificate, according to Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population.

Nepal has been using the India-made Covishield, China's Vero Cell and three other American vaccines to inoculate its population against Covid-19.

This MoU is a significant step in easing travel for fully vaccinated travellers of both countries and marks another milestone in robust Covid-19 related cooperation and coordination between New Delhi and Kathmandu, a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said.

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No case of the new coronavirus variant B.1.1.529 has been detected at the Delhi airport among passengers transiting or coming from 'at-risk' countries, the laboratory tasked with conducting the tests said on Friday.

The Centre had on Thursday asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where the B.1.1.529 variant has been detected.

Various countries such as Britain, Germany, Singapore, Israel, France and Italy have restricted air travel from southern Africa where the new coronavirus variant, which causes serious health implications, has been reported.

Read more: AstraZeneca examining impact of new Covid variant on vaccine, antibody cocktail

The Union Health Ministry said on Friday the countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, and South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel have been put in the "at-risk" category.

Passengers coming from 'at-risk' countries have to give their samples at the airport for RT-PCR testing, according to the Union Health Ministry's rules.

"In keeping with the requirements of the Health Ministry, Genetrsings Diagnostic Centre continues to rigorously test all incoming passengers from or transiting through the 'at-risk' countries," its founder Gauri Agarwal said in a statement.

There is no significant surge in the number of passengers being tested, but the coordination with the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics continues, she mentioned.

"We are in constant touch with them for the genomic sequence of the samples tested at the airport and trace whether it belongs to the mutated strain," Agarwal noted.

While B.1.1.529 was expected to be named "Nu", the World Health Organisation (WHO) named it "Omicron" on Friday.

The Delhi airport facility was equipped to even test above 15,000 samples daily and there has been no case of the B.1.1.529 variant at the facility so far, Agarwal said.

"We are also coordinating with the authorities for our other airport-based facilities at Srinagar and Mohali; we have not come across any case of the new variant there as well," she noted.

Genestrings Diagnostic Centre has faced similar challenges earlier as well and the experience is helping the laboratory to live up to the expectations, she said.

Meanwhile, India on Friday announced that scheduled international passenger flights will resume from December 15 after 20 months of coronavirus-induced suspension.

According to the Centre's decision on Friday, airlines will be allowed to operate 50 per cent of their pre-Covid scheduled passenger flights between India and South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana from December 15.

The latest variant is the most heavily mutated version discovered so far.

First identified in South Africa at the start of this week, the strain has already spread to neighbouring countries, including Botswana, where it has been reportedly detected in fully vaccinated people.

The new variant has been red-flagged by scientists over an alarmingly high number of spike mutations that might make the virus more resistant to vaccines, increase its transmissibility and lead to more severe Covid-19 symptoms.

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An Army personnel has been booked on charges of drugging and raping a 21-year-old woman, police here said on Saturday.

The accused, Tejveer, was arrested on Wednesday and was booked for raping a woman he befriended through social media.

On Saturday, he was slapped with a few more charges, including section 376 D (rape by more than one person) and 328 (drugging a person) of the Indian Penal Code, Superintendent of Police (SP) rural Srish Chandra said.

He said a process to book them under Gangster Act has also been started.

The officer said that since the initial FIR was registered by the brother of the woman, it had a few shortcomings.

However, on the basis of the womans statement the accused was charged with section 161, 164, 376D, and 328 of the IPC, he said.

The incident took place on November 23, when the victim was accompanied by Tejveer and another man named Digamber, to Agra for a Sub Inspector exam.

According to her testimony, she was drugged and raped by Tejveer, and molested by Digambar, during their return journey to Mathura in the moving car. After the act, the accused abandoned the woman in outskirts of Kosi Kalan area.

Digambar was arrested by police on Friday from Kotban that comes under Kosi Kalan Police Station of Mathura, officials said, adding that he has been sent for judicial custody.

Both accused are residents of Manpur village in Palwal, Haryana.

Police is scouring Facebook and other social media accounts of both the accused.

District Magistrate Naveen Chahal said the family of the woman - who lost her father recently in an accident - is being provided every possible help.

He said the womans family will receive Rs 12 lakh in assistance - Rs 700,000 under UP Rani Laxmibai Mahila Evam Bal Kalyan Kosh and Rs 500,000 under Mukhyamantri Krashak Durghatna Kalyan Yojna.

In addition, the woman will receive Rs 3000 per month under several other schemes, Chahal, who met the family along with SSP Dr Gaurav Grover, said.

The process to provide financial assistance to families has started, he said.

The family has also been assured of speedy justice and free legal help, he added.

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A dead man has won a Panchayat poll held on Wednesday riding on a sympathy wave generated by his own death.

The real-life tragicomedy was detected in this impoverished district, situated about 200 kms from the state capital, when officials were handing over certificates to candidates who won the polls held on November 24.

Sohan Murmu, who won ward no. 2 of Deepakarhar village, falling under Khaira block, was nowhere to be found.

On enquiry, we learnt that Murmu had died on November 6, more than a fortnight before voting took place," Khaira BDO Raghavendra Tripathi said with a sense of bewilderment.

Deepakarhar happens to be a remote hamlet situated along the state's border with Jharkhand, which perhaps explains the demography of the village which has a predominantly tribal population.

Old residents also recall that it was this village that was first hit by Naxal activity, in the 1990s, in the district that later became one of the worst infested by ultra-Left insurgency, according to a list published by the Union Home Ministry a few years ago.

Nonetheless, Tripathi's account of what has happened suggests that the village and its residents retain an amazing simplicity, bordering on downright sentimentality.

Family members of Murmu, who defeated his rival by 28 votes, said it was the last wish of the deceased, who had been ailing, to win the election. So they kept quiet. No resident of the village informed us either. It appears that they all voted in his favour to honour his last wish, said the BDO.

The naivete of the bereaved family members and fellow villagers, nonetheless, has meant more work for the officials.

The winner's certificate cannot be issued to anybody. We are going to write to the state election with the request that election for the ward concerned be nullified and fresh polls held, said Tripathi in a matter of fact way.

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A Delhi court has expressed its concern over Naib Courts  policemen who act as a liaison between a local police station, jail authorities, and the court having the jurisdiction of a particular area  doing their duty 'unarmed' despite warnings and sought a report on this regard from the Commissioner of police.

The bench of Additional Sessions Judge Sonu Agnihotri noted that the Naib Courts, despite earlier circular issued by Police Department, prosecution attend Court unarmed.

The Court also sought separate reports in this regard be sought from CP, Delhi, and DCP, South East.

The bench asked the officials concerned to place before it a charter of duties of prosecution Naib Court, if any, as it found the behaviour of one naib strange, who left the Court without informing.

"Let charter of duties of prosecution Naib Court if any be called from DCP, South East and CP, Delhi and let it be clarified as to whether prosecution Naib Courts are required to be present till Court is functioning as functioning in a Criminal Court has its own security requirements particularly in the scenario when Supreme Court has also taken cognizance of security threat to Trial Court Judges," the Court said.

The observation of the Court came while dismissing the anticipatory bail plea of one accused in a stalking case that was later listed for further hearing on December 8.

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BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit publicity secretary Arun K Chibber announced his resignation from the basic membership of the party on Saturday over alleged neglect and humiliation.

Addressing a press conference here, the 65-year-old Chibber said he "remained associated with the party for over 40 years, working with full dedication and devotion".

"I was linked with the BJP since its formation in April 1980 and played a key role as a grassroots-level worker. I never cared for my family and was influenced by the party's only aim of serving the nation," Chibber said.

A post-graduate, Chibber said he "preferred the BJP over a government job" and fulfilled his responsibilities at different levels to the satisfaction of the party leadership.

"Over the past few years, till we were not in power (in J&K), we used to feel powerful and were able to address the grievances of the public at our own level. However, when we came to power, we started losing contact with the masses," he claimed.

Chibber said the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is growing with new entrants joining the party, but the old workers who gave their "blood and sweat" for the party are being "neglected and humiliated".

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On 11 May 1884, a ship named Syria crashed against a reef off the coast of Fiji, spilling some of her 540 Indian passengers into the waters. Some were crushed in the debris, and others jumped off the ship thinking they could walk to the shore. Some 57 people lost their lives. And until recently, it was believed that colonial officials rescued the others.

The people on the ship were Indian indentured labourers taken to Fiji by British officials to work on colonial sugar plantations. The Syria shipwreck has lived on in the collective memory of Indo-Fijians, marking their ancestors suffering at the turn of the 20th century. After Britain outlawed African slavery in 1833, it had to find workers for the backbreaking labour on plantations. Indian labourers were considered docile and dedicated, and colonial officials exported them as bonded labourers.

The Fijian labour trade began in 1879, without consultation with the native Fijians. By 1916, when it ended, 60,000 Indians were on the island. The Indians and Fijians were kept in separate racial compartments by the British administrators, so the two communities did not mix.

The experience of indenture echoes the stories of slavery in North America; women were raped, people were beaten, kids got cholera. After indenture, many Indians settled on the island and began to cultivate the land. By the 1980s, their descendents had assumed important roles in Fijian society.

That stoked simmering ethnic tensions, and since 1987, multiple military coups have left Indo-Fijians at a disadvantage in the country. Many have left for Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada.

One hope for healing the divisions is the story of Syria. New research suggests that local villagers were instrumental in the rescue, even more so than the colonial administrators. They got to the spot 30 hours before the government did. This recognition has helped heal divides, with some Indo-Fijian representatives traveling to the village to honour the Fijians who helped the rescue. And the Fijian villagers, in response, have recognized the survivors of the Syria as children of the chief -- a traditional Fijian honour reserved only for islanders.

In this episode, youll hear the story of indentured labourers to Fiji and their search for home. Please visit scrollsandleaves.com for episode notes, and to follow along on other stories.
The Attappadi tribal village of Palakkad district in central Kerala is again in the news for infant mortality, with five newborns dying during the last ten days.

Child deaths of Attappadi had received national attention in 2016 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a comparison of Kerala with Somalia by referring to the infant mortality in the tribal areas while addressing an election campaign meeting in the state.

Child deaths were more severe in the Attappadi region earlier as over 50 infant deaths were reported in 2013. As a result of the steps taken by the government, the numbers were brought down to around 15 in the years that followed. Around ten infant deaths were reported this year so far.

Read | Why infant mortality rate matters

Malnutrition and lack of adequate health infrastructure were said to be the key reasons for infant deaths recurring in the tribal village, spread over 735 square kilometres.

With five infant deaths being reported in ten days, the Left Front government is in a tight spot. Apart from ordering a probe into the deaths, an action plan to address the basic issues have been initiated with SC and ST Welfare Minister K Radhakrishnan rushing to the spot. The opposition Congress has held the government responsible for the deaths, alleging lapses in implementation of malnutrition programmes by the state government.

MLA of the region N Samsudheen said that lapses in the coordination among various government agencies was the reason for infant deaths recurring in the region. Compared to the previous years, Attappadi taluk now has adequate health facilities and there are adequate programmes to ensure the well being of children and pregnant women. But the effective functioning of these systems was not being ensured by the government, said the MLA for the opposition Indian Union Muslim League.

There were allegations that the 'Janani Janamaraksha' programme for providing funds to pregnant women for taking nutritious food was remaining defunct for quite some time owing to paucity of funds.

Meanwhile, a health department official of the region said that one key issue was the reluctance of the people in taking timely medical attention and following instructions of the doctors for taking advanced treatment. This could be addressed only through awareness campaigns and grassroots level interventions.

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A 20-year-old woman was found raped and murdered at a vacant residential building in Kurla of central Mumbai, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, the decomposed body of the woman was found on the terrace of the 13-storey building on Thursday evening.

Some boys had gone to the buildings terrace to shoot a video when they spotted the body and alerted the police, an official said.

A team from Vinoba Bhave Nagar police station rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem, which revealed that the woman had been sexually assaulted before being killed, he said.

The police have registered a case under sections 376 (rape) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, the official added.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Pranay Ashok said special teams from neighbouring police stations have been formed to probe the matter.

The police are also working to ascertain the identity of the victim, he said.

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In view of the fresh risk posed by the new Covid variant -- Omicron, the Gujarat government on Saturday made it mandatory for all travellers arriving from other countries to undergo RT-PCR test at the state's airports, officials said.

The state government has also introduced new travel guidelines for the fliers from over 40 countries arriving at the airports in Gujarat.

The RT-PCR tests have been made mandatory for the fliers arriving from Europe, UK, Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and Hong Kong.

DH Deciphers | Should India worry about the new Covid variant?

The travellers arriving in Gujarat from the countries categorised as 'at risk' by the Union Health Ministry will have to undergo RT-PCR test if they are not fully vaccinated.

The Union Health Ministry has placed nine countries -- UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe, on the 'at risk' segment.

The travellers arriving in the state from the 'at risk' countries will have to submit samples for Covid-19 tests if they are partially vaccinated, or not at all vaccinated.

The arrivals from 'at risk' countries will have to remain in home quarantine for seven days, and will be required to take another test on the eighth day after arrival.

Self-monitoring will be needed further for a week even if they test negative.

The travellers from 'at risk' countries who are fully vaccinated will have to also quarantine themselves for 14 days after arrival.

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With the new coronavirus variant 'Omicron' causing worldwide concern, the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced penalties for not following Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).

As to rules for international travellers, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte told PTI that the government was working on it in collaboration with the Mumbai civic body and Union health ministry.

All travellers from foreign countries shall be governed by directions of the Union government while domestic travellers arriving in the state shall either be fully vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR test report valid for 72 hours, said an official notification.

Also Read | 2 South African nationals test Covid positive in Bengaluru

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar had said earlier in the day that passengers from South Africa, where cases of the new variant have been found, will be quarantined and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing.

Any person, not following CAB will be fined Rs 500, new guidelines issued by the government, the notification said.

If such a violation by a person takes place on the premises of an organisation that is supposed to impose CAB, it will be fined Rs 10,000.

If any organisation itself fails to follow CAB, it will face a fine of Rs 50,000, and frequent violations of rules will lead to its closure for the period of the pandemic.

Violation of rules in private taxis or in public transport vehicles will lead to a fine of Rs 500, while the owner of the transport agency shall be fined Rs 10,000.

Also Read | Covid-19: Scientists suggest looking for Omicron clusters, collecting more clinical data

Full vaccination would be mandatory for using any means of public transport, the notification said.

The universal pass of the state government will be valid proof of full vaccination (having taken two doses). At public programs, shows or events, whether ticketed or non-ticketed, full vaccination would be mandatory for organisers as well as participants/viewers.

In shops, malls and other locations where any service is provided, employees as well as customers will have to be fully vaccinated.

For those below 18 years of age (and hence not vaccinated), government or school-issued photo identity cards would be necessary.

Adult persons who could not take the vaccine for medical reasons should carry a medical certificate. Gatherings in enclosed space will be allowed with 50 per cent capacity while those in open places will be allowed with 25 per cent capacity.

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Medical experts on Saturday called for an elaborate search to look for clusters of Omicron infections in and around South Africa and its neighbours countries besides collecting more clinical data to decide on the future course of action, even as they noted that the new variant though being a nasty one, can be detected easily.

Imposing travel restrictions, restricting entry from few countries is not going to help either prevent or control the spread of Omicron. Its akin to closing a stable door after a horse has bolted. Instead, identify clusters of cases of recent origin and do genomic sequencing, said Giridhara R Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India, Bengaluru.

DH Deciphers | Should India worry about the new Covid variant?

The epidemiologist said Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong could not be the only areas where Omicron had travelled. "These areas are the ones that have probably better surveillance and genomic sequencing and hence have reported in a timely manner. Absence of reporting is not absence of circulation. Other countries that reported the Omicron so far are Israel and Belgium.

Notwithstanding the perceived disease threats associated with the new Covid variant, medical researchers seek more clinical information to figure out how big the risks are from Omicron and the ways to tackle it.

Read | South Africa 'punished' for detecting Omicron Covid-19 variant: Government

We need more clinical information on a large scale, senior scientist Gagandeep Kang, a member of a working group on Covid-19 vaccines established by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts at the WHO, told DH.

One advantage with the new variant, Kang said, was that it could be detected using the standard RT-PCR test because of S-gene drop out - a part of the virus genome was missing in B.1.1.529 as was the case with the Alpha variant.

But with barely any Alpha variant in circulation at the moment, the PCR test can be used to find out the presence of the virus quickly while genetic sequencing can be used for confirmation.

With several laboratories indicating that a widely used PCR test can be used as a marker for this variant, the WHO also has suggested using such a test to detect the new variant at faster rates than previous surges in Covid-19 infection.

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By Wolfgang Preiser, Jinal Bhiman, Marietjie Venter for The Conversation,

Since early in the Covid pandemic, the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa has been monitoring changes in SARS-CoV-2.

This was a valuable tool to understand better how the virus spread.

In late 2020, the network detected a new virus lineage, 501Y.V2, which later became known as the beta variant.

Now a new SARS-CoV-2 variant has been identified, known as B.1.1.529.

To help us understand more, The Conversation Africas Ozayr Patel asked scientists to share what they know.

Whats the science behind the search?

Hunting for variants requires a concerted effort. South Africa and the UK were the first big countries to implement nationwide genomic surveillance efforts for SARS-CoV-2 as early as April 2020.

Variant hunting, as exciting as that sounds, is performed through whole genome sequencing of samples that have tested positive for the virus.

Also read: What we know about the new Covid-19 variant in South Africa

This process involves checking every sequence obtained for differences compared to what we know is circulating in South Africa and the world.

When we see multiple differences, this immediately raises a red flag and we investigate further to confirm what weve noticed.

Fortunately, South Africa is well set up for this.

This is thanks to a central repository of public sector laboratory results at the National Health Laboratory Service, (NGS-SA), good linkages to private laboratories, the Provincial Health Data Centre of the Western Cape Province, and state-of-the-art modelling expertise.

In addition, South Africa has several laboratories that can grow and study the actual virus and discover how far antibodies, formed in response to vaccination or previous infection, are able to neutralise the new virus.

This data will allow us to characterise the new virus.

The beta variant spread much more efficiently between people compared to the wild type or ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and caused South Africas second pandemic wave.

It was therefore classified as a variant of concern.

Also read: Covid-19 will keep spawning variants till world is immune

During 2021, yet another variant of concern called delta spread over much of the world, including South Africa, where it caused a third pandemic wave.

Very recently, routine sequencing by Network for Genomics Surveillance member laboratories detected a new virus lineage, called B.1.1.529, in South Africa. Seventy-seven samples collected in mid-November 2021 in Gauteng province had this virus.

It has also been reported in small numbers from neighbouring Botswana and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong case is reportedly a traveller from South Africa.

Whether B.1.1.529 will be classified as a variant of interest or of concern, like beta and delta, has not been decided by the World Health Organisation yet. We expect that it will be given a Greek name soon.

Why is South Africa presenting variants of concern?

We do not know for sure. It certainly seems to be more than just the result of concerted efforts to monitor the circulating virus.

One theory is that people with highly compromised immune systems, and who experience prolonged active infection because they cannot clear the virus, may be the source of new viral variants.

The assumption is that some degree of immune pressure (which means an immune response which is not strong enough to eliminate the virus yet exerts some degree of selective pressure which forces the virus to evolve) creates the conditions for new variants to emerge.

Despite an advanced anti-retroviral treatment programme for people living with HIV, numerous individuals in South Africa have advanced HIV disease and are not on effective treatment.

Several clinical cases have been investigated that support this hypothesis, but much remains to be learnt.

Why is this variant worrying?

The short answer is, we dont know. The long answer is, B.1.1.529 carries certain mutations that are concerning.

They have not been observed in this combination before, and the spike protein alone has over 30 mutations.

This is important, because the spike protein is what makes up most of the vaccines.

We can also say that B.1.1.529 has a genetic profile very different from other circulating variants of interest and concern. It does not seem to be a daughter of delta or grandson of beta but rather represents a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2.

Some of its genetic changes are known from other variants and we know they can affect transmissibility or allow immune evasion, but many are new and have not been studied as yet.

While we can make some predictions, we are still studying how far the mutations will influence its behaviour.

We want to know about transmissibility, disease severity, and ability of the virus to escape the immune response in vaccinated or recovered people. We are studying this in two ways.

Firstly, careful epidemiological studies seek to find out whether the new lineage shows changes in transmissibility, ability to infect vaccinated or previously infected individuals, and so on.

At the same time, laboratory studies examine the properties of the virus.

Its viral growth characteristics are compared with those of other virus variants and it is determined how well the virus can be neutralised by antibodies found in the blood of vaccinated or recovered individuals.

In the end, the full significance of the genetic changes observed in B.1.1.529 will become apparent when the results from all these different types of studies are considered.

It is a complex, demanding and expensive undertaking, which will carry on for months, but indispensable to understand the virus better and devise the best strategies to combat it.

Do early indications point to this variant causing different symptoms or more severe disease?

There is no evidence for any clinical differences yet.

What is known is that cases of B.1.1.529 infection have increased rapidly in Gauteng, where the countrys fourth pandemic wave seems to be commencing.

This suggests easy transmissibility, albeit on a background of much relaxed non-pharmaceutical interventions and low number of cases.

So we cannot really tell yet whether B.1.1.529 is transmitted more efficiently than the previously prevailing variant of concern, delta.

Covid-19 is more likely to manifest as severe, often life-threatening disease in the elderly and chronically ill individuals.

But the population groups often most exposed first to a new virus are younger, mobile and usually healthy people.

If B.1.1.529 spreads further, it will take a while before its effects, in terms of disease severity, can be assessed.

Fortunately, it seems that all diagnostic tests that have been checked so far are able to identify the new virus.

Even better, it appears that some widely used commercial assays show a specific pattern: two of the three target genome sequences are positive but the third one is not.

Its like the new variant consistently ticks two out of three boxes in the existing test. This may serve as a marker for B.1.1.529, meaning we can quickly estimate the proportion of positive cases due to B.1.1.529 infection per day and per area.

This is very useful for monitoring the viruss spread almost in real time.

Are current vaccines likely to protect against the new variant?

Again, we do not know. The known cases include individuals who had been vaccinated.

However we have learnt that the immune protection provided by vaccination wanes over time and does not protect as much against infection but rather against severe disease and death.

One of the epidemiological analyses that have commenced is looking at how many vaccinated people become infected with B.1.1.529.

The possibility that B.1.1.529 may evade the immune response is disconcerting.

The hopeful expectation is that the high seroprevalence rates, people whove been infected already, found by several studies would provide a degree of natural immunity for at least a period of time.

Ultimately, everything known about B.1.1.529 so far highlights that universal vaccination is still our best bet against severe Covid-19 and, together with non-pharmaceutical interventions, will go a long way towards helping the healthcare system cope during the coming wave.

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(The authors work at Stellenbosch University, Catherine Scheepers, University of the Witwatersrand, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, and University of Pretoria respectively.)
With more students of the SDM Medical College testing positive for Covid-19, the district administration has declared holidays for all educational institutes situated within a 500-metre radius of the college.

A high alert was sounded after the case count rose to 182 on Friday and then to 281 early Saturday. Results of the fourth batch of tests are awaited.

According to college sources, the students caught an infection after attending an event on the auditorium premises on November 17. About 200 students and a few parents had also participated in the event.

District Commissioner Nitesh Patil said that attendees of three events at the college auditorium  two events on November 17 and 25 and a wedding ceremony on November 19  have been asked to take Covid-19 tests.

Since students from multiple states study in the college, parents of all students who have tested positive have been advised to get themselves tested, if they had met their wards last week, Patil said. "We will get a clear picture by Saturday on Covid situation. The samples are being tested at DIMHANS, KIMS and SDM labs," he said.

Also Read  99 more test Covid-19 positive in Dharwad medical college taking tally to 281

So far, no infection has been reported from outside or surrounding areas of the college campus. The district commissioner has appealed to the people to immediately get themselves tested at a nearby primary health centre in case of any symptoms. "Everyone should take precautions and follow Covid guidelines," Patil said.

Two hostels on the premises have been sealed and infected students are undergoing treatment in their hostel rooms. The movements are totally restricted and all possible measures are being taken to prevent the infection from spreading, Patil said.

Meanwhile, 34 students of an international boarding school in Bengaluru had tested positive for Covid-19 two days ago. The government and health department are repeatedly making appeals to people not to neglect social distancing and to wear masks in public places.

In the last week of October, 32 students of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya residential school of Galibeedu village near Madikeri tested had positive for Covid-19 in Kodagu district of Karnataka bordering Kerala.

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Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa exuded confidence that taluk panchayat and Zilla panchayat polls are likely to be held in February as the committee formed for delimitation of panchayat constituencies is expected to submit its report in January.

Speaking to media persons in Davangere on Saturday, he said, the Congress party has fielded people who have no link with the party as its nominee in the legislative council polls. "It has given tickets to people in many constituencies only because they have money. This is harmful to democracy."

He said, "JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy stated that the party would take a call on supporting the party in constituencies where JD(S) has not fielded candidates a few days before the polls.

"I expect JD(S) to back BJP in such constituencies as Congress is the major political rival for it in Karnataka."

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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees political strategist Prashant Kishor is said to have met some top Congress leaders in Karnataka, creating a buzz.

He was in Bengaluru and he met a former chief minister among other leaders, a source said.

Kishor, a renowned poll strategist, is said to be the brain behind Trinamool Congress expansion beyond Bengal.

It looks like he is scouting and trying to understand if a base can be created for the TMC in Karnataka, the source said.

In the past, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar had met Kishor. Even the JD(S) had reached out to Kishor hoping he could revive the partys fortunes.

Word is that Kishor is looking for Karnataka leaders who can potentially be roped into the TMC.

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With new Covid-19 clusters and the Omicron variant posing fresh pandemic threats, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday ordered a slew of measures that includes heightened border checks and asking educational institutions to postpone their public events.

Negative RT-PCR reports will be compulsory for everybody entering Karnataka from Maharashtra and Kerala, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, after an emergency meeting chaired by Bommai.

Ashoka said the government has ordered round-the-clock checks at the Kerala and Maharashtra borders - Mangaluru, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara and Kodagu districts. There will be strict vigil, especially with Kerala that continues to reel under Covid-19, he said.

All Kerala students who entered Karnataka 16 days ago will be made to take the RT-PCR test. And, all hostel students who have tested negative will be made to undergo another test after seven days, Ashoka said, adding that Covid-19 testing will be intensified in medical and nursing colleges.

The governments immediate concern is the spread of the virus in schools and colleges after clusters comprising students were formed in Dharwad, Anekal, Sarjapura and Mysuru.

Read | Bengaluru: RT-PCR must for those from high-risk nations

Schools and colleges have started organizing cultural events. We have decided to ask them to defer all such events. We even discussed the need to order cancellation of seminars, Ashoka said.

Further, the government has ordered that all employees working in public offices, malls, hotels, theatres and other such commercial establishments must have two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. If they dont have double-dose, they wont be allowed to work, he said.

The Bommai administration, which is piggybacking on the post-pandemic economic recovery, is not considering any drastic measures. We did not discuss imposing curbs, Ashoka said. Were currently in the advisory phase, but depending on the Covid-19 numbers in the coming days, well have to take drastic steps, he said.

Authorities have been directed to ensure masks are worn during functions. In marriages and other functions, we see that 95% of people dont wear masks. We will enforce this, the minister said.

Besides increasing testing at airports, only those with a negative report will be allowed to enter Bengaluru city, the CMs meeting decided.

According to Ashoka, experts have told the state government that the new Omicron variant spreads five times faster than the existing variants.

Bommai is likely to chair another meeting to discuss Christmas and New Year celebrations. We will issue guidelines, Ashoka said. We are aware that New Year celebrations can get messy.

Booster dose

Karnataka has asked the Centre for permission to administer booster doses, Ashoka said. Many people have taken the vaccine very early on. Weve asked the Centre to start booster doses to frontline workers first. We expect permission in a weeks time, he said.

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Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday said he has sought support from JD(S) in constituencies where it has not fielded candidates in the legislative council polls and is waiting for the response from JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy.

Speaking to media persons in Shivamogga, he said Kumaraswamy might respond to it by Sunday.

"We will wait for it. BJP will win 15 seats in the council polls and obtain a majority in the upper house. The results of the council polls will be a pointer to the forthcoming assembly polls and Lok Sabha polls," he said.

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Former minister and Mangalore MLA U T Khader demanded the district administration and police to order a probe into the Trishul Deekshe programmes organised by the Sangh Parivar.

Whether the assault and untoward incident cases reported in the district in the recent past were the result of the Trishul Deekshe programmes? he sought to know. If Trishul distributed among youth were misused, then action should be initiated against those who distributed Trishul and also on those who misused it. What will be the future if all youth start carrying trishul instead of pens? Legal action should be taken if such programmes triggered untoward incidents in the district, he demanded.

The coastal districts have been witnessing untoward incidents of communal clashes only because of the lack of freedom given to the police. The police department is under political pressure, the MLA told reporters here on Saturday.

Police officials are not able to work due to political blackmailing which in turn has resulted in an increase in untoward incidents in the coastal districts. It is the height of lawlessness that Hindu Jagarana Vedike leaders are threatening even the deputy commissioner of holding his collar if their demand is not fulfilled and warning a police officer that her leg will be broken, said the MLA.

The Hindu leaders who issued such statements are confident of making such statements openly in front of police. This is the gift of the BJP administration to anti-social elements in the state. The government should take serious measures to prevent leaders from making such statements in public and social media platforms, added the former Minister.

The Home Minister and the District in Charge Minister should convene a meeting and discuss the untoward incidents that were reported in the district all these days.

Medical seat aspirants in confusion

The MLA said faulty policies of the Central government have left undergraduate and postgraduate medical aspirants in the lurch as the court has decided to extend the stay on admissions to All India Quota (AIQ) medical seats. This has also affected the admissions to state quota seats, leaving lakhs of students more anxious.

Owing to the decision of the central government, aspirants are in confusion and parents are in apprehension. Usually, classes for MBBS start during August  September when Congress was in power. The counselling process for aspirants of post-graduate and MBBS courses have not started yet. Students have no idea whether they get a seat or not, he said.

How will the government implement the national education policy (NEP) when they are not able to continue the existing system, he questioned.

Let the state government take a stand and declare that it will stick only to CET for admissions, he added.

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Every year since it was established in 2016 the Stand Up for Social Work Society at the Magee campus of the University of Ulster has supported the Churches Trust Food Bank Pantry Project.

This year, they are commencing their fundraising in week eight of semester one and will complete the initiative with a Christmas raffle in the Great Hall, Magee with mince pies and the singing of Christmas carols.

Spokesperson Danielle Harrison said staff and students at the Magee campus and throughout the Ulster University family had always demonstrated amazing generosity to this worthy cause.

She added: Social work is a human rights and social justice profession and it is essential that Ulster University students actively challenge poverty and austerity measures impacting on our local communities and beyond.

Danielle added: We want to make a difference for people in our communities experiencing food poverty and your donations will make that difference!

In 2016 we established Ulsters first Stand Up for Social Work Society. Adopting co-creation and co-production strategies we have made a significant impact demonstrating our commitment to civic engagement.

This is achieved by adopting an organic approach with students to establish local charitable campaigns within the community.

The Stand Up for Social Work Society is committed to supporting community engagement projects and building positive, sustainable relationships with local communities and charities.

The students have enhanced their student experience at Ulster by building a collective community and raising the profile of social work at Ulster. The students are the 'heartbeat' of the Society and their commitment, enthusiasm and passion are the driving force behind this annual Christmas appeal.

Danielle said hunger and poverty were impacting 'significantly' on individuals and families, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic heightening the pressures for local families.

She added: No one should ever have to go hungry.

This food bank appeal makes a huge difference to families in the North West who are experiencing food poverty.

Every penny raised is used to purchase food for individuals and families who need help.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected how we live, interact, educate and work. This year, more families have been plunged into poverty than ever through furlough, job loss and cuts to Universal Credit. Food bank use increased by 75% in Northern Ireland this year to its highest level ever, with the largest number of emergency parcels distributed in Derry/Strabane Council area.

This Christmas appeal provides students with opportunities to get involved in their local communities and apply their social work skills and knowledge to tackling real issues. This form of collective activism contributes to establishing students sense of professional identity as social workers and locates social work at Ulster University in the heart of local communities.

Our social work student community want to give back to local communities and highlight the issue of food poverty.

Danielle added: We want to try and raise funds this year to support local families in need, Christmas brings added pressures and if we can alleviate some of that pressure then we must try to do so.

We know our actions will not end food poverty and austerity however we know that raising awareness and lobbying are key to ensuring this issue stays on the agenda of our politicians and policy makers.

Danielle concluded: The students utilise their team working and entrepreneurial skills so we have no overheads and every pound we raise through this fundraising appeal will go directly to buying food for families.

To support the students' crowdfunding appeal go to https://ulster.hubbub.net/p/SUFSWS2021/?ref=265246
Local charity Children in Crossfire has launched its 2021 Christmas gift card range, which are on sale now at the Veritas shop on Shipquay Street.

This years cards focus on the international development charitys work to prevent and treat severe acute childhood malnutrition in Ethiopia.

Executive director Richard Moore said: We are delighted that Veritas are once again supporting our Advent fundraising campaign by selling our Christmas gift cards in their Shipquay Street shop in Derry.

For several years now, our friends in Veritas have been terrific advocates for our work and I want to thank them for all their goodwill. They are helping us to make a real difference.

Working in partnership with St Lukes Hospital in Wolisso, our healthcare programme keeps very sick children alive.

This years cards illustrate how together we support families and communities to prevent malnutrition and treat children who are at risk of dying from it. In the past year alone, 452 children received life-saving treatment at St Lukes. Thats what people who buy our Christmas gift cards in the coming weeks will be supporting.

Eileen Hunter, from Veritas, said: We are delighted to be working with Children in Crossfire again this year, especially as this is their 25th anniversary which is a wonderful achievement.

The cards we have on sale tell a wonderful story of compassion and solidarity, and it is uplifting for us to know that cards we sell will help to give vulnerable children vital medical support.

Cards are available at Veritas, 20 Shipquay Street, Derry as well as directly from Children in Crossfire on 028 7126 9898 or at www.childrenincrossfire.org/shop.
The weekend is here and that means it is time for Weekend Ka Vaar in Bigg Boss. This week, a lot had happened and a lot had changed. Four contestants- Simba Nagpal, Jay Bhanushali, Neha Bhasin and Vishal Kotian were shown the door, while four new contestants- Rashami Desai, Devleena Bhattacharjee, Rakhi Sawant and her husband Ritesh, were introduced inside the house. Needless to say, the Weekend Ka Vaar is going to be interesting. And the promo promises a lot of drama and fun.

Before the Weekend Ka Vaar, we see a task happening. During the task, Devoleena calls Shamita 'dogla'. This creates a new argument, which continues for sometime. Moreover, Salman also questions Devoleena about the statement. We also see Shamita break down to tears because of the phrase. Later, when Ravii Dubey and Ravi Kishan come as guests on the show, Shamita smashes a bottle on Devo's head as a part of the task, and it was because of the word that she used for her.

That's not all, Salman Khan does scold contestants. He reprimands all because contestants from previous seasons are being brought to make this season interesting. He also scold Tejasswi. The promo also promises that Neha Dhupia will come on the show as a guest. Not just her, Suniel Shetty will also be seen on the stage with Ahan Shetty and Tara Sutaria to promote Tadap. Well, like we said, a lot has happened and looks like a lot is yet to happen! Are you just as excited as we are? Do you feel that there would be more evictions this week? Let us know in the comments.
After emerging as one of the most gripping thrillers from India with an International Emmy nomination for best drama series, Aarya is set to hit the digital scene with Season 2. What makes it one of the most anticipated OTT series is that its trailer is rife with surprising twists. The key question its trailer raised is  Can Aarya Sareen escape her past, or will her own family betray her, yet again? Disney+ Hotstar, Endemol Shine India and Ram Madhvani Films are ecstatic to offer Aarya Season 2, starring Sushmita Sen in the role of an unwilling outlaw. Conceptualised and created for India by Ram Madhvani, the series is an official adaption of the hit Dutch series Penoza by NL Film (Banijay Group). Aarya Season 2 will be available only on Disney+ Hotstar on 10th December 2021.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vikas Kumar (@strictlyvikas)

Vikas shared, "Ram and Sushmita are very kind people and ace professionals. Ram as a director/producer and Sushmita as a co-actor, greatly contribute to enhancing your performance. What else could one ask for? I will always look forward to working with them."

He adds, "Rams direction is invisible. He rarely instructs his actors. This season, while we were filming the very last shot, after the first take, which everyone seemed to have liked, Ram, in a most unobtrusive manner, came to me and said, That was good, but this time, instead of being angry, maybe you could play hurt. Thats it. What came out was more effective and is the take that has stayed in the edit."

Speaking about Sushmita, he shared, "An incident with Sushmita that Ill never forget actually happened off-set. During one of our parties after a hard day at work, Sushmita was teaching me a few moves from a song of hers in Main Hoon Na. Thats the one time I was in complete awe! I called out to the crew watching, I am dancing with THE Sushmita SenKoi record karo yaar! Sushmita turned me around, Khan saab! Look into my eyes, dont ruin the moment! Bas! Uske baad toh kya hi dance kar paata main!"
Ambassador joins Slovak President in support of global activism to prevent and eliminate violence

News

Ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 25th November, Ambassadors accredited to the Slovak Republic, including the Ambassador of Ireland Dermot McGauran, joined President Zuzana Caputova, in a campaign to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marks the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which runs from 25 November  10 December. This is an important period for advocating of human rights and gender equality.

The scale of this abuse globally is staggering. Globally, 1 in 3 - an estimated 736 million women - experience physical or sexual violence. This situation has deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the extent that this surge of violence is being referred to as the Shadow Pandemic.

Ireland actively seeks to prevent and counter violence against women and girls, and to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted. This is a policy priority. In 2018 and 2019, Ireland chaired the UN Commission on the Status of Women for the first time. Globally, Ireland works to ensure that an understanding of the root causes of violence against women and girls, and the measures needed to address and prevent it, is central to all our work. Ireland has been a longstanding champion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda at the UN, and it is a key priority for our membership of the Security Council. We are seeking to advance this agenda across all our work on the Security Council  including on country, thematic and peacekeeping files. We are placing an emphasis on ending the scourge of conflict-related sexual violence and ensuring that women are free to participate fully, equally and meaningfully in peacebuilding processes.

Note: Photograph taken before lockdown and respecting all pandemic measures

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Statement by Minister of European Affairs Thomas Byrne T.D.

Statement

Today, 27 November, is an international Day of Solidarity with the political prisoners of Belarus.

There are almost 900 political prisoners currently detained by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. 26 Irish politicians have adopted political prisoners in Belarus, the second highest number of any country.

Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., commented:

The Irish Government, Irish TDs and Senators, and the Irish people, have been unwavering in our support for a democratic transition for Belarus. This reflects our close links to the Belarusian people, especially in light of the important work done by the Chernobyl Children International charity over the years.

We again call on Mr Lukashenko to release all political prisoners and engage in dialogue with the opposition in advance of free and fair elections.

ENDS

Press Office

27 November 2021

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A CORK hotelier estimates his business will lose 40,000 from the cancellation of one Christmas party alone.

Michael Magner, who owns Vienna Woods Hotel in Glanmire, said the cancellation of Christmas parties, corporate lunches, and gatherings would have a big financial impact on his hotel.

We had 321 people booked in for a Christmas party on December 10.

That alone would result in about 40,000 in revenue, between accommodation, food, and beverage.

That is all gone, he said.

The recent surge in positive Covid cases nationwide has led to many companies and organisations cancelling events over the festive season.

The latest industry research by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) forecasts over 90m in lost revenues for the sector.

We have estimated the loss of revenue from our books to be 200,000 between Christmas parties, gatherings, corporate lunches, and meeting room business, continued Mr Magner.

The Cork hotelier said the quieter-than- expected Christmas period would also have a big knock-on effect on the local economy.

Mr Magner said: All our Christmas party bookings are gone. Meeting-room business is gone as well. Companies are now working from home, so they have cancelled meetings that had been booked in the hotel.

These typically would be companies with large workforces and they would be taking people off-site for specific training. That is now moving online.

What you turn in December helps you through January and February. It has a big knock-on effect, as it is all money which is being circulated around the local economy. The indirect consequence of that is that we wont be buying half the amount of food and drink from our suppliers.

Mr Magner praised the Government for its support to date, but said they need the financial supports to remain for the coming months.

Chairman of the Cork branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Fergal Harte echoed Mr Magners sentiments.

Christmas parties have been decimated and that business is gone, he said.

We have been seeing it for the past couple of weeks. Whenever uncertainty arises, it leads to real concern from the public. I am hearing that from colleagues throughout the industry in Cork.

Mr Harte, who runs The Kingsley Hotel in Cork City, said he hoped the Government would extend its supports to protect employment and livelihoods.

We are asking the Government to consider the supports again, he said. We have new challenges essentially. The first quarter of next year would always have been a quiet period anyway, so we are asking for the employment wage subsidy scheme [EWSS] to be extended at its current level until next April at a minimum, and for the local authority rates waiver to be retained until next June. We need to protect employment.

IHF warning

The IHF has warned that hotels are facing a cliff edge as the Government plans to cut EWSS supports from December 1 and discontinue the local authority waiver from January 1, 2022.

IHF chief executive Tim Fenn said: As a direct result of Government public health advice, the trading environment for the hotels sector is now completely different to a few weeks ago. Hotels and guesthouses are taking an enormous financial hit. We have been repeatedly told that there will be no cliff edge, yet that is not what we are seeing from the Government at present.

This is about real lives and livelihoods. Before this pandemic, over 270,000 livelihoods were supported by the tourism and hospitality industry. These jobs matter, not only to the people working in the industry, but to the wider economy.
A COMMITMENT to increase the number of outdoor roads and local-services staff by up to 14 new recruits has been made by Cork County Council in their 2022 budget.

The commitment to increase the number of employees in the outdoor roads and local-services staff next year is based on the expectation of continuing grant aid and maintaining the councils resource levels to roads funding.

The chief executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said they are down on their outdoor staffing numbers because of the challenging recruitment environment.

There is a commitment in the 2022 budget to increase our outdoor staff numbers, Mr Lucey said.

We are slightly below the 2019 level that we had an agreement on with our unions on how we operate our business. We are slightly below that by about nine to 10 staff, at this point in time. That is down to recruitment difficulties and the demand that is out there for employment.

Mr Lucey said that recruiting more outdoor staff is an issue that is close to all our hearts.

We are back out to the market at the moment, trying to recruit. Some municipal districts are okay, while some are still under, but there is a commitment to go beyond that by about another 12 or 13 staff numbers during 2022. It is an issue close to all our hearts. There is a strong commitment to that in the budget.

It is not just about maintaining, but, hopefully, enhancing the services on the ground. The priority is to remedy that in the first instance, in particular in those MDs that are below our desired levels, and thereafter seek to increase the numbers.

Lorraine Lynch, the councils head of finance, said they hope to potentially recruit up to 14 people.

We are not at the level we had agreed in 2019. We will look into increasing that figure by potentially 10 to 14 people.
A book inspired by Corks Adam King and his virtual hug gesture that captured the hearts of the nation has been nominated for the prestigious An Post Book of the Year Award.

A Hug for You by Adams father David King and illustrated by Rhiannon Archard was recently announced as the winner of the childrens book of the year (junior) sponsored by Specsavers and has gone forward for the public vote to see who will be crowned the overall An Post Irish Book of the Year winner.

It would be the first childrens book to win such an award in a year where childrens books were particularly important during lockdown.

Speaking about the book, Mr King said: It is difficult for me to put into words how proud I am that A Hug for You has been shortlisted for the grand prize of Irish Book of the Year 2021.

To be shortlisted and to have won Junior Children's Book of the Year was, in itself, the highest of honours which I will cherish for the rest of my life. But this - this is a whole different level of amazing.

I'm so pleased for everyone who worked on the book, including our amazing illustrator Rhiannon Archard and all the team at Penguin Random House Ireland. Mostly I'm so pleased for Adam and the impact he has had on people's lives during the last 12 months.

The book was inspired by Adam but also by the many ways in which the public took his message and virtual hug into their hearts and used it to connect during challenging times. So I'm very grateful to the public as well.

I'm also very honoured to be in the last six with the other amazing shortlisted authors - to be even mentioned in the same sentence as some of these literary giants is very humbling.

Mr King said that he is very grateful to An Post Irish Book Awards, to the voting academy and to all the public who took the time to vote.

This year, over 187,500 votes were cast by the book-loving public to select the winners in each category - up 33% on 2020.

Readers everywhere are now being invited to vote for the overall An Post Irish book of the year here.

The winner will be announced as part of a one-hour special on RTE One television on Wednesday, December 8 exploring the six nominated books.
We've heard the fable of "the self-made billionaire" a thousand times: some unrecognized genius toiling away in a suburban garage stumbles upon The Next Big Thing, thereby single-handedly revolutionizing their industry and becoming insanely rich in the process  all while comfortably ignoring the fact that they'd received $300,000 in seed funding from their already rich, politically-connected parents to do so.

In The Warehouse: Workers and Robots at Amazon, Alessandro Delfanti, associate professor at the University of Toronto and author of Biohackers: The Politics of Open Science, deftly examines the dichotomy between Amazon's public personas and its union-busting, worker-surveilling behavior in fulfillment centers around the world  and how it leverages cutting edge technologies to keep its employees' collective noses to the grindstone, pissing in water bottles. In the excerpt below, Delfanti examines the way in which our current batch of digital robber barons lean on the classic redemption myth to launder their images into that of wonderkids deserving of unabashed praise.

Pluto Press

This is an excerpt from The Warehouse: Workers and Robots at Amazon by Alessandro Delfanti, available now from Pluto Press.

Besides the jobs, trucks and concrete, what Amazon brought to Piacenza and to the dozens of other suburban areas which host its warehouses is a myth: a promise of modernization, economic development, and even individual emancipation that stems from the disruptive nature of a company heavily based on the application of new technology to both consumption and work. It is a promise that assumes that the society in question is willing to entrust such ambitions to the gigantic multinational corporations that design, implement, and possess technology. This myth of digital capitalism is based on a number of elements, including magical origins, heroes, and stories of redemption. Some are by now familiar to everyone: A couple of teenagers tinkering away in a garage can revolutionize or create from scratch an entire industry, generating billions in the process. The garage is an important component of this myth. Here we are not talking about the garages where MXP5 workers park their cars after a ten-hour shift in the warehouse, nor about the garages where Amazon Flex couriers store piles of boxes to be delivered. The innovation garage is the site where individuals unbounded by old habits and funded by venture capital turn simple ideas into marketable digital commodities. Nowhere does this myth run deeper than in California: William Hewlett and David Packards Palo Alto backyard shack is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places as the birthplace of Silicon Valley, while the garage of Steve Jobs parents house (where he and Steve Wozniak built the first batch of Apple computers) has been recently designated as a historical site by the city of Los Altos. These garages have even been turned into informal museums and receive thousands of visitors a year, some even arriving with organized tour buses. For Californian historian Mario Biagioli, the garage has become an important rhetorical device in contemporary discourses, helping mythify the origins of contemporary innovation. Masculine innovation in particular, since the garage is a strictly male space. Bezos himself started Amazon in a garage, albeit not in Californiaor so Amazons origin myth goes: in 1994 he left his lucrative but dull Wall Street hedge fund job and wrote a business plan while driving cross-country from New York to Seattle, where he used his and his familys money to start the company.

The myth of the redemption and success of the hero entrepreneur trickles down to the warehouse, insofar as Amazon presents work to its employees through the frame of emancipation. The idea of redemption through work is nothing new. On the contrary, it is a damnation common to modern society. In the early 1960s, militant sociologist Romano Alquati pointed out that the culture of mid-20th century Italian factories included the construction of a myth or cult of emancipation. In this instance, it was directed at the masses of migrant workers who, following World War II, moved from the rural south to the north of the country to find manufacturing work with the flagship companies of the Italian postwar economic boom, such as FIAT or Olivetti. Redemption from the backwardness of rural life was ensured not only by steady paychecks and the prospect of a pension at the end of the line, but also by participation in technologically advanced production processesthe assembly line of industrial capitalism. Amazon simply repeats and updates such promises. In Italy, for example, Amazon positions itself as an employee-focused company that brings stable employment back to a precarized labor marketa boon to a labor market hit by financial crises, lackluster growth, and lack of opportunities for retraining and upskilling. So Amazon continues a historical trajectory of Italian capitalism, but imports onto the local context novel characteristics borrowed from the American digital corporation model.

Indeed, digital capitalism updates industrial capitalisms promise of economic and social emancipation with some novel elements of its own. Rather than simply swapping out the assembly line with the robot or the algorithm, the culture of digital capitalism mixes libertarian ideology with entrepreneurial elements. At the core of this myth lies a form of individualism. The combination of new information technologies with free-market dynamics enables emancipatory potential for the entrepreneur. Furthermore, digital capitalist companies state that they exist to change the world, to make people happy, to create value for everyone and not just for investorstechnological optimism at its apex. After all, how could you deliver a bad outcome when your first principle is dont be evil, as Googles old slogan famously put it.

Amazon extends this old myth to all its workers. Indeed, in corporate documents, the company goes so far as to state that everyone is an owner at Amazon. While this is quite literal in the case of engineers and executives who receive shares of the company, it can only be understood at the level of mythology for warehouse workers. A figurative or spiritual commitment to the companys destiny. Managerial techniques used in the warehouse contribute to building this myth, as associates are asked to have fun at work and help Amazon make history, as one of its corporate slogans goes. The myth brings with it the idea that there is no alternative to digital capitalism. Only co-option, or failure for those who cant keep up or wont adapt or submit.

Myths are not just old stories or false beliefs. They are ideas that help us make sense of the world. The myth of digital capitalism itself is not simply fictitious, but instead has very concrete effects. For Big Tech corporations, this myth projects a positive contribution to the world, helping to attract workers and investment, and boost corporate value on financial markets. But it has other concrete effects as well. In different areas of the world, and in different communities, the myth of redemption stemming from participation in high-tech production has impacted economies and cultures. Feminist media studies scholar Lisa Nakamura recounted how, in the 1970s, electronics manufacturers operating on Navajo land in New Mexico justified the employment of Indigenous women. Labor in microchip production was presented as empowering for the crafty and docile Navajo womenassumptions derived from racist stereotyping. Italy is completely different from the Navajo Nation, and yet the idea that an imported version of American digital capitalism can be a force for collective modernization and individual emancipation is alive and well there too. Belief in this myth is evidenced in many different and even contrasting ways. Some bring resources, like the $1.5 billion state-owned venture capital fund launched in 2020 by the Italian government to support start-up companies in the hope they will foster economic growth. Others sell resources off, like when mayors of small towns with high unemployment compete to attract the next Amazon FC, offering the company both farmland newly opened up for development and a local workforce ready to staff the warehouse. Over the years, the mayors of Castel San Giovanni have described the presence of MXP5 as a force of development and a source of pride for the town. This is not unique to Italy. American mayors are routinely quoted praising the arrival of a new Amazon facility as a wonderful or monumental thing for their town.

Amazons corporate slogans also hedge up its myth. Central is the valorization of disruptionthe idea of a hero entrepreneur defeating the gods of the past. Some of the slogans (the so-called Leadership Principles) are repeated time and again and painted everywhere in the warehouse. While Aboutamazon.com, the companys corporate website, describes them as more than inspirational wall hangings, that is exactly what they sound like. Customer obsession is perhaps the most famous one, a slogan that captures the strategic goal of focusing on customers needs: the rest (profits, power) will follow. It also signals that workers are by design an afterthought. Other slogans are even more predictable, like Leaders are right a lot or Think big. Amazons myth trickles down to fulfillment centers like MXP5 in many ways. Amazon routinely conducts marketing operations aimed at finding new workers, not new customers. Billboards sporting smiling warehouse workers, recruitment events, and glowing articles commissioned by staffing agencies in the local newspaper are common sights in Piacenza, as in the areas surrounding other FCs. Social media multiplies the message. Amazon encourages employees to join its army of ambassadorsworkers who plaster social media with positive stories about their job or videos in which they happily dance inside the warehouse. Like the FCs walls, all these practices are soaked with the Leadership Principles: at a recruitment event near Toronto, slogans, such as Fulfilling the customer promise, were projected as part of a slideshow filled with smiling arrow logos, accompanying a presentation of more mundane details like job descriptions or benefits. Every Amazonian who wants to be a leader, we were told, should focus on customer obsession and never settle, and lets not forget that Amazonians are right a lot. The event wrapped up with free pizza.
SpaceX doesn't always get a warm reception when it expands Starlink. Reuters reports the Indian government has told Starlink to immediately stop "booking/rendering" satellite internet service in the country until it has a license to operate. The SpaceX division registered as a business in India on November 1st and has started pre-orders, but doesn't yet have permission to run the service. Authorities have also discouraged would-be customers from signing up at this stage.

We've asked SpaceX for comment, although it initially declined Reuters' inquiries. The company hasn't set a firm date for Starlink's India debut, although it's aiming for 200,000 connections in the country by the end of 2022. There were over 5,000 pre-orders as of November 1st.

Starlink is currently available in 21 countries in mostly public beta tests. However, SpaceX has a particularly strong incentive to serve India as soon as possible. India has a very large rural population (over 898 million, according to World Bank data). It's a prime market for satellite broadband, and the Starlink team hopes 80 percent of devices sold in India by late 2022 will serve rural areas. However, it's now clear India's government doesn't share that same enthusiasm.
The governments retreat on farm laws cannot be seen in isolation from the farmers commitment to democracy.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the rollback of the three controversial farm laws on 19 November 2021, the union cabinet in its recently held meeting has cleared the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament. The Prime Ministers announcement surprised many, including those in the ruling dispensation, who, otherwise, have been opposing the farmers protests, tooth and nail, resorting to abominable name-calling at times. Irrespectively, a rollback is a welcome development following sustained protests that saw more than 700 farmers losing their lives and many others bearing great suffering and peril in the face of a hostile government, inclement weather, and a pandemic.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), responding to the announcement in a letter to the Prime Minister, however, has decided to continue their protest until the three laws are actually repealed in Parliament and their other demands met. These include a minimum support price as a legal entitlement based on the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations (C2 or total cost + 50% margin); withdrawal of the controversial Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and removal of penal provisions in the Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. Further, they have demanded that the multiple cases against the protesting farmers in different states be withdrawn, while demanding the removal from the union cabinet and arrest of the minister they hold responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre.
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In electoral politics, the role of trust can be defined in the claims by political parties where they promise to provide the voters better options and alternatives than the party in power. The language of trust, thus, makes sense when it is used as a device to mobilise voters using anti-incumbency as a plank. Thus, the language of trust would constitute a rhetorical slogans such as the removal of poverty, or the more abstract slogan like a self-reliant India, or a promise of a vocal, efficient, and clean government. Thus, governmental power is conceived as trust both by parties seeking power and those voters who elect such parties into power. Trust, therefore, becomes a common moral framework within which both the ruled and ruler could be poised to create a legitimate political society.

However, in such political societies, the word trust also has its twin: betrayal. What was promised at the first instance during the election campaign in most cases does not get fulfilled by the parties in power. The betrayal of trust by the ruling party could be understood at least in two important respects.
A psychologist reflects on his experience of being a COVID-19 caregiver, juggling survivors guilt and a fear of infection.

The trust- and empathy-based relationship between a healer (or therapist in modern psychology parlance) and their client forms the foundation of healing. It helps the client formulate an enabling meaning in life through cultural discourses about self and well-being and develop a sense of community or solidarity in understanding and addressing structural inequalities. As a psychologist passionate about healing psychological trauma, I have been studying and researching post-disaster mental health rehabilitation of disaster survivors in India for two decades. Interestingly, for me, there has been no clearer lesson in understanding survivors trauma and healing than my own struggle to come to terms with and facilitate medical care for my parents, sister, and brother-in-law as they fought moderate COVID-19 symptoms in AprilMay 2021. In disaster- or trauma-related literature, a survivor is not only a person who undergoes injury, illness, or torture but also a person who has witnessed such traumatic incidents closely. I am a survivor in the latter sense. My experiences as a person and a psychologist have also empowered me to empathise with the survivors overwhelming fear of infection while providing care, and survivors guilt, realising the need for collective healing of the underprivileged survivors of the pandemic in India. Writing about these feelings of guilt makes it resurface in my consciousness, and this has not been easy for me. But that guilt is exactly what many survivors of the pandemic go through.

For the period of three days that I was there with my family in Noida as a caregiver, I was constantly reminding myself that I needed to remain healthy and uninfected so that I could provide care while also not infecting my wife and kids when I returned to Kanpur. In protecting myself to keep others safe, I was overcome by compulsive behaviour of having quick interactions with each patient three to four times a day; staying on a separate floor of the three-storeyed house in Noida; sanitising everything. For any caregiver, keeping vigil for an extended period of time often leads to physical and mental fatigue. I can now empathise with this fatigue, as I too had fever, body ache, and gastrointestinal problems three days into caregiving. Naturally, I wondered if I had caught the disease too, but my RT-PCR test returned negative. My fear and compulsive behaviour had reduced a bit upon returning to Kanpur from Noida, but not my survivors guiltI was fine but others in my family were suffering.
With Cyber Monday right around the corner, San Antonians have great deals waiting for them  but scammers may be lurking behind some of the seemingly spectacular offers.

The National Retail Federation estimates that 158.3 million people will holiday shop from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. The group expects about 62.8 million shoppers to hunt for deals on Cyber Monday.

But with online shopping comes the risk of scams. Last year, online security company RiskIQ said heavily trafficked e-commerce sites faced hundreds of threats, including phishing and malicious mobile apps.

Local experts say shoppers can keep their bank and credit card accounts safe by being cautious while shopping.

Watch out for things that are too good to be true, said John Garza, vice president of customer experience at San Antonio-based data security company Jungle Disk. If you get emails that advertise a specific piece of merchandise that just seems like its at a ridiculous price, it probably is. And its probably somebody trying to get your attention to grab your information.

On ExpressNews.com: Should you buy an Instant Pot or air fryer on Black Friday 2021? Take this quiz to find out

Go to the source

Garza said shoppers should always go directly to store websites to browse for deals rather than Googling discounts or clicking on links through social media.

But if someone searches online for, say, video game Amazon deals, Garza said they can hover over the links that pop up before clicking to make sure theyre taking them to the desired website  and not a misspelled version that likely is malicious.

Shoppers can use similar tricks when they get a phishing email or text message.

Garza said many such messages claim to come from a trusted website but often include typos or links that, when hovered over, dont show the companys correct URL. If an email arrives saying theres an important message for you concerning your account, Garza said it is best to just go to the company website and log into your account to see if there really is a message.

Several websites help customers determine whether links they receive are legitimate. Roman Medina Jr., senior vice president and chief information security officer at Jefferson Bank, said two of his favorites are urlscan.io and virustotal.com.

Its really about inspecting the links or attachments you might be receiving, Medina said.

On ExpressNews.com: Its a blessing: Junior chefs prepare Thanksgiving meals for San Antonio families in need

Ensure security

Checking the URL at the top of a screen is important. Garza said websites should have https instead of http. The s stands for secure and indicates that a certain level of encryption is enabled on that site.

Any time youre shopping out of any online store, and especially if youre in the checkout process, always make sure that you see that s on there to make sure that your data is encrypted, Garza said.

Shoppers also should avoid saving their passwords in web browsers because they often are not secure. Garza recommends using a password manager such as LastPass, which puts peoples login information behind a complex password.

Keeping devices up to date with security patches and using multifactor authentication when possible is also important, Medina said.

On ExpressNews.com: Google: Broccoli rice is Texas most-searched Thanksgiving casserole

Careful how you shop

Scam messages often try to create a sense of urgency to get people to click, according to Joe Arthur, assistant vice president of information security at USAA. Be wary of deals that overemphasize that they will expire soon.

Using credit cards instead of debit cards also can be a safer route when shopping online, Garza said, because they usually have more protections. PayPal also has some additional security measures to ensure that an account holders money is protected.

Shoppers could even go a step further and use prepaid, reloadable gift cards, Medina said.

Only put a certain amount of money on that card so that if you do get duped  you know its inevitable, were all going to fall victim to a scam one day or another  youre not exposing your actual bank card or your actual credit card, Medina said. Its just a prepaid card that you purchased for use during this time.

Medina said services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay also help protect peoples information.

People should avoid shopping on public internet, such as mall or store Wi-Fi. When in a public space, Garza said, using a personal cell data plan is safest.

But no matter how careful you are this holiday season, you should always keep a close eye on your bank and credit card accounts to make sure they havent been compromised.

Garza said that once someone has stolen bank account information, they will usually make small purchases to see if they go through before pulling a large amount of money.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
KAYA, Burkina Faso (AP)  Mariama Sawadogo sits in a small studio, translating notes from French to the local language of Moore and scribbling talking points in the margins. Transmission, prevention, vaccination  Sawadogo hits these topics in her bimonthly radio show on Zama FM, interviewing doctors and nurses about COVID-19 and testing callers on their knowledge.

Many guests and listeners in Burkina Faso call her aunty as she gently guides them to the right answers and awards prizes such as soap and washing buckets.

Sawadogos voice has become a familiar sound for nearly a million people in her town of Kaya and beyond, northeast of the capital in this West African country, where many feel the government has let them down during the pandemic. Hungry for any information about the virus, mothers huddle together outside to tune in to Sawadogo's show, sharing rare mobile phones in slivers of shade while their children play nearby.

Tests, vaccines and public messaging often miss many of the countrys 20 million residents, despite a $200 million budget for virus response efforts. In a region where women are responsible for family work and community relationships, theyve stepped up to provide a collective authoritative voice, make and deliver supplies, and find ways to support their families through the economic crisis.

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This story is part of a yearlong series on how the pandemic is impacting women in Africa, most acutely in the least developed countries. APs series is funded by the European Journalism Centres European Development Journalism Grants program, which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AP is responsible for all content.

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They didnt help us, Mamounata Ouedraogo said of the government. If we expected to get our information from them, we would never have any.

Like Sawadogo, she lives in Kaya, one of the last safe havens in the conflict-plagued country, where tens of thousands of displaced people have sought shelter as violence that spilled over from neighboring Mali in 2015 escalates and jihadi attacks encroach on major towns. Ouedraogo listens to all of Sawadogos shows and said shed know little about the virus without them.

Norbert Ramde, head of Burkina Fasos doctors' association, said diseases like malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis are higher priorities for the government and medical community  and beyond disease, jihadis are the biggest threat.

Do you want us to take all the resources to combat COVID-19 and forget about this? he said. We have to invest in that, too.

But Burkina Faso was hard hit when the pandemic struck last March, recording some of Africas highest infection numbers and death rates. Officials implemented curfews, sealed the landlocked countrys borders, and closed mosques, churches, schools and markets. Many residents protested and, after just a few weeks, most restrictions were lifted.

The priority for the government is to convince the population, not to take some measures which will be very aggressive, said Dr. Brice Bicaba, the government epidemiologist who leads Burkina Fasos coronavirus response.

He said officials have opted to work through community leaders and local associations to get residents to understand the dangers of the virus and police their own behavior, rather than reimpose restrictions and risk protests and conflict  a concern for Burkina Fasos young government since an uprising ousted the longtime president in 2014.

Part of the millions for virus response went toward flyers, radio and TV messaging, and other community engagement measures, in addition to the creation of labs and the purchasing of medical supplies and tests, according to Bicaba and budget documents.

But many health professionals and citizens said those messaging efforts arent reaching all the people they need to. In Kaya, officials held one public meeting in December to provide general information, but locals said they would have preferred door-to-door visits to better explain preventative measures and give specifics on how the virus is contracted.

Messages also werent always translated into local languages, a significant problem since most people don't speak the country's official language, French, regularly.

Even in the capital, Ouagadougou, which is 60 miles (85 kilometers) from Kaya, messaging hasnt been widespread, with billboards and signs about masks, handwashing and vaccination scarce.

In Ouagadougou, Zenabou Coulibaly Zongo spends her own money making soap and buying hand sanitizer for mosques, markets and health centers. At the start of the pandemic, Zongo, now 63, was hospitalized with bronchial pneumonia. She paid out of pocket for two weeks worth of oxygen treatments at a private clinic, where she watched others die from respiratory problems.

It was a wake-up call, because I envisioned coronavirus spreading like it did in Europe, she said.

Now, despite her asthma putting her more at risk, Zongo delivers her soaps and uses her visits to instruct people about COVID-19 and vaccines. During a recent visit to a mosque, some people told Zongo, who is highly regarded in her community as the founder of the Council of Burkinabe Women, that they didnt know vaccine shots were free until she provided the information.

Health experts say governments must take the lead, but that community engagement serves as the bedrock of emergency responses.

Community organizations are key to filling these remaining gaps, as central government support may not suffice, said Donald Brooks, CEO of Initiative: Eau, a U.S. aid group assisting in Burkina Fasos pandemic response.

Many both inside and outside Burkina Faso don't trust the virus data provided by the government  15,514 cases and 265 deaths  noting a lack of testing and a health system the U.N. has called among the worlds weakest.

Many people dont come to hospitals and instead die at home, so likely arent included in official counts. And the government already was struggling before the pandemic with the humanitarian crisis fueled by jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, preventing people from accessing health clinics and virus testing.

Amid the chaotic atmosphere  with the military struggling to stem the violence and an ultimatum from the opposition to the president  misinformation has flourished. Sawadogos radio presence serves as a leading voice to fight it. She hears from cynical listeners who say the pandemic was created to mislead Black people and that the vaccine will sterilize them. Some outright accuse her of lying.

But the mother of three boys is accustomed to naysayers and skeptics. In 2007, she left her first husband despite a strong cultural aversion to divorce, in part because he wouldnt let her work as an Islamic woman. She wanted to be financially independent so she went to night school and became an accountant.

Her internship was at Radio Zama, where her bosses sensed a strong radio presence after she recorded some ads. So in 2016, she started hosting shows. When the station got funding from the European Union for the virus show, she was a natural choice.

Youre on Zama FM. How are you doing? Sawadogo greets callers. Whats your name, and where are you calling from? She speaks to guests and listeners like family.

Sometimes after the show, people will call me personally and say Our family didnt believe in the disease, but since they have been listening, they now believe, Sawadogo said. "When you realize that thousands of people listen to your voice, you realize that they consider what you say, youre just proud.

That keeps her going through long days as she also takes care of her boys, prepares meals and endures long waits to see her husband. He sells grain in the countrys Sahel region; they see each other just once every two weeks.

Women in the community say Sawadogo, 44, is doing more than just teaching people about COVID-19  shes a role model for them and their daughters in a society dominated and controlled by men.

Sawadogo urges her whole community to tune in, but focuses on women in particular  theyre the healers and caretakers when people fall ill with coronavirus, just as they were during West Africas Ebola crisis from 2014 to 2016. Her listeners say if the host was a man, he wouldn't take the time and care she does to encourage them.

As a woman, she raises the name of women, said Zenabou Sawadogo, 31, a mother of six, including two girls who listen to the show with her.

Families in Burkina Faso are grappling not just with COVID-19, but also with the countrys escalating violence and collapsing economy. Zenabou Sawadogos husband has been unable to work mining gold because jihadi fighting has cut access to sites, meaning he cant earn a living and they cant afford to send their 11-year-old daughter to school.

Some families have had to cut back on feeding their children  from three meals a day to two or even one. Women who used to sell clothes and food in neighboring Ivory Coast cant because borders are closed. And during the pandemic, more women have been asking for aid from private banks that help impoverished people.

Burkina Fasos latest coronavirus struggle involves vaccination. Despite being part of COVAX, the U.N.-backed program to provide shots to developing nations, the nation was one of the last countries in the world to receive shots.

The government delayed the work needed get the vaccines: paperwork, waivers and distribution plans. It finally gave the first vaccines in June. By the end of October, about 284,000 people  less than 1.5% of Burkina Faso's population  were fully vaccinated, according to World Health Organization figures.

Vaccine hesitancy runs so deep in Burkina Faso that even radio host Sawadogo has yet to receive a jab, though she interviews doctors who advise all citizens to be immunized against COVID-19 and urges her listeners to do so.

She worries about links between the shots and rare blood clots in women, widely publicized during a fumbled rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe. She said even though a nurse reassured her, she's not yet convinced it's safe.

"If your blood clots, the result is death, she said. I want to be vaccinated, but the issue of blood clots frightens me.

Zongo, the soap-maker in the capital, also isn't vaccinated, insisting she first wants to finish medication shes taking from a recent accident. Both women are part of a widening gender gap that experts fear means African women are the world's least vaccinated population.

But Zongo and Sawadogo say theyll eventually be vaccinated and theyll continue to spread their messages about the pandemic and advocate for women.

A woman  whether shes European, or American, or South American, whoever she is  I see her as a phoenix," Zongo said. "No matter how hard youre hit, you must be able to get back on your feet, always able to get back on your feet, like the phoenix that rises again from the ashes.

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This story is part of a yearlong series on how the pandemic is impacting women in Africa, most acutely in the least developed countries. APs series is funded by the European Journalism Centres European Development Journalism Grants program, which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AP is responsible for all content.

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Follow APs multiformat Africa news on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

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See the full series on how the pandemic is affecting women in Africa: https://apnews.com/hub/women-the-eyes-of-africa
RACELAND, La. (AP)  Two wrecks in 24 hours have killed seven people, including five who werent belted in and were ejected from vehicles, Louisiana State Police said.

Four people died and two were injured when a Mississippi woman failed to yield to oncoming traffic and a pickup truck hit her car and overturned about 5 p.m. Thursday, Louisiana State Police said Friday.

About 5 p.m. Wednesday, two adults and a baby were thrown from a compact car that crossed a median and collided with an SUV and a pickup truck.

Two occupants of the Ford F-250 that hit the Mississippi woman's Kia Optima were ejected when the truck flipped over about 5 p.m. Thursday just east of Raceland, a news release said.

Those killed in that crash were identified as Barbara Guidry, 54, and Catlin Leboeuf, 35, both of Wiggins, Mississippi, and Dustin Moore, 31, and Michelle Moore, 30, both of Raceland.

Guidry had stopped at a stop sign on Louisiana Highway 182 but then failed to yield to the truck coming down U.S. 90, police said. She and Leboeuf were wearing seat belts.

A front passenger in the Kia suffered moderate injuries and a rear passenger in the Ford suffered minor injuries, Trooper Ross Brennan said in an email. Both were properly restrained, the news release said.

Police said Angela Wilkins, 52, and Keayette Wilkens, 31; and 10-month-old Jacon Wilkens, all of LaPlace, died Wednesday on U.S. 61 near Gramercy.

State police said Keayette Wilkens was driving south when her Chevrolet Cruze crossed the median, hit a Kia Telluride SUV and was hit by a Toyota Tacoma.

Police said the other two drivers were properly restrained and suffered minor injuries.
The Great Resignation has come to American churches as nearly four in ten Christian pastors have seriously considered leaving ministry this year.

The career soul-searching comes as American churches deal with disputes over masks, social distancing and COVID-19 vaccinations, and broader disagreements over racial and political issues , according to surveys released recently by Barna Research Group, a California company that specializes in issues affecting Christians. Burnout has been particularly high among pastors from mainline denominations such as the Episcopal, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions. Half of such clergy told Barna they had considered leaving ministry since January, compared to 31 percent of other clergy.

The year 2020  and now 2021  are arguably the two hardest years to ever be a pastor in the United States, said William Vanderbloemen, head of the Houston-based church consultancy group Vanderbloemen Search Group. This is the hardest its ever been. Ive never seen more people ready to check out.

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It may get worse: Almost half of pastors younger than 45 told Barna they had considered leaving ministry - a trend that, if sustained, could have profound effects on American religious life, leaving a shortage of clergy to lead churches and minister to congregations, said Barna President David Kinnaman.

It seems to be something like an existential crisis, he said. Nobody went to seminary and took Pandemic 101. Nobody trained for this.

Broadly speaking, American clergy and their churches were greying long before COVID-19. A report last year by the interfaith research firm Faith Communities Today found the average clergy member is 57 years old today, compared to 50 years old in 2000.

The pandemic brought new pressures on pastors, many older and at the helm of cash-strapped churches. The virus shuttered congregations and forced pastors to quickly to adapt to new and more expensive technologies for livestreaming almost overnight.

After churches reopened last year, pastors then faced divisions in their congregations over masks and vaccinations, as well as infighting over politics and former President Donald Trump.

At Memorial Baptist Church in Pasadena, two staff positions remain unfilled, while applicants are dwindling. Lead pastor Jason Havner said roughly 50 solid candidates applied for the vacant youth leader position when it was last open a few years ago. But hes received only a handful of applications since advertising the job earlier this year, he said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Disagreements over COVID, politics prompt some Christians to plot next moves

Most American churches count fewer than 100 regular members, and only a handful of full-time staff, if any. Many are located in rural and politically conservative parts of the country, adding to the tension that some pastors said they felt when trying to implement COVID-19 safety precautions or move to virtual services.

Scott Jones, leader of southeast Texas United Methodist conference, said it was not uncommon to hear from exasperated pastors as they tried to protect their members from the virus without bringing politics into the pews.

In the rural areas, the resistance to masking and healthy practices has been strong, he said. Some pastors have feared for their own health.

Burnout is not a new issue in the occupation that has many demands and often helps people deal with the most painful aspects of life, including the loss of loved ones. Those who stick with it often do so out of a passion to help others, which only became more difficult during the pandemic.

As pastors were forced by COVID-19 to keep their distance and communicate virtually, they struggled to foster the intimacy and trust needed to be an effective counselor.

Its already such a lonely profession, said Rev. Timothy Sloan, pastor of the Luke Church in Humble. And so going through this season and having to be accessible but also lonely has been heart-wrenching.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Trump has changed evangelical Christianity in America. But is he its 'savior' or its 'death knell'?

Sloans congregation is mostly African American, and didnt resume in-person services until August out of an abundance of caution. One young member also died of cancer earlier this year, and Sloan said he was devastated that he couldnt preside over her funeral.

But arguably the hardest part, he said, has been wrestling with the American churchs role in movements for racial justice, debates that have dominated Christian circles in the wake of widespread protests over the murder of George Floyd and other Black men last year.

American Christians have long been divided on perceptions of inequality and injustice. Surveys conducted by Barna last year found that roughly 40 percent of white, practicing Christians believe the U.S. has a race problem.

More than twice as many Black Christians believed the same. About 70 percent of Black Christians also said they were motivated to address racial injustice  twice the number of white Christians who said the same.

Sloan said its been exhausting to try to have nuanced and productive conversations on race amid the chaos of the last two years. Still, hes hopeful that the widespread burnout in the field will prompt what he said are much-needed conversations about mental health and counseling for clergy and churchgoers alike.

And so, he recently began a new sermon series.

The theme? I Am Overwhelmed.

robert.downen@chron.com
A new program that will oversee indigent defense in Bexar County and replace a disjointed system of private court-appointed attorneys will start in January.

Bexar Countys Managed Assigned Counsel Department is the product of several years of work to reduce crowding in the jail and make San Antonio a safer community, with fewer people falling into a cycle of criminal activity.

Funded partly with a state grant, the new MAC division will be coupled with the 16-year-old Public Defenders Office as a unified system to ensure defendants get fair representation.

It replaces a system that has run into problems for years, including a lack of resources and low flat-fee structures that give lawyers little incentive to help clients. MAC will track data on costs and case outcomes among private attorneys and compare it with results from public defenders.

Because theyre two different systems, they each should have advantages in different ways. To be able to study that and know why one system seems to be more effective allows us to figure out ways to improve both systems, said District Judge Ron Rangel, administrative judge of the state district courts.

Hopefully, the transparency then turns into community confidence in the system, which is a win-win for everybody, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: County secures $3.4 million indigent defense grant

Bexar County commissioners recently approved $1.8 million in first-year startup costs and appointed Jim Bethke as program director.

Rangel introduced Bethke as the father of the MAC system in Texas, having seen it used in San Mateo County, Calif., in 2008 and replicated in Lubbock, Collin, Travis and Harris counties. He was selected by an oversight board comprising legal experts and community members.

Bethke, who holds a doctor of jurisprudence from Texas Tech University School of Law, was executive director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission from 2002 to 2017 and has been Harris Countys director of justice administration since 2019. He said he looked forward to moving to San Antonio and establishing unified defense delivery as a crown jewel in Bexar Countys justice system.

Theres been a lot of success. Theres been a lot of improvement dealing with the delivery of the indigent defense services, he told commissioners.

The first MAC system in Texas was formed in Lubbock County in 2009, and the Legislature passed a law in 2011 enabling other counties to establish similar programs. A mental health-managed counsel system in Collin County, near Dallas, has been credited with reducing jail costs in its first two years  $176,000 in 2013 and $630,000 in 2014, according to a 2017 report by the Indigent Defense Commission.

That commission is giving Bexar County a five-year, $3.4 million grant to initiate the program. The grant provides 80 percent of first-year costs, with the county pitching in $372,577. The local share of program costs will rise by 20 percent each year, reaching the total amount in the fifth year.

Along with the pressure to reduce jail overtime staffing costs of $13.3 million in fiscal year 2021, county officials hope to avoid high-profile deaths at the detention facility. The deaths in December 2018 and April 2019 of two inmates with a history of mental illness  Janice Dotson-Stephens, 61, and Jack Michael Ule, 63, both incarcerated on misdemeanor trespassing charges  put a spotlight on the need for better representation for those who can least afford it.

Critics of the current system have said too many private lawyers take on more cases than they can handle, leaving clients languishing in jail. The county spent more than $15 million on indigent defense in 2019 without any oversight that the new managed system will provide, Rangel said.

The new system seeks to address flaws outlined in a 2020 report by Texas A&M Universitys Public Policy Research Institute. The study found that Bexar County spent the least amount per indigent defense case among the five largest Texas counties in 2019  $356 per case compared with $494 in Travis County, the next-lowest. Harris County had the highest, at $890, followed by $689 in Dallas County and $654 in Tarrant County.

The San Antonio Bar and San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers associations have supported the new program, which also has the backing of the Commissioners Court. But Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said its critical to physically position the new 16-member department near the Public Defenders Office, which recently was expanded by five positions to 30 attorneys and six support staff members.

You want to give every defendant a proper representation, but you dont want to leave him sitting in the jail for a year  and that happens, said Wolff, who has made restorative justice one of the pillars of his 20-year tenure as the countys top elected official.

Bethke vowed to give it 100 percent and set up the office in a fiscally responsible way. Michael Young, the countys chief public defender, said he welcomes Bethkes expertise.

Hes seen what works and what doesnt work. And he can bring all that here to Bexar County, Young told commissioners.

Commissioner Trish DeBerry, focused in her first term on slashing jail costs, has made it clear shes less interested in hype than documented results.

Im going to be hard on you guys when it comes to budget and how youre moving the needle, she said. Weve appropriated money, but I want to know what youre doing to make it work.

On ExpressNews.com: County may create system to handle indigent defense cases

Rangel assured commissioners the system will be a complete game-changer. County Manager David Smith predicted an exciting couple of years as the new division and Public Defenders Office work in tandem to fix deficiencies.

Judges and lawyers also will benefit, Rangel said. The new department will be staffed with senior attorneys to offer advice, along with an immigration lawyer and social workers. Requests from defense attorneys for expenses for an immigration lawyer or an investigator currently are subject to a judges approval and often delay the legal process.

Defense lawyers will be able to consult attorneys and legal experts on the staff when relations with a client get strained, Rangel said.

Its a tough position to put a judge in when theres a client that says, My attorney is failing in their duties, he said. That puts a judge in a position of having to investigate why theres an attorney-client issue when a judge should be completely unbiased, completely unknowing about the relationship. What the MAC does, it allows the opportunity to resolve issues between attorney and clients, removing the judge from doing that.

The county will seek applicants for two senior attorney positions and an office manager, Rangel said. The department is on track to start work in January with a focus on misdemeanors. It is expected to be fully operational by late summer.

shuddleston@express-news.net
Knee-deep in the San Antonio River and strapped into a large, beeping backpack, Austin Davis looks like a ghostbuster in search of water ghouls.

With a yellow electrical rod, he sweeps through the water in front of him, sending a current into the river. He swings the rod back and forth as he moves toward two teammates holding a wide net downstream.

When he stops, the other two lift the net to reveal about 50 fish flopping in the middle, slightly shocked from the electricity that momentarily paralyzed them and pushed them downstream.

After a seconds pause, the team lets out a cheer.

We got a Texas logperch, Davis calls out.

Now Playing: This is the third year the river authority has conducted the survey, and the preliminary results are more promising than ever. Video: San Antonio Express-News

Davis is an aquatic biologist with the San Antonio River Authority. He and biologists Zoe Nichols and Steve Bittner are finishing a weeklong project in the rivers Mission Reach area, stretching from Southtown to beyond Stinson Municipal Airport. Today, the team is off Camino Coahuilteca, sporting full-length waders and carrying buckets, nets and Davis electrofisher on his back.

The project, called the Mission Reach Intensive Nekton Survey, monitors fish diversity in the San Antonio River in hopes of identifying species that are returning to the Mission Reach area after it was restored nearly a decade ago. The higher the quality and quantity of new fish that the team discovers, the better. The presence of certain fish species, especially those returning to the river, means the rivers ecosystem is healthier and the habitat is strengthening.

This is the third year the river authority has conducted the survey, and the preliminary results are more promising than ever. Two years ago, the team found 24 species; as of the current survey, the count is up to 29. Three new fish species have been found in the river: the sand shiner, golden shiner and longnose gar.

Texas logperch is an exciting fish to find, Nichols said. But were also excited about everything. Its good to see the restoration effort has paid off.

A good place for fish

The Mission Reach wasnt always so welcoming to plants and animals. After the creation of a modernized river system in the 1930s, the natural ecosystem was disrupted, displacing fish, mussels and other animals that relied on the river for survival.

In response, the city in 1998 began a project to restore the Mission Reach. The project, which was finished by 2013, incorporated human-made riffles, paddling chutes and native vegetation to jump-start the original ecosystem.

The fish survey is one way to analyze its success.

We started this project to gauge ecological success and restoration, Davis said. This is the first year that well have some adequate data to actually start looking at trends and such. We can look at how many new species weve been getting every year and go from there.

On ExpressNews.com: The 1921 flood devastated, and then transformed, San Antonio 100 years ago

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

This time, the team is working in the city-engineered riffles, which are shallow, fast-moving segments of the river. These areas are vital for fish. As the water rushes over rocks, it adds oxygen to the river. That keeps insects alive and healthy, living within the riffles and providing food for fish.

Also, the rocks and pebbles at the bottom of the riffles provide space for fish to lay eggs.

The man-made riffles are embedded like boulders. Theyre not going anywhere, Nichols said. Over time, weve seen some naturally forming riffles, too, which is definitely what we want to see because its going to just create more diversity within the Mission Reach.

The river has a variety of habitats, each with different groups of fish. Before the riffles, Nichols and the others surveyed deeper parts of the river on a boat, which revealed larger fish species.

After catching fish in a given area, the team must check for habitat parameters, including analyzing water quality and studying the sizes and types of sediment, such as clay, silt or gravel. This part of the project helps the team better understand what kinds of habitats each species of fish lives in and which ones are producing more diversity.

This particular riffle had six species, including the Texas logperch and the Guadalupe bass, both of which have been historically scarce in the Mission Reach.

Its been a good day for the survey, Davis said.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

The value of new fish

The reintroduction of multiple fish species in the San Antonio River also has resounding implications for the entire ecosystem.

Mussels, which are also being reintroduced into the river, depend on fish to survive. Mussel larvae attach themselves to the gills of fish until they develop into young mussels  called juveniles  and detach back into the river.

A healthy and diverse fish population fosters a healthy freshwater mussel population. Some mussels prefer to attach themselves to gar, which, until this year, were hard to find in the river.

On ExpressNews.com: After 100-year absence, mussels returning to San Antonio River  and theyve been missed

But this week, the aquatic biologists found the longnose gar for the first time. The fish provides a home for larvae of the yellow sandshell freshwater mussel, a species the river authority is looking to reintroduce into the Mission Reach also.

In the three years doing this survey, we have only found this one gar, Bittner said. It was so exciting to finally catch one.

For the team, fish are just one component of the greater, holistic restoration. Davis, who grew up in San Antonio, wants his city to be proud of its river. Since 2013, the river authority has categorized 207 varieties of bird species, while about 70,000 birds have accessed and used the river since the Mission Reach restoration.

Now, people can also fish for Guadalupe bass, Bittner said, though its preferable that people catch and release them until their numbers increase further.

Its kind of like proving people wrong about the river, Davis said. Look at all the diversity we have. Look at the ecological health that we have. Its supporting the life it should support.

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct what has been accessing the river since the Mission Reach restoration and to correct the identification of a fish in a caption. Biologist Steve Bittner is holding a channel catfish.

Elena Bruess writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. elena.bruess@express-news.net
A Southwest Side grocery store was destroyed in early morning fire Saturday, San Antonio fire officials said.

Firefighters were called to the Keats Express, at 1264 Keats Street, about 1:30 a.m. for a fire that had started on the second floor.

When crews arrived, the second floor was fully engulfed in flames.

On ExpressNews.com: Police investigating possible double homicide at Northwest Side apartment complex

It took firefighters several hours to fight the blaze.

The second floor collapsed as crews were working, and the first floor sustained heavy damage, officials at the scene said. The building was deemed a complete loss.

No one was inside the store at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Investigators were called out to determine the cause of the fire.

Taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
When people talk about elections having consequences, they usually mean that winners get to exert their will over the lawmaking process.

But election consequences are often more subtle than that.

Consider the case of state Rep. Ina Minjarez, the San Antonio Democrat who has devoted much of her time in the Legislature to finding common ground on issues that cut across the partisan divide, such as foster care reform and cyberbullying.

This year, however, Minjarez grew frustrated with a relentless GOP culture-war agenda that ignored urgent problems (the states fragile power grid; the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic) in favor of targeting transgender kids and critical race theory, allowing permitless carry of handguns, restricting voting access and weaponizing private citizens to enforce a near-total abortion ban.

So she decided to walk away.

Last week, Minjarez, one of the most dedicated and effective members of the Texas House, announced that she will run for Bexar County judge rather than seek another term in the Legislature.

The way Minjarez sees it, the Texas Legislature will continue to be a dysfunctional body until/unless voters send a message to this states leaders.

Its all determined on what the election results are going to be, she said on the Express-News Puro Politics podcast. The session before (in 2019), the Republicans got the scare of their life when it looked like the AG (Ken Paxton) barely held on to his seat, (Lt. Gov.) Dan Patrick as well. Because of that, we had such a great session.

That was the whole focus on public education funding. We lovingly referred to it as the Kumbaya Legislative Session, because we were are all in sync together.

In the 2014 midterms, every single statewide Republican candidate won by a margin of at least 19 percentage points.

In 2018, four statewide Republican incumbents (including Paxton and Patrick) won re-election by less than five points. Democrats gained 12 seats in the Texas House and two seats in the U.S. House.

Yes, Republicans maintained their 24-year unbeaten streak in statewide elections and held control of both houses of the Legislature. Nonetheless, they knew voters had sent them a message. There was serious concern within the party that Democrats might flip the Texas House in 2020.

That set the stage for what Minjarez referred to as the Kumbaya session. In 2019, Texas Republicans largely put aside their preoccupations with social wedge issues and actually addressed the everyday needs of their constituents.

Republicans and Democrats brokered an $11.6 billion public-education finance package that included $6.5 billion in new spending for schools (a major Democratic priority) and $5.1 billion in property tax relief (a major Republican priority). It was a rare moment in recent Texas governance in which something big happened, and both major parties emerged victorious.

This one law does more to advance education in the state of Texas than any law that I have seen in my adult lifetime in the state of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said as he signed the school finance bill into law.

The cooperative spirit of the 2019 session extended to the passage of a bill that raised the minimum age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21, a rare example of state lawmakers following the lead of the San Antonio City Council.

In 2020, Republicans received a more comforting message from voters. Democrats failed to score any net gains in the Texas House or Congress. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn won re-election by nearly 10 percentage points.

GOP lawmakers responded with this years brazen disregard for bipartisanship. And Minjarez came away wondering whether I wanted to continue as a state representative.

The 2018 election demonstrated, however, that even the most committed culture warriors will bend in the face of a voter backlash. And even a victory can nudge extremists toward moderation if that victory is uncomfortably close.

The lesson for Texas voters going into 2022 is that moral victories can be meaningful if they alter the conduct of this states GOP leaders, who have gotten used to fearing their partys primary voters while disregarding the general electorate.

Minjarez said even if Democrats fall short in next years big races, if we come close, that is whats going to prompt Republican leadership to want to work together.

Its a point that applies to the gubernatorial candidacy of former El Paso Congressman Beto ORourke, whose narrow defeat to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz helped drive Democratic turnout in 2018. Even in a losing cause, ORourke affected the behavior of the states most powerful Republicans (not that they would care to admit it).

Democratic voters should be mindful that even when they cant elect the candidates they want, they can exert influence on the candidates they dont want.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Texas Organizing Project recently descended on Bexar County Commissioners Court with a simple plea: Please study the indigent defense system here. Please study it, and then reform it. Please address the inherent inequalities in a broken system that allows poor defendants to languish in jail, then often plead guilty to secure their freedom, regardless of innocence.

We second this plea for an indigent defense study. One that can take stock of the systems inherent inequalities  many of which are as clear as day  and then provide a path for meaningful reform.

This is a system in which judges receive political contributions from defense attorneys. Those same judges also appoint defense attorneys to cases. They also hear cases from influential retained attorneys who dont take appointments but can cut big checks.

Its a system that lacks accountability over court-appointed attorneys. There is no oversight of caseloads and no monitoring of outcomes. Its a system with a depressingly low bar to practice in misdemeanor courts. Its a system that lacks parity between defense and prosecution.

All of this needs to change, and an independent study would be an important part of any reform. Geoffrey Burkhart, executive director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, said his agency frequently partners with counties and helps fund studies to address indigent defense issues. These include studies in Harris, Wichita and El Paso counties.

There are many ways to approach such a study here  which might cost $200,000, split between the state and Bexar  but the aim must be to bring Bexar County into compliance with the American Bar Associations Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System.

The first principle: The public defense function, including the selection, funding and payment of defense counsel is independent.

How can that happen in Bexar County when judges receive campaign contributions from the lawyers who practice before them? Even if quid pro quo doesnt occur, this cant be anyones idea of independent.

The second principle: Where the caseload is sufficiently high, the public defense delivery system consists of both a defender office and the active participation of the private bar.

There were nearly 40,000 indigent defense cases in Bexar County in fiscal 2017, but the public defenders office is woefully small. The focus is mostly on mental health cases, and the office is barred from practicing in family violence courts, all felony courts except two and Judge Wayne Christians misdemeanor court.

The fifth principle: Defense counsels workload is controlled to permit the rendering of quality representation.

Our review of indigent caseloads for fiscal 2017 found three attorneys who handled more than 500 cases and numerous others who exceeded best practices for caseloads. Bear in mind, these numbers dont include retained clients.

The eighth principle: There is parity between defense counsel and the prosecution with respect to resources and defense counsel is included as an equal partner in the justice system.

In fiscal 2017, Bexar spent $33 million on prosecution. But on indigent defense it spent about $13 million on court-appointed attorneys and about $1.1 million on a small public defenders office. Moreover, the flat-fee pay structure for misdemeanors incentivizes a quick plea rather than a vigorous defense.

The ninth principle: Defense counsel is provided with and required to attend continuing legal education.

Thats happening in name only at the misdemeanor level. All thats needed is a law degree and six hours of continuing legal education. Thats not good enough. Since many of the attorneys handling misdemeanors are new to law, there should be mentoring, monitoring and additional hours of legal education, as well as a first-year test to stay on the appointment wheel.

The 10th principle: Defense counsel is supervised and systematically reviewed for quality and efficiency according to nationally and locally adopted standards.

We believe this can only be achieved by shifting to a managed-assigned counsel program similar to the one in Lubbock County. Such a program would maintain the private bar but also monitor it. A managed-assigned counsel would compete with a more robust public defenders office. It could serve as a clearinghouse for continuing legal education and resources.

Bexar County has taken meaningful steps toward improving indigent defense: raising the pay for private attorneys, providing representation for defendants at bail hearings and instituting bond review hearings to ensure no one languishes in jail for poverty. But much work remains to overhaul such a flawed and conflicted system that lacks accountability.

A study is an essential part of reform.

This editorial is part of the Unequal Justice series, which explores the inequities in Bexar Countys criminal justice system and how they can be fixed.
For years, many Bexar County officials and judges have sounded a familiar mantra against expanding the public defenders office: It would cost too much.

A true public defenders office would have to be on par with the district attorneys office, they have said. Its far cheaper to stick with a court-appointed system. One that generally pays private attorneys $140 per misdemeanor case.

Left unsaid is that Bexar County spent more than $13 million on court-appointed indigent defense in fiscal 2017, but with little oversight or accountability. Some private attorneys consistently handle more than 400 or 500 indigent cases in a given year, according to state data  a caseload unfathomable if the goal is to provide a fair defense. High caseloads, experts said, often lead to poorer representation and more plea agreements, regardless of innocence.

Those lawyers should be monitored and overseen, said Norman Lefstein, an indigent defense expert and professor at Indiana Universitys Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

This editorial is the product of more than 15 interviews with local officials, legal experts, defendants, criminal defense lawyers and judges. We also reviewed numerous studies, analyzed state data and filed a number of records requests to better understand Bexar Countys court-appointed system for indigent defense.

READ ALSO: Arbitrator reduces former SAPD captain's firing to lengthy suspension

What we found is a system largely defined by inherent conflicts of interest. Judges have the power to appoint attorneys to cases, who then might donate to judicial campaigns. Attorneys at the misdemeanor level have no financial incentive to work hard beyond their own pride and reputations. The flat fee for a misdemeanor is $140 whether an attorney puts in 10 hours or one hour of work on the case.

Not only does such a low flat fee discourage quality attorneys from taking appointments, but it creates perverse economic incentives since attorneys will be compensated the same amount regardless of how much, or how little, work they perform, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers noted in its 2013 report, Gideon at 50.

To reform the system, Bexar County officials must begin monitoring caseloads and outcomes for private court-appointed attorneys as well as its public defenders. There should be parity between these two forms of indigent defense, and there should be equal scrutiny and accountability.

There should also be a centralized place to field complaints about private attorneys. For example, Michael Young, Bexars chief public defender, said he frequently gets calls from irate family members of defendants who are receiving what they perceive as inadequate representation.

But those attorneys dont work for him. They are private.

Bexar also needs to adjust how it pays its private attorneys. This means better reimbursement, but also doing away with the flat fee and moving toward an hourly rate with a billing cap. Among Texas urban counties, Bexar County consistently pays the least per indigent case, according to state data. In fiscal 2017, El Paso, Tarrant and Harris counties all spent more than $600 per indigent case. Dallas County spent $551 per case. Travis County spent $450 per case. Bexar spent $316.

READ ALSO: Bexar County budget proposal calls for more deputy sheriffs, fewer deputy constables

More money is not a total solution  plenty of issues have arisen in places that have spent more on indigent defense  but failing to properly pay attorneys undercuts representation and is part of the problem.

But these changes around pay and oversight are not enough. The first principle of the American Bar Associations Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System, is rooted in independence: The public defense function, including the selection, funding, and payment of a defense counsel, is independent.

Thats lacking in Bexars court-appointed system.

The whole system, in my view, is a conflict for the judges, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said.

John A. Longoria, the administrative judge for Bexars County courts-at-law, characterized it as the appearance of conflict.

I would hope that all of us judges, felony and misdemeanor, try to be cognizant of that, he said.

To achieve independence, Bexar County should consider adopting a managed assigned-counsel model in which an outside entity appoints private attorneys, monitors caseloads and outcomes, and has in-house resources such as investigators and social workers. This has been particularly effective in Lubbock County.

We also strongly support a burgeoning proposal from Don Flanary, president of the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, that would establish much more rigorous standards for attorneys to handle misdemeanor cases, the bulk of indigent defense work.

READ ALSO: Here's how your energy bill compares to others in your ZIP code and around the city

Flanary said at the misdemeanor level, the court-appointed system is littered with lawyers who lack experience and guidance. All an attorney needs is to be in good standing with the State Bar and have completed six hours of continuing legal education in criminal law.

Flanary would like to see a full week of continuing education  provided by the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. After that, new attorneys would be mentored by experienced ones and then have to pass an exam to continue taking appointments.

Flanarys ideas merit serious consideration. They could be a bridge toward adopting a managed assigned-counsel system here. However the system evolves, change is needed. The combination of low pay and a lack of accountability creates a snowball effect.

When adequate oversight of assigned counsel programs is lacking, the lawyers, in an effort to maximize their incomes, sometimes accept too many cases, because they are poorly compensated on a per-case basis, Lefstein, the Indiana University law professor, wrote in Justice Denied: Americas Continuing Neglect of Our Constitutional Right to Counsel.

We know what the caseload benchmark should be thanks to a 2015 report from Texas A&M Universitys Public Policy Research Institute. The recommendations for indigent caseloads were no more than 236 Class B misdemeanors or 216 Class A misdemeanors in a given year. Felony recommendations ranged from 174 state jail felonies to 77 first degree felonies.

Looking at state data for fiscal 2017, 23 attorneys in Bexar County were paid for more than 236 total cases. These are combined felonies and misdemeanors. Fifteen attorneys were paid for more than 236 misdemeanors (this is in addition to any felony and juvenile work), and three attorneys handled more than 174 felonies (in addition to any misdemeanor and juvenile cases).

Bear in my mind, these numbers dont include any cases these attorneys took from private clients, and they dont distinguish between the types of misdemeanors or felonies.

READ ALSO: Third lawsuit filed in deadly San Marcos apartment fire

At the top of the list were three attorneys who handled more than 500 cases in fiscal 2017. Were not naming them because we havent heard back from them.

Its hard to know just what kind of representation their clients received because Bexar County could not provide case outcomes per attorney. Mike Lozito, director of judicial services for Bexar County, said the system is antiquated and cant track such specific data.

Still, we asked a number of experts if an attorney could credibly handle such a workload, and they were unanimously skeptical.

You just really cant effectively defend, even in misdemeanor cases, those numbers, said Lefstein, the Indiana University law professor.

There are 2,080 standard hours in the standard work year, Jim Bethke, the longtime former head of the states Indigent Defense Commission, wrote in an email. Taking no vacation, no holidays, no sick days, a court appointed attorney would be disposing of approximately two cases per day, every day the court is open if he or she is working 500 cases a year.

Bethke is now chief of the Lubbock Private Defender Office, an outside entity that manages assigned counsel. The office appoints counsel, monitors caseloads and outcomes, and pays attorneys. In Lubbock County, the cost per indigent case in 2017 was $440, according to state data.

Thats more than Bexar, but significantly less than other urban counties.

A managed assigned-counsel program  commonly known as MAC  gives greater accountability, said Geoffrey Burkhart, head of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.

What a MAC does that I really like is that it takes the appointment process out of the hands of judges so they dont have the appearance of conflict, he said, adding that it also provides more resources for attorneys.

It also has the potential for some jail cost savings thanks to better representation, a 2017 state review of managed assigned-counsel programs found.

Bethke told us the ideal model for any urban county in Texas is a public defenders office that complements and competes with a MAC, which is what happens in Lubbock.

READ ALSO: Texas sues EPA over Bexar County non-attainment status

This mirrors the ABAs second principle of indigent defense: Where the caseload is sufficiently high, the public defense delivery system consists of both a defender office and the active participation of the private bar.

The idea behind that principle is parity and consistency in representation  whether its coming from private attorneys or public defenders. Thats not happening here.

Consider a recent visit to Bexar Countys jail court. Its a small annex inside the jail where defendants often meet their attorneys for the first time. Most plead guilty or no contest for time served because fighting a charge means sitting in jail.

We watched as Blas Casimiro entered a plea for evading arrest after spending nine days in jail. He had never met his attorney, Michael Granados, until the hearing.

Likewise, April Davila spent 56 days in jail for violating her probation. Her appointed attorney didnt show up, so she was given a new one on the spot and then was sentenced to time served.

But Matthew Salas had a much different defense experience. He had known his public defender, Melanie Lira, for months. She had been appointed to represent him on a DWI charge in October and had set the case for trial over concerns about the police stop. Subsequent marijuana possession charges had landed Salas back in jail.

Lira said Salas chose to go to jail court to resolve all three cases quickly. They had spent so much time together, she was confident he understood his choices.

She advocated zealously for him. Prosecutors wanted Salas to spend 11 more days in jail for the DWI, but Lira argued for time served  and she won. This was partly because she told the visiting judge how well she had come to know Salas. She also had one of the possession charges dismissed.

Such experiences illustrate the arbitrary disparities of indigent defense here. More than anything else, its a system that incentivizes quick plea agreements. Its a system that is hostile to the public defenders office and marginalizes quality defense. Its a system that lacks independence and fairness, and it must be reformed.

*This editorial is part of the Unequal Justice series, which explores the inequities in Bexar County's criminal justice system and how they can be fixed.
Stephen Dunn/AP

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A dozen nursing home residents died from COVID-19 in Connecticut over a recent two week period, which is the largest number since mid-August, new data released Friday showed.

There were 125 positive cases of COVID-19 among residents between Nov. 10 and Nov. 23, with 12 deaths, according to state Department of Health data. Sixty-seven staff also tested positive during the same period. Five of those deaths occurred at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Milford, which reported 36 positive cases among its 105 residents and eight positive cases among its staff.
As COVID cases continue to mount in Connecticut, President Joe Biden on Friday announced plans to restrict travel to the U.S. from South Africa and seven other nations starting on Monday, amid heightened concerns over a new strain of the coronavirus.

The administration plans to restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, CNN reported.

As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises, Biden said in a tweet. For now the best way to strengthen your protection if youre already vaccinated is to get a booster shot, immediately. For those not yet fully vaccinated: get vaccinated today.

The president also called for other nations to help in vaccinating the rest of the world. It is time for other countries to match Americas speed and generosity, the president said in a statement.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order that would allow public health officials to limit non-essential medical procedures in anticipation of a possible surge.

We've taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it's coming, Hochul said in a statement.

The World Health Organization on Friday classified the strain, known by the scientific name B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern alongside the widespread delta variant and three other strains. The WHO named the new strain Omicron, in keeping with its Greek alphabet naming convention.

The strain has so far not appeared in Connecticut, according to the latest report to the state Department of Public Health. That data, published Wednesday, showed all cases tested through genetic sequencing the past week were delta.

The organization said the variant shows a large number of mutations and may pose a greater risk of reinfection from the virus compared to other variants of concern.

The news comes as cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in Connecticut, leading many local public health experts to raise concerns about family gatherings over the holidays, even as many celebrated a more traditional Thanksgiving on Thursday. The state is now recording more than 750 new cases each day on average, public health data shows, and new hospital admissions are also on the rise after the surge fueled by the delta variant in the late summer.

The irony of this is that there is a variant that we should all really be worried about at this point, which is the delta [variant], said Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare. Unfortunately not everybody has taken that one seriously.

He said for Connecticut residents the key takeaway should not be to sow fear or panic, but continue with public health measures like masking and getting vaccinated. If youre not boosted or vaccinated, please get vaccinated, get boosted, he said. He also advocated for people to wear masks indoors. The reality of this is we will continue to create variants until we get enough people vaccinated not just in Connecticut or the U.S. but the world, he added.

Connecticut recorded 1,900 new infections over the last two days, according to state figures released Friday (reporting was paused over the Thanksgiving holiday Thursday), with 3.61 positivity rate out of 52,595 tests. Hospitalizations for the virus remained flat with 300 patients currently admitted.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so far has not named the new strain a variant of concern.

Very little is known so far about the variant, said Nathan Grubaugh, head of the Yale School of Public Healths variant surveillance project, but in some provinces of South Africa it now makes up to 90 percent of cases. The concern here is that its growing faster than delta, and therefore could be more transmissible than delta, Grubaugh said Friday.

The strain also features several different mutations to its spike protein,he said, some of which are important to the bodys immune response to the virus either from antibody treatments, or from the vaccines.

Besides genomic sequencing, where researchers study the virus found in positive test kits to see what variants and lineages of the virus are circulating, Grubaugh said the new variant can also be detected through a particular PCR test for COVID-19. People who test for the virus will still receive an accurate positive or negative test result, but public health officials can use the data to get a sense if the variant is circulating faster than they would be able to through genomic sequencing.

I think the message is that... we have a very robust surveillance system in Connecticut and in our region through both sequencing and the PCR testing to detect it early, Grubaugh said. But once it does show up in the region, he said vaccines will still be our most powerful tool to prevent its spread.

Statewide a little less than 76 percent of those eligible to receive a vaccine - those over the age of 5 - are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data. A little over 21 percent of those who are fully-vaccinated have received a booster shot or additional dose of the vaccine (the CDC data groups both additional shots together).

Its also unknown how well the variant will compete with delta in the U.S. and in Europe, both of which have seen a resurgence in infections, Grubaugh said. He noted the U.S. also has a higher vaccination rate than much of Africa. While he said the Biden administrations plan to restrict travel might buy some time, it wont prevent the variant from spreading.

But, I am concerned because this is the worst time to have a new, potentially more transmissible variant to be introduced with the holidays, the family gatherings it could provide the right environment it needs to take off, he added.

Wu, the Hartford HealthCare epidemiologist, expressed a similar attitude. The reality is were witnessing Darwinism at its finest, he said, pointing to how delta surpassed other major variants of the virus to become predominant. We need to see if [Omicron] will become the proverbial Hulk Hogan of variants.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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TORONTO, ON and RICHMOND, VA / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2021 / StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd. (TSX:SZLS) ("StageZero" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated healthcare company devoted to improving the early detection and management of cancer and other chronic diseases through leading-edge molecular diagnostics and clinical interventions, is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced private placement of its common shares ("Common Shares") and warrants to purchase Common Shares ("Warrants") with institutional investors for gross proceeds of approximately CAD$4.2 million (the "Private Placement"). Pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company issued 9,375,002 Common Shares and Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 9,375,002 Common Shares at a purchase price of CAD$0.448 per Common Share and associated Warrant. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of CAD$0.56 per Common Share for a period of four years following the issuance date.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the Private Placement.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to accelerate the Company's Global Growth Strategy and further support the commercialization of Aristotle and AVRT. No securities were offered or sold to Canadian residents in connection with the Private Placement.

"This financing will allow us to accelerate the promotional activities around Aristotle, AVRT and TREAT and affords us the opportunity to foster new relationships with US investors as we build upon the recent OTCQB listing" said James Howard-Tripp Chairman and CEO of StageZero Life Sciences.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities referred in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to any U.S. person absent registration under U.S. federal and state securities laws or an applicable exemption from such U.S. registration requirements. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the respective meanings ascribed to them in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

About StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd.

StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd. is a vertically integrated healthcare company dedicated to improving the early detection and management of cancer and other chronic diseases through next-generation diagnostics and a unique telehealth program that provides clinical interventions to help patients reduce the risk of developing late-stage disease (AVRT).

The Company's next generation test, Aristotle, is the first ever mRNA multi-cancer panel for simultaneously screening for multiple cancers from a single sample of blood with high sensitivity and specificity for each cancer. Aristotle uses mRNA technology to identify the molecular signatures of multiple cancer types and is built on the Company's patented technology platform, the Sentinel Principle. This underlying technology has been validated in more than 9,000 patients and used by more than 100,000 patients in North America.

Aristotle, as well as additional cancer diagnostics (ColonSentry, BreastSentry, and the Prostate Health Index) are processed at the Company's clinical laboratory, StageZero Life Sciences, Inc., a CAP accredited and CLIA certified high-complexity reference laboratory in Richmond, Virginia. In addition, the Company is also leveraging its specialty in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to provide COVID-19 PCR testing (swab and saliva) and Antibody Testing (blood analysis).

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release related to StageZero, its respective business and the Private Placement are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the use of net proceeds. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, but involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein. Such risks include the risk that the closing conditions to the Private Placement will not be satisfied, that TSX approval will not be obtained, and other risks and uncertainties described in StageZero's ongoing quarterly filings, annual reports and annual information form. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

CONTACT:

Investor Relations

Rebecca Greco

1-855-420-7140 ext. 1838

rgreco@stagezerols.com

SOURCE: StageZero Life Sciences Ltd

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/674821/StageZero-Life-Sciences-Announces-Closing-of-CAD42-Million-Private-Placement-with-Institutional-Investors
SHANGHAI, Nov. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asclepius Meditec ("the Company"), the organizer of the conference, is pleased to announce that five academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Zhong Nanshan, Tang Zhaoyou, Fan Daiming, Xia Zhaofan and Ding Wenjiang, will deliver important speeches on hydrogen biomedicine at the 7th National Conference on Hydrogen Biomedicine on November 27th, 2021, Beijing time.

The conference is the most influential national conference since China launched large-scale hydrogen biomedical research in 2011. The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), directly under the State Council of China, represents the country's highest honor in the field of science and technology. The five academicians of this conference are delivering the speeches simultaneously at the conference, indicating that hydrogen biomedicine has been fully recognized by the scientific community and will become a new direction of medical research in China in the future.

Since 2020, Chinese medicine has drawn wide attention from the international community thanks to its outstanding performance in fighting COVID-19. During COVID-19 period rampaged in China, a Hydrogen Oxygen Generator with Nebulizer produced by Shanghai Asclepius Meditec Co., Ltd., with output of mixed gas 3L/min containing 66.6% hydrogen; and 33.3% oxygen, has been included in China National COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for three times. Taking it as an opportunity, hydrogen biomedicine as a new force of Chinese medicine has come into the public eye.

According to China's anti-pandemic expert team, molecular hydrogen has the functions of anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, scavenging malignant free radicals, dispersive oxygen and enhancing human immunity, which has obvious effects on the treatment of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.During the pandemic in China, more than 3,000 patients adopted "oxygen and hydrogen inhalation" to relieve dyspnea, cough and chest distress. Among them, after "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" a large number of severe patients significantly alleviated their symptoms. The discharge time is significantly shortened as well.

The World Health Organization has found that even if those who have strong immunity get infected with the novel coronavirus, they will only become asymptomatic infected patients, with relatively little impact on health. Therefore, China's anti-pandemic expert team has recommended "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" for COVID-19 prevention and rehabilitation.

Hydrogen oxygen medicine is a medical method enriched with Chinese philosophical thinking. Hydrogen oxygen mixed gas is produced from natural water molecules, which is more green, environmentally friendly and harmless compared with modern medicine with side effects. Chinese scientists have broken through the technical bottleneck of flammable and explosive character of hydrogen oxygen mixed gas, and widely applied the therapy to COVID-19 treatment, which can be called the pioneering work of modern medicine. According to a report titled "Strategies and Progress in Combating Novel Coronavirus in China" published in the Journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" therapy is currently the only treatment with "unknown side effects" other than convalescent plasma therapy.

Taking the efforts of Chinese scientists in the past decade as its foundation, Shanghai Asclepius Meditec Co. Ltd., a pioneer in the field of molecular hydrogen medicine in China, has obtained the certification for Class III medical device by China NMPA, which is not only the first in China, but also the first one over the world.

On November 27, the 7th National Conference on Hydrogen Biomedicine, to be held in Shanghai, China, will be broadcast live worldwide. Global live link (English version): https://www.ascleway.cn:1316/center/

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2021 / RYAH Group, Inc. (CSE:RYAH) ("RYAH" or the "Company") today announced that it has amended and restated, and refiled, its management discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 (the "Q2 Interim MD&A") as well as its condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2021 (the "Q2 Interim Financial Statements").

The amended and restated Q2 Interim MD&A (the "Amended Q2 Interim MD&A") contains supplemental and enhanced disclosure with respect to, among other things, (i) the Company's operations, business objectives, and relationships with third parties, (ii) the marketing expenditures incurred by the Company during the three and six month period ended June 30, 2021, (iii) the regulatory framework governing the Company's operations in Canada and the United States, (iv) the Company's revenue, liquidity, and working capital, and (v) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company.

The amended and restated Q2 Interim Financial Statements (the "Amended Q2 Interim FS") contain revised disclosure which reflects, among other things, certain adjustments to the disclosure therein to (i) recognize approximately USD $83,000 in share based compensation payable to certain consultants of the Company, accrued during the six months ended June 30, 2021, and (ii) correct certain incorrect disclosure in respect of the consideration paid by the Company in connection with the reverse takeover transaction completed by the Company with Potbotics Inc., in April 2021.

The Amended Q2 Interim MD&A and the Amended Q2 Interim FS were refiled at the request of staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") in connection with a normal course review of the continuous disclosure record of the Company by the OSC, in order to improve the Company's public disclosure record. The Amended Q2 Interim MD&A and the Amended Q2 Interim FS replace and supersede the previously filed Q2 Interim MD&A and Q2 Interim Financial Statements, respectively, in their entirety, and are available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About RYAH Group, Inc.

RYAH is a connected device and big data and technology company focused on valuable predictive analysis in the global medical plant and nutraceutical intake industry. Its robust artificial intelligence platform aggregates and correlates Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)- compliant patient data, which is intended to help doctors and patients personalize plant-based treatments to better predict treatment outcomes. The data collection is relevant for clinics, doctors, dispensaries and pharmaceutical companies and licensed processors (LPs) to monitor and manage formulation effects on patient and demographics. With a strong intellectual property portfolio, RYAH gathers deep and insightful data on the complete patient session and formulation lifecycle.

For additional information, please contact:

Sofiya Kleshchuk

Client Relations

+1 917 210 0543

Invest@ryahgroup.com

Gregory Wagner

Chief Executive Officer

+1 917 210 0543

Info@ryah.com

PRESS INQUIRIES

Joshua Greenwald

KCSA Strategic Communications

+1 646 379 7971

jgreenwald@kcsa.com

SOURCE: RYAH Medtech Inc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/674825/RYAH-Group-Refiles-Amended-and-Restated-MDA-and-Financial-Statements
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2021 / AMPD Ventures Inc. ("AMPD" or the "Company") (CSE:AMPD)(OTCQB:AMPDF)(FRA:2Q0) is pleased to announce that it has closed the Company's recently announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement"), for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD $6.94M.

"This positive response from existing and new AMPD investors demonstrates confidence in the company, recognition of the progress we have been making, and high levels of interest in our emerging Metaverse-related initiatives across AMPD's core infrastructure business, as well as the anticipated acquisition of Departure Lounge Inc.," said Anthony Brown, CEO at AMPD.

The Private Placement was announced on October 26, 2021, with the Company initially expecting to issue up to 11,666,667 units (the "Units") at a price of CAD $0.30 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CAD $3.5M. The Company announced an increase in the size of the Private Placement on November 1, 2021, increasing the number of Units to up to 16,666,777 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD $5.0M.

The Private Placement closed on November 25, 2021, and the Company issued 23,139,663 Units at a price of CAD $0.30 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD $6,941,900.

Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each a 'Share') and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Unit Warrant" and, collectively, the "Unit Warrants"), with each Unit Warrant entitling the holder to subscribe for one Share (each a "Warrant Share" and, collectively, the "Warrant Shares") at an exercise price of CAD $0.50 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months following the date of the closing of the Private Placement. The expiry date of the Unit Warrants may be accelerated at the option of the Company if, at any time prior to the expiry of the Unit Warrants, the volume weighted average trading price of the underlying Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (or such other recognized Canadian stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed) is or exceeds CAD $0.80 for a period of ten consecutive trading days.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid certain finders CAD $189,462 in cash, and issued 631,539 Unit Warrants as finder's fees.

Insiders of the Company have subscribed for an aggregate of 1.5M Units, for aggregate proceeds of CAD $450,000, comprising 6.48% of the total amount raised.

Mr. Sheldon Inwentash directly subscribed for 500,000 Units for CAD $150,000 and ThreeD Capital Inc., a public company of which Mr. Inwentash is the Chairman and CEO, subscribed for 1M Units for CAD $300,000, decreasing Mr. Inwentash's direct and indirect holdings from 17.12% to 15.80% of the issued and outstanding shares of AMPD on a partially diluted basis, assuming the exercise of warrants and options held.

The participation of Mr. Inwentash in the private placement constitutes a "related party transaction" as such terms are defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements set out in subsection 5.5(a) and paragraph 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 because the fair market value of the consideration for the securities of the Company to be issued to the insiders does not exceed 25% of its market capitalization. Participation in the private placement by insiders was approved by the disinterested directors of the Company who concluded that the private placement was entered into on market terms and was fair to minority security holders.

All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period.

As previously disclosed, the Company has signed a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Departure Lounge Inc. ("Departure Lounge"), and its shareholders. Departure Lounge is a Vancouver, BC-based company pursuing various technology and content initiatives related to the development of the Metaverse. The LOI contemplates the acquisition of Departure Lounge by the Company pursuant to a definitive share purchase agreement through which the Company will acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of Departure Lounge (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition may constitute a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101, as James Hursthouse is the current chief strategy officer of the Company and one of the vendors in the Acquisition. The Acquisition remains subject to completion of due diligence, execution of a definitive Acquisition agreement, and receipt of any necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals. For details of the Acquisition, please refer to the Company's news release dated October 26, 2021, which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Company intends to use CAD $2.5M of the proceeds from the Private Placement to fund the ongoing operations of Departure Lounge post Acquisition and has increased the planned allocation to general working capital to AMPD from the Private Placement from CAD $2.5M to CAD $4.4M, to accelerate the rollout of AMPD's High-Performance Edge computing environments around the world.

About AMPD Ventures Inc.

AMPD specializes in providing high performance cloud and compute solutions for low latency applications, including video games and eSports, digital animation and visual effects, and big data collection, analysis, and visualization.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

/s/ "Anthony Brown"

Anthony Brown

CEO & Director

AMPD Ventures Inc.

ir@ampd.tech | Tel: 604-332-3329

For more information on AMPD, please contact:

Investor Relations

Tel: 604-332-3329 ext. 3

ir@ampd.tech

Or visit http://www.ampd.tech

Cautionary Statement

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements and information that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of our management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances and at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information in this news release includes statements about management's intended use of the proceeds of the Private Placement, and management's ability to complete the Acquisition, and management's plans to accelerate the rollout of AMPD's High-Performance Edge computing environments around the world, and any other statements that are not statements of historical fact.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of AMPD to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: successful completion of due diligence with respect to Departure Lounge, execution of a definitive agreement for the Acquisition and the ability to obtain approvals and satisfy conditions required for the Acquisition, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 2A Listing Statement dated October 17, 2019 and "Risk and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recent Management Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR.

Although the forward-looking information is based on our management's reasonable assumptions at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and that the Acquisition will complete, or that the Company will succeed in achieving its goals for rollout of its High-Performance Edge computing environments around the world, or that its expectations for the development of the Metaverse will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. AMPD does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

All forward looking information contained in this news release is qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE: AMPD Ventures Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/674804/AMPD-Ventures-Raises-Cad-694M-via-Oversubscribed-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement-To-Invest-In-Metaverse-Initiatives
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 26, 2021) - Torr Metals Inc. (TSXV: TMET) (formerly Duro Metals Inc.) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce it has completed the acquisition of the British Columbia mineral claims known as the Gnat Claims, and the British Columbia mineral claims known as the Hu Property and Dalvenie Property, altogether known as the Latham Copper-Gold Project, by way of an acquisition transaction and three-cornered Amalgamation (as defined below) in conjunction with a concurrent financing (the "Concurrent Financing") raising aggregate gross proceeds of $4,476,389.94, comprised of $2,890,660.41 from a Unit Financing (as defined below) and $1,585,729.53 from a Flow-Through Financing (defined below), which is intended to constitute the Company's qualifying transaction (the "Qualifying Transaction") as defined under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). Together, the consolidated Gnat Claims, Hu Property and Dalvenie Property are now known as the Latham Copper-Gold Project, which is comprised of 41 British Columbia mineral claims covering an area of 46,694 hectares in northern British Columbia, approximately 34 km south of Dease Lake, B.C.

The Company's new CEO Malcolm Dorsey, M.Sc., commented, "We are very excited to be so well-funded to complete Phase 1 of our intended exploration program along with sufficient funds to continue into Phase 2, allowing for regional systematic exploration that will define the scope and scale of a number of targets that are found throughout our district-scale 467 square kilometer consolidated land position. We believe there's excellent opportunities for future discoveries with multiple large greenfield copper-porphyry and epithermal targets identified across 42km+ of mineralized trends at the Latham Copper-Gold Project, and we can now start the exploration without delay."

The Company filed a filing statement (the "Filing Statement") dated November 25, 2021 on SEDAR providing details of the Company and the Qualifying Transaction in accordance with Exchange Policy 2.4, and is publicly available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, the Company also filed on SEDAR a geological technical report on the Latham Copper-Gold Project (the "Technical Report") entitled, "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Geological Introduction to the Latham Copper-Gold Project, British Columbia, Canada" dated effective August 24, 2021 prepared for the Company by Douglas Turnbull, BSC. (Hons), P.Geo. of Lakehead Geological Services Inc., who is an independent qualified person under National Instrument 43-101-Standards for Disclosure of Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The Technical Report is also publicly available at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile.

Qualifying Transaction

Immediately prior to the closing of the Qualifying Transaction (the "Closing"), among other things, the Company: (i) continued its corporate existence from Alberta to British Columbia under the British Columbia Business Corporation Act, changed its name from "Duro Metals Inc." to "Torr Metals Inc.", and effected a consolidation of all of its issued and outstanding securities on the basis of 1.4538-to-1 (the "Consolidation"); (ii) 1306043 B.C. Ltd. ("130") acquired the Dalvenie Property from Torr Resources Corp. ("Torr") in exchange for the issuance of 4,000,000 common shares of 130 to Torr at a deemed price of $0.30 per share, the grant of a 2% a net smelter returns royalty to Torr in respect of the Dalvenie Property, 50% of which may be repurchased by the royalty payor for payment of $1,000,000 to the royalty payee, and payment of $100,000 cash by the Company on behalf of 130; and (iii) 130 completed an equity financing raising aggregate gross proceeds of $2,890,660.41 by issuance of 9,440,200 units of 130 (the "Pre-QT Units") at a price of $0.30 per Pre-QT Unit, where each Pre-QT Unit is comprised of 1 common share of 130 (a "Pre-QT Share") and one-half common share purchase warrant of 130 (each whole warrant of 130, a "Pre-QT Warrant"), and each Pre-QT Warrant entitles the holder to acquire a Pre-QT Share or common share of any successor parent company at an exercise price of $0.45 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance of the Pre-QT Warrant (the "Unit Financing").

Pursuant to the Qualifying Transaction, (i) 130 amalgamated with 1334885 BC Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and continued as an amalgamated corporation under the name "1306043 BC Ltd." as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Amalco"); (ii) all holders of Pre-QT Shares exchanged their Pre-QT Shares for post-Consolidated Shares of the Company on a 1-for-1 basis and the Pre-QT Warrants were replaced on a 1-for-1 basis by certificates representing post-Consolidation common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "Warrants"), and the Warrants were issued pursuant to a form of Warrant Indenture (the "Warrant Indenture") between the Company and the Warrant agent, Odyssey Trust Company.

Immediately following the Amalgamation, the Company: (i) acquired the Gnat Claims from Brian and Steven Scott (the "Scott Brothers") in exchange for, on a 50% / 50% basis, the issuance of 400,000 post-Consolidated Shares of the Company to the Scott Brothers at a deemed price of $0.30 per share, the grant of a 2% a net smelter returns royalty to the Scott Brothers in respect of the Gnat Claims, and 50% of the royalty may be repurchased by the royalty payor for payment of $500,000 to each royalty payee for an aggregate $1,000,000, and payment of $95,000 cash (in addition to a previously-paid $5,000 non-refundable deposit); and (ii) the Company completed an equity financing of 4,805,241 post-Consolidated common shares for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,585,729.53 at a price of $0.33 per post-Consolidated common share of the Company, where those post-Consolidated common shares of the Company (the "FT Shares") were issued on a flow-through basis under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Flow-Through Financing").

As a consequence of completing the Qualifying Transaction, the Company (through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Amalco) owns all of the mineral properties comprising the Latham Copper-Gold Project.

Pursuant to the Unit Financing, the Company paid commissions to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the TSXV and applicable securities laws, comprised of: (i) a cash commission of up to 7% of the gross aggregate subscription proceeds of the Unit Financing; and (ii) a number of common share purchase warrants of Duro (the "Brokers' Warrants") equal to up to 7% of the number of Pre-QT Units issued pursuant to the Unit Financing, wherein each Broker's Warrant entitles the holder to acquire a Share of the Company at a price of $0.30 per Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance thereof.

Pursuant to the Flow-Through Financing, the Company paid commissions to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the TSXV and applicable securities laws, comprised of: (i) a cash commission of up to 7% of the gross aggregate subscription proceeds of the FT Financing; and (ii) a number of common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "FT Brokers' Warrants") equal to up to 7% of the number of FT Shares issued pursuant to the FT Financing, wherein each FT Broker's Warrant entitles the holder to acquire a Share of the Company at a price of $0.33 per Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance thereof.

Additional information with respect to the Qualifying Transaction and the business of the Company as a result of the Closing is available in the Company's filing statement dated November 25, 2021 (the "Filing Statement"), which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Directors, Officers and Other Insiders

Following the Closing, the board of directors of the Company is now comprised of Malcolm Dorsey, Sean Mager, Nicholas Stajduhar, John Williamson, and Ewan Webster, and the officers of the Company are Malcolm Dorsey (President and Chief Executive Officer) and Justin Bourassa (Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary).

On completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company became the Resulting Issuer (as defined in Exchange Policy 2.4) having a board of directors consisting of five members. As part of the Qualifying Transaction, all the directors of the Company other than Sean Mager and John Williamson resigned and Malcolm Dorsey, Nicholas Stajduhar and Ewan Webster were appointed as directors to fill the vacant board positions under the next annual general meeting of the Company. Malcom Dorsey was also appointed as the new President and Chief Executive Officer on Closing.

The following sets out the details of all persons constituting the directors and officers of the Company as the resulting issuer of the Qualifying Transaction:

Malcom Dorsey - President, CEO and Director of the Company. He is the co-founder and director of Torr Resources Corp., a private exploration and project generator company since October 2018. He has consulted as an exploration and project development geologist since May 2013, including as a senior geologist for Benchmark Metals Inc. since August 2020. From May 2013 to August 2020 he consulted as an exploration geologist and fulfilled roles in project development and senior management for a number of public and private companies with a variety of deposit types in North, Central, and South America. Malcolm holds both an MSc in Geology and Geophysics (2018) specialized in Structural Geology and a BSc in Geology (2013) from the University of Calgary. His geological exploration and development project leadership, experience and knowledge in British Columbia, where his MSc thesis was completed, will be a significant asset in further advancing the Latham Copper-Gold Project.

Justin Bourassa - Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company. Mr. Bourassa is presently the Chief Financial Officer and a Director of Duro Metals Inc. since July 2018. Mr. Bourassa is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Altiplano Metals Inc. since April 2013, Peruvian Metals Inc. since July 2013, Camino Minerals Corp. since September 2018, Thesis Gold Inc. since October 2020, Founders Metals Inc. since March 2021 and Benchmark Metals Inc. from July 2013 until February 2017. He is also the founding and managing partner of corporate and financial services provider SPR Outsourcing since February 2016. Mr. Bourassa graduated from Grant MacEwan University where he received a degree in Accounting & Strategic Management.

Sean Mager - Director of the Company. Mr. Mager is presently the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Duro Metals Inc. since July 2018. He has been the principal of 859053 Alberta Ltd., his privately owned investment company since December 1999, and is a Co-Founder, Director and Principal of Metals Group Inc., a privately held mineral exploration, development and investment company, since July 2018, and serves as the Chief Financial Officer and a Director of Emperor Metals Inc. since October 2020, as a Director of Altiplano Metals Inc. since October 2010, as a Director of Benchmark Metals Inc. since February 2013, and as Chief Financial Officer since March 2018 and President, Chief Executive Officer and Director since June 2018 of Cortus Metals Inc.

Nicholas Stajduhar - Director of the Company. Mr. Stajduhar is presently a Director of Thesis Gold Inc. since October 2020 and a Director of Founders Metals Inc. since March 2021. He is an accomplished financial industry professional with 15 years of experience in all aspects of sales and operations. He has a proven track record in the capital markets, is a highly knowledgeable market professional with strong communication and client relationship skills. Mr. Stajduhar has been providing consulting services in public and private capital markets since June 2019. Previously, he was Director of Investments for Skyline Wealth Management Inc. (2017 to June 2019), Vice-President Sales and Trading for Desjardins Capital Markets (2015 to 2017), and Partner and Head of Institutional Sales for Byron Capital Markets Ltd. (2008-2015). In addition, Mr. Stajduhar also holds a licenses from the Canadian Securities Institute (CSC and CPH) and licensing for dealing in various forms of insurance.

John Williamson - Director of the Company. Mr. Williamson is the President of 678119 Alberta Ltd., a private company which provides management and geological consulting services to junior mineral exploration companies since January 1996. Mr. Williamson is currently the Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Altiplano Metals Inc. since 2010. Mr. Williamson is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Benchmark Metals Inc. since March 2018, Director of Cortus Metals Inc. since November 2019, Director of Scottie Resources Corp. since February 2018, Director of Emperor Metals Inc. since November 2020, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Founders Metals Inc. since February 2021, and a director of Duro Metals Inc. since September 2019. Mr. Williamson resigned as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Camino Minerals Corp. in January 2020 and Exploits Discovery Corp. in October 2020. Mr. Williamson was a Director of QX Metals Corp. from June 2016 to June 2020.

Ewan Webster - Director of the Company. Mr. Webster is presently the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Thesis Gold Inc. since January 2021. Dr. Webster is an exploration geologist who has worked for a number of public mineral exploration and mining companies in North America and South America involving a variety of different deposit types. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons, Geology) from the University of Glasgow, Scotland (2010), a PhD Geoscience from the University of Calgary (2016) and is a registered Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. In particular, his PhD research focused on unravelling aspects of the structure, stratigraphy, tectonics, and metamorphism of southeastern British Columbia. Dr. Webster has been a Senior Geologist with the Metals Group Inc. (since May 2019), Director of Camino Minerals Corp. (since January 2020), Director of Trailbreaker Resources Ltd. (since December 2018), and Director of Golden Sky Minerals Corp. (since August 2018). He was previously a Consulting Geologist in private practice from May 2017 to May 2019, and a Geology Technology Instructor for Yukon College from August 2016 to May 2017.

The board committees of the Company consist of the Audit Committee and the Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee. The Audit Committee of the Company is now comprised of John Williamson (Chair), Nicholas Stajduhar, and Ewan Webster. The Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee is now comprised of Ewan Webster (Chair), Malcolm Dorsey, and Nicholas Stajduhar.

As a consequence of the Qualifying Transaction, the following lists those who are insiders of the Company as a result of owning 10% or more of the common shares of the Company:

Torr Resources Corp., a private corporation existing under the laws of Alberta, owned and controlled 50% by Malcolm Dorsey (a resident of British Columbia) and 50% by Cameron Dorsey (a resident of North Vancouver, British Columbia);

Severin Holdings Inc., a private corporation existing under the laws of British Columbia, owned and controlled by Nicholas Stajduhar (a resident of Ontario); and

2355228 Alberta Ltd., a private corporation existing under the laws of Alberta, owned and controlled by John Alcock (a resident of Alberta).

Additional information about the new directors, officers and insiders of the Company is available in the Filing Statement that was filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR as the principal disclosure document in respect of the Qualifying Transaction.

Exchange Bulletin

Final acceptance of the Qualifying Transaction will occur upon the issuance of the Final Exchange Bulletin (the "Bulletin") by the Exchange, following which the Company will be classified as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer, trading under the symbol "TMET". Subject to such final approval, trading of the Company's common shares on the Exchange is expected to commence on or about December 7, 2021. The Company will issue a news release once the Exchange issues the Bulletin and confirms the listing date.

Outstanding and Escrowed Shares

Following the Closing, there are now approximately 31,627,441 post-Consolidation Shares issued and outstanding on an undiluted basis [the final number of shares may vary slightly dependent upon rounding and disappearance of fractional shares due to the Consolidation]. As disclosed in the Filing Statement, 12,666,667 Shares (representing approximately 40.05% of the issued and outstanding Shares on an undiluted basis) have been deposited into escrow with TSX Trust Company pursuant to a Tier 2 value security escrow agreement, and an additional 1,021,461 Shares remain subject to a capital pool company escrow agreement.

Qualified Person

Douglas Turnbull, B.Sc. (Hons), P.Geo. is an independent Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101-Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release related to geology and exploration.

Contact Information

For further information concerning this press release, please contact Malcolm Dorsey, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Torr Metals Inc. at:

Telephone: 236-982-4300

Email: malcolmsdorsey@gmail.com

Cautionary Statement

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Qualifying Transaction and neither of the foregoing entities accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release or has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information, including statements regarding the expected issuance of the Final Bulletin and the expected commencement of trading of the Shares on the Exchange. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The business of the Company is subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the Filing Statement and other SEDAR filings for further details. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the parties. The material factors and assumptions include the parties being able to obtain the necessary corporate, regulatory and other third parties approvals. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

(Not for dissemination in the United States of America.)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/105316
On November23rd, EICMA has opened grandly. This Milan exhibition brings thousands of well-known two-wheeler enterprises from around the world together to showcase products. Among them, the "China Brand Fair" composed of *ARIIC, CFMOTO, CYCLONE, DAYNG, DAYUN, QJMOTOR, SENKE, TAOMOTOR, TEYIN, VOGE, ZNEN, ZONTES and other well-known electric vehicle enterprises such as*AIMA, OKAI, SUNRA, TAILG, TROMOX and YADEA, have also made a strong appearance at this grand event under the overall leadership of the Trade Development Bureau, Ministry of Commerce, P.R CHINA, showing the graceful demeanor of China's two-wheeler industry to the world.

On the morning of November 24th, the "Cooperation and Mutual Benefits Harmonious Development" China Motorcycle E-vehicle Brand Walks in Milan and Approaches the World promotion event undertook by the Trade Development Council, Ministry of Commerce, P.R CHINA and China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products has been grandly held at HALL22O10 booth, the new exhibition center in Milan, Italy.

Commercial Counselor Ms. Shu Luomei of the Consulate General of China in Milan, Deputy Director General Mr. Chen Huaming Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, Secretary-General Mr. Guo Kuilong of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, the President of EICMA Pietro Meda and other leaders have attended this press conference and delivered a speech.

During the press conference, outstanding domestic two-wheeler brands have also appeared on the stage such as YADEA, TROMOX, TEYIN, ARIIC and so on to share the development ideas of their respective brands with the global industry and bring product technology solutions.

The organizers of the event hired professional translators and service personnel to connect with the site to provide services. The organizers will continuously adopt the B2B online matchmaking mode to match business negotiation via Zoom.

As we all know, the pandemic has had a profound impact on economic and trade exchanges between countries and regions around the world. The China Motorcycle and E-vehicle Brand Walks in Milan and Approaches the World promotion activities has built a bridge for communication between China and Italy.

*The brands are listed in alphabetical order

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005187/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

Contact: Grace Guo



Company Name: Chenman Culture Media (Suzhou) Co.,Ltd.(MEGA CHINAMOTOR)



Web: www.chinamotorworld.com



Email:chinamotor@chinamotorworld.com, liuaoke@cccme.org.cn
ROME (dpa-AFX) - Italian oil and gas company Eni (E) announced that it has agreed to sell Snam a 49.9% stake in its subsidiaries operating Tunisia borders to the Tunisia coast (TTPC) and Tunisian coast to Italy (TMPC) gas pipelines connecting Algeria to Italy for 385 million euros. The transaction is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2022. Pursuant to deal, Eni will contribute its entire ownership interests in the two pipelines to a newly incorporated Italian company (NewCo) in which Eni will continue to hold a 50.1% stake, whereas the remaining 49.9% will be sold to Snam. Snam will fund the payment of the purchase price with its own financial resources. Eni and Snam will exercise joint control over the NewCo, on the basis of equal governance principles and both companies will therefore consolidate NewCo through the equity method. Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi commented: 'This transaction allows us to free up new resources to be used on our energy transition path, while at the same time maintaining the management of a strategic infrastructure with Snam to ensure the security of natural gas supply to the country'. 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.
Chinese and Italian Gen-Zers had a close look at each other at an online exchange activity held by China Eastern Airlines (CEA) on Nov. 24.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005190/en/

China Eastern Airlines holds online exchange between Chinese, Italian Gen-Zers (Photo: Business Wire)

The exchange activity, titled CEAir On Air, was joined by over 40 zoomers, as well as their teachers, from China's Nankai University and Italy's Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies.

Together with CEA staff members, they shared their experiences of living in China and working at the CEA.

At the activity, Italian captain Diego Benedetto with the CEA introduced the preparations that a captain shall do before piloting a flight, shared his stories of flying in China, and sent his wishes to the Gen-Zers.

Head flight attendant Hu Anlun with the CEA, who once lived and studied in Italy, made a presentation of airplane etiquette in the prep-room of the CEA headquarters in Shanghai. She also displayed the comfy environment and shared her stories of studying in Italy.

"My job takes me on a global tour, and that is the most attractive part about it," Hu said, adding that her job vividly presents her the colors and brilliance of the world.

Benedetto told the Gen-Zers that his love for the profession started when he was a child. He felt the call of the profession when seeing photos of pilots in uniforms at home in his childhood, he told the students. The man said it's lucky for him to have become a pilot today.

Benedetto encouraged the Chinese and Italian students to turn what they have learned into a motivation for their further progress.

During the past 10 years, the CEA has maintained sound cooperation with Rome's Convitto Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II (Italian boarding school) and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, actively joining China-Italy exchanges in culture, art and education.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211127005190/en/

Contacts:

Company: China Eastern Airlines

Website: http://www.ceair.com/

Contact: Zhang Yun

TEL: (0086-21) 95530

Email: zhangyun3@ceair.com
New York, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Military Identification Friend or Foe Market Report 2022-2032" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06186247/?utm_source=GNW



The Military Identification Friend or Foe Market Report 2022-2032: This report will prove invaluable to leading firms striving for new revenue pockets if they wish to better understand the industry and its underlying dynamics. It will be useful for companies that would like to expand into different industries or to expand their existing operations in a new region.



Existing Military Infrastructure Modernization



To achieve all of the strategic goals, the Armed Forces must undergo a lengthy modernization process that demands significant advances in material capabilities. The Armed Forces want to increase their quality by becoming a professional force with well-trained personnel, cutting-edge technology and armament, modern and interoperable tools, and the ability to conduct a wider range of operations. The modernisation programme of the Air Force helps to achieve this goal.



The Air Force is upgrading several vital systems, including the Command-and-Control System, the Information System, which comprises air and marine space surveillance systems, and the security of other intelligence equipment systems.



What Are These Questions You Should Ask Before Buying A Market Research Report?

 How is the military IFF systems market evolving?

 What is driving and restraining the military IFF systems market?

 How will each military IFF systems submarket segment grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2032?

 How will the market shares for each military IFF systems submarket develop from 2022 to 2032?

 What will be the main driver for the overall market from 2022 to 2032?

 Will leading military IFF systems markets broadly follow the macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual national markets outperform others?

 How will the market shares of the national markets change by 2032 and which geographical region will lead the market in 2032?

 Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

 What are the military IFF systems projects for these leading companies?

 How will the industry evolve during the period between 2020 and 2032?

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This report tells you TODAY how the military IFF systems market will develop in the next 10 years, and in-line with the variations in COVID-19 economic recession and bounce. This market is more critical now than at any point over the last 10 years.



Forecasts to 2032 and other analyses reveal the commercial prospects

 In addition to revenue forecasting to 2032, our new study provides you with recent results, growth rates, and market shares.

 You find original analyses, with business outlooks and developments.

 Discover qualitative analyses (including market dynamics, drivers, opportunities, restraints and challenges), cost structure, impact of rising military IFF systems prices and recent developments.



This report includes data analysis and invaluable insight into how COVID-19 will affect the industry and your company. Four COVID-19 recovery patterns and their impact, namely, V, L, W and U are discussed in this report.



Global Military IFF Systems Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Component

 IFF Hardware

 IFF Software



Global Military IFF Systems Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Platform

 Terrestrial

 Airborne

 Naval



Global Military IFF Systems Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Hardware

 IFF Transponder

 IFF Interrogator

 Crypto Computer

 IFF Antenna

 IFF Test Equipment



Global Military IFF Systems Market (COVID Impact Analysis) by Type

 Ground Based IFF

 Vehicle Mounted IFF

 Fixed/Rotary Wing Aircraft IFF

 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle IFF

 Ships IFF

 Submarines IFF



In addition to the revenue predictions for the overall world market and segments, you will also find revenue forecasts for 4 regional and 20 leading national markets:

 North America Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 U.S. Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Canada Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Mexico Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Europe Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 Germany Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Spain Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 United Kingdom Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 France Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Italy Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Europe Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Asia Pacific Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 China Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Japan Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 India Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Australia Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 South Korea Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Asia Pacific Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 LAMEA Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Outlook

 Brazil Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Turkey Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Saudi Arabia Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 South Africa Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 UAE Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market Forecast & COVID Impact Analysis

 Rest of Latin America, Middle East and Africa



The report also includes profiles and for some of the leading companies in the Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032, with a focus on this segment of these companies operations.



Leading companies and the potential for market growth:

 BAE Systems plc

 Thales Group

 Leonardo SpA

 Raytheon Technologies Corp

 Northrop Grumman

 Siemens AG

 General Dynamics

 Saab Group

 Indra Sistemas SA

 Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

 Sopra Steria

 API Technologies Corp

 Captronics System

 Data Link Solutions (DLS) LLC

 Telephonics Corporation

 Tellumat



Overall world revenue for Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 in terms of value the market will surpass US$xx million in 2022, our work calculates. We predict strong revenue growth through to 2032. Our work identifies which organizations hold the greatest potential. Discover their capabilities, progress, and commercial prospects, helping you stay ahead.



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 Revenue forecasts to 2032 for 4 regional and 20 key national markets  See forecasts for the Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 market in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. Also forecasted is the market in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, UK, Italy, China, India, Japan, and Australia among other prominent economies.

 Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market including company profiles for 16 of the major companies involved in the Military IFF Systems Market, 2022 to 2032 Market.



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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.



__________________________
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.



TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hempsana Holdings Ltd. (the Company or Hempsana) today announced third quarter (Q3) financial results for the three- and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021.

Randy Ko, Hempsanas CEO, commented: during the third quarter, we successfully completed the RTO and then turned our attention to our manufacturing and operational capabilities. Health Canada also amended our cannabis licence and authorized us to actively sell cannabis extracts, beverages, edibles, and topical products. This is great news, as it means that we can now supply and sell finished cannabis products directly to provincial distributors and other authorized Canadian retail supply channels. In order to leverage our new capabilities, we continued to establish relationships with supply partners, leading brands and corporate customers. While the market conditions for licensed processors have been challenging, we believe that we have laid a foundation for long term growth.

Operational and Financial Highlights:

Operationalized Isolate and Minor Cannabinoid Production Capabilities: During the quarter, the Company invested $110,374 to extend their commercial production capabilities to support the production of isolates and minor cannabinoids.

During the quarter, the Company invested $110,374 to extend their commercial production capabilities to support the production of isolates and minor cannabinoids. Increased Production Utilization to 65%

Processed 500+ kgs of Cannabis Biomass

Processed 50+ kg of THC Crude

Processed 150+kg of CBD Crude

Processed 10+kg of CBD Distillate

Total Net loss and comprehensive loss for Q3 2021 was $(2,460,126), compared to $(302,453) in Q3 2020.

Total expenses in Q3 2021 were $2,483,676 compared to $297,807 in Q3 2020. The higher expenses were primarily driven by Listing Expenses of $1,949,739, of which $1,747,239 were non-cash expenses that reflected the value of the shares given to former shareholders of Stralak Resources Inc. as part of the RTO.

The Company also incurred one time professional & legal expenses for the RTO transaction as well higher costs as the Company began commercial production activities.



About Hempsana Holdings Ltd.

The Companys business involves the manufacturing of cannabis derivatives and producing cannabis extracts for use in finished products, including vapeables, topical creams and infused consumables. Hempsanas Health Canada Standard Processing Licensed, and EU-GMP compliant facility provides the Company with access to wholesale and retail channels in Canada and internationally.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding Hempsana, please contact:

Randy Ko

Director and Chief Executive Officer

T: (647) 255-8849

E: randy@hempsana.ca

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. The use of any of the words expect, anticipate, continue, estimate, objective, ongoing, may, will, project, should, believe, plans, intends and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning the business and operations of the Company. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management, including expectations and assumptions concerning 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. There can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct. By its nature, such forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause the actual results and expectations to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed. These risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions and the state of the regulatory environment. Please refer to the Companys public record on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for more details on the risks faced by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date hereof, and to not use such forward- looking information for anything other than its intended purpose. Management of the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Experity Ventures pledges 1,000 Meals to Operation Turkey, a two-decade-old non-profit with a mission of feeding the homeless and less fortunate on Thanksgiving.

By becoming a local sponsor, Experity helps Operation Turkey move one step closer to reaching their nationwide goal of delivering some 45,000 meals across the country this Thanksgiving.

Experity Vice President of Operations, Maria Davidson voiced her excitement about collaborating with the nonprofit: "Partnering with Operation Turkey has been both humbling and rewarding. There are a lot of people experiencing very tough times and the global pandemic has made things even more challenging. The entire team at Experity is thankful and fortunate to be able to provide Thanksgiving meals to 1,000 disadvantaged people at this time."

Over the past 21 years, Operation Turkey has remained a 100% volunteer organization without a single paid employee. Each year, more than 30,000 volunteers work together to ensure everyone receives a warm meal on Thanksgiving Day.

About Experity Ventures

The portfolio of companies under the Experity Ventures umbrella, provide tech-driven financial solutions that help individuals who have been the victim of a personal injury, a vehicle accident, workplace injury or other related matter with financial solutions that help them with essential living expenses, medical care and other financial obligations as they navigate the legal system to a fair settlement.

Media Contact

Ryan Silverman

rsilverman@experityventures.com

CEO

For more information on Experity, please visit www.experityventures.com

About Operation Turkey

Operation Turkey brings communities together, across the nation, to feed and clothe the homeless and less fortunate on Thanksgiving Day. If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or fundraising, visit Operation Turkey online or call toll free at 866-OpTurk1.

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Children volunteers decorate Thanksgiving meal containers.









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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ezel.life, a leading digital asset company focused on maximizing the value of original artwork, is pleased to announce its exclusive partnership with Frida Kahlo's family to showcase her untold stories in the metaverse. A preview of the project will be held at the Sagamore Hotel during the Art Basel and Miami Week activities. The event will include an exhibition of Frida's family first step into the digital world, with exclusive videos from her family, a preview inside the metaverse of the red house (Frida's family home), and a non-fungible token (NFT) that forms the foundation of the project. It will also include a panel discussion on equality, diversity, and inclusion, which Ezel and the art community heralds Frida as the ultimate identity and champion of.

The red house was Frida Kahlo's family home. It is a place that contains many insights and secrets into the Kahlo family, Frida's life, and her relationships. The red house is an inclusive space where we can all celebrate the life of Frida Kahlo.

"We are excited to showcase Frida Kahlo's family metaverse, which would invite everyone into her home, an inclusive space that celebrates her life and legacy, while unearthing her untold stories," stated Pedro Quinzanos, Founder and CEO of Ezel. This is one of many high level curated projects being developed by Ezel for the Metaverse.

"We have extracted a brick from the red house, forming the foundation of our metaverse. This project gives all of you access through this new digital world, to the secrets of the family, to the secrets of Frida Kahlo" stated Mara Romeo, Frida's great-great-niece.

The physical brick and its NFT connect the foundation of the red house in the physical world with the metaverse in the digital world.

NFTs are unique digital assets minted using blockchain technology that connect art, music, video and media files to the blockchain authentication process which makes the assets unique and rare and in many cases valuable.

NFT Exhibition and Event Location: Sagamore Hotel @ Bridging the Gap Impact NFT Event, Miami Beach Address: 1671 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Event Dates:

Exhibition: Monday, November 29th to Sunday, December 5th, 2021 10am to 10pm

Speakers Panel: November 30th, 2021 1pm to 3pm. A panel with representatives of Ezel will be held Tuesday hosted by Bridging the Gap and Being Investments.

Pre-registration for the series is at https://bridgingthegapventures.com/impact-nft-gallery-miami

For further information visit:

ezel life

Info@ezel.life

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Santiago, Chile, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (LATAM) (SSE: LTM) and its affiliates in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and the United States today announced the filing of a Plan of Reorganization (the Plan), which reflects the path forward for the group to exit Chapter 11 in compliance with both U.S. and Chilean law. The Plan is accompanied by a Restructuring Support Agreement (the RSA) with the Parent Ad Hoc Group, which is the largest unsecured creditor group in these Chapter 11 cases, and certain of LATAMs shareholders. The RSA documents the agreement between LATAM, the aforementioned holders of more than 70% of parent unsecured claims and holders of approximately 48% of 2024 and 2026 U.S. Notes, and certain shareholders holding more than 50% of common equity, subject to the execution of definitive documentation by the parties and the obtaining of corporate approvals by those shareholders. As they have throughout the process, all of the companies in the group are continuing to operate as travel conditions and demand permit.

The last two years have been characterized by hardship across the globe  we have lost friends and family, colleagues and loved ones. And we have reeled as global aviation and travel were brought to a virtual standstill by the largest crisis to ever face our industry. While our process is not yet over, we have reached a critical milestone in the path to a stronger financial future, said Roberto Alvo, Chief Executive Officer of LATAM Airlines Group S.A. We are grateful to the parties who have come to the table through a robust mediation process to reach this outcome, which provides meaningful consideration to all stakeholders and a structure that adheres to both U.S. and Chilean law. Their infusion of significant new capital into our business is a testament to their support and belief in our long-term prospects. We are thankful for the exceptional team at LATAM that has weathered the uncertainty of the past two years and enabled our business to keep operating and serving our customers as seamlessly as possible.

Plan Overview

The Plan proposes the infusion of $8.19 billion into the group through a mix of new equity, convertible notes, and debt, which will enable the group to exit Chapter 11 with appropriate capitalization to effectuate its business plan. Upon emergence, LATAM is expected to have total debt of approximately $7.26 billion and liquidity of approximately $2.67 billion. The group has determined that this is a conservative debt load and appropriate liquidity in a period of continued uncertainty for global aviation and will better position the group going forward.

Specifically, the Plan outlines that:

Upon confirmation of the Plan, the group intends to launch an $800 million common equity rights offering, open to all shareholders of LATAM in accordance with their preemptive rights under applicable Chilean law, and fully backstopped by the parties participating in the RSA, subject to the execution of definitive documentation and, with respect to the backstopping shareholders, receipt of corporate approvals;

Three distinct classes of convertible notes will be issued by LATAM, all of which will be preemptively offered to shareholders of LATAM. To the extent not subscribed by LATAMs shareholders during the respective preemptive rights period: Convertible Notes Class A will be provided to certain general unsecured creditors of LATAM parent in settlement (dacion en pago) of their allowed claims under the Plan; Convertible Notes Class B will be subscribed and purchased by the above referenced shareholders; and Convertible Notes Class C will be provided to certain general unsecured creditors in exchange for a combination of new money to LATAM and the settlement of their claims, subject to certain limitations and holdbacks by backstopping parties.



The convertible notes belonging to the Convertible Classes B and C will therefore be provided, totally or partially, in consideration of a new money contribution for the aggregate amount of approximately $4.64 billion fully backstopped by the parties to the RSA, subject to receipt by the backstopping shareholders of corporate approvals;

LATAM will raise a $500 million new revolving credit facility and approximately $2.25 billion in total new money debt financing, consisting of either a new term loan or new bonds; and

The group also used and intends to use the Chapter 11 process to refinance or amend the groups pre-petition leases, revolving credit facility, and spare engine facility.

Additional Information

The hearing to approve the adequacy of the Chapter 11 Disclosure Statement and approve voting procedures is expected to be held in January 2022, with specific timing dependent on the Courts calendar. If the Disclosure Statement is approved, the group will commence solicitation during which it will seek approval of the Plan from creditors. LATAM is requesting the hearing to confirm the Plan be held in March 2022.







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Montreal, Canada, Nov. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Frank And Oaks newly launched Alpine mock neck parka is ideal for winter, offering water repellent material and the ability to endure temperatures between -20 and -25C. It is available in true black, coffee bean, and white pepper, and in sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL.

More details are available at: https://ca.frankandoak.com/pages/womens-sustainable-winter-outerwear

With the launch of the parka, customers can enjoy increased warmth with a Sherpa lined collar made from poly fleece in accordance with Frank And Oaks environmentally focused ethos. The parkas fabric is made from 55% recycled polyester and 45% organic cotton. It also features outside waist adjustment, an inside utility pocket, an outside chest pocket, and side entry hand pocketing also made with poly fleece.

Climate change is an issue that impacts the future of all people around the world. The time for drastic, structural change has arrived, yet many in the fashion industry continue with unsustainable production practices.

Frank And Oak sources recycled polyester, wool, and nylon, as well as responsibly grown organic cotton, in order to minimize its environmental footprint. Leading design and technology ensure that the quality of the products is not compromised.

The parkas 20K/20K rating signifies that it can withstand up to 20,000mm of water per square inch, and is able to release up to 20,000g of vapour per square meter, making it suitable for winter weather.

As previously announced, starting this week, customers can take advantage of the best Black Friday savings on the womens outerwear collection and ladies winter coats for extreme cold weather.

Frank And Oak is a Canadian clothing company centered around the idea of ethical, sustainable fashion practices. Their proactive approach has seen them sharply increase their percentage of products with a minimal impact, through the sourcing and use of environmentally conscious materials and methods.

A spokesperson for the company said: The decisions made in the fashion industry have a huge impact on people and the planet. Faced with the irrevocable effects of climate change and poor conditions for garment factory workers around the world, we fully recognize the urgency to do our part. This is why we are committed to minimizing our impact by prioritizing recycled fabrics and responsible practices throughout our supply chain to make quality clothing that lasts.

All interested parties can find further details by visiting the Frank And Oak website.



Website: https://ca.frankandoak.com
Dallas, TX , Nov. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A leader in Dallas SEO and Dallas web solutions, KISS PR is offering a suite of digital marketing services in the DFW metroplex. We provide web design, search engine optimization, social media marketing, public relations, and online press release distribution to help small businesses in Dallas, Uptown, Plano, McKinney, Garland, Arlington, and Ft Worth to get more leads this Holiday season.

KISS PR, one of the leading SEO companies in Dallas, is now offering SEO services to help Dallas based local businesses with underperforming websites get more traffic and leads this Holiday season and the whole year-round. The companys local map SEO services are tailored to meet small businesses needs, especially those with limited marketing budgets.



Be the 1st on Google MAP  Local SEO

According to Expertise.com KISS PR is a 5 A+ Rated award winner. See their award and recognition as 1 of 16 Best Dallas Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Agencies | Expertise.com.

KISS PR digital marketing experts provide effective solutions to help local business websites rank on the 1st page of Google, Bing, and Yahoo and cost-effectively increase their online revenue.

When asked if they use secret magic tricks to rank web pages in the search engine result pages, Agnes Zang, KISS PRs SEO and Content Specialist said we dont use magic.

No. It is not magic; rather, we follow some tested and surefire techniques to do that. Let us give you an overview of the process through which our Dallas search engine optimization company will ensure greater business for you, Zang explained.

KISS PR listed the top two reasons why small businesses should use SEO:

Search engine optimization is one of the cheapest methods of advertising.

KISS PRs search engine optimization solution will ensure greater brand recognition for their clients business.

The need for search engine optimization has been growing since 2008. KISS PR reported that the projected search engine optimization marketing spending in the United States from 2008 to 2020 would increase from 11.44 to 79.27 billion dollars. But this is just up to 2020. How much more from that year and beyond?

KISS PR head of website growth and SEO Consultant Qamar Zaman believed that SEO marketing spending had increased more dramatically since the start of the pandemic.

When the pandemic impacted businesses in the first quarter last year, there was an unprecedented demand for local SEO services. This is because the most feasible option for most businesses during that time is to go online or declare bankruptcy, Zaman shared. Those who decided to jump into the SEO bandwagon have been reaping the benefits of having their websites optimized for search engines.

Qamar said they aim to help more Dallas entrepreneurs grow their business, especially during the Holiday season when most people are more likely to purchase a product or subscribe to a service.

The business opportunities the Holiday season brings can help many entrepreneurs boost their sales and revenue. With SEO, they have an edge against their competitors to be found more often by their target audience, explained Zaman.

Zaman pointed out that search engine optimization is not a one-time strategy that can just be forgotten after.

Businesses that do SEO all year-round are now reaping the benefits of ranking on the 1st page of Google. This is how SEO works. You need to do it continuously. It is not something you do one time and then forgets about it after.

Aside from search engine optimization, KISS PR also offers services that take care of the clients entire online business requirement. They provide website designing, website hosting, and website maintenance services that help brighten a brands presence on the web.

About KISS PR

As the name implies, KISS PR stands for Keep-It-Super-Simple creating Profound Results.



We keep digital marketing super simple for NON-TECH people. No fluff, just results - Super simple!



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Media contact

az@kisspr.com

https://kisspr.com



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Governor Northam Announces Amazon to Establish An East Coast Hub for Supply Chain Operations in Virginia

New cross-dock fulfillment center will create 500 new jobs in Stafford County

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam announced Amazon will launch a new cross-dock fulfillment center in Stafford County. Amazon will establish a 630,000 square-foot facility on the Northern Virginia Gateway site to serve as one of the companys East Coast hubs. The new facility will be responsible for the beginning of a supply chain in which products from third-party vendors are sorted, repacked, and distributed to other Amazon distribution centers.

Virginia successfully competed with Maryland and North Carolina for the project. The facility is expected to be operational in the second half of 2022 and will add 500 new jobs to Amazons existing workforce of more than 27,000 full- and part-time employees in the Commonwealth.

Virginias workers are making it possible for Amazon to continue growing in the Commonwealth, said Governor Northam. This new fulfillment center will create 500 well-paying jobs in Stafford County. We are proud that the Commonwealth is a thriving hub for Amazons supply chain and the home to the most impressive workforce in the nation.

Amazon first launched its Virginia fulfillment operations in 2006 in Sterling. The company has grown its operations network to include more than 20 fulfillment and sortation centers, and delivery stations in the Commonwealth. Amazon selected Arlington for its second corporate headquarters in 2018, resulting in the creation of more than 25,000 jobs.

Amazon announced a robotics fulfillment center in Suffolk and a processing center (cross-dock) in Chesapeake in March 2020. In April 2021, the company announced another state-of-the-art robotics fulfillment center at Richmond Raceway in Henrico County. Amazon also launched a new delivery center in Stafford County in October 2021.

Virginias strategic location, extensive infrastructure networks, and world-class port provide Amazon continued opportunities for growth in the Commonwealth, and we welcome this new cross-dock fulfillment center in Stafford County, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. The facility will create 500 new jobs and play an important role in the companys East Coast supply chain, further cementing Virginias role as a leading transportation and logistics hub.

Over the last decade, Amazons investments have led to an additional $34 billion being contributed to Virginias economy and have helped create over 96,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazons direct hiresfrom jobs in construction and logistics to professional services. More than 42,000 small and medium businesses and independent authors in Virginia are selling to customers through Amazons online marketplace.

Since 2010, we have created more than 27,000 jobs in Virginia in communities from Springfield to Norfolk, and we are proud to expand our operations with this Fredericksburg facility, said Amazons Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment Melissa Nick. Virginias talented workforce has been vital to our ability to serve our incredible customers and provide great selection and fast Prime shipping speeds across the region.

Amazon offers highly competitive pay and benefits. The company provides a starting wage of $15 an hour and offers full-time employees industry-leading benefits, including full health, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) with 50 percent company match, up to 20 weeks paid parental leave, and Amazons innovative Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95 percent of tuition for courses in high-demand fields. Since the programs launch, over 1,600 employees in Virginia have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming, and radiology, among others. In addition, Amazon has pledged to invest $1.2 billion to provide 300,000 U.S. employees with upskilling training for in-demand jobs over the next four years.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Stafford County and The Port of Virginia to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Amazon is eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. Funding and services to support the companys employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

Stafford County established the Centreport Area as a strategic logistics and distribution employment center and focused on attracting major brands, said Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chair Crystal Vanuch. This location provides its users with direct access to I-95, placing light industrial business traffic adjacent to Stafford Regional Airport. With five large Centreport properties currently in permits, construction, or opening, the plans success is its own reward, and we are proud that Amazon selected Stafford as the site for its cross-dock facility.

It has been rewarding in the last few years to see the long-term vision of Centreport come to life, said Hartwood District Stafford County Supervisor Gary Snellings.

Amazons tremendous investment is representative of our work with developers and companies, said Stafford County Director of Economic Development and Tourism John Holden. I want to recognize the Peterson Companies, which had the vision and partnered with Stafford County to create the Northern Virginia Gateway site-ready location that Amazon selected.

Amazon is making significant investments throughout Virginia that are helping to drive job growth, fuel the economy, and move cargo through the Port of Virginia, said Virginia Port Authority Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Stephen A. Edwards. This strategic decision to build a cross-dock fulfillment center in Stafford County capitalizes on the supply chain efficiencies and service delivery offered by this Mid-Atlantic location and the Port of Virginia. We value Amazons decision as we continue to grow our collaborative and beneficial relationship.

As a Virginia-based developer, Peterson Companies is proud to welcome Amazon as the lead tenant in our Northern Virginia Gateway project, said President of Development of Peterson Companies, the developer of Northern Virginia Gateway, Taylor Chess. At 1.9 million square feet, Northern Virginia Gateway is one of the largest shovel-ready industrial/logistics sites on the I-95 corridor between Richmond and Washington, D.C. with the ability to accommodate tenants up to 1 million square feet. We look forward to working with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Stafford County to attract even more businesses and jobs to the region.

I am very pleased by Amazons decision to expand its operations into Stafford County, said Senator Richard Stuart. This is a testament to the regions talented workforce, business-friendly policies, and unique geographic location along Interstate 95, allowing for reliable service to the entire U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. I sincerely appreciate the hard work and dedication that the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Stafford County Board of Supervisors, and The Port of Virginia have invested in bringing increased opportunity to this community.

I welcome Amazon to the 88th District, said Delegate Mark Cole. Not only will this be a boost for Virginia's economy, but it will also be a significant increase in local jobs, allowing people to work where they live and spend less time commuting.

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Governor Northam Announces Virginias Unemployment Rate Falls for 17 Months Straight, Lowest in Mid-Atlantic

Unemployment rate drops to 3.6% in October, with employment increases across ten out of eleven major industries

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that Virginias unemployment rate dropped to 3.6 percent in October, which is 2.5 percentage points below the rate from one year ago. Virginias seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national rate of 4.6 percent.

The Commonwealths labor force participation rate rose to 63.0 percent. This rate is above the national rate of 61.6 percent.

Virginias economy is making great strides, with the lowest unemployment rate since the COVID-19 pandemic began, said Governor Northam. The positive trend is the result of careful fiscal management and our extensive work to make Virginia a welcoming and open place. This approach has served Virginia well and continuing it will deliver further economic gains for the Commonwealth.

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 19,400 jobs in October. The labor force increased by 5,918 to 4,256,634, as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 7,566 to 154,126. The number of employed residents rose by 13,484 to 4,102,508. In October 2021, Virginia saw over-the-year job gains of 2.0 percent.

The declining unemployment rate and growth across many industries suggest that Virginias economy is as dynamic as ever, said Secretary of Labor Megan Healy. Employers and employees are working together on our economic recovery, and we should all be proud of how far we have come.

The Commonwealths job market recovery maintained its momentum through October, another positive sign of whats to come for Virginias post-pandemic economy, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. With nearly 20,000 jobs added and growth across ten of the eleven major industrial sectors since last year, Virginias economy continues its favorable growth trajectory.

Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, ten of eleven major industry divisions experienced employment increases. The largest over-the-year job gain occurred in leisure and hospitality, up 25,200 jobs or 7.6 percent. The next largest over-the-year job gain occurred in professional and business services, up 24,500 jobs or 3.2 percent. Government experienced the third-largest over-the-year job gain of 9,700 jobs or 1.4 percent.

For a greater statistical breakdown, visit the Virginia Employment Commissions website.

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RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today issued the following statement on the passing of former Governor Linwood Holton.

Linwood Holton changed what it means to serve as Governor of Virginia. He knew defeat at the ballot box before victoryand when he won, he made every moment count.

If you want to know what American strength looks like, look at the famous photographs of Governor Holtonsmiling, as he walked his children to Richmonds public schools during the tensest moments of desegregation. He faced down Virginias demons and enabled this Commonwealth to look ahead.

He showed a wistful state how to embrace the future, inviting us all to be touched by the better angels of our nature, in the words of President Lincoln who founded the reforming Republican Party that Linwood Holton revered.

A half century has passed since Linwood Holton served as Governor. His public service continued for decades after that, and his children carry on his legacy today, serving in public office, in the academy, and as good and loving souls.

May we all celebrate the life of Linwood Holton, Virginias servant leader. Our country needs more people like him today.

Pam and I are smiling tonight in memory of this great man who lived nearly a century. Our thoughts tonight are especially with Jinks, Anne, Tayloe, Woody, and Dwight, and everyone who loved Governor Holton.

I have directed that Virginia state flags be flown at half-staff in Governor Holtons honor for the next 30 days.
France-based specialty chemicals and materials company Arkema announced a 50% increase in its Kynar PVDF fluoropolymer production capacities at its Pierre-Benite site in order to address the fast-growing demand for materials for lithium-ion batteries. Arkema now aims for sales of at least 1 billion in the battery sector by 2030.

In Li-ion batteries, the Kynar PVDF polymers are used as separators coatings or as cathode binders. New innovations and product ranges will also be offered, such as Kynar CTO, a new Kynar PVDF made from renewable sources. This new extension should come on stream in the first quarter of 2023.





Arkema is one of the worlds leading suppliers of high-value-added solutions for batteries: PVDF for binders and separator coatings; lithium salts to improve cell performance; smart adhesives for cell-to-cell bonding; and bio-based polyamide 11 to cool battery lines.

The company has opened a new Center of Excellence dedicated to batteries for clean mobility that is equipped with state-of-the-art design and analysis equipment, including a dry room and an electrode coating line. It draws on the scientific and technical complementarity of the Pierre-Benite Research Centers researchers.

This Center of Excellence, which will help accelerate the development of advanced materials and processes for future generations of more efficient, safer and more compact batteries, was partly financed by the Region-Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.

Alongside this platform, a pilot line dedicated to the pre-industrialization of the next generations of electrolytes for the batteries of the future is already operational.

The teams will conduct research with the Groups academic partners (CNRS, CPE in Lyon, LEPMI in Grenoble and ENSCM in Montpellier), as well as with partners in the battery ecosystem, with which strategic agreements have been concluded (start-ups, manufacturers, gigafactories).

This investment benefited from support from the government of France as part of the France Relance plan.
To conclude the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Renault 4, the car maker teamed up with motion design hub TheArsenale to create a futuristic showcar, reinterpreting this iconic model. More than 8 million units of the small economy car were sold in more than 100 countries between 1961 and 1994.

The original Renault 4 was a simple, efficient and versatile vehicle built between 1961 and 1992. A blue jeans car, as the former head of Renault Group, Pierre Dreyfus, used to describe it. A true icon conveying families, businesses and the likes of the gendarmerie and La Poste, as well as helping several generations of young motorists get behind the wheel.





Design wise, AIR4 has resulted in a reinterpretation of the retro icon by TheArsenale, far from the modern car design language. The vehicle, entirely made of carbon-fiber, maintains the same lines and contained mass of the original 4L, yet presenting new dynamic capabilities. The rigidity has been completely revised to include new concepts such as thrust or lift, which required hours of calculations and tests. Drawing on generative design techniques using artificial intelligence, TheArsenales engineers were able to test terabytes of data to improve and fine-tune the designers ideas, even before starting the first real-world trials.

To drive around, AIR4 has no wheels. Instead, it features four two-blade propellers, one at each corner of the vehicle. The chassis sits in the middle of the rota frame, and the driver can access and take a seat in the utilitarian cabin of the vehicle by lifting the reimagined Renault 4 shell, which is hinged at the front.

AIR4 is powered by 22,000 mAh lithium polymere batteries with a total capacity of 90,000 mAh. The vehicle counts on an horizontal top speed of 26m/s (93 km/h), with a 45 inclination during flights, and up to a maximum inclination of 70. It can fly as high as 700m with a take off speed of 14m/s (50 km/h), restained at 4 m/s for safety reasons, and landing velocity of 3 m/s. AIR4 offers a maximum vectorial thrust of 380 kilograms (95kg per propeller).

AIR4 has been imagined, designed, engineered and assembled entirely in France, in the heart of Europes first technology park in Sophia Antipolis, on the Cote dAzur.
Dozens of youth summer camps across Connecticut have been the subject of complaints in recent years with a mix of camp staff and parents alleging a variety of problems, including counselors using racial slurs and children being left unattended and suffering injuries, being bullied, and inappropriately touched, newly-obtained documents show.

Yet the records from the Office of Early Childhood, which licenses camps, reveal that state investigators are often unable to substantiate the claims and the cases close without the agency taking action.

The investigators follow guidelines that provide only a narrow scope for what wrongdoing they can look for. And with no formal, written guidelines for substantiating a claim, investigators make decisions on a case-by-case basis, using their own judgment, according to OEC Licensing Division Director Debra Johnson.

Even when violations are confirmed, the agency rarely doles out formal discipline.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Hearst Connecticut Media Group received copies of 112 complaints against summer camps filed with the state agency between 2015 and 2020. Most times, the agency requires camps to sign onto a plan of how theyll fix any license violations and prevent the issue from recurring.

In that time period, the OEC has given out only four consent orders, which are considered formal disciplinary agreements that force the camp to go above and beyond regular licensing requirements, which Johnson said may or may not have included a condition of probation.

Yet, not once in the past six years has the agency wielded one of its most powerful cudgels: suspending or revoking a license.

Johnson explained that the agencys main focus is to enforce state licensing requirements.

Some complaints involve allegations that require investigation by other agencies, such as police and the Department of Children and Families, but we are very focused, and we only have the authority to cite a violation of our regulations. So thats where our focus is, Johnson said.

This summer, Camp Shane, a weight-loss camp hosting campers from across the country, voluntarily surrendered its license following a joint investigation by the Office of Early Childhood and the Department of Children and Families. Investigators would report that the camp had falsified medication administration training documents that it presented to the state and had problems with missing campers, among a host of other issues.

The camp, which was unlicensed when it began operations in June, was granted a license in July despite a previous history of problems and violations when an inspector visited the camp.

Reports on 211childcare.org included the finding of 34 violations during an unannounced inspection on July 2, 2019, five violations on July 25, 2019, and 14 violations on July 31.

The camp was shut down by its owner 11 days after receiving its renewed license in 2021, but not before an 8-year-old girl sustained a severe head injury. Camp owner David Ettenberg said in July that he shut the camp down due to staffing problems. He has not responded for comment since then.

The Connecticut camp licensing agencys scope of work is similar to those in surrounding states, where claims of child abuse and neglect fall to others who deal specifically with these issues. In New York summer camps must have a state, city or county health department permit to operate, and permits are only given to camps that meet state regulations. Massachusetts has its local health departments license camps in accordance with state rules.

In New Jersey, the Department of Health gives out licenses, but there is also an Office of Child Care License. The camps are inspected by the state and local health departments.

Connecticut summer camp licensure lies in the OECs hands.

After receiving a complaint, the agency will open an investigation. One of their five child care licensing specialists will visit the camp, interview staff, and try to determine not only what happened, but how the camp responded, according to Johnson.

The agency also does routine check-ups every year, at which time staff review the camps disciplinary history. If its history is concerning, the camp might be visited faster or more than once, Johnson explained.

By the numbers

Complaints in the OECs documents which involved more than 80 different camps across the state  stemmed from a variety of sources. Some were self-reported by camp staff or administrators, others were filed by parents or mandated reporters. Severity ranged from parents taking their children to hospitals, to concerns about lice and foot fungus.

Common complaints stemmed from a lack of camper supervision, or perceived lack of supervision, which then led to other alleged problems like injuries, inappropriate conduct between campers or staff, and bullying. Johnson could not say which violations were the most common.

At a 2016 session of West Hartford YMCA Summer Learning Camp, a 14-year-old boy found with marijuana was issued a summons by the West Hartford police.

The camp did not explain why the police was called on a teenager, but sent a statement from Harold Sparrow, YMCA of Greater Hartfords President and CEO, explaining that they take any reported incidents extremely seriously.

We realize that over the years there have been incidents at our various camps which were reported to OEC and needed addressing, Sparrow continued. In each of those instances our protocols were closely followed and the appropriate corrective action was taken.

In another instance, the agency learned from a news article that a 5-year-old who nearly drowned at the Chelsea Piers CT summer camp in 2018, state records show.

The lifeguard was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a minor and reckless endangerment.

The camp, on the other hand, was issued a Corrective Action Plan or CAP after the agency substantiated issues with record keeping and physical plant and program practices, according to the complaint summary.

No further disciplinary actions were taken against the camp by the OEC in relation to that complaint. The camp is accepting applications for 2022.

Taking no action

In about half of the complaints filed, the agency reported no action taken following an investigation, according to documents. Investigators often followed this by stating there was not enough evidence to substantiate the claim.

At a JCC Day Camps location in Stamford in 2020, the agency could not substantiate claims and took no action after the camp director reported that a counselor had allegedly been observed touching another camp member, child entering first grade, inappropriately 3 or 4 weeks ago, the complaint summary reads.

It goes on to say that they were in a large tent among other counselors and children.

Not enough evidence to substantiate that staff inappropriately touched/tickled campers, the resolution notes state.

Marshall Kurland, the CEO of the JCC of Stamford, said in an email that the OEC followed its standard procedure.

The investigator concluded that the counselor did not inappropriately touch the camper and that there was no basis for any disciplinary or corrective action, he said. The JCCs first priority is the safety and well-being of all of its program participants and we have an excellent track record in this regard.

All in, the agency doled out 49 Corrective Action Plans or CAPs after discovering license violations during complaint investigations between 2015 and 2020. Sometimes, violations are discovered during the visit that are unrelated to the actual complaint, Johnson said. Violations can also differ in severity.

At least seven camps investigated by the OEC had more than one Corrective Action Plan issued since 2015.

The OEC does not consider these plans to be formal discipline.

Camp Jewell, a West Hartford YMCA camp, had at least three CAPs issued since 2015 and has been referred to the OECs legal team twice.

Issues in four separate complaints included allegedly giving campers the wrong dosage of medication, misadministering medication, or missing a campers medication dose, according to the complaint documents. All four complaint investigations resulted in a Corrective Action Plan.

Program failed to comply with camps medication administration written policies and procedures for unlicensed staff when 15 medication dosage were missed and on 96 occasions the medication given were not documented on the medication Administration Record (MAR) by the person administering the medication, a complaint summary from 2018 reads.

The camp did not report the incidents to the medical provider on call, either, according to the complaint.

Sparrows statement did not respond directly to this specific complaint. He did, however, state we work side by side with OEC to ensure every allegation is properly reported and investigated.

Camp Mataucha, a Greater Waterbury YMCA camp, had five complaints filed between 2015 and 2020, including three self-reported complaints made within three days during August of 2016. Two resulted in corrective plans, while three could not be unsubstantiated.

In a 2016 complaint, a father reported his 8-year-old son told him that his camp counselor [REDACTED], threatened to Backhand [REDACTED].

The camper then told his father that once all the campers were on the bus, [REDACTED] then told the campers if she found anything dirty on the floor, that she was going to make them lick it up.

The agency could not substantiate claims and took no action, records show. Jim ORourke, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Waterbury, said in a statement that in this type of situation, an employee would either be terminated or not allowed to return for another season.

The YMCA of Greater Waterburys safety policies and protocols are all geared to one purpose: the safety and well-being of the children in all of our programs, ORourke continued in a statement. We take every reported occasion seriouslywhether reported by ourselves or someone else.

He added that the staff are regularly and rigorously trained to protect the children in our care and that when an incident is reported, we work with state and local authorities to see that it is fully investigated, that corrective actions are taken swiftly and that our policies are updated appropriately.
GENEVA (AP)  The World Trade Organization is postponing its conference of government ministers set to open Tuesday after Switzerland initiated new travel restrictions following the emergence of a worrying new coronavirus variant, officials said.

The MC12 conference at WTO headquarters in Geneva was set to take up key issues like a long-awaited agreement on subsidies for fisheries, seen as a major way to prevent overfishing in the world's seas, and an effort to waive patent and other intellectual property protections linked to COVID-19 vaccines.

Ambassadors from the WTO's 164 member states agreed Friday to delay the four-day conference after new Swiss travel restrictions meant all participants wouldn't be able to attend in person, and a virtual meeting was not deemed to be an option, the a Geneva-based trade official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

British ambassador Simon Manley tweeted a photo of WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on a dais during the meeting of ambassadors, and wrote that it depicted her announcing the postponement over the health situation and the inability of all delegations to attend.

The European Union's international trade office's Twitter page said the conference is postponed for now - a difficult but wise decision by @wto given the epidemiological situation."

The Swiss health department said that all direct flights from southern Africa were banned, and as of Friday evening, all people arriving from that region as well as Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel  other places where the variant was detected  must present a negative COVID-19 test and go into quarantine for 10 days.

This has not been an easy recommendation to make  But as Director-General, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants  ministers, delegates and civil society. It is better to err on the side of caution, Okonjo-Iweala said in a WTO statement.

This marks the second time the pandemic has forced a postponement of the 12th Ministerial Conference. The meeting was originally due to take place in June 2020 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.(backslash)

Across town on Friday, the World Health Organization classified the worrying new variant that was first detected in South Africa as a highly transmissible variant of concern, and named it the omicron variant  as part of the Greek-letter identification system used by the U.N. health agency.

South Africa's delegation at the WTO has led the push for an easing of protections for patents and other intellectual property behind tools aimed to fight pandemic including vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, in hopes of making them more available to the developing world. Many European countries including Switzerland, the EU and Britain have resisted the idea, saying it could stifle innovation.

Concerns about the new omicron variant sent stock markets swooning on Friday amid concerns about wider economic fallout including travel restrictions.
CAIRO (AP)  The deal struck in Sudan to reinstate the prime minister following a military coup is imperfect but has saved the country from sliding into civil strife, the U.N. envoy to Sudan said on Friday.

Special Envoy Volker Perthes was speaking of the agreement between Sudan's military leaders and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, who was deposed and put under house arrest following the coup last month that stirred an international outcry.

The military takeover threatened to thwart the process of democratic transition that the country had embarked on since the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

The deal, signed on Sunday, was seen as the biggest concession made by the country's top military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since the coup. However, the country's pro-democracy groups have dismissed it as illegitimate and accused Hamdok of allowing himself to serve as a fig leaf for continued military rule.

The agreement of course is not perfect, Perthes told The Associated Press. But it is better than not having an agreement and continuing on a path where the military in the end will be the sole ruler."

Both signatories felt compelled to make bitter concessions in order to spare the country the risk of more violence, chaos and international isolation, he added.

It would not have been possible to exclude a scenario which would have brought Sudan to something close to what we have seen in Yemen, Libya or Syria, Perthes said. He spoke to the AP via videoconference from Khartoum.

Sudan has been struggling with its transition to a democratic government since the military overthrow of al-Bashir in 2019, following a mass uprising against three decades of his rule.

The deal that Hamdok signed with the military envisions an independent Cabinet of technocrats led by the prime minister until new elections are held. The government will still remain under military oversight, although Hamdok claims he will have the power to appoint ministers.

The deal also stipulates that all political detainees arrested following the Oct. 25 coup be released. So far, several ministers and politicians have been freed. The number of those still in detention remains unknown.

We have a situation now where we at least have an important step towards the restoration of the constitutional order, said Perthes.

Since the takeover, protesters have repeatedly taken to the streets in some of the largest demonstrations in recent years. Sudanese security forces have cracked down on the rallies and have killed more than 40 protesters so far, according to activist groups.

Further measures need to taken to prove the viability of the deal, said Perthes, including the release of all detainees, the cessation of the use of violence against protesters and Hamdok's full freedom to choose his Cabinet members.

On Friday hundreds rallied in Khartoum and other Sudanese provinces to demand a fully civilian government and protest the deal for the second straight day. It came after thousands protested on Thursday.

One of the marches was led Siddiq Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, a leader of Sudan's prominent Umma Party, which has split with other pro-democratic groups over the deal to reinstate Hamdok. He told journalists that protesters must remain steadfast in their calls for the generals to surrender power . Al-Mahdi was among those who were arrested during the coup and was let go in recent days.

He refused the idea of further negotiations.

As things currently stand, there is no opportunity for things to move forward, he said.
RICHMOND, Va. - Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin says he would "entertain" certain antiabortion legislation next year, but it is not part of his "day one" agenda. Gun rights appear to be on the back burner, too.

The Republican who launched his bid for Virginia's highest office promising to "protect life before birth and after birth" and to roll back a slew of gun-control laws is focused on other matters as he prepares to assume the governorship on Jan. 15.

Youngkin was vocal about abortion and guns early in his campaign, when he was seeking the Republican nomination, then downplayed those polarizing issues after he'd won the nod and begun courting moderate suburbanites. But some conservative activists hoped - if not expected - that he would put those causes front and center again once elected.

Youngkin himself indicated that was the plan over the summer, when he was caught on video saying he couldn't speak publicly about abortion ahead of the election for fear of alienating independents. But if he won, and Republicans took control of the House of Delegates, he said, he'd go "on offense."

"I'm not going to go squishy on you," he promised then.

Asked how he plans to go "on offense" on abortion now that the Executive Mansion and House have flipped red, Youngkin said last week he would consider a "pain threshold bill." That would ban most abortions after 20 weeks, something he voiced support for in September, in two gubernatorial debates.

"I'm pro-life," Youngkin said at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Phoenix. "I believe in exceptions in the case of rape, incest and when the mother's life is in jeopardy. I've also been very clear that a pain threshold bill was something that I would entertain."

But he also said he would tackle other issues before abortion, such as lowering taxes, creating a "great curriculum" for public schools, expanding charter schools, "funding law enforcement" and cutting back business regulations.

Any plans for expanding gun rights remain murky, beyond the nod Youngkin gives to protecting unspecified "constitutional rights" on his website. Asked recently to identify Youngkin's firearms policy goals for the legislative session that begins Jan. 12, his transition office responded with a statement spelling out his priorities - with no mention of firearms.

"As Glenn has said, he's getting to work laying the foundation so the Youngkin administration can hit the ground running implementing the Day One Game Plan to restore excellence in education, make our communities safer, lower cost of living, make government work for the people, and reinvigorate job growth," the statement said.

Stephen Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington political scientist, thinks Youngkin is wise to focus on those less-divisive goals, which probably will have broader appeal among Virginians -even if it's a potential letdown for the rural Republicans whose historic turnout cemented his win.

"He said what he needed to say to convince Trump supporters that they should be enthusiastic, but given Youngkin's apparently centrist tendencies, coupled with a Democratic majority in the Senate, I suspect the Trump supporters will end up disappointed if they're counting on big changes related to election integrity, further loosening of limits on guns in Virginia or other topics that animate the Trump base."

At least so far, antiabortion and gun-rights groups seem content to give Youngkin some space to pursue other policies first.

Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, said she is confident Youngkin will eventually pursue an antiabortion agenda. And she said she understands if he takes up other issues first.

"Ralph Northam and his fellow Democrats are leaving a complete mess for the new administration to fix," she said in a text message, referring to the outgoing governor. "I have no doubt Governor-elect Youngkin will work with pro-life Virginians to start to undo the massive damage done over the past four years."

After taking full control in Richmond in January 2020, Democrats rolled back certain restrictions on abortion, including a requirement that a woman undergo an ultrasound and wait 24 hours before having the procedure. They repealed a law requiring abortion clinics to meet hospital-style building standards and passed another allowing nurse practitioners to perform the procedure.

When it comes to guns, National Rifle Association officials also signaled a willingness to be patient, particularly given Democrats' continued control of the state Senate, which was not on the ballot in November.

After spending the past two years railing against the raft of gun-control laws passed under Democrats,the gun-rights group has a relatively modest agenda for the coming session - repeal of perhaps two laws, but more likely one, and the removal of a gun-control lobbyist, Lori Haas, from a state board six months before her term expires. (On the latter of these, it is not clear that Youngkin has the power to remove her - or any interest in doing so.)

"We don't anticipate an overly aggressive offensive agenda in 2022," said D.J. Spiker, the NRA's Virginia state director.

Among the gun-control measures adopted under Democrats is a "red flag" law intended to take weapons away from people deemed by a judge to be in imminent danger of harming themselves or others. Others restrict handgun purchases to one per month, require criminal background checks for all firearms sales and give local governments the power to ban guns from their government buildings, public parks and permitted events.

"We have to actually stand up against all of the legislation that has been passed by the Democrats," Youngkin said at a Fairfax County Republicans forum in April. "As your governor, we will not just stand up, but we will push back - we will push back."

Some gun-rights activists expect Youngkin to stick with that plan. Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, said he doesn't mind if Youngkin is merely being quiet on the topic now for strategic reasons. But he expects action eventually.

"Gun owners are not going to tolerate being ignored," he said.

Van Cleave, whose group typically takes a harder line than the NRA, says Democratic control of the Senate is not an insurmountable obstacle - or an excuse for inaction.

At 21-to-19, the Democrats' majority in the Senate is a paper-thin. A few Senate Democrats have broken with their party at times over guns. What's more, the person presiding over the chamber with the power to break ties is about to change - from Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who broke a tie to pass the state's "red flag" law, to Republican Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome E. Sears, a Marine Corps veteran who appeared on campaign signs pairing a skirt and blazer with an AR-15 rifle.

But Spiker said repeal would be harder than it looks because to get to the Senate floor, a bill would have to get out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Democrats enjoy a 9-to-6 majority.

Spiker said the NRA hopes to repeal the law giving localities the power to ban guns on their property, predicting some Democratic support because the patchwork of local rules has created confusion for gun owners as they cross county and city lines. He said the group will consider pushing for a repeal of the red-flag law but sounded less than optimistic on that.

NRA officials also said they would encourage Youngkin to remove Haas from the state Crime Commission. Haas has been one of Richmond's most prominent gun-control activists since her daughter, Emily, was injured in the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech. She works as state director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and has served on the commission under the past two governors. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam reappointed her in June 2020 for another two-year term.

While appointees to some state boards serve at the pleasure of the governor, Crime Commission members can be removed only for cause under state law, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson.

NRA officials, speaking to reporters last week on condition the of anonymity to be candid, called the presence of a gun-control lobbyist on the commission a conflict of interest. Haas said she saw no conflict.

"I was nominated as a citizen," she said. "I'm bringing perspective of someone personally affected by gun violence."

Asked to respond to the NRA's request to remove Haas, Youngkin sidestepped.

"Well, there's lots of people calling [on] me to do lots of things," he said Saturday after attending a gathering with law enforcement officials in Chesterfied County. He went on to list other personnel changes he plans to make right away - replacing the parole board, secretary of education and superintendent of public instruction, all of whom serve at the governor's pleasure.

Youngkin might feel some pressure from conservative legislators, including a few firebrand newcomers and those trying to make a splash as they gear up for congressional races next year.

Marie March, a delegate-elect from rural Floyd County, campaigned wearing a cowboy hat and touting the concealed-carry classes conducted in her family's barbecue restaurants. "I ride horses, not fences!" she declares on her campaign website. "You won't get a wishy-washy, fence-ridin', yellow bellied politician here."

In an interview last week, she said she was in the dark about the governor's agenda but had no plans to rein in her own gun-rights goals once in Richmond.

"My goal will definitely be to repeal every bit of that," she said, referring to the gun-control measures passed under Democrats. "I've got a whole laundry list."

- - -

The Washington Post's David Weigel contributed to this report from Phoenix.
Is your organization seeking donations or volunteers during the upcoming holidays, or do you have a fundraiser to benefit a local nonprofit? Submit information to life@guampdn.com.

Guam Homeless Coalition designer bag sale

The Guam Homeless Coalition is inviting the community to participate in a designer bag sale from 12-5 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Guam Museum. All must present their COVID-19 vaccination card to enter. COVID guidelines will be implemented, 10 to 15 people allowed inside the multi-purpose room and more will be in the lobby. Acceptable payments will be in cash or PayPal only. For more information contact Alina Butler at (671) 689-8714.

GTA #Giving Tuesday Every Tuesday campaign

As part of GTAs #GivingTuesday Every Tuesday, if you donate $5 on Tuesdays in December at any GTA retail location, the agency will match the donation. This year the annual campaign will benefit Ericas House, Special Olympics Guam, Make A Wish Foundation, Rainbows for All Children, and Guam Animals in Need. Up to $2,500 in matching donations will be given to each nonprofit.

St. Anthony School toy drive

Family and friends of Saint Anthony Catholic School in Tamuning are invited to drop off new and unwrapped toys and gifts for children up to 17 years old through Dec. 10 at the front office.

Donate to Toys for Tots

Toys are being accepted now through Dec. 10 at collection sites around the island for the annual Toys for Tots campaign. Families with children in need can contact Catholic Social Service and the Salvation Army for toy distribution in December.

To donate, drop a newly purchased, unwrapped toy to a business or organization that has volunteered to be a drop-off location.

To apply for toys, call 477-3528, option 2. Leave a name, and a contact number; applications will be completed over the phone.

Soroptomists go online with brunch fundraiser

Enjoy Three Squares Restaurant treats and meals while supporting grants and scholarships for women through the 16th Annual SIM Christmas Sunday Brunch Fundraiser Gone Virtual.

The event is sponsored by the Soroptimist International of the Marianas, which is hosting several online initiatives rather than the traditional in-person brunch of previous years.

Heres how you can participate:

Purchase a $35 coupon for a Holiday Brunch Gift Box of sweets and treats by Three Squares Restaurant. Coupon is valid Nov. 20 through Dec. 12.

Purchase a $40 coupon for a family platter by Three Squares Restaurant for four people. The platter includes red or white rice, grilled teriyaki or fried chicken, salad, and cookies. Coupon is valid Nov. 1 to May 31, 2022.

Donate prizes or bid on items in a virtual silent auction that will take place Dec. 5-12. A link will be sent to interested bidders.

Cash donations also are being accepted. Sponsors who provide an in-kind or monetary donation of $500 will get their logo and name on the groups flyer, social media and other promotions.

Cash sponsors of $500 will also get two complimentary family platter coupons.

To donate or to purchase coupons, contact:

Kristal Koga 808-391-9507 thekristalkollection@gmail.com

Erlinda Alegre 671-488-3635 erlinda.alegre@boh.com

Diane Prejean 671-727-5467 ddprejean@gmail.com

Angie Gibbons 671-688-1811 asngibbons@yahoo.com

The Soroptomists also are sponsoring an online auction as part of their annual brunch fundraiser. Dozens of items including jewelry, apparel, books, bikes and more are listed on the auction, and more will be added throughout the week. You can check it out and bid now at go.rallyup.com/736fcc/Campaign/Details.

Donate goods to feed kids

BeHeartfelt is accepting nonperishable canned food and snacks for kids who are hungry on their weekends. You can drop off Wednesdays from 5:45-7:15 pm at Calvary Baptist Church in Upper Tumon. Or you can donate online at beheartfelt.com and they will do the shopping.

Become a foster parent

There are 469 children who need foster care on island, and the Mayors Council of Guam has launched The Gift of Family project to help find homes for them. If you can open your heart and home to a foster child or children, call any mayors office or the Bureau of Social Services Administration at (671) 475-2653.
After breaking ground in 2017, the Palau Community Association of Guams Cultural Center is almost entirely complete.

Its the only Palau Cultural Center to exist outside of Palau, according to Lewis Ilek, president of the Palau Community Association of Guam.

Anyone familiar with the Asahi Abai or the Peliliu Abai in Dededo has seen the cultural center because it sits right beside it. I was able to check out the cultural center one Saturday when the association members were cleaning the area. A field day, Ilek called it.

Members made sure to clean the property and cut the grass on the property and they also picked up trash alongside the road half a mile in either direction from the center, ensuring visitors in the vicinity would have a clean, trash-free experience.

Ilek told me the cultural center would be for Palauans from all 16 states.

According to Ilek, the new cultural center was designed by Palauans and created with Palauans in mind. The cultural center consists of a pavilion in the familiar abai silhouette with a one-story building beside it.

The structural engineer and the architect that worked on the center were both Palauans, Ilek said. Beams inside the pavilion will feature illustrations of legends from all 16 states.

So thats one way of showing our culture, Ilek said.

The group also has plans to expand the cultural center.

Ilek said they may add a second story to the building which might be a space for visiting students who arrive on Guam for competitions.

It had been years since I visited the abai in Dededo. The last time I remember being there there was only one on that plot of land. The area has been transformed and is now home to a little bit of Palau on Guam.

The cultural center got its occupancy permit in April. Ilek said the association hopes to host a ribbon cutting soon.

Once we do ribbon cutting, the structure is actually officially open for activities, people can come and pay a little fee and use it, he said. Its open to everybody.

The space is bright and bold and very Palauan. Should you have the chance to attend an event at either abai or at the forthcoming cultural center, its worth the visit. Kudos the the Palauan Community Association of Guam for creating and maintaining facilities.
Customers gather on the boardwalk leading to the underwater observatory at the Fish Eye Marine Park in Piti after the popular tourist attraction re-opened its gates to the public on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. The facility temporarily closed in August 2020 due the pandemic.
The homeless shelter at the Tamuning Plaza Hotel is at full capacity and is guaranteed to be open for seven months.

Opened on Oct. 18 and operated by Catholic Social Service, the shelter, Liheng Sinafo, complements Global Dorm in Maite, which also is at full capacity.

Liheng Sinafo means safe shelter or safe haven in CHamoru.

Of the 40 rooms available, 39 are occupied by 64 homeless clients. The other room is used as office space for staff, said Diana Calvo, the nonprofits executive director.

The whole reason for standing up the second shelter was because there was a waitlist for Global Dorm. We also operate the only other homeless shelter, the Guma San Jose homeless shelter, and thats at capacity, said Calvo.

Most single

Most of the clients in the shelter are single. Catholic Social Service has been following up with them for three to six months while the paperwork was completed to open the second shelter.

It is a different profile of shelter residents because we are focusing on mostly single individuals, so we are hoping that it makes it a little easier to get them into more stable housing, said Calvo.

She said working with families is a higher priority, but its also more challenging, because the organization has to consider various types of housing that will accommodate the household size of the family.

Catholic Social Service is in charge of shelter operations, such as providing logistics for admissions and supervision of individuals at the facility. Case management and social services for the shelter were awarded in the grant to Manelu.

Catholic Social Service and Manelu are funded by the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority using CARES Act funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments Community Development Block Grant.

Calvo said the grant is for seven months, with the possibility of a five-month extension for a total of 12 months.

Services

Manelus Project Akudi has been providing one-to-one case management services to homeless residents at the new shelter, said Samantha Taitano, Manelu executive director.

Staff have been assisting clients in obtaining documents for rapid rehousing programs  assistance getting birth certificates, applying for Social Security cards, passports and employment authorization documents, said Taitano.

Clients also have been helped with public benefits applications and transportation to appointments.

Taitano said the project is looking forward to connecting clients with employment opportunities and educational workshops, such as the one held Nov. 9 at the Micronesian Resource Center One-Stop Shop, which had more than 20 participants from the shelter.

Protocols

As part of efforts to make the shelter a safe area for clients with regard to COVID-19, Catholic Social Service has been providing testing and vaccinations, partnering and coordinating with the Guam Homeless Coalition and Department of Public Health and Social Services.

When we initially admit someone, unless they present themselves as having completed their vaccination series, we do require them to quarantine for 14 days, said Calvo. We provide the meals and we do provide safety checks. If there is anybody presenting with a medical situation, we either encourage them to go to a clinic or, if its a real emergency, we call 911.

Entry to the shelter requires wearing a mask. Staff constantly disinfect and sanitize common areas, Calvo said.

There is no time limit for clients who stay at the shelter.
Kotwal Singh, who along with his family, owns Singhs Cafe in the Micronesia Mall, said there are still a lot of challenges for small business owners who have to be very hands-on because they arent a big chain or franchise.

He said a priority is to listen to and respond to the customers to make the restaurant a success.

There are a lot of difficulties, but if you have the right attitude and right mindset to achieve something, its not that difficult, Singh said.

This attitude was on Singhs mind during Black Friday, which he said was exciting and fantastic. The business received the most customers in a day they have ever had in the six years since they opened.

Small Business Saturday is a shopping campaign to promote supporting and buying from local businesses the day after Black Friday.

Supporting local

Guam is such a small community. We got to support each other and help each other evolve, said Jeffrey Crook, co-owner of the Crook fashion and clothing store in Micronesia Mall.

He encourages people to buy local to keep money within the community to help local small businesses grow and thrive.

Finding redemption in faith and spreading positivity in the community is a big part of the message Crook aims to spread through his designs and logos.

Benny Pinaula, owner of New Memories Gift Shop in Agana Shopping Center Marketplace, sells Guam-branded souvenirs, notably wind-proof tablecloths, which he said are very popular in the community. About half of his customers are local, he said.

He said the shop tries to collaborate with and support local artists by selling CDs of Guam musicians and postcards made by the islands artists. The store also collaborated to provide materials with different logos to the community, such as the University of Guam.

This Black Friday was the best in sales they have had since opening 10 years ago, he said.

For me its been a real honor to be in business as a local person and serve our folks here on Guam and visitors as well. We have been blessed too, as well as we have; it has exceeded my expectations, Pinaula said.

New business

When Carol Marquez lost her job at T Galleria by DFS due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to start her own shop in June at the Agana Shopping Center Marketplace, selling masks with different designs and beauty products.

With the support of my friends and loyal clients, Im doing good so far. I wasnt expecting a lot but Im doing good. The sales really help me, she said.




Haiti - Politic : Installation of the New Minister of Foreign Affairs





Following the Ministerial reshuffle https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35323-haiti-flash-ministerial-reshuffle-8-new-ministers.html Jean Victor Generus was installed in his function on Thursday, November 25. He replaces in this post the outgoing chancellor Claude Joseph who attended this installation.



In his intervention Jean Victor Genus declared "I want to take this opportunity to reassure our partners in the international community [...] I will work to consolidate the bonds of friendship that exist between Haiti and our traditional partners from the North and the South. I will seek to explore all opportunities for cooperation in the economic, commercial, scientific, technical and cultural fields for the benefit of our country."



For his part, Claude Joseph in his intervention declared "During my 21 months at the head of Haitian diplomacy, I have maintained excellent relations with all the friends and partners of Haiti. When it was necessary to reframe certain excesses of foreign leaders, I did it without common measure and especially without acrimony [] No personal interest, real or imaginary, would be sufficiently important to prevent me from defending Haiti and its history, or lead me to sully the memory of the founding fathers of the Nation. It was Dessalines le Grand who said "We dared to be free. We must dare to be it by ourselves and for ourselves'.



Find out more about Jean Victor Geneus :

Jean Victor Geneus, began his career in administration and public service as Consul General of Haiti in Boston (1991-1998). He was a member of the Private Cabinet of former President Rene Preval, Minister for Haitians Living Abroad twice (1991 and 2006) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Haiti to Argentina, Cuba and the Bahamas. He is the author of two books "Autant en emporte la revolution- Notes pour la contribution dHaiti a la lutte des peuples pour leur liberation" (2003) and "La route jamaicaine : une chronique de Relations Historiques entre Haiti et la Jamaique" (2006).



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





2 Ministers come from the FUSION

Rosemond Pradel Minister of Public Works and Alex Larsen Minister of Public Health of the Population, are members of the opposition resulting from the Fusion of Social Democrats (FUSION).



1 French kidnapped from Canape-Vert

Thursday, November 25 at the end of the afternoon, unidentified armed men kidnapped 4 people in Canape-vert: the Frenchman Alain Sauval, Communication Manager at Quisqueya University, Solange Lafontant, the former wife of the former President Rene Garcia Preval and two peaceful citizens Paul Dubois and Johnny Francois. All 4 were returning from UniQ



The reshuffle "A Classic Coup"

The organizations Point Final and the Political Platform Union of the Centrists to Save Haiti see the establishment of Ariel Henry's new government as "a classic coup".



Earthquake : 157 billion Gdes for Reconstruction, the PM optimistic

During the presentation this week https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35322-haiti-news-zapping.html of the Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment Plan (PDNA) for the South Peninsula hard hit by the earthquake from 7.2 on August 14, 2021, the reconstruction costs of which were estimated at 157 billion gourdes ( 1.57 billion US dollars), Prime Minister Ariel Henry showned optimistic about the mobilization of funding for this PDNA...



PNH : Operation Back to the beach

The National Police launched Operation "Back to the Beach" this week, meeting this week with operators of the Cote des Arcadins tourist sector. The Police promise to strengthen the security system on the national number 1 to facilitate the resumption of activities at the beach hotels of the Cote des Arcadins.



50 gang rapes in 4 years

From 2018 to 2021, no less than 50 cases of gang rape were recorded in the country while only 12 people were tried for rape, deplores Alermy Piervilus, Executive Secretary of the Platform of Haitian Organizations for Human Rights (POHDH).



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2021/11/27 | Source

Korean movie "Flower Hands" added to HanCinema database

Advertisement

"Flower Hands" (2018)

Directed by Ryan Kwon

With Kim Ian, Son Sook, Jeon Moo-song, Han In-soo, Lee Joo-sil, Lee Yong-nyeo,...

Synopsis

Jin-da is a 27-year old Chinese young man.

He was raised by a Korean grandmother.

And grew up in China with his biological grandmother.

After her grandmother's death, Jin-da and his friend Jeong-nam visited Namhae, Korea, where she missed her grandmother during her lifetime, and his younger brother Han-byeol and her friend Soo-jin also gathered in Namhae.

When asking if someone's at home, they greet with "Woah, who died?", not as parting words with someone who died, but just being the elderly people in Honghyeon Village in Namhae.

In this village, Jin-da and his company lives with the elderly in Nam-hae, helps and comforts them, and gradually adapts to the life there.

Having stayed in the South Sea longer than they thought of, they eventually face the moment when they have to leave.

Release date in Korea : 2021/12/02
The Media Center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) issued a statement, reported by Furat News Agency, regarding the specific operations carried out by the HPG's guerrillas in both Heftanin and Cala, and it read:

Within the framework of the campaign launched by the Kurdistan Community Union entitled "Against the Genocide of Women: It's Time to Protect a Free Woman and a Free Society".

On November 25th, at 09:30, the Free Womens Unit - Star carried out a qualitative operation against a group of the occupation army troops in the vicinity of Kartal, Victoria Square of the Heftanin area, which resulted in the killing of an occupation army member and the injury of two others. Our forces also intervened while the helicopters of the Turkish occupation army attempted to bombard the area, forcing it to retreat.

Within the framework of the Xabur revolutionary resistance campaign in the Heftanin region:

On the twenty-sixth of November, at 14.20, our forces targeted the Turkish occupation army with heavy weapons in Gire Kordin in Birbula Square, and our forces were able to accurately hit the target.

In the framework of the revolutionary Zagros hawks campaign:

On November 26t, at 19.30, our forces targeted the Turkish occupation army with heavy weapons in the Geliye Kurdin square in the Colemerg area, and were able to accurately hit the target.

Our forces carried out these operations on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the founding of the PKK.

The Turkish occupation army also launched a large-scale occupation operation in the Qashura line, Gire Azad, Bukhaza Gire, Qamriya Castle, Kurdin Square in Metina and around the village of Adna, Dashisha and Sararo in Kani Mase of Amedia, but it did not make any progress, and it was forced to retreat on the twenty-fifth of November thanks to the resistance shown by our forces.

On the twenty-fourth and twenty-seventh of November, the Jamjo and Ringbracha area of the Zab region were bombarded by artillery from the border posts of the Turkish occupation army.

A

ANHA
Violent clashes erupted between SDF and Turkish occupation mercenaries, yesterday evening. According to SDF media center ,the attacks of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries came as follows:

"On November26 (at 03:45 pm), Turkish occupation and its mercenaries carried out a ground attack on Al Mushairfa village, northeast of Ain Issa, where our fighters confronted the occupation soldiers and its mercenaries who fled the battlefield after violent clashes that lasted about half an hour.

On the same day (at 08:05 pm), the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries carried out a ground attack on Sida village, north of Ain Issa, in an attempt to occupy the village. But our forces confronted the attack and thwarted the occupation's attempts to control the area.

On the same day (at 09:14 at night), our fighters targeted a gathering of Turkish occupation mercenaries in the axis of Skero village, northeast of Ain Issa, where the mercenaries were forced to spread and went towards the back lines in the occupied areas.

Concurrently with that, Turkish occupation and its mercenaries bombarded the villages and M4 international road with artillery and tanks, causing material damage to farms and civilian properties.

As a result of the clashes on the two mentioned villages, it was confirmed that 8 of the mercenaries were killed and 9 others were wounded".

Sh-S

ANHA
CawthWatch: More 'embarrassing ignorance' from 'appallingly ignorant young man'

When Carolina Journal first reported first-term U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorns intention to abandon his current district next year to run in an adjacent one, CJ quoted Cawthorn as saying his decision was part of a strategy to increase conservativism in North Carolina.

Heres what Cawthorn said in a subsequent video making it official: Knowing the political realities of the 13th District, I am afraid that another establishment, go-along-to-get-along Republican would prevail there.

The establishment Republican Cawthorn was calling out was clearly N.C. Rep. Tim Moore, whod been widely expected to seek the Republican nomination in the new 13th District stretching from the mountains to the Charlotte suburbs. To label Moore a go-along-to-get-along Republican is, among other things, to reveal an embarrassing ignorance of how legislative chambers work. Moore is the longtime speaker of the N.C. House. At worst, other GOP lawmakers may go along to get along with him.

Of course, one regularly finds the words embarrassing and ignorance in the same sentence as the name of the freshman congressman from Western North Carolina. Madison Cawthorn is a callow and appallingly ignorant young man who regularly embarrasses conservatives and Republicans, whether they admit it or not.

My indignation about this episode, however, isnt primarily directed at Cawthorn, who is likely a pawn in some broader (and sillier) scheme hatched by others. What appalls me is that out-of-state operatives are using him as a vessel to trash the very real accomplishments of conservative governance in our state. You can see the same dynamic in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, with the Club for Growth and other supporters of U.S. Rep. Ted Budd sliming former Gov. Pat McCrory as unprincipled with a record of failure.

Many North Carolina conservatives, myself included, have disagreed with McCrory, Moore, and other GOP leaders from time to time. But youd have to be living under a rock, or perhaps in some faraway beachfront resort, not to be aware of and appreciate their role in enacting some of the most far-reaching and successful conservative reforms in recent American history.

These leaders and their colleagues cut state taxes multiple times. The new state budget will phase out North Carolinas corporate rate entirely. Since 2010, state spending has fallen significantly as a share of the states economy. Thanks to a thriving charter sector and an expanding voucher program, North Carolina parents have more school choice than ever before. During McCrorys tenure, the state substantially reformed its system for financing infrastructure and curtailed costly regulations. Those are only some of the entries on a long list of victories.

Such victories, and the practical experience that comes with them, are the building blocks of a successful political movement with the goal and capability of governing North Carolina and the rest of the country. Soundbites and clickbait, on the other hand, build little except fundraising lists.

Speaking of which, the off-stage grifters and demagogues whod like to portray Tim Moore as a do-nothing squish and Madison Cawthorn as a conservative champion seem to think theyve mastered the art of political manipulation. Moore did, after all, bow out of a potential primary fight in the 13th District and announced that he would seek another term in the legislature  and as speaker of the house.

Mission accomplished? Depends on the mission you have in mind. The most-despised institution in American government right now is Congress. Hard-core partisans appreciate their own partys members, perhaps, but a broad swath of voters from the center-left to the center-right view our federal legislature as a circus of ponderous pachyderms, braying jackasses, and clueless clowns.

Although some may think otherwise, a feckless and disreputable Congress is a threat to limited, constitutional government. It concedes too much power to the executive and judicial branches. Our republic has grave problems  the impending bankruptcy of our entitlement state being a prime example  that only legislation can address.

Having more members with practical legislative experience will help. Incessant tweeting will not.

* * * * *

John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author of the new novel Mountain Folk, a historical fantasy set during the American Revolution (MountainFolkBook.com).
Each week, Chronicle health reporters field questions about the latest on COVID-19, vaccines and pandemic living. In this weeks COVID Help Desk: what you should know about rapid tests and keeping your family safe this holiday season.

Once scarce, COVID rapid tests are now more readily available at pharmacies around Houston. Health experts recommend using them on unvaccinated relatives as a stop-gap measure before holiday get-togethers.

The tests are less sensitive  and more costly  than PCR tests. They may not pick up on an asymptomatic infection if someone is carrying a low viral load. But they are good at detecting when someone is highly contagious and most likely to infect others.

Rapid tests work by identifying COVID-specific viral proteins in a persons nasal cavity, said Dr. Linda Yancey, an infectious diease specialist Memorial Hermann. A positive test result is clear cut: You have COVID, she said. A negative test result is slighly less clear, as the testee could simply be in the early stages of an infection.

But the good news, Yancey said, is that a negative test means you are almost certainly not able to infect someone at that time.

Many Houston pharmacies carry the BinaxNOW test from Abbott Laboratories or the QuickVue test from Quidel. While the CVS and Walgreens websites show available test kits by Zip code, its still a good idea to call the store to confirm it still has them in stock.

If possible, encourage unvaccinated family members to book a free PCR test at their local pharmacy ahead of your next gathering. A single rapid test can cost around $25, making it an expensive investment in holiday health.

How can I protect myself while visiting unvaccinated relatives?

A fully vaccinated person with two doses and possibly a booster should feel fairly confident they are going to be relatively safe gathering with unvaccinated people, said Dr. Melanie Mouzoon, managing physician for immunization at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.

Mouzoon recommending asking whether unvaccinated family members have already had COVID. In general, those who have recovered from the virus are unlikely to be spreading it. The Lone Star states severe summer outbreak left many unvaccinated Texans with a measure of natural immunity.

The vaccine expert also recommended making the reasonable request that unvaccinated relatives take a rapid COVID test or schedule a PCR test prior to gathering.

Its better to get a rapid test than no test at all, she said.

When it comes to breakthrough infections, age is a key factor in assessing risk.

The majority of breakthrough cases in vaccinated people are mild, and may go undetected, especially in healthy people under the age of 65. For those groups, the three approved vaccines  Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson  have been proven effective at preventing serious symtoms, hospitalization and death.

But for the elderly or immuno-compromised, breakthrough infections are a far riskier prospect. People with obeisity, heart disease or other complicating health conditions should be extra cautious  and get boosted as soon as possible, Mouzoon said.

My child is unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. How do I protect them while traveling this holiday season?

Like adults, children between the ages of 5 and 11 are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the COVID vaccine. That means most children will not be protected in time for the December holidays.

But just like attending school in person, kids can safely travel if their caretakers take the proper precautions, said Dr. Pedro A. Piedra, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine.

The experts recommended eating outdoors if weather permits and having kids wear their masks indoors around unvaccinated or immuno-compromised relatives.

Youre trying to have a joyful time and not regret it later, Piedra said.

If traveling by air, the doctors recommended avoiding long layovers and social distancing when possible in airport terminals. While airplanes have advanced filtration systems in place to remove the virus, terminals often lack adequate ventilation. Yancey, of Memorial Hermann, advised travelers with kids to avoid snacking in the airport.

Buy your food and eat it on the airplane, she said. You are going to be safer on the airplane.

The infectious disease specialist also encouraged parents to inoculate kids against influenza, which targets young children. After a historically light flu season in 2020, a resurgence is expected this winter. The combination of COVID, flu and a return to holiday normalcy has doctors concerned.

This is going to be a very fraught holiday season, Yancey said.

nora.mishanec@chron.com
After a disappointing cancellation last year because of Covid, the non-profit organization, Mothers Against Cancer (MAC) will be holding its 33rd annual Holiday Luncheon on December 6, at the Humble Civic Center and supporters are anxious for the return.

Founded in 1989, Mothers Against Cancer was founded by six women, Maggie McCay, Nancy Dillard, Bev Wright, Jean Rosnagle, Carol Garner and Diana Price. In honor of Ann Denman, the late daughter of Trey and Sally Denman, the now 60-woman organization dedicates itself wholly to the research of treatment for, and eventual eradication of all forms of cancer.

According to the executive director for Mothers Against Cancer, Kelly Sloan-Lofton, over 700 tickets have been sold so far, making for record-breaking sales. The money gathered from this event is donated directly towards Texas Childrens Cancer and Hematology Center. Mothers Against Cancer has donated roughly $7 million so far, and has raised even more.

It all goes to research, Lofton said. We have zero paid employees, so all of our 60 women are volunteers. We make the decorations, the party favors, everything. And were proud of that fact, because we can donate more to the hospital.

According to their website, money raised by MAC is being used for further research in the cardiac toxicity study, hematology research, chemotherapy studies, drug development treatments for central nervous system cancers, and clinical development of new agents to treat pediatric malignancies.

Lofton strongly emphasizes the importance of MAC, as it provides a means for further research. She says that currently, only four percent of cancer funding from the government goes toward that research, which is why their organization is so important.

If we arent raising money, the needle towards the cure will never move. Because you cant conduct enough research to make that needle move with only four percent of any budget. You cant hire people, you cant run laps, you cant do anything. If we dont do it, no one else will, she said.

The name of the theme for this years luncheon is called Bells Are Ringing, which according to Lofton represents the bells patients ring after theyve completed treatment. In previous years, the luncheon was held at Kingwood Country Club, though in 2016, the annual luncheon was moved to the Humble Civic Center in order to accommodate more people.

Good food isnt the only thing guests will be able to look forward to, either. Various raffles and auctions will also be held during the luncheon. There will be 50 raffle packages, 24 auction packages, and 7 live auction packages.

Not only that, but the luncheon will also feature a special canine guest. The puppy, appropriately named Bell, will be spreading a bit of holiday joy as well. Bringing a puppy to the luncheon has become a Mothers Against Cancer tradition.

The luncheon will also spotlight their special honoree. Every year, MAC honors a special someone, whether it be a doctor or outstanding community member. This year, they honor Lilleigh Presswood, a seven-year-old with ALL, who attends Anderson Elementary School. The day of the luncheon will be taking place exactly one year since her diagnosis.

Its amazing to me to see how resilient these children are, Lofton said. And how many times they are the ones keeping their families uplifted during this. Theyre little warriors.

Fortunately, tickets for this years luncheon have already sold out, however, theres more information regarding the luncheon, as well as upcoming events and fundraisers can be found on the Mothers Against Cancer website to support the organization.
Lake Conroe Area Republican Womens recent meeting not only highlighted some very special people, veteran women trailblazers and Montgomery County veteran organizations, but was also held at a very special place, veteran owned and operated Honor Cafe.

After the pledges to the United States and Texas flags, LCARW Vice-President Brandie Lopez introduced the first honoree of the evening, Marcey Phillips, a United States Army Veteran who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom with proficiency in secure and non-secure communications. Since completing her service, Marcey found that her passion is to continue to serve her community through volunteering.

Although she is involved in 10 organizations, her passion is serving veterans through the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Since joining VFW in 2006, Marcey has served in 18 elected and appointed positions and is currently Junior Vice Commander of Texas VFW Post 4709 in Conroe. Marcey is also an avid supporter of service dogs that are used to help veterans find their new normal, and she actually has one herself, Beignet. Marcey is also married to a veteran, Scott, who also has a service dog.

Marcey shared with us that Veterans of Foreign Wars, originally founded in 1899 as American Veterans of Foreign Service, continues to be a voice for veterans, currently deployed members of our armed forces and their families. The mission of VFW is to foster camaraderie among US Veterans of overseas conflicts and to serve our veterans, the military and our communities and to advocate on behalf of all veterans. For more info call VFW Post 4709 at 936-703-3316 or go to info@vfw4709.org.

Next to be honored was Retired Brigadier General Connie McNabb, who served in the United States Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard in various roles; Medical Planner, Chief of Staff for the Adjutant General of the Texas Military Department and Commander of the Medical Battalion/Texas State Guard to name a few. Connie also has a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ohio State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Bush School at Texas A&M.

Connie then talked about her favorite nonprofit, Lone Survivor Foundation whose mission is to provide veterans and the families with a path to healing from their invisible wounds. According to Marcus Luttrell We gotta make sure that the hell the veterans return from is not the hell they come home to. Thats what was promised and thats whats deserved. Period. For more information call 936-755-6075 or go to info@lonesurvivorfoundation.org.

Next Veteran Honoree was Captain Sheri Hummer who served as a United States Marine and is currently Military CoChair/Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation-Lone Star College. Sheri supports many community and service organizations and among them is the Marine Corp Scholarship Foundation, a national organization. But one of her favorites is the Texas Marines Medal of Honor and Combined Arms.

According to Texas Marine Medal of Honor Service was their duty. Remembrance is our mandate. Right here in Montgomery County (Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands) is the Texas Marine Medal of Honor Monument. For more information go to www.texasmarinemedalofhonor.com. Mission statement: The Texas Marine Medal of Honor Fund is a 501c3 non-profit organization focused on the remembrance of the sixteen Texas Marines and one Navy Corpsman who received the Medal of Honor.

Next Brandi introduced Maureen Friedly, a United States Marine Corps Veteran and a current member of Sunny Creek Ranch, an Equine Therapy Ranch that provides therapy and counseling by licensed and certified professionals at no cost to United States veterans.

Sunny Creek Ranch, Horses for Heros, is a Veteran operated 501c3, nonprofit organization that understands the unique needs of our heroes and their families. This program is operated by licensed and certified professionals and is not just time with horses. It offers therapy that makes a real difference in the lives of these Veteran heroes. According to Maureen, They care. They understand. Theyve been there. For more information, call 281-229-3633.

And last but not least, Judge Jimmie Edwards. As they say Once a Marine, always a Marine. And once a judge, always a judge! But before he was a marine, Jimmie worked on Capitol Hill as a Congressional Page working in the US House, US Senate and then Supreme Court Page under President Lyndon Johnson. In 1968 after seeing the experiencing the riots in Washington DC, he decided to join the Marines. In a few short months he found himself in the middle of the Vietnam War, was wounded and lost both legs in 1969. He went on to serve as a State Representative and our County Judge right here in Montgomery County. Judge Jimmie continues to help our community in many ways and one such endeavor is as Chairman of Veterans Memorial Park.

The vision of MCVMC: Honoring United States Military Veterans and their families, who with their allies, have sacrificed and served for the cause of freedom, liberty, and justice. Their mission statement: Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, illuminating, and enriching our youth, families and communities from this state and this nation to the services, experiences and sacrifices of our United States Veterans and First Responders.

What a wonderful and inspirational program. For more information about Lake Conroe Area Republican Women contact President Lorena Garcia logarcia01@gmail.com.
SARMADA, Syria (AP)  In the opposition-held town of Sarmada near the border with Turkey, thousands of displaced Syrians go about their daily lives with little hope of returning to their homes any time soon.

Row upon row of tents, brick homes and other structures with water tanks on top dot the town, making up a series of huge informal camps for displaced people. Women cook and children play. Men go to work, pray and discuss politics.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  A jury in North Carolina has convicted a man of charges arising from an argument with his ex-girlfriend in which he shot at her car and rammed it while she was at a police station.

In February 2019, when the woman drove off with her four children, Kendrick Piggie chased her for 30 minutes, ramming her car, brandishing a gun and threatening to kill her, prosecutors said. The woman drove to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department division station and informed officers that Piggie had hit her car and had a gun, The Charlotte Observer reported.
PHOENIX (AP)  A murder charge has been dismissed for a California divorce lawyer in the suburban Phoenix shooting death of his stepdaughters husband nearly 11 years ago.

Prosecutors cited the interest of justice as their reason for seeking the dismissal of the murder charge against Robert Fischer, whose jury conviction was overturned by a judge in the December 2010 death of 49-year-old Norman Lee Radder.

No specifics were offered in court records on what prompted the dismissal request, which was approved on Oct. 21. Its unclear whether prosecutors will seek a murder charge against Fischer again.

Fischer was at Radders home in Queen Creek, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of downtown Phoenix, when Radder died from a single shot from Fischers handgun into Radders right eye after a night of drinking.

Fischers attorneys suggested Radder was suicidal, saying he was experiencing financial and marital difficulties.

Authorities contend Radders death was staged as a suicide and that Fischer, who worked previously as a former police officer, had used his law enforcement training and knowledge as an attorney to try to cover up the crime.

Fischer was convicted of murder in 2013 in Radders death.

Two months later, the judge overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. The judge concluded the verdict was contrary to the weight of the evidence, that there was no fingerprint or DNA evidence showing Fischer fired the gun that killed Lee and that a detectives theory that Fischer had manipulated Radders body and staged the scene lacked credibility.

While Fischer said he went to bed in another room and later discovered Radder on the floor after hearing a popping sound, the judge said experts believe Fischer was present when the gun was fired based on blood on his pajamas. Still, the judge noted that being present and untruthful wasnt enough to support a conviction.

The Arizona Court of Appeals later reinstated the conviction. It found the trial judge abused her discretion in ordering a new trial and disregarded the incriminating nature of Fischers claim that he was in another room when the shooting occurred.

But the Arizona Supreme Court later threw out the lower appellate court decision and ordered a new trial, concluding there was substantial evidence to support the trial judges decision to overturn the verdict. The high court also said the Court of Appeals reweighed the case's evidence, when it should have simply determined if the evidence supported the lower court's ruling. In 2018, Fischer was indicted again on a murder charge in Radders death, leading to the case that was recently dismissed.

The Maricopa County Attorneys Office, which prosecuted Fischer, didnt immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.

Fischer didnt return voice messages left at his law office in Orange County, California. His attorney, Michael Jones, also didnt return a phone call seeking comment on the dismissal.

The surprising dismissal  which doesnt prohibit prosecutors from bringing a murder charge against Fischer in the future  came six weeks after a different judge had dealt a loss to Fischer. The judge rejected Fischers arguments that the attempt to retry him should be dismissed because it would violate his protections against double jeopardy.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Police in Sioux Falls, South Dakota are looking for a suspect who was left empty-handed after an armed robbery attempt early Friday.

Sioux Falls Police Sgt. Sean Kooistra said the suspect used a handgun to demand money from a store clerk, but after the clerk refused, the robber fled the store on foot. Kooistra said that police do not advise people to refuse demands from armed robbers.
Unfair Burden

Some Texas religious leaders live in lavish, tax-free estates thanks to obscure law

In many places across Texas, clergy residences known as parsonages are extravagant estates nestled in the state's most exclusive enclaves. But unlike their wealthy neighbors, they pay nothing in taxes.
The COVID-19 threat level in Harris County was reduced Friday to moderate from significant as the local number of hospitalized patients and new cases met thresholds that guide the meter while a new variant raised concerns that prompted countries across the world to once again restrict travel.

County Judge Lina Hidalgos office announced the change in the threat level after new data indicators turned yellow, the color designated to the level that calls for unvaccinated residents to remain vigilant, wear masks and continue practicing physical distancing, although can resume leaving home. Under the level, fully vaccinated individuals can resume activities without masking except where required.

The 14-day average positivity rate in the county reached 4.6 percent. As of Friday, 66.5 percent of the countys population had received at least one dose of a vaccine and 57.2 percent were fully vaccinated.

The risks of the new variant, named Omicron by a World Health Organization panel, were not yet fully understood, according to the Associated Press.

The same panel that named the variant also classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern. Numerous countries, including the United States, Canada and Russia, announced travel restrictions for visitors from southern Africa, where the variant was discovered, according to the AP.

In a tweet Friday evening, Hidalgo said she lowered the level due to improved indicators but cautioned winter COVID spike is still possible.

Judge Hidalgo remains concerned about Omicron and the potential for a winter surge as were seeing in some other areas in the US, spokesperson Rafael Lemaitre said Friday. She is strongly encouraging residents who havent been vaccinated to do so  vaccines and boosters are widely available for free.

Effective Monday, the US will restrict air travel from South Africa and seven other countries, President Joe Biden said Friday. He encouraged fully vaccinated people to get a booster shot as soon as eligible and those who are not vaccinated to get a shot.

As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises, Biden said in a statement. For the world community: the news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations.

Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said a key question will be whether Omicron can outcompete Delta. The worst global variants have been those which were highly transmissible, he said.

In the meantime the Delta variant in unvaccinated or under vaccinated populations is one of the leading killers in America, Hotez said in a series of tweets. Those who are infected and recovered still need to get vaccinated to become more resilient against the variants. So rather than focus on travel restrictions that probably won't do much (because they haven't previously) focus on vaccinating the American people.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
Jay Jordan

A 20-year-old man is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor Saturday morning at an apartment complex in Kingwood.

Tyler Binette was charged with murder in the death of 58-year-old Patrick Tobias, who lived in the unit next to his, public records show.
A man was fatally stabbed near the Best Buy in the area of Houstons Galleria Friday evening, authorities said.

Officers responded to the stabbing around 6:05 p.m. at 5133 Richmond Avenue, where there was a man who had been stabbed multiple times in a parking lot, according to Houston Police. He was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead, police said.
Thanks to the blitz of burst pipes from last Februarys winter storm, water leaks are on track to take over as the most common complaint to the city of Houstons 311 service this year, overtaking missed garbage pickups.

Houston received some 25,660 reports of leaks between January and October, up from just over 19,000 in the same period last year, according to a Chronicle analysis of public 311 data. More than 5,100 of those entries, or 20 percent, came in February, when below-freezing temperatures and massive power failures led to widespread pipe and main-line failures across Texas.

Our data supports that the increase this year is related to Winter Storm Uri, said Ciara Clark, the chief of staff for Houston Water. A lot of the damage we saw this year in February was related specifically to damage due to the water lines. Houston was just not prepared for that kind of weather event. We saw a lot of failures in the water line at that time.

The leaks peaked beginning Feb. 15, with nearly 2,400 reports that week alone. Public works officials previously have said these numbers represent just people who reported their leaks to City Hall; the true toll was likely far worse.

Leaks in Houston this year were most commonly reported in Kingwood (1,219), Alief (1,718) and Montrose (853).

Extreme events tend to show up in the 311 data. Fire code complaints, for example, spiked from a little more than 600 in 2019 to 19,396 in 2020, making them the third most common report that year. The city used this category to record complaints about restaurant and business capacity limits during the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in spring 2020. In 2017, complaints about storm debris collection increased tenfold, from 1,000 to more than 10,500, likely as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

Missed garbage collection has been the No. 1 municipal mishap for the prior two years, reports show. There have been 20,640 such reports this year, along with 14,425 missed heavy trash and 15,122 missed recycling pickups.

The 51,010 reports of all missed scoops represent an increase of about 4,250, or 9 percent, from the same period in 2020.

Recycling routes saw nearly a 30 percent rise in complaints this year, the biggest uptick. Complaints involving garbage pickups are almost exactly even year over year, while reports dealing with heavy trash were up by nearly 6 percent.

Those numbers have matched anecdotal complaints about lagging service, but they also represent declines from peaks in 2019. That year saw more than 57,000 missed collections.

I think what you have to really keep in mind is these reports, these customer concerns, theyre going to be synonymous with the level of service were going to provide, said Mark Wilfalk, the citys new solid waste director. Theres no doubt that weve had some challenges.

Wilfalk, who has been on the job for about three weeks, said he is concentrating on improving the departments two primary assets: personnel and equipment. The city has been offering a $3,000 signing bonus for truck drivers.

City Council also approved a contract with the firm Rubicon this month to equip solid waste trucks with tracking technology that will provide officials with real-time information on a trucks whereabouts, vehicle speed and how often its receiving arm moves to pick up a bin, among other data. That will allow for more data-driven corrective actions and process improvements, the request for City Council approval said.

Some of that information, Wilfalk said, will be relayed to 311, so callers can get a better sense of where their driver is on their route. The director expects it to take about six months to implement the system.

I hope by this time next year, we can enjoy seeing some decreases in some of these numbers were seeing, Wilfalk said. When you call next year, you can say were fourth or fifth on the list.

Solid waste and public works functions tend to lead 311 reports because they offer the most public-facing services. Altogether, Houston accepts more than 450,000 reports per year, or about 1,200 per day.

The city unveiled a new 311 platform in the summer, along with a new app. At a call center east of downtown, about 60 phone operators field about 100 phone calls each per day, only about 20 percent of which result in 311 reports. The rest are questions answered without needing a report.

For most residents in the city of Houston, the 311 agent will be the only city employee they ever talk to, said Charles Jackson, assistant director with the citys administration and regulatory affairs department, which oversees 311.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
Its tempting to believe Rep. Louie Gohmert is a whole lot smarter than he seems. He was, after all, class president at both A&M and Baylor law school, a district judge and briefly served as chief justice of the 12th Court of Appeals. All that, before even being elected in Congress in 2004, where he is now, as he puts it, a bold defender of American principles who is constantly coming up with big, innovative ideas.

But then he eventually talks, and he brings us right back to where we started: wondering how in the world he keeps getting elected.

His latest big idea is to join the GOP scrum seeking to oust Attorney General Ken Paxton. On that score, we say the more the merrier, given how scandal-plagued, investigated and indicted Paxton has been throughout his two inglorious terms.

On the other hand, voters in the First Congressional District have apparently decided keeping him in Congress is a good way to keep him safely out of the way. Now, hell be asking voters all over Texas to put him at the center of things in Austin  and that strikes us as a very big ask indeed, kind of like an invitation to commit voter malpractice.

Thumbs down. Bad ideas seem to have come in pairs this week. In Katy, ISD officials are defending blocking students access to websites aimed at providing support for troubled LGBTQ teens, especially those struggling with suicidal thoughts. Under the heading of human sexuality, all sorts of helpful, and in some case potentially life-saving resources, are blocked. Theres the LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline run by the Trevor Project, for one, but also on the no-go list are Houstons Montrose Center, the Advocate news site, and Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy organization.

Sure, schools have to prevent student access to objectionable or adult-oriented material, and yes, like most districts Katy relies on third-party firms to determine which categories of content to block. But censoring the internet is tricky business  and sometimes good sites get swept up in well-meaning bans. When they do, the right move is to simply make exceptions so that students who may need the support those sites offer can get it.

Of course, if the district meant to Big Brother those affirming sites all along, it has a whole other basket of problems to confront.

Thumbs up. Texas is full of problem-solvers, after all. Consider one of the biggest problems facing the global economy at the moment, the maddening shortage of semiconductor chips used in computers, cars - well just about everything these days. Two big companies - South Koreas Samsung and North Texas own Texas Instruments - are about to spend very large sums to do something about it.

On Tuesday, Samsung announced it would build a $17 billion facility in Taylor, Texas. Thatll be the largest direct foreign investment in Texas history, noted Rep. Mike McCaul, who wasted no time in taking a victory lap after introducing along with Sen. John Cornyn legislation in 2020 that would boost the domestic production of the chips. (The bill was attached to the 2021 defense authorization act, which became law. Funding for those provisions has passed the Senate but not yet the House.)

The Texas lawmakers were right to worry that too many of the chips were being produced overseas. Now, with Samsung promising a ginormous factory in Taylor, and TI making plans for up to $30 billion in investments toward a new plant in Sherman, that could be changing soon. Forty-seven billion bucks? Thats worth bragging about.

Thumbs up. Although, if you know anyone under 30, all the bragging overheard this weekend is sure to be about Watermelon Sugar dandy himself, Harry Styles, who played a sold-out show Wednesday night at the Toyota Center. The Sign of the Times megastar had fans lined up for hours in the Wednesday morning cold waiting for the show. Traveling the country for him is sort of my thing, said Avery Wohleb, whod camped out since 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The show allowed Styles to finally made good on promises to return to the city after two previous shows were canceled, first by the pandemic and then by a tropical storm. The holiday takeaway for Houston? So stop your crying, and have the time of your life.

Thumbs down. Canceled shows are one thing. But you cant make up a rained-out Thanksgiving Day parade, and thats what Houston got on Thursday. As Chronicle writer Dug Begley noted Friday, the city got as far as warming up the band before calling it quits in the face of pending nasty storms. Just minutes before the floats began sailing down the parade route, Mayor Sylvester Turner and other officials called it quits. It wasnt just fear of the rains, but potential lightning and heavy gusts. Thats two years in a row the parade was put on ice, given last years COVID cancellation. Thumbs made do with the familiar sight of Macys parade in Manhattan filling the TV screen while the turkey prep was underway, hoping next year the weather and public health will permit the parade we all deserve after two very long years.

Clarification: Thumbs was updated Nov. 29 to make clear that provisions of the bill aimed at boosting domestic production of semiconductors did become law. Its funding is pending.
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Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Cloudy with a few showers. High 58F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy with a drenching rain ending overnight. Low 36F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
On the evening of 10 August, I was walking home. The riot police officers stopped me. They started beating me. Beating with feet, batons, then grabbed me by the arms and legs and carried me into the paddy wagon, said a man from Baranovichi, a small city in Western Belarus, describing his arrest and detention in a police truck.

While they were carrying me, they stopped several times and beat me again. They put me on the ground near the paddy wagon and started shouting, Who did you vote for? All this was accompanied by obscenities. I was silent. For Tikhanovskaya? [Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the opposition candidate for president] I was silent. They continued to beat me.

This report, which is one of the first by experts to review the available forensic evidence, firmly establishes the existence of medical and visual evidence that is consistent with and corroborates the allegations of torture and ill-treatment by complainants in every case we examined, said the IRCT in its report, Belarus: A Coordinated Policy of Torture.

Click here to download the report.

Since pro-democracy protests began in August 2020 following the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko  a vote rejected as fraudulent by both the EU and the OSCE  Belarus state-run Investigative Committee reported receiving some 5,000 complaints of torture and ill-treatment. However, in August 2021 the Committee announced it would not initiate any criminal proceedings because the States use of force was in accordance with Belarusian law, in the suppression of offences.

In response to this statement, IRCT and IFEG asserted the importance of conducting effective forensic investigation of torture reports according to the international agreed principles set out in the Istanbul Protocol with a view to ensuring accountability and reparations for victims of these extensive human rights violations.

Members of IFEG are preeminent medical experts in the forensic examination of victims of torture, and its 42 members have examined around 40,000 cases and testified in court and other forums over 4,000 times. The aim of IRCTs collaboration with ICITB was to determine the extent to which the available visual and medical evidence in each case was consistent with the individuals allegations of torture and ill-treatment.

In total, the 50 case files included 130 documents with 613 pages, 286 photographs and four videos. Every case file contained an interview with an individual claiming to have been arrested between 9-12 August 2020 and subjected to torture or ill-treatment by the police and security forces during and/or subsequent to arrest. Almost every case file (49 cases) also included photographs of the complainants injuries taken at or before the time of interview. In addition, 35 cases included medical documentation. All case materials were translated by the ICITB from Belarusian to English.

The ICITB was created as a reaction of Belarusian and foreign human rights organisations to State torture and brutality towards civilians after the presidential elections on 9 August 2020. The ICITB is a founding member alongside IRCT member in Denmark, Dignity, the UKs Redress and 14 other Belarusian and international NGOs of the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB). The IAPB is supported by 21 States and is mandated to gather evidence of crimes under international law committed by Belarusian authorities in the run-up to, during and after the 2020 presidential election, with the aim of contributing to accountability mechanisms, including eventual trials of perpetrators. The IRCT is a member of IAPBs Advisory Council.

IRCT's report concluded that individuals appeared to have been targeted due to suspected participation in or support of protests - irrespective of whether they were actively engaged in any such activities at the time - and that the Ministry of Internal Affairs Special Purpose Police Detachment, known by its Belarusian acronym OMON, was a leading perpetrator of the torture. The OMON serve as riot police, and members wear balaclavas to keep their identity secret.

A Russian translation of the report is being released simultaneously by the ICITB.

Click here to download the report in Russian.
Roxy, who was found sick and starving in July, left, is now safe with rescuer Kathy Hynes. An investigation into the neglect of Roxy is ongoing but, in the meantime, her condition led to a lot of veterinary bills. A fundraiser is being held next week to help Roxy and others in Hynes' care.

Adams Animal Rescue to Host Fundraiser for 'Roxy'

ADAMS, Mass.  Roxy, a pit bull mix found sick and malnourished in July by Adams Animal Control, is in better health under the care of Kathy "Skippy" Hynes of animal rescue Got Spots Etc.



Hynes said Roxy has been in her care since July, noting that her condition has improved significantly in the last few months. Got Spots Etc. is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 p.m. at the Firehouse Cafe on Park Street from for Roxy and the other dogs at the rescue.



Hynes said Animal Control Officer Kimberly Witek contacted her about caring for Roxy shortly after Adams Police found her and opened an investigation into animal neglect. She said Roxy has several health problems, including poor vision, a cancerous tumor and diabetes.



"You could see her vision was so poor. She was bumping into things," she said. "And she was so skinny, and so she stayed with me."



While Roxy is still dealing with health-related issues, Hynes said she is doing much better now. She also said, after figuring out the correct insulin dosage, Roxy's sugar levels have become stable.



"Now Roxy bounces around," she said. "And when I take her for a walk, she's peppy like a puppy."



Hynes explicitly thanked Witek for making sure Roxy got the care she needed. She also thanked Police Officer Travis Cunningham, the officer investigating the case.



"If Kim Witek did not have the heart she has, the dog probably would have been sent somewhere and put to sleep," she said. "Kim Witek was instrumental in making sure this dog got to a veterinarian promptly."


If you're thinking of giving books as holiday gifts to colleagues, customers, friends, or family members this year, Bill Gates has some recommendations for you. Gates, a famously voracious reader, says he's read many great books in 2021. But these five were especially enjoyable, he writes, and would make especially good gifts.

Here are the books and why he likes them:

1. A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins

How our brains work is a topic of endless fascination for many of us, Gates included. He's read many books about the brain, most of them academic. A Thousand Brains is appropriate for non-experts who have little background in brain science or computer science, he writes. Hawkins was co-inventor of the Palm Pilot, an early precursor to today's smartphones. Since then, he has focused his attention on artificial intelligence, and that means learning to understand the non-artificial intelligence that humans possess.

Hawkins explores the neocortex, which makes up 70 percent of the brain and, he believes, consists of a column whose main function is to make constant predictions about the world around us and what our next sensory input will be. When those predictions fail, they get our full attention and the neocortex works to update that part of its model. Hawkins' view is consistent with some other analyses I've read recently, such as Josh Davis' observation that our brains seek to conserve energy by operating on autopilot much of the time.

2. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson

"Every Isaacson book is good," Gates says in an accompanying video. (Isaacson is particularly known for his biography of Steve Jobs.) This book tells the story of Doudna and her team's discover of the CRISPR gene editing system, which Gates calls, "one of the coolest and perhaps most consequential scientific breakthroughs of the last decade." Isaacson also does a good job of exploring the ethical issues around gene editing, he adds.

3. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Ishiguro is perhaps best known for his novel The Remains of the Day. Klara and the Sun is told from the point of view of a robot in a dystopian future where robots' purpose is to serve as companions to human beings, in this case a sick girl. "It's probably healthier talking to a robot than just watching TV," Gates says in the video, adding, "We're going to have a lot of robots in our lives." He writes, "This book made me think about what life with super intelligent robots might look like--and whether we'll treat these kinds of machines as pieces of technology or as something more." My guess is we'll treat them as something more, since we already do that with things like Siri and Alexa.

4. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

There's not much we really know about William Shakespeare, but one of the few things we do know is that he had a son named Hamnet who died at the age of eleven, and that Shakespeare wrote Hamlet (apparently a common variation of Hamnet) a couple of years later. O'Farrell focuses on Shakespeare's children and his wife, left behind in Stratford-upon-Avon while Shakespeare is working in the theater in London. The author conjectures what their marriage might have been like, and how the tragedy of losing a child might have inspired The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

"I would recommend it--it's a good story," Gates says in his video.

5. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Weir is best known for The Martian. In this book, the protagonist is a high school science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship in a different star system with no idea how he got there. He soon figures out that he's been sent on a mission to save Earth from an extraterrestrial threat. "It's a fun read, and I finished the whole thing in one weekend," Gates writes.

You may have noticed that this makes two science fiction novels on Gates' recommended reading list. "When I was a kid, I was obsessed with science fiction," he explains. "Paul Allen and I would spend countless hours discussing Isaac Asimov's original Foundation trilogy." As Gates got older, wanting his reading to be more educational, he began reading less fiction and more nonfiction. "Lately, though, I've found myself drawn back to the kinds of books I would've loved as a kid," he writes.
Nov 26: The first edition of the wine and spirits Show ProWine Mumbai, was organised at The St Regis Mumbai in Lower Parel on 17-18 November with gusto and enthusiasm with people meeting each other after a gap of 2 years because of Covid, writes Subhash Arora who attended the Show and found people feeling unchained and breathing normally, with Covid Protocols in place

The event kick-started ceremoniously with champagne- popping and inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by guests from the US, French and South African Consulates, Australian High Commission, Trade Centre of Argentina, Republic of Mauritius, corporate heads and the industry associations with media partners. It was perhaps the first trade fair in Mumbai for the wine and spirits sector since the COVID pandemic hit India; Mumbai and indeed most of Maharashtra had been badly hit by the pandemic.

ProWine Mumbai featured over 200 brands from 70 companies across 13 countries with about 2,000 attendees. What was most visible was the relief and chirpy look on the faces of most visitors who felt relaxed after tasting wine and various spirits. Although Prowein is primarily a wine show, the Central Court of the 8th floor of The Regis Mumbai had been assigned to the Spirits industry while the adjoining banquet room had been converted into the Masterclass venue. The wine producers were shunted in the back Hall which gave the first impression of a step-motherly treatment. But the Hall was buzzing with activity with producers and importers like The Wine Park, Virgin Hills Vineyards, Grover Vineyards and Good Drop Cellars carrying the day with their generous pours and the company of seniors.

Tastin France

The maximum buzz was however seen in the French Pavillion where Tastin France was organised innovatively by Business France. Thirteen French producers who had showcased their products at the French embassy in Delhi a couple of days earlier had an exclusive space with impressive tasting.

A few producers like Chateau Pesquie, Chateau Juliette, Jeremy Gordon, Vignobles Vellas (with a huge array of labels) and Boissonneau (it was the second visit to India by the owner Nicolas Boissonneau) were present in person while others were connected to the wineries digitally through internet. Vianney Meynier, Bangalore-based Head of French Agrotech Department in India was a constant fixture, helping each visitor-even getting them to talk to the principals in France. This arrangement is quite expensive and at times slow and even the connection drops despite the extra bandwidth we have bought but we are generally satisfied with this arrangement, he told delWine. There was a huge variety of quaffable wines at affordable prices for importers to choose from.

ProWine Mumbai is the latest addition to the world-renowned ProWein organised by Messe Dusseldorf by their Indian counterparts and All Things Nice. Visitors ranged from importers, distributors and retailers. As always, the exhibitors whined about the smaller number of hoteliers, and restaurateurs.

What was impressive however, was the presence of smaller producers of gin, vodka, single malts, rum, tequila, craft beverages and beer. The innovative cocktails were artistically curated. There were of course internationally recognised labels of Single Malts like Amrut and Paul John to taste. One could not but notice the liberal supply of Veen, the mineral water in a glass bottle.

Mr. Thomas Schlitt, Managing Director Messe Dusseldorf, India said, It fills me with joy and gratitude to see this amazing recognition from the industry stakeholders in India for the 1st ProWine Mumbai event. Going from being a ProWein Educational Campaign to a first-ever full-fledged comprehensive trade fair for the Wine & Spirits industry is the reflection of developing the market for the future growth of the industry in India. He could often be seen on the floor with Surajit Bit, Director Projects & Marketing Communication, sorting out issues when needed.

All-in-all, ProWine Mumbai was a good Show for maiden appearance.

Subhash Arora
With the new COVID-19 variant that's deadlier than the previous delta variant, there are new challenges that the medical fraternity across the world is facing.

Noting that they are not sure whether their vaccines would work against new COVID-19 variant 'Omicron, Pfizer and BioNTech promised to develop a new vaccine against the strain within 100 days.

This comes after the new COVID-19 strain, the B.1.1.529, first traced in South Africa, has been identified as a Variant of Concern by World Health Organization. WHO named the variant with the Greek letter 'Omicron'. The variant has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.



AP

What Pfizer, BioNTech said

A spokesperson for medical company BioNTech, which developed a coronavirus vaccine together with Pfizer, said on Friday that the firm would need two more weeks to determine its inoculations effectiveness against the new COVID-19 Omicron variant.

We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest. This data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally, a BioNTech spokesperson told Reuters, using the previous name for the strain.

The German companys spokeswoman said it has already begun testing samples of the new variant and noted that it differs significantly from previously observed variants.

Agencies

The spokeswoman also said that Pfizer and BioNTech already have plans in place to be able to adapt their vaccine in just six weeks and to ship it out within 100 days, as new variants sprout up.



What Moderna said

Meanwhile, Moderna said it will develop a booster shot against the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. It is one of three strategies the company is working to address the new threat, including a higher dose of its existing vaccine, Moderna said.

"The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant," said Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel.



Reuters

About new variant, Omicron

The World Health Organization classified the new Omicron strain as a highly transmissible virus of concern, the same category that includes the Delta variant, now the worlds most prevalent. The panel said early evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection.

The announcement on Friday from the United Nations health agency marks the first time in months that WHO has classified a COVID-19 variant as a variant of concern.

The discovery of the new variant sent a chill through much of the world Friday as nations raced to halt air travel, markets fell sharply and scientists held emergency meetings to weigh the exact risks, which were largely unknown.

AP

Medical experts, including the WHO, warned against any overreaction before the variant that originated in southern Africa was better understood. But a jittery world feared the worst nearly two years after COVID-19 emerged and triggered a pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people around the globe.



For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.


As countries around the world scramble to take precautions against the newly emerged strain of COVID-19, the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially named it as omicron and has categorised it as 'variant of concern'.

Dubbed as 'super strain' by healthcare experts, B.1.1.529 - has more than 30 mutations more than any other variants and twice as many as delta.

AFP

According to the WHO, the B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.

The WHO has asked countries around the world to:

enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.

report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.

where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

So far the infections linked to the new strain have been reported from Botswana, South Africa, Hong Kong, Belgium, and Israel.

AP

Flights from Africa banned

In all the cases identified outside the African continent, the patients had a recent travel history to Africa.

Though the extent of the new variant's spread is still unclear, countries across the world are banning flights from Africa.

The United States, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Australia and a host of other countries joined the European Union in restricting travel for visitors from that region.

US President Biden said that starting Monday, his administration will restrict air travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi as a "precautionary" measure to prevent the newly discovered Omicron variant of the coronavirus from spreading into the United States.

AFP

The UK announced it would be temporarily suspending flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Japan has tightened border controls for travellers from the same six countries, bringing in a 10-day quarantine beginning at 12 am on November 27. Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have also announced restrictions on the seven countries.

AP

What is India doing?

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meet on the situation relating to COVID-19 and vaccination with top government officials to assess the situation.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare adds Hong Kong and Israel to the list of countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing considering the detection of the new variant.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
A lawyer couple from Assam has gone viral for giving out constitution-themed wedding invitations to guests, thus keeping it unique and relatable to their profession.

We have come across many unique wedding cards, but this might be the most creative. Also, it perfectly fits with the couple's craft.

The unique wedding card has names of the bride, Pooja Sarma and groom, Advocate Ajay Sarma, written on either side of the scales of justice to represent equality. The wedding, which is scheduled to take place on November 28, has garnered a lot of attention for its unique invitation.

"The right to marry is a component of Right To Life under Article 21 of the Indian constitution. So, it is time for me to use this Fundamental Right on Sunday 28th November 2021," the card reads.

Twitter/@mysticsrishti

The invitation adds, "When lawyers get married, they don't say 'YES', they say - 'We accept the terms and conditions.'"



The couple concludes by mentioning the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, under which they have mutually decided to solemnize their marriage. And to top it off, they have a quirky punchline. When lawyers get married, they just dont say YES they say, We accept the terms and conditions.



The Constitution-themed wedding card has gone viral on the internet. Many users were left impressed but others not so much.



Awesome! Well said.  Guru - Be your authentic self! (@KamathGurudutt) November 24, 2021

Very creative. Liked it.   Chaitanya Chauhan (@Chaitan54651838) November 25, 2021

Pandit Justice Chandrachud honge .  Utkarsh (@Kaivalya_22) November 23, 2021

Are baap re   Saurabh Chandhok (@saurabhchandok) November 23, 2021

This reads more like a court summon?   Anurag Shukla (@Anuraag_Shukla) November 23, 2021

Cringe max pro  Sukrati Mittal (@chanchlmann) November 23, 2021

Damn it that's cringe pro max!



Vivah is mangal karya and should have begun with the name of Bhagwan Ganesha and nothing else.



Take note that the uploader forgot to hide the contact and address.  Bromila Thapar (@FakeLoci) November 24, 2021

God, they took it way too seriously!  Aanand Jha (@aanandkishore1) November 24, 2021





That's just lawyers being lawyers! 10/10 for the creativity though.

For more interesting trending stories, click here.
Yuri Tolochko, a Kazakhstani bodybuilder who shot to fame after he married a sex doll, has been pictured enjoying his honeymoon with his second sex doll wife.

Yuri flew his new plastic love to Bulgaria and showed her around the city, as they enjoyed their honeymoon, Daily Star reported.

What was essentially to be a business trip, Luna and Yuri were still able to find time for themselves and had 'a lot of sex',

"I did not get the chance to enjoy a honeymoon with Luna until now. The pandemic changed everyones plans massively so when the chance came to go to Bulgaria for work, I was happy I could take Luna," Yuri was quoted as saying by The Mirror.



It was a work trip, but it was also so romantic that I consider it a honeymoon as well. We stayed in the capital Sofia for about a week and it was fabulous. We met a lot of people during my work time and also went out to restaurants and took advantage of the hotel room. There was a lot of sex," he added.

It comes one year after he married his first plastic wife Margot, who broke soon after they hit international headlines.



Earlier in September, he said he had fallen in love with a large ashtray he saw in a club.

Although Tolochko noticed the ashtray a while ago, he claimed it was only when he arranged a photo shoot with the butt receptacle that he discovered he had feelings for it.

The hulking pansexual filmed himself sniffing and cradling the ashtray, although he explained that he could not show all of its contents because of rules imposed by Instagram.



It looks like the love faded soon enough, as he has now moved on with Luna.

For more interesting trending stories, click here.


In front of me Dervla Murphy places a bowl of homemade soup that is as honest as she is herself. When meeting a world-renowned doyenne of travel writing, I dont necessarily expect warm hospitality, but thats exactly what I get. As she approaches her 90th birthday, she is surrounded by books and warmed by her beloved dog and two cats.

Dervla begins each day in her west Waterford home extremely early, fuelling her body with a big breakfast and her mind with news from BBC Radio 4, Al Jazeera, and online newspapers such as Haaretz. She says that the internet is a huge advantage for me now, when Im so restricted in my movements. I can see the world through Al Jazeeras eyes. Her physical travels have come to an end now, but her intellectual travels continue. She still reads voraciously, writes shorter pieces, and reviews books.

She is far more interested in asking me questions about current events  really difficult ones, I might add  than answering any of mine. She has shelved most of her travel memories and my questions are sometimes answered with an exasperated I cant remember! After all, for more than 50 years, she has had roughly a trip and a resulting book every two years  adventurous yet highly disciplined. It is a truly astounding legacy. It is such a cliche to say that if she were a man, she would be much more feted in Ireland. However, cliches exist for a reason.

Dervla Murphy: possessor of an astounding travel-writing legacy

Dervla has defied all convention, quietly. She has always lived exactly on her own terms, regardless of social expectations. Her trips would test the toughest of people, of any gender. Dervla had her daughter Rachel in 1968 as a single woman. She bypassed the strictures of living in Catholic Ireland, enjoying the relative freedom of living on the fringe of social life. Her private life is just that: Private. She has kept her life manageable by shunning celebrity. Rachel accompanied her on several trips over the years, and now her three daughters are Dervlas pride and joy.

She also defies categorisation. Environmentalism, feminism, socialism, and Buddhism are all influences. However, she is a truly original thinker who could never tolerate an uncritical, pre-conceived formula. She says that she is philosophically a humanist. People are in control of the world and they need to behave responsibly when exercising that control.

She rejects the idea that shes an atheist: Thats too aggressive a term. Im not anti any religion. I just never felt the need to adhere to any. I dont condemn any religion, I only condemn extremism of any kind. Absolutely uninhibited in conversation, she talks easily about anything from the prevalence of sex tourism in Japan to the latest military technology she read about in Janes Defence Weekly.

Her insatiable curiosity about everything keeps her mind fresh. Somehow, the city of Cologne comes up in our chat: I was there after the war. She cycled through a flattened Germany in 1949. Unbelievable. While her bicycle wheels have stilled now, her cognitive wheels still speed along at a brisk clip. She approaches any subject with a mind as open as an African savannah.

A selection of Dervla Murphy's work on her shelves

Her travels have taken her across land to India, Nepal, Tibet, the Himalayas, Cuba, Siberia, the Russian Far East, the Balkans, Transylvania, Laos, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Peru, Gaza, and Israel, among others.

It is obviously impossible to recount details of all of those trips here. On return from the trips, she would go into purdah to write up the forensic book notes, with final manuscripts produced on an electric typewriter.

All the trips have been extreme physical endurance tests, through searing deserts and snow-covered mountain passes. She hates cities. She usually travelled on her bicycle, but sometimes also on mules, as in Ethiopia and in Peru.

One of her scariest times was when she was attacked, beaten, and robbed in Ethiopia. She dealt with crises and disasters with rock-solid common sense and jaunty good humour. Another time was in Belfast in the 1970s, being quite sensibly afraid of a nocturnal cycle through the Antrim Road area of the city.

Dervla objects to the idea that she showed courage in her life. If youre fearless, you dont need courage. Its only if youre fearful that you need courage to overcome your fears.

I persist. Well, over so many decades of travel, there was very little to alarm me. I might have been shaken at times, but not enough to affect future plans.

She attributes this fearlessness to her parenting. At the age of 16, in 1947, it was my mother who suggested that I cycle through the continent alone  not many mothers did that!

Dervla Murphy: accompanied by her trusty bicycle on an adventure

Her books are underpinned by thorough research on the society, geography, and culture of each chosen country. They are peppered with stories of hazardous journeys, mostly on her trusty bicycle. She has broken ribs and gotten hepatitis and dysentery. She was attacked by wolves once and shot them dead. This is what the current generation might term extreme travel.

Following a visit to Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, the power plant that had a partial nuclear meltdown in 1979, she wrote a book criticising nuclear power, which she still detests. These days climate-worried people are accepting the nuclear industrys propaganda now that its clean and the obvious energy solution. What about the miners of the uranium, and whats to be done about nuclear waste?

Her book on Northern Ireland, A Place Apart, attempted to get under the skin of the place at the height of the war there. It was highly respected by academics studying the area.

One of my favourites is Tales From Two Cities, in which she dealt with race relations in the north of England. She stayed in Bradford and Birmingham for about three months each. She tiptoed lightly between ethnography, sociology, and journalism, sharing conversations (chat-shows) with people she met in pubs and homes. She was truly interested in perceptions, how people felt and why. Research of this magnitude could easily have been the basis of a sociology PhD; lots of academics have built careers on much less.

Dervla Murphy: a travelling trailblazer. Pic: Denis Scannell

Further afield, Dervla visited Rwanda not long after the 1994 genocide. After this trip, she said, Rwanda... forces one to confront the evil inherent in us all, as human beings  however humane and compassionate we may seem as untested individuals nothing done by humans is inhuman.

Dervlas empathetic nature tries to reach the essence of each person, whether mother, miner, or maharaja. She also deplores injustice, as witnessed in her public support for the Palestinian people.

Dervlas London publisher, Barnaby Rogerson at Eland Publishing, says of her: Dervla has always upheld the most astonishing integrity and independence which totally complement her craft as a writer.

He goes on: She is unique, an incredibly precious witness to the world who is also tough, brilliant, forthright, honest, and will no doubt in future ages be saluted as a humanist prophet.

She recently won the prestigious Stanfords Lifetime Achievement Award for her travel writing. She self-deprecatingly refuses to discuss it, genuinely uncomfortable with such accolades.

Dervla Murphy has been a travelling trailblazer and broke the mould regarding the meaning of Irish womanhood. She has been a role model to generations of world travellers, but especially for Irish women.
You may have seen images over the last few weeks of the Atacama Desert in Chile where unwanted clothes are dumped and left to rot very slowly in one of the driest places on earth.

These clothes, some 59,000 tonnes of them each year, arrive at Iquique port in the northern part of the country from Europe, the USA, and Asia.

Some are bought by shops and sellers to be sold around Chile and other parts of Latin America but at least 39,000 tonnes of them that cannot be resold end up in dumps in the desert.

The pictures and videos shared online show huge piles of clothes, some you might recognise from high street stores here, lying discarded in the sun and being picked through by the Venezuelan migrants who comb the desert dumps.

Much of the clothing is either synthetic or treated with chemicals and can take up to 200 years to biodegrade. As they do so they release chemicals and cause fires that pollute the air and underground water channels.

There is every type of clothing imaginable here and in between the summer dresses and unworn jeans are the twinkling sparkles of Christmas jumpers.

In 2019, research released by environmental charity Hubbub showed that the festive sweaters were one of the worst examples of fast fashion.

Nobody is saying not to don the jumper but don't just wear it once.

Two out of five Christmas jumpers are only worn once over the festive period and yet theyre still bought in their millions each year.

The charity's research also looked into 108 jumpers available from 11 different high street retailers and found that 95% of them were made wholly or partly of plastic materials.

The most common plastic fibre used is acrylic which was found in three quarters of the jumpers tested, with 44% of them made entirely from that fabric. That makes the typical Christmas jumper likely to add to the issue of plastic pollution in our oceans.

A study by Plymouth University found that acrylic was responsible for releasing nearly 730,000 microfibres per wash, five times more than a polyester-cotton blend fabric and nearly 1.5 times as many as pure polyester.

Sarah Divall, project co-ordinator with Hubbub, said: "W e dont want to stop people dressing up and having a great time at Christmas, but there are so many ways to do this without buying new.

Fast fashion is a major threat to the natural world and Christmas jumpers are particularly problematic as so many contain plastic.

Wed urge people to swap, buy second-hand or re-wear and remember a jumper is for life, not just for Christmas.

Of course, the Atacama Desert isnt just filled with Christmas jumpers and its not the only place where fast fashion is dumped.

According to Oxfam Ireland, Irish people dump 225,000 tonnes of clothing every year  a huge waste of water and energy considering that it would take 13 years to drink the amount of water needed to make one T-shirt and one pair of jeans.

The fashion industry makes up between 8% and 10% of all global carbon emissions and nearly 20% of wastewater.

And while the environmental footprint of flying is often discussed and you can pay to offset your flights, fashion actually uses more energy than both aviation and shipping combined.

Some 57% of all discarded clothing ends up in landfill and shockingly that includes unworn items that you may have sent back through a free returns service.

With online sales increasing dramatically over the course of the pandemic, free returns are turning out to be problematic for both the environment and the retailers.

While an average bricks and mortar store can expect returns in the single digits, online stores have return rates between 15% and 30%.

In 2019, a quarter of all fashion items bought online were returned, for in-store purchases that figure is less than 10%. In the US last year, retailers took back more than $100bn in online purchases.

Massive carbon footprint

There is a huge carbon footprint involved in returns that zip across countries but even starker than that is that fact that at least 10% of online returns are incinerated or end up in landfill.

The manpower, time, and cost of putting returned items back on sale is often too great for a company to spend and it is easier and more cost-effective (to them) to simply discard the returns.

Rebound Returns, a third-party reverse logistics company which deals with up to 40 million returns a year, saw its global volumes increase by 63% during the pandemic.

Free returns were initially seen as a way to entice customers new to online shopping but has become an industry norm that is crippling a lot of retailers.

It is often fed by the demand for immediacy that goes hand in hand with fast fashion. That need for newness right now is, some believe, a by-product of social media where were being constantly sold to.

Longford-born journalist and editor turned sustainability entrepreneur, Anne-Marie Tomchak believes that there is a social cost to the constant newness of fashion that we see on Instagram and TikTok.

Im personally of the view that the advertising model around social media is contributing to climate change because it has led to the acceleration of fast fashion. The algorithm is serving you.

We are used to an instantaneous world where were gratified straightaway.

I think there is a direct correlation between the ad model on social media and the rise of consumption, and consumerism.

I think the other thing we must remember is that anything that you get very cheaply, comes with a cost. Theres some kind of a social cost or environmental cost to that.

Its either been overproduced, and theres all this extra deadstock that needs to be shifted. Its not being produced in terms of supply and demand, its being produced to create extra demand so that that can be then supplied to or people have been exploited along the way.

It makes us very uncomfortable to think about these things. Its a bit of an uncomfortable reality, and I dont know if people are quite ready, or ever will be ready to really look into that mirror and see what that represents.

Tipperary based fashion designer Heidi Higgins agrees. She changed her business model just before the pandemic hit when she closed her physical store and moved her business entirely online.

Heidi Higgins: Changed her business model just before Covid hit.

She now operates on a made-to-order model where the item you purchase is made after the sale. It means that she is not left with stock at the end of a season and in fact doesnt need to adhere to the traditional fashion seasons at all. Its a model that is working well for her.

Her clients are happy to wait the two weeks it takes for a garment to be hand produced and know that theyre buying something unique, Irish and made to last.

Even when you see a T-shirt for just a few euro its like youre taking part in a criminal activity. You just know that its so wrong.

How can it be that its 5 for such something that you know has come all the way from China, you know something has happened somewhere along the chain that allows it to be sold for so little.

I think that the respect for the craft of making a garment has been lost. We all appreciate the art of making a good coffee these days and are happy to queue for it to be made in front of us with skill and this type of appreciation needs to be brought into fashion.

Fast fashion or not, a garment still needs to be cut and sewn together!

Its just the educational side of it for people. The more we all understand and start to change our spending habits the more the big brands will hopefully change. Im glad to be doing it my way and I know Im not going to change the world but Im very happy to do my part.

Another Irish designer doing her part is Faye Anna Rochford who owns the Wexford based FeRi label. As well as designing truly beautiful clothes, Faye is committed to creating them in a sustainable way.

She uses two types of fabric, hand printed organic fabrics produced in small quantities and dead stock and vintage fabrics.

Men work at a factory that recycles used clothes discarded in the Atacama desert.

Deadstock is fabric that hasnt been able to sell or is left over from a company who ordered too much or can even be pieces left over from cutting.

For Faye, sustainable fabrics and design models are important but not as much as changing the way that people buy.

I think that the content of fabric is obviously really important especially when you look at those photos from Chile and know that its 90% synthetic fabrics that are just going to take years and years to decompose.

"But the ultimate thing for me is that people start buying pieces that they really love.

"Clothing has become so cheap. I could double or triple my fabric orders and get my prices down but theyre never going to be really, really cheap and youre paying for more than the fabric.

People cant afford to buy 10 or 15 garments that are a couple of hundred euro but they can if theyre 5 or 10 and it all adds up.

Faye would like to see a change in how we see our clothes and who makes them.

A lot of the time people are just buying stuff that they think they need immediately without putting any kind of value on it.

In the past, we would have put deposits on pieces that we really loved, thought about them for weeks and then eventually gone in to buy them. But now its just buy, buy, buy.

She questions the value of free returns and only offers them on her own site if theres a fault and has had discussions with platforms where her clothes are sold about the ethics of offering them.

Im with a retail platform where they do free returns and Ive actually questioned them about it. They do worldwide delivery and theres a footprint to get pieces over and back from all over the world.

But as we approach Christmas and are asked to wear festive jumpers for charity initiatives or office drinks or Zooms how can we take part in a more sustainable way?

Hubbub suggests making your own using a sweatshirt or jumper you already have, you can check your local charity shops for ones that are new to you (and dont forget to donate your own pre-loved jumper).

Sustainable sources

Or you can buy from a sustainable source like All Things Fiona Lily in Donegal, a slow fashion brand that has gained a massive online following for their sustainable Christmas jumpers.

Fiona McIntyre buys deadstock from British and Irish websites to make her witty collections. She has saved over 10,000 units from landfill since she started her business.

And what about those desert dumps in Chile. Some entrepreneurs are trying to put the tonnes of textile waste to better use.

EcoFibra is using it to make thermal insulation panels, while Ecocitex is a social enterprise that recycles them into yarn and sells it through more than 250 women-led businesses across Chile.

There are steps in the right direction, but they are baby steps.

Christmas is a consumerist holiday but this year, before you buy from the high street, shop your own wardrobe or buy from an Irish business putting design, craft, and sustainability first.
Burma Junta Watch

The Myanmar Press Councils new members take oaths before coup leader Min Aung Hlaing (on stage) on Nov. 24 in Naypyitaw. / Cincds

This week, the Myanmar military regimes propaganda machine went into overdrive over the arrest of an ex-NLD lawmaker accused of planning attacks against the junta, even as coup leader Min Aung Hlaing was shunned from two more international summits. It also sentenced 21 young people to death and claimed to support the media despite its record of persecuting journalists, among its other activities.

Regime steps up propaganda after arrest of exNLD lawmaker

The military regime has intensified its smear campaign against the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), its legislative body the CRPH and its armed wing the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), following the arrest of former National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker U Phyo Zeya Thaw, who allegedly masterminded deadly attacks on regime targets in Yangon, along with dozens of civilian resistance fighters.

Terrorists from the CRPH, NUG and PDF terrorist groups are destroying schools, hospitals, government offices, public buildings, houses, roads and bridges, in addition to the brutal killings of Buddhist monks, teachers, civil servants and innocent civilians across the country, reported the junta-controlled English-language newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar in an issue from this week.

Other state-owned newspapers Myanma Alinn, Kyemon and military mouthpiece Myawady have been featuring daily updates on what they call the list of casualties caused by terrorist attacks. So far the list includes the names of some 240 people the regime says were teachers, Buddhist monks, ward administrators and clerks.

The newspapers also feature a separate list of some 500 education and health facilities and markets allegedly damaged by the PDF, and another list of some 400 roads and bridges, detailing when, where and how they were blown up. Yet another list published on Nov. 26 included the names of 26 state-owned banks and 41 private banks the regime claims were attacked with improvised explosives by PDF groups.

The headlines of the reports misleadingly state that the attacks occurred between Feb. 1 and late November, but the NUG and PDF were not even formed until some two-and-a-half months after the coup.

Coup leader shunned from China-ASEAN Summit, Asia-Europe Meeting

Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing was excluded from the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Nov. 25, marking the third time in two months he has been sidelined from an international summit.

Prior to ASEM, he was barred from attending the China-ASEAN Summit on Nov. 22 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He was also excluded from an ASEAN summit after he failed to implement the regional blocs five-point consensus.

China wanted to invite Min Aung Hlaing to the annual China-ASEAN summit but the regional grouping objected. His exclusion cost Min Aung Hlaing an opportunity to present his narrative of the military takeover to Chinese President Xi Jinping and other regional leaders, and, more importantly, an opportunity to claim legitimacy for his regime.

On the other hand, his absence saved state leaders from regional countries from having to listen to a lot of nonsense, thus enabling them to focus on other important issues. The regime said nothing about their leaders absence from the China-ASEAN Summit.



Junta files corruption charge against former investment minister

The military regime brought a corruption charge against U Thaung Tun, who served as minister of investment and foreign economic relations under the ousted civilian government, on Nov. 23, alleging that he rented government-owned land in Yangon to a company at below the market rate.

U Thaung Tun, who was also a national security adviser and chairman of the Myanmar Investment Commission, has been detained since the Feb. 1 coup. He served as Myanmars ambassador to Washington, Geneva, New York and Brussels under the former military regime.

Following the coup, the regime named U Aung Naing Oo as the new head of the Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Ministry. Coincidentally, the ex-military officer served as the ministrys permanent secretary under U Thaung Tun, under the ousted civilian government.

Regime convenes Security, Peace and Stability and Rule of Law Committee

State Administration Council (SAC) chairman Min Aung Hlaing chaired the sixth meeting of the Security, Peace and Stability and Rule of Law Committee on Nov. 23.

At a glance it seems the SAC just held a regular meeting on security affairs. But it is important to note that the meeting was held five days after the arrest of former National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker U Phyo Zeya Thaw.

Significantly, junta media only published a summary of the meeting; after other high-level meetings, they have reported every word uttered by the coup leader.

However, given the latest developments, there can be no doubt that the meeting discussed ways of stepping up the juntas fight against urban guerillas and PDF groups.

Young people accused of killing junta-appointed administrators sentenced to death

In an attempt to threaten potential opponents, junta tribunals on Nov. 23 sentenced to death 21 anti-coup activists who allegedly killed administrators and an alleged military informant in Yangons South Dagon Township and Dagon Seikkan Township, where the regime has imposed martial law.

In April, the regime handed its first death sentence since its February coup. Nineteen people18 men and a womanfrom Yangons North Okkalapa Township were given the death sentence for allegedly attacking two junta soldiers.

Junta leader claims to recognize Fourth Estate while oppressing media

Hypocritically, the junta leader, who has ordered bans on several independent media outlets and arrested dozens of journalists, said on Nov. 24 that he recognized the media as the Fourth Estate of the country, as the new members of the Myanmar Press Council took oaths before him.

Just one month after the coup, the regime revoked the publishing licenses of five media outlets. Some media agencies were raided and dozens of journalists were detained at their offices or homes or while covering anti-regime protests and some were charged with high treason and terrorism for doing their jobs.

Currently, some 50 journalists remain under detention with press freedom being increasingly restricted. The regime has reconstituted the Press Council since its coup. New chairman U Ohn Maung, a poet who goes by the pen name Myinmu Maung Naing Moe, is a former lieutenant colonel and won several national literature (poetry) awards under the previous military regimes. The new vice chair, U Myo Tun, a poet and writer going by the pen name Maung Sein Naung (Lewe), was formerly a captain at the Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare of the Defense Ministry. However, general readers are unlikely to have heard of these two so-called men of letters.

KNU organizes military training with NUG support, junta says

The regimes Myawady TV said on Nov. 25 that Myanmars oldest autonomy-seeking revolutionary group, the Karen National Union (KNU), had organized military training for civilian resistance forces with the support of the countrys shadow National Unity Government in areas under the groups control in the southern part of the country. Based on information extracted during interrogation of 20 people arrested for attacks on regime targets, it said the brigades 1,2,3,5 and 6 of the KNUs armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), offered the training, gave shelter to those evading arrest by the regime and supplied arms to groups engaged in urban guerrilla warfare in a number of cities and towns in the country. The KNU signed a peace deal with the government in 2015 but denounced this years coup and, following the militarys crackdowns on protesters, launched attacks on regime bases in the countrys south. The junta retaliated with air strikes, causing thousands of civilians to flee. The regimes official naming of the KNU as supporters of a civilian resistance movement against it may herald more attacks on the Karen armed groups in the near future, as the junta has been intensifying its crackdowns on the civilian resistance.



You may also like these stories:

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In Another Snub, Myanmar Junta Barred From Asia-Europe Meeting
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
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Central African Republics livestock minister, a former rebel chief detained for war crimes and crimes against humanity, was on Friday freed from jail by gendarmes.

The Special Criminal Court in the capital Bangui, which tries rights cases, denounced what it called an interference with justice.

Bouba Ali Hassan, arrested at his office last Friday was due to appear before judges but the unit handling his transfer was prevented from going to his place of detention, the court said.

He was then escorted by the national police to his house, it added.

The court said it was an attack on the independence of the judiciary and sought the backing of the government in the execution of its orders.

The Central African Republic, the second least developed country in the world according to UN rankings, was plunged into a bloody civil war after a coup in 2013.

Before he entered politics in 2017, Hassan was number two in an armed group called the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC).

American NGO the Sentry has said Bouba and UPC leader Ali Darassa were directly responsible for a November 2018 attack on a displacement camp that killed 112 villagers, including 19 children.

The Special Criminal Court accused him of war crimes and crimes against humanity through murders, inhumane acts and cruel treatment like torture.

At the time of the 2018 attack, Hassan was special adviser to President Faustin Archange Touadera, who came to power in 2016 and whose government had started integrating rebel figures in a bid to divide the opposition.

The conflict has calmed over the past three years, although large swathes of territory remain outside central government control.

The UPC expelled Hassan in January 2021, as the rebel group temporarily joined a new rebel coalition against Touadera.
In "Now, We Are Breaking Up" episode 5, Yoon Jae Guk (Jang Ki Yong) wants to break up with Ha Young Eun (Song Hye Kyo) from the memories they had 10 years ago to start a new chapter of their fateful relationship.

Hwang Chi Hyung Shows Off His Protective Side Towards Ha Young Eun

As Ha Young Eun continued to improve her brand, she also got new problems along the way. She needs Hwang Chi Sook's (Choi Hee Seo) approval for the smooth process of her ongoing project. But since Chi Sook is not on good terms with her, the female designer has to do everything on her own.

Hwang Chi Hyung (Oh Sehun) officially began working closely with Ha Young Eun. He is very supportive of her noona and wants nothing but the best for her career.

definitely in need of more hwang chihyung and yoon jaeguk interaction bcs they're just sooooo #NowWeAreBreakingUp #NowWeAreBreakingUpEp5 pic.twitter.com/6bImbKNeEv  liy  (@kimyoungdaes) November 26, 2021

When he saw that Young Eun was talking to Yoon Jae Guk, Chi Hyung immediately warned the male photographer and asked to distance himself from his noona. The newbie shows off his protective side towards his boss and longtime friend. On the other hand, Jae Guk finds it funny to be threatened by a young guy like Hwang Chi Hyung.

Yoon Jae Guk Rejects Hwang Chi Sook's Feelings for Him

Hwang Chi Sook booked Mr.J to collaborate for their next magazine event. She thought it would also be a great opportunity to make it up with him and ask the male photographer to start seeing each other as future romantic partners. But she ended up being rejected after she knew that Yoon Jae Guk already had feelings for someone, and worst it was her friend, Ha Young Eun. Meanwhile, Seok Do Hoon (Kim Ju Hun) accompanied the female director and listened to her rants of being dumped by Yoon Jae Guk. The two started to establish a good friendship due to their unexpected encounters in life.

Jeon Mi Sook Discovers Her Illness and Tries to Hide From Her Loved Ones

Keeping in mind that she was pregnant, Jeon Mi Sook (Park Hyo Joo) went for a check-up but was surprised to discover that she had pancreatic cancer. Instead of sharing the sad news with Ha Young Eun, she invited her out and went out shopping to release her stress. Little did she know that her husband was already having a secret affair with one of his officemates.

Hwang Chi Hyung Gets Suspicious of Jung So Young

While checking some of the materials inside the stockroom, Hwang Chi Hyung overheard Oh In Ah (Song Yoo Hyun) commanding Jung So Young (Ha Young) to steal the latest fashion sketches of Ha Young Eun.

When Chihyung said this to Soyoung.... omo



Is there a reason i cant stay? Do i make you uncomfortable...All right. Ill be off then.



SEHUN IN NWABU EP5#__#NowWeAreBreakingUpEp5 pic.twitter.com/Kwp9ZzqefE    (@wushixunme) November 26, 2021

Hwang Chi Hyung found it interesting and immediately told Ha Young Eun about it. On the other hand, the female designer tries to be careful of So Young since she is still a newbie. Instead of confronting her, Young Eun gave her some words of wisdom to uplift her confidence in making good-quality clothes.

youngeuns words are so empowering and comforting. she really is an example of a good leader with a great mindset. we need more leaders like u ms. ha  #NowWeAreBreakingUp #NowWeAreBreakingUpEp5 pic.twitter.com/aXjbCfv0dl   (@kyoilys) November 26, 2021

For Hwang Chi Hyung, his noona was being too considerate towards Jung So Young, so he still keeps his eyes on the newbie in Ha Young Eun's team.

Ha Young Eun Hears Yoon Jae Guk's Love Confession

When he knew that Ha Young Eun was concerned about him, Yoon Jae Guk began to show off his playful side towards her. After saving Young Eun's father in a fraud, the female designer started to exhibit her authentic self to the male photographer.

While they were about to part ways, Yoon Jae Guk couldn't hold his emotions and confessed his true feelings towards Ha Young Eun. He also admitted that he was the man behind the photo that the female designer had been keeping for a long time.

After hearing all of Yoon Jae Guk's words, Young Eun became emotional and tried to hold back her tears, still calming herself and thinking of how to accept Jae Guk's love confession for her.

Have you watched more of Sehun's screen appearances in "Now, We Are Breaking Up" episode 5? How was it so far? Share your comments with us!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins.
From friendships, young love and the journey towards bidding goodbye to our youth, one of Kdrama staples is the coming-of-age story that would make every viewer reminisce about their past.

These genres tend to focus on the challenges of adulting and dealing with first love or budding romances.

However, it's not always rainbows and butterflies since youth dramas also highlight issues like bullying, social pressure and more.

Just when you want to take a trip down memory lane, here are the iconic coming-of-age Kdramas that deserve a rewatch or even a binge this week.

Reply 1988

Probably one of the all-time favorite coming-of-age Kdramas is the "Reply 1988."

Released in 2015, "Reply 1988" stars Park Bo Gum, Lee Dong Hwi, Go Kyung Pyo and real-life couple Lee Hyeri and Ryu Jun Yeol.

The series depicts the story of five best friends who live in the same neighborhood called Ssangmundong. Set in the late 1980s, it highlights their journey while trying to survive the challenging teen years as they figure out what they want for their future.

School 2021

Another classic with multiple seasons is "School 2021."

South Korea's rising stars WEi's Kim Yo Han, Choo Young Woo, Kim Kang Min, Hwang Bo Reum Byeol and "Hospital Playlist" actress Jo Yi Hyun are the lead stars for the latest season.

The eighth installment for the long-running "School" series follows the journey of high school students who want to follow their dreams instead of what their parents dictated.

This coming-of-age Kdrama features the journey of a group of students towards friendships, growth and budding romance.

"School 2021" recently premiered on November 17, airing every Wednesday and Thursday on KBS and Viki.

Dream High

One of the beloved Kdramas with the coming-of-age genre is "Dream High."

The rom-com musical stars Bae Suzy, Kim Soo Hyun, Ok Taecyeon, IU and more as they play the character of six art high school students.

Despite growing up in different walks of life, the students were united with one goal: to become music stars. The Kdrama features rivalry, sacrifices, tests of friendship and struggles to reach their dreams.

Itaewon Class

Park Saeroyi, played by Park Seo Joon, was kicked out of school for punching a bully.

After his life was turned around because of the incident, he planned to take his revenge by destroying the conglomerate owned by the evil CEO Jang Dae Hee, portrayed by Yoo Jae Myung.

He then followed his father's footsteps and started a pub named "DanBam" in Itaewon. Park Saeroyi, alongside his staff, aims to reach greater heights as a budding entrepreneur.

The Heirs

The 2013 Kdrama "The Heirs" stars Lee Min Ho as the chaebol's son Kim Tan who returns to Korea after being exiled in the United States.

Apart from his story, "The Heirs" also highlights the extravagant lifestyle of Seoul's third-generation chaebol that touches on sibling rivalry, family politics and more.

Apart from Lee Min Ho, "The Heir" cast also includes Kim Woo Bin, Park Shin Hye, and Kim Ji Won.

KDramastars owns this article

Geca Wills wrote this
Fans' hearts broke when actor Seo Kang Joon announced his military enlistment. The actor gave comfort, laughter, and happiness to the viewers with his presence and amazing acting abilities, which will all be missed for a long time.

Do you miss Seo Kang Joo, too? We got you covered! While waiting for his military discharge, here are his best K-Dramas to binge-watch while waiting for his return!

'The Third Charm'

Seo Kang Joon boasted his undeniable chemistry with Esom as the two of them decorated the small screen with the romance-drama "The Third Charm."

In the drama, Seo Kang Joon played the role of Oh Joon Young, opposite Esom, who played his partner, Lee Young Jae. The series showed how the two met, fell in love, and went through obstacles after having been together for over 12 long years.

The drama is such a delight to watch as it is lovely to see young people fall in love and grow together.

'Are You Human, Too?'

In "Are You Human, Too?" Seo Kang Joon transformed into an heir to a prestigious and wealthy family. However, he falls into a coma after an unexpected accident.

Nam Shin's mother then creates a robot that looks exactly like him, which her mother named Nam Shin Ill. The robot learns human nuances, mannerisms and acts instead of Nam Shin, who was in deep slumber.

Seo Kang Joon received praise and critical acclaim for his amazing portrayal for the role of the good-looking robot.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Seo Kang Joon Reveals Honest Thoughts on His Mandatory Military Enlistment Through Live Broadcast

Despite its unconventional storyline, Seo Kang Joon and Gong Seung Yeon's chemistry in the drama was enjoyable to watch. Not only that, the gradual progress of a robot falling in love with a human is one of the must watch factors in the series.

'Watcher'

Seo Kang Joon is such a versatile actor! In the crime mystery investigative drama "Watcher," he became part of an investigation team where they exposed the rampant corruption within the police.

"Watcher" showcased Seo Kang Joon's charismatic, rough and darker side that made everyone swoon.

Apart from his brilliant performance in the drama, the mystery and investigation in the drama will surely hook everyone's interests, especially if mystery and crime are the viewers' favorite genres.

'I'll Go to You When the Weather is Nice'

Want a comforting drama while waiting for Seo Kang Joon's return? Here's "I'll Go to You When the Weather is Nice!"

The romance melodrama follows the story of Mok Hae Won, played by timeless beauty Park Min Young, who leaves Seoul and moves to the countryside with her aunt and her old high school friend Im Eun Seob, played by Seo Kang Joon.

Unbeknownst to Hae Won, Eun Seob has been deeply in love with her ever since the beginning. As the two reunite, they become closer, get to know each other better, and finally fall in love.

Seo Kang Joon's ability to resonate with the viewers and make them believe in love again with his leading lady will surely pique everyone's attention.

In particular, the actor's gentle smiles and soft gazes will definitely tickle everyone's hearts!

Follow KDramaStars for more KMovie, KDrama, and celebrity updates!



KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
For his family's first experience with a traditional Thanksgiving meal, Wahidullah Asghary had to explain to his children what turkey is: "I said, 'turkey is like a big chicken.'"

Asghary, a former translator and interpreter for the U.S. Military in Afghanistan, came to the United States on a special immigrant visa in September 2020. He brought his four children, who tried to learn English while enrolled in what was then all-virtual school at the time. His wife joined them five months later.

Thursday was the first time they had been invited by an American household to experience a Thanksgiving meal.

"Every homeland, every nation, every people, every person, they have got a culture or tradition, right? So it is our first time, and now we want to learn a little bit about what this is, really," Asghary said.

Their host, Kiki Nagy, volunteers for Miry's List, a Southern California-based group that helps refugee families settle in the U.S. In August, during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Miry's List enrolled more than 20 refugee families, about five times the number of families compared to the month before. Next year, the organization is working to prepare to help more than 300 families settle in Southern California.

Nagy had asked the organization's founder, Miry Whitehill, if she could host an Afghan family for their first Thanksgiving. She was connected with the Asgharys, whom she had never met until the day of the feast.

Nagy made a big turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes and spinach. But she also prepared a halal lamb to make sure the Asghary family could have something familiar to eat. Asghary said his daughter, especially, liked all the food.

Nagy was eager to not only introduce them to Thanksgiving dishes, but to also show them the tradition of giving thanks.

"From the right and the left, everyone is kind of like, 'America has got problems -- x, y, z," Nagy said. "In the midst of this conflicting cultural moment, this narrative of division that we hear so much about, that there is something essential to the American experience that is rooted in gratitude, that is rooted in the volunteerism that you leave your country, you leave a situation and you come here with sometimes very little -- sometimes with nothing. And you start over. And you create this opportunity for your family."

Asghary said they have much to be thankful for: "We may have more opportunities in our life in our hands. So of course the foremost example is this, that we are together. Family."

He said they're lucky his wife was able to join them before so many others tried to make a chaotic exit in August during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The image of the many families trying to escape Afghanistan in August especially resonated with another guest at the same Thanksgiving party, Tam Van Tran.

Tran, a friend of Nagy's, was a refugee from Vietnam in 1975. Tran told CNN he and his siblings arrived in the U.S. one week before the fall of Saigon.

"When I saw the photo of the Afghans and the cargo plane, it reminded me very much of just -- I was in the same, but it was a gigantic cargo ship," Tran said.

When Tran came to California, he was about the same age as Asghary's oldest children. He said he and his siblings escaped initially without their parents, so they were welcomed in the home of Richard and Rejean Schulte, a foster family in Mountain View, California.

He said he could offer the Asgharys a warm welcome: "Brotherhood and camaraderie. In a sense, you know...I went through that experience in '75."

Like at many holiday gatherings across the country, several people at the table were at one point new to the country and had to learn American traditions. And many of them worked to seize the opportunity available in their new home country.

Asghary said he tells his children, "We are here for you, the United States is here for you, and everything you have got in your hand. What are you going to do is you have to study. That's it."

Nagy hopes one of their first lessons would be from their first Thanksgiving: "To see that that kind of tolerance is really possible in the United States and, um, I guess I would want them to feel, I would appreciate, that Americans are at heart, really a generous people."

The-CNN-Wire

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By Kaitlan Collins, CNN

(CNN) -- President Joe Biden announced Friday the US will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries starting Monday as a new coronavirus variant has emerged.

Acting on advice from the nation's top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Biden administration will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

The decision to restrict travel comes as the federal government is still attempting to learn more about the new variant, named Omicron. They need to see more sequencing, but after discussing what they've seen so far, officials decided to halt travel from these other countries out of concern about what they don't yet know.

Biden was briefed Friday on the new coronavirus variant circulating in southern Africa, he said in the announcement.

He told reporters later Friday of the decision: "I've decided we're going to be cautious."

"We don't know a lot about the variant except that it is a big concern and seems to spread rapidly, and I spent about a half hour this morning with my Covid team led by Dr. Fauci, so that was the decision we made," the President said.

Officials said the policy was implemented out of an abundance of caution given the World Health Organization has now identified this as a variant of concern.

"Our scientists and public health officials are working quickly to learn more about this variant," one official said.

A senior Biden administration official said several steps have to be taken before the restrictions begin on Monday, including a formal US proclamation, Transportation Security Administration directives and coordination with airlines.

"This is a quick timeline but there are things that need to be done beforehand," the official said.

An airline source told CNN that airline executives and the White House were in touch Friday, prior to the announcement of new travel restrictions.

Another source familiar with the situation said there was a call Friday afternoon with the federal government and the airline industry. The federal government is working on drafting an official directive that will include guidelines for airlines that go into effect just after midnight Monday morning.

South Africa's health minister announced Thursday the discovery of the variant, which appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of the country.

Buying time

The travel restrictions will buy the US federal government more time to investigate the new variant, officials say -- but not much.

Inside the government, it is seen as inevitable that the new variant will appear in the US at some point, but the new restrictions should give federal health agencies and their global counterparts more time to learn about the variant, including the severity of the disease it causes. Officials do not believe, based on current thinking, that the variant is in the US yet.

Officials acted quickly to implement new restrictions. While the emergency of the variant had been flagged in the last several weeks, it was only in recent days that they learned how serious it was.

US officials are expected to speak to scientists in South Africa again, potentially on Sunday.

Currently, "there's no indication" that the new variant is in the United States right now -- and US scientists are working closely with colleagues in South Africa to learn more about the emerging variant, Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN's Brianna Keilar before the travel restrictions were announced Friday.

"Right now, we're getting the material together with our South African colleagues to get a situation where you could actually directly test it. So, right now you're talking about sort of like a red flag that this might be an issue -- but we don't know," he said.

"You want to find out if in fact it does evade the vaccines that we're doing," Fauci said when asked about potential travel restrictions. "You're prepared to do everything you need to do to protect the American public, but you want to make sure there's a basis for doing that."

Several other countries -- including the United Kingdom -- have banned flights from South Africa and surrounding African countries in response to the emergence of the variant.

The travel restrictions do not apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents. As with all international travelers, they must still test negative prior to travel.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Officials in Maryland's Montgomery County say Charles Moose, who was Portland's first Black police chief and later known for his role in the Washington, D.C., sniper attacks, died Thursday at the age of 68 in his home.

In 1999 Moose become the chief for Montgomery County in Maryland, where he served until 2003. He gained national fame in 2002, when he served as the public face of a multi-agency task force during weeks of random shootings in the district, Maryland and Virginia. Ten people were killed.

John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were later convicted.
TACOMA, Wash. -- Authorities say shots were fired near a food court at a shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington.

Pierce County Sheriffs Sgt. Darren Moss said at least one person was struck and injured at the Tacoma Mall.

People called 911 just after 7 p.m. Friday to say multiple shots were fired.

The Tacoma Police said the victim was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Hundreds of shoppers sheltered in place or hid inside stores, which immediately went into lock-down.

More than 60 law enforcement officers from Tacoma, Pierce County, Lakewood and other agencies went to the scene.

No suspects were in custody. The Tacoma Mall is the citys largest shopping mall, with more than 100 stores.
SALEM, Ore. -- An Oregon Department of Corrections adult in custody, Roberto Ruiz, died Friday morning, November 26, 2021. Ruiz was incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary and passed at the facility.

As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Ruiz entered DOC custody on October 5, 2021, from Jackson County with a potential release date of September 11, 2023.

Ruiz was 31 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously and the agency is responsible for the care and custody of 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 13 institutions across the state.

While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

OSP is a multi-custody prison located in Salem that houses approximately 2,000 adults in custody.

The facility has multiple special housing units including disciplinary segregation, behavioral health, intermediate care housing, and an infirmary with 24-hour nursing care.
Sunny skies and a temperature of 10C made for a pleasant walk Friday along Peachland's Ray Gondola Pier. While heavy rain is predicted again for the Lower Mainland this weekend, only showers are in the forecast for the Valley.
A new book on Nixie Boran, freedom fighter, social revolutionary and miners leader, will be launched in Moneenroe Hall on December 4 at 7.30pm.

Written by his daughter, Anne Boran, it explores his life from 1903 to 1971, a time that encompassed Irelands independence but also conflicts about what independence meant for the mass of working people.

Nixie was born in Massford, Castlecomer, almost the centre point of the Castlecomer Coalfield, at a time when the estate lands of the Wandesfordes were being divided among small farmers. The collieries, however, remained in Wandesfordes hands, and the coalfield was the local context in which post-independence battles for a share of Irelands future were played out.

Nixie was a miner and then a Republican freedom fighter during the Civil War. He was threatened with execution and endured life on the run before returning to his roots in mining. These experiences exposed the tensions inherent in notions of liberty and converted Nixie to socialism as the path to workers real freedom.

In the 1930s Nixie and the miners challenged the powerful - the mine owner, the Free State and the Church - to give them the social freedoms and conditions they deserved. They took the radical stance of forming a Communist trade union in the heart of rural, Catholic Ireland and suffered the consequences - a divided community, expulsion from the Church and an uphill battle for their rights.

Learning from failure and joining the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (IT&GWU), they never gave up until they got decent conditions of work and pay.

Nixie was at the heart of this struggle and became a respected member of the community as well as an influential figure in the national labour movement.

Annes book, with its fascinating illustrations and many new sources, is a gripping and moving exploration of a remarkable man and his times.
Last week, 200,000 vaccines were administrated, 630,000 boosters distributed, and 76,000 third doses for those who are immune-compromised, according to HSE chief Paul Reid.

Starting from next week, the medically vulnerable group will start to receive appointments from this weekend which equates to more than 470,000 people.

Over 50's will begin getting their booster vaccine from mid-December.

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, the HSE chief said they are working across the different groups and cohorts recommended by NIAC and long-term care facilities.

He said 85% of over 80's were complete, 2/3 of 70-79 complete, and 60-69s are advancing quickly as more people are becoming eligible.

More than 60% of Healthcare workers have received their third dose of the vaccine, according to Mr. Reid.

He said the model is parallel working through agreed groups that have come based on eligibility with a combination of appointment-driven vaccination centres and specific centres offering walk-in facilities at specific times for those who are eligible.

Mr. Reid said they hope to focus on 60-69-year-olds and healthcare workers at the walk-in vaccination clinics.

"If you are in that age bracket, and if you are 5 months from your second vaccine you are eligible." he said.

The HSE welcomes the decision by the EMA on vaccines for children and it is under consideration by NIAC, and will be a decision for government recommendation.

"From our perspective, we are not waiting on that, we are working on the delivery schedule from the suppliers of the vaccine, and all indications are it will be the end of December."

The HSE chief hopes to set up a process that engages with parents on their view on what would be important for them when bringing children for a vaccine and hopes to ensure it will be a 'safe and pleasant enviroment'

He said they will look at all options for the delivery of a vaccine to children, and to set it up in an 'efficient' way when clearance is given to rolling out the vaccine.

Paul Reid said he understands the frustration felt about the delay of PCR testing and he has been communicating on behalf of the HSE to 'explain the reality of the situation'.

15,000 tests in the community per day were scaled up to 20,000 and in the last week, it has reached 26,000 PCR tests in the community.

"We are having high positivity rates of transmission levels in the community between 15-19%.

"It is not infinite the resources we can put into this, we are prioritising those clinically referred through GP clinical practice and symptomatic close contacts." added Mr. Reid.

The HSE chief advised everyone to isolate if symptomatic and it is key to continue to isolate 48 hours after your symptoms desolate.
In 2012 Kilkenny Families in the Great War was launched in Kilkenny. The book documented the careers of nearly 3,000 men and women of Kilkenny city and county who were involved in the war to end all wars.

It had taken the authors 17 years to do the research. No other Irish county has such an easily accessible record under one cover. Partly as a result two Great War memorials now exist in the city. One in the Peace Park lists all those who died in battle while the second at McDonagh Junction lists all the known participants. Every few years yet another name or two is added to both memorials.

On November 11 last during the commemoration service in the Peace Park, Kilkenny Voices from the Western Front, edited by the same authors, Niall Brannigan and John Kirwan was launched. Nialls grandfather Lt Col Joseph Brannigan, a County Monaghan man served all his working life in the Irish army retiring in 1958 or 1959. His grandmother was Nellie Kirwan, my fathers oldest sister.

Here we have three primary documents written by three native born Kilkenny men, one of whom did not survive the war. Of the two survivors only one managed to live out his life in his native place. The book opens with an overview of the three mens lives. Private Anthony Brennan was from the High Street, area of the city. His widowed mother had a boarding house and newsagents business between what is now Walls Mens shop and the Harp Bar.



Pte Anthony Brennan from the High Street, Kilkenny

Tony as he was known was just sixteen years of age when without his mothers permission he enlisted. Mrs Brennan subsequently protested at the enlistment of her teenage son through her local MP. The matter was raised by the same MP in the House of Commons and assurances were given to Mrs Brennan by the War Office that her young son would not see active service at the Front until he had reached his 18th birthday.

Within a year of his enlistment Tony saw active service again the Germans in France. So much for the promises of the War Office. After the war he returned briefly to Kilkenny city where he participated for a time on a training course for veterans run at Talbots Inch by Ellen, Lady Desart.

Subsequently he emigrated to the London area where he got a job in the English civil service which he served for the rest of his working life, dying in the late 1960s. He wrote his memoir many years after the fighting had ceased. A copy of the memoir was presented to the Imperial War Museum by his second wife who survived him.

His two brothers also saw active service at the Front. One died during the war whole the other brother died from wounds received in action.

Both brothers joined the Australian armed forces as they had emigrated there before the war. Neither son left family.

The second man of the Kilkenny trio was the Rev. Edward Ned Dowling who after the war was always known as the Colonel by his clerical colleagues in Ossory. Ned Dowling, whose diary is the second document, was the son of two Slieverue National School teachers.

At the time war broke out in August 1914 he was on the teaching staff at St Kierans College. Against the wishes of his superior, Bishop Abraham Brownrigg he volunteered to serve as a Roman Catholic chaplain in the British army. The British army at the time was desperately short of Catholic chaplains.

His diary was kept for the early part of his service. It was a document never meant to see the light of day as he left instructions at his death that all his papers were to be destroyed. By chance this diary was overlooked and was found many years after the Colonels death by Archdeacon Sean O Doherty, who was then serving as curate in Ballycallan.



Rev Edward Dowling from Slieverue and St Kieran's College, Kilkenny

Archdeacon O Doherty has since returned the diary to the family of the former army chaplain who still live in Slieverue. The family also retain other relics of their kinsman notably his communion cup and paten.

Lt Christopher Prior-Wandesforde is the author of the third document presented in this book. This document is, in fact, a whole series of letters which he wrote to his parents and siblings at Castlecomer House, Castlecomer from 1915 until his death in June 1917, from the effects of poisonous gas, aged just 20.

After their sons death his parents carefully annotated the letters and preserved them in the family archive. It includes the last letter written by Christopher to his mother which arrived a few days after the family received the dreaded telegram from the War Office notifying them of their sons death.

His mother was in the act of writing to Christopher when the telegram arrived. This letter too survives in the collection. Geoffrey and Peter Prior-Wandesforde with the active encouragement of their first cousin Desmond Townshend, all nephews of Christopher, presented the collection to Kilkenny Archives Ltd, some years back. They have been fully catalogued and are open for inspection by appointment with Kilkenny Archives.

Incidentally this was not the first archival gift to the nations archival collections by the Prior-Wandesforde family. Earlier they had gifted the entire Castlecomer Estate Archive to the National Library of Ireland, a huge gift. The collection has been fully catalogued too.

Tony Brennan, Ned Dowling and Christopher Prior-Wandesfordes writings are rare enough Irish Great War primary sources. The documents give us some hint of what the Irish men and women who served during the Great War endured for over four years.

Brennans and Dowlings documents also tell is something of their subsequent lives. Brennan became a successful English civil servant while Dowling returned to his priestly duties in Ossory. It is clear that Bishop Brownrigg was not a forgiving man, nor indeed the latters successor, Bishop Patrick Collier. Dowling it is clear from his account always felt they did him no favours. It is clear that he often felt lonely and cut off from mainstream Irish life in the new state.

Indeed, such was the lot of many a returned soldier.

Some who were actively involved in the fight for Irish freedom did manage to find an honoured place for themselves in the Free State and subsequent republic.

AVAILABLE

Only 300 copies of this book are available for circulation through the local bookshops.
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A St. Louis police officer is grateful to be back celebrating a Thanksgiving tradition after a lengthy battle with COVID-19. Motorcycle Officer Dave Tenorio helps lead many of the city's parades. Last year he was forced to watch the Thanksgiving Parade from the sidelines.








By Anna J. Park







With the government sending out demands for real estate tax payments a week ago, those subject to them have begun expressing severe discontent at the sudden increase in their tax burden. Calling the Moon administration's tax "punitive," some property owners are even attempting to form a resistance movement.







The comprehensive real estate tax is levied upon those who own one home with a market price over 1.6 billion won ($1.35 million), or those who own multiple homes with each being worth more than 600 million won. The scheme, which some call "a tax on the rich," was introduced in 2005 to discourage property speculation.







The reason behind the massive outcry from property owners is that the burden from the tax has escalated substantially, with the country experiencing soaring housing prices during recent years and the government also greatly increasing the rate in 2021.







Some 5.7 trillion won has been levied on 947,000 homeowners in comprehensive real estate tax this year; and compared to 2020, the number subject to it has increased 42 percent, while the total tax revenue has jumped a whopping 216 percent.







A civic organization is currently collecting plaintiffs to file a joint case with the Constitutional Court. The group  Solidarity of Citizens for Filing Constitutional Court Case against the Comprehensive Real Estate Tax  said over 2,000 people had expressed their intention to participate in the lawsuit since it started receiving applicants a week ago.







"Not only Seoul residents but also people from regional cities are joining the group. The comprehensive real estate tax is an unparalleled tax mistake, because it violates the principle of horizontal equity in taxation by levying a punitive tax on owners of more than one home," said Lee Jae-man, a former tax official who heads the group.







"The tax also violates the Constitution as it is considered double taxation, given that property taxes are already imposed on people's homes."







According to a recent poll by Realmeter, 53.3 percent of respondents said they support changing the current comprehensive real estate tax. Mostly people in their 30s and over 60 showed support for the change, reflecting those age groups' particularly sensitive toward the government's real estate policies.







Politicians are also speaking out on the matter. The main opposition People Power Party's outspoken lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo  a major contender in the party's presidential primaries  argued that the tax was double taxation that violates the Constitution.







"A single item should be taxed once, but the government is imposing two different taxes homeowners  property tax and comprehensive real estate tax  which makes it double taxation," Hong wrote on Facebook. "The comprehensive real estate tax is not so much a tax as plunder."











Responding to the criticism, the Ministry of Economy and Finance explained that the tax on real estate was not that high compared to other countries. According to a ministry press release distributed in April, Korea's real estate tax rate was 0.16 percent  based on real estate holding taxes divided by property value. The comparable rate in the U.S. stands at 0.9 percent, followed by Canada at 0.87 percent, the U.K. at 0.77 percent and France at 0.55 percent.







"It is difficult to say that Korea's tax burden on owning real estate is excessive. The ministry will continue to bring about equity in taxation through justifiable and appropriate application," it said.







The ministry also defended itself against the double taxation accusation, saying the property tax and the comprehensive real estate tax were not double taxation, as repetitive items are exempted in determining them. The ministry also argued that the real estate tax contributes to lessening unequal regional development, as the money collected is redistributed to local governments.







However, experts view the ministry's explanation as inadequate and misleading. They point out that the government's comparison with eight OECD countries in terms of real estate taxation was inappropriate, as the data is from 2018 and does not reflect the sudden increases of both tax rates that took effect this year as well as the soaring housing prices in recent years.







"A simple comparison with other countries isn't enough. It is excessive for the amount of real estate tax to be tripled in just one year," University of Seoul professor Kim Woo-cheol said.







"The tax burden compared to housing prices alone might be lower than the OECD average, but when compared to taxpayers' income levels, it is closer to the OECD average. Thus it is difficult to simplify the matter."







Some experts also argue that the increased tax burden will trickle down to tenants, thus even renters will be affected by the tax.


By Kang Seung-woo



The inaugural Korea-Pacific SDG Forum, a framework of discussing various issues ranging from trade, culture, tourism and human resource development between Korea and Pacific islands, will be held next month in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.



The forum, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled for Dec. 8, to be held in an online-offline hybrid format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.





It comes after Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his 14 counterparts from island nations in the Pacific Ocean held a videoconference, Nov. 16, where they agreed to elevate the dialogue mechanism between the two sides to summit level and to shorten the host cycle of the ministerial meetings from three to two years as part of efforts to enhance their collaboration.



The forum will feature various lectures, attractions and creative attempts to be presented under the three themes of trade economy, cultural tourism and capacity-building between Korea and Pacific nations. In addition, the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) and Yeosu plan to sign an agreement to cooperate for the successful hosting of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo.



Starting with a presentation on sharing the industry topography and alternatives in the post-pandemic era, Oh Sinan Ozturk, chairman of the Global Business Alliance, a business platform operating company, will introduce opportunities for business creation through exchanges between Korea and Pacific nations. Catherine Germier-Hamel, CEO of Destination Mekong, will also present a method of developing a tourism program that leads to regional economic revitalization. The Agricultural Policy Insurance and Finance Service, which supports companies looking for new business channels in the agricultural, livestock and fishery industries, will also participate.



The event will also hold a talk show about sustainable island travel, which the organizer believes will help pass on know-how of building and exchanging collective intelligence between scholars and undergraduate students, while K Smart Korea will share cases of Korean smart farm applications in Cambodia and Vietnam and introduce measures applicable to Pacific islands in a lecture exclusively available for overseas participants.



There will also be exhibitions of bright and unique items made by locals in Pacific island countries, including Fiji and Samoa.



Anyone from local governments, graduate and undergraduate students, companies and scholars interested in business opportunities with and learning about countries in the Pacific Ocean can participate online. Those who cannot be present at the forum will be able to watch recordings through the SPTO's YouTube channel made available after the event.


Johannesburg, Nov 27 (PTI) South Africa on Saturday said it was being "punished" for its advanced ability to detect new COVID-19 variants early, as several countries imposed travel ban on it due to the new potentially highly-transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant, first detected here.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in a statement urged world leaders not to implement knee-jerk policy decisions in response to the detection of the Omicron variant.

Also Read | Pakistan Using Drones to Drop Explosives, Indian Drones Meant to Serve Humanity, Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

The latest round of travel bans is "akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker. Excellent science should be applauded and not punished, it said.

DIRCO pointed out that new variants had been detected in other countries as well and "each of those cases had no recent links with Southern Africa".

Also Read | Pakistan Shuts Wine Stores in Balochistans Gwadar Amid Protests Against CPEC.

However, "the reaction to those countries is starkly different to cases in Southern Africa," it said.

DIRCO said its officials are in discussion with the countries that have banned travel to and from South Africa to dissuade them from continuing the restrictions.

Foreign minister Naledi Pandor also slammed the UK and other countries for their move to impose travel ban on South Africa.

Whilst we respect the right of all countries to take necessary precautionary measures to protect their citizens, we need to remember that this pandemic requires collaboration and sharing of expertise, she said.

Our immediate concern is the damage that these restrictions are causing to families, the travel and tourism industries and businesses, Pandor added.

Along with South Africa, its neighbouring states -- Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia and Angola -- have also been slapped with travel bans, crippling their economies which are largely reliant on tourism.

Earlier, Health Minister Joe Phaahla has termed the travel bans on South Africa as draconian and misdirected.

The new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which named it Omicron.

A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants.

Countries around the world are currently racing to introduce travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain Omicron's spread.

European countries along with the UK have banned travel to and from South Africa and neighbouring countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), both of which are landlocked within South Africa.

Other countries include Mauritius, Israel, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the US, Canada and the Netherlands.

Many other countries followed suit, most of them indicating that only their own citizens would be allowed back, subject to a quarantine period.

In New Delhi, the Indian government asked all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, where the new variant has been detected.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
For many Californians, the riots were more than a momentary blip on the screen--they were a flash point for lasting and fundamental changes in their lives. The devastation left a legacy of broken dreams for many, awakened a sense of social justice in some, unleashed anger and hatred in others, and rekindled a spirit of hope among others. Six months after the riots, Times reporters visited some of the people and places touched by the extraordinary events of last spring and on these pages we tell their stories.

Art Washington still cant get over what happened to him in the weeks after the riots--how he, the son of a Mississippi sharecropper, became a national hero.

Its changed my whole attitude about people, he says. Especially white people. I was real negative about white people because it seemed all my life they were trying to keep me down.

Washington marched out of obscurity on the second day of the riots.

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Waving a hammer and yelling in a hysterical, sobbing voice that bespoke a lifetime of hard work and hard times, he charged at a crowd of people who had looted his store and others in a mini-mall at Western Avenue and 20th Street near the Santa Monica Freeway.

He was frightened and frantic. He had watched police push the mob to the opposite side of 20th Street, but the looters were still throwing rocks and pieces of glass. When he could stand the tension no longer, he charged into the street, begging the looters to back off:

Its not RIGHT what youre doing!

I came from the ghetto too!

Why destroy MY business?

I tried to make it!

Cant yall SEE it?

The scene of anguish--one of the most emotional moments recorded during the riots--was broadcast on a network TV news program while the city was burning. In the next few weeks, hundreds of people from all corners of the country wrote Washington impassioned letters of support and sent tens of thousands of dollars.

A Hollywood producer telephoned from France and sent Washington a contribution to rebuild his business. A Costa Mesa businessman replaced his two stolen computers. A Newport Beach businessman offered to finance a youth training program out of Washingtons store.

In Cleveland, investment banker Mark Tiefel felt something inside of me triggered by the TV image. He called Washington, express-mailed him $1,500 and began a campaign to raise more. In one day, Washington received 78 checks from Cleveland residents.

A TV commentator in Cleveland said: It is Art Washington, not Rodney King, who we should learn from and honor.

Washington, a tall, bald, barrel-chested man, had spent almost 20 years building his pest control business. He had financed it through a second mortgage on his large, comfortable, two-story home, located a couple blocks from the shop on a now-decaying street. He and his wife raised four children there and gradually expanded the business until Washington had 7,000 customers.

The riot ransacked the stability they had struggled to attain.

The letters that began arriving in the ensuing weeks--about 300 in all, written almost entirely by whites--restored it.

I was crying for the pain you must be suffering, wrote a woman from Dublin, Ohio. It is something I will never forget.

You are a man of honor and worthy of respect. I am a 32-year-old Westside white man and I have a lot to learn from gentlemen like you, wrote another.

There were some days when Washington was in tears as he read the letters.

I didnt want anybody in the office to see me cry. I had to get up from my desk and go into the bathroom and cry, he said.

There was a classroom, somewhere in Ohio, of 7- and 8-year-olds, and each child wrote a letter. They raised five dollars and sixty-odd cents.

To be honest, when the letters first started coming, I was looking inside them for the checks. But as time went on, as I kept reading, I forgot about the money.

One man, an older white man, came into my store--he wasnt a customer--and told me, You dont know how youve changed my life. How could I possibly do anything to change his life? He said, Heres a $500 check. 

To replace windows, computers and supplies, Washington applied to the Small Business Administration for a $50,000 loan but was turned down--like many small business owners--on the grounds that the business did not appear profitable on paper. Eventually a $19,000 loan was approved. The donations--Washington declines to specify the total--covered the rest of his losses.

These days Washington is still pursuing his dream of expanding his business to additional locations, and he has added a new one: He hopes to someday own a shopping center. Some of the calls of support he received were from sympathetic businessmen promising to lend expertise if he ever needed it.

His optimism is tempered by the fact that as he drives the few blocks from his home to his shop every day, he must pass through the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Western Avenue, where the ruins remain of two other mini-malls destroyed by rioters.

It reminds me, he says. Vacant lots where stores used to be. I dont know where a drugstore is at.

He says he understands, after wrestling with the question, why he became such a momentarily powerful symbol.

The Rodney G. King verdict persuaded many whites to finally accept black complaints of societys racial injustices, he says. And in the terror of the riots, when many whites were desperate to make that sentiment known, he just happened to appear on their television screens.

They needed somebody to focus on, Art Washington says, and they saw me.
Colombia is currently experiencing a surge in theft from its oil pipelines, as criminal gangs seek sources of gasoline to process in clandestine refineries and subsequently utilise to manufacture cocaine. The cartels have turned to domestic oil supplies, since those arriving from Venezuela have all but dried up as a consequence of the country's economic collapse. Indeed, surplus gasoline is even being smuggled into Venezuela for sale, in a reversal of the historic status quo.

The illicit fuel trade is a farther-reaching issue than many people realize. In fact, a report from auditors EY estimates that a cumulative $133 billion is lost from government coffers every year due to the black market for gasoline and diesel, while the underground trade also has ramifications for the health of local populations and environments, as well as funding criminal activities. As such, a dedicated solution is necessary to curb the practice, with high-tech fuel marking programs already having demonstrated tangible results in places like the Philippines.

Role reversal

While the illicit fuel trade is a worldwide problem, the situation is particularly acute in Colombia at the moment. There's a long history of fuel smuggling across the Venezuelan-Colombian border, though historically petrol was more likely to flow in the other direction. For years, Venezuelan subsidies kept the price of oil in the country outrageously low, even as costs spiralled elsewhere. This instigated a cross-border black market with Colombia, wherein opportunistic smugglers would cart supplies west and sell them at for a handsome profit. However, the political and economic turmoil engulfing Caracas at present - exacerbated by aggressive sanctions from the USA and a drop-off in aid from ally Iran - has destroyed the Venezuelan oil industry, forcing Colombian cartels to find the gasoline they need from other sources.

Domestic pipelines have proved to be their main quarry. Theft of Colombian crude oil hit a six-year high in the first half of 2021, with an average of 3,299 barrels stolen each day. That has meant severely reduced tax revenues for the Colombian government, and has fuelled the rampant drug trade, damaging industry infrastructure (with pipeline repairs running to the tune of $11 million in 2020) and claiming many human lives in the process. At least 20 people have been killed during explosions which occurred during the transfer of the contraband in Cucuta, the Colombian border town which acted as the main smuggling hub.

Global epidemic

Unfortunately, this phenomenon of fuel theft is one which afflicts nations all over the world, causing significant impacts on local communities and national economies and feeding all kinds of illegal practices. For example, it has been linked with human trafficking in places like Thailand and Libya, insurgency and armed militia in Nigeria and Mozambique and terrorist activities in somewhere as supposedly peaceable and progressive as Ireland. Fatalities are not uncommon, either, with 137 people killed as a result of an illicit pipeline tap in Mexico in January 2019 and dozens of others dying in similar incidents in the country and beyond.

Attempts to clamp down on fuel theft have, thus far, been largely unconvincing. Since coming to power in late 2018, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made it a priority to tackle the illegal trade and initially made encouraging strides toward that goal. By the end of last year, the number of barrels lost had fallen by over 90%, prompting AMLO to declare the war on the illicit fuel trade won. His words appear to have been slightly premature, however; illegal valves found on pipelines belonging to the state-owned Pemex company were up 9.5% in the first four months this year, while seizures of illegal hydrocarbons also sprang up from 2020 figures in several states in the country.

Fuel marking hits its mark

The trouble seems to lie with policing the pipelines themselves. Thieves are becoming ever-more ingenious at avoiding detection, with sophisticated hot and cold taps, underground tunnelling and advanced siphoning techniques being used to great effect. If authorities can't prevent theft from occurring at source, how can they clamp down on the black market? According to the principles of fuel marking, by ensuring that fuel can be traced all along its supply chain.

Fuel marking involves the injection of refined biomarkers into legitimate crude oil product before its transfer, which means that it can later be tested for authenticity, quickly and efficiently at any point in the supply chain. The government in the Philippines has implemented such a program shepherded by SGS and Swiss security firm SICPA, with startling results. Within 15 months of the fuel marking scheme's roll-out, the Philippines had successfully marked 100% of the country's oil inventory. To date, the Philippines' fuel marking programme has resulted in the collection of almost $6 billion in taxes and duties, which is equivalent to over 30 billion litres of fuel products in the two years the system has been in place. It has also facilitated the capture of adulterated goods, with 6,357 litres of unmarked diesel found at one Petromobil gas station in the country and several others under investigation.

Tried and tested

The recent advances in technological and analytical capabilities mean that fuel marking is now a force to be reckoned with for smugglers and thieves the world over. The upsurge in pipeline taps in Colombia is certainly a stark reminder of the task at hand, but given that the illicit fuel trade is a problem affecting nations of all sizes and stages of development, it's high time that governments everywhere began pursuing concerted measures like fuel marking to turn the tide of a war they have been losing for far too long.
The Biden administration on Friday imposed a travel ban on South Africa and seven other nations over the outbreak of the new COVID variant dubbed as "Omicron."

Officials confirmed the administration's move, adding that the seven other countries included in the travel ban are Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi, Eswatini, and Mozambique, CNBC reported.

READ NEXT: U.S. Pres. Joe Biden Had a Benign but Potentially Precancerous Polyp Removed During Colonoscopy

Biden Admin's Travel Restriction to South Africa, Other Nations, Effective on Monday

The said travel restriction will take effect on Monday. However, the said restriction will not affect U.S. citizens or any lawful citizens of the United States.

According to President Joe Biden, the move came after the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci, briefed him about the new variant, The Daily Wire reported.

"I've decided we're going to be cautious... We don't know a lot about the variant except it is a great concern, seems to spread rapidly," President Biden said.

In a statement announcing the travel ban. President Biden also urged the Americans who were fully vaccinated to get their booster shots. The Chief executive also encouraged parents to "take advantage" of the new COVID vaccine doses offered to children aged 5-11 years old.

The Biden administration's move to ban travel from South Africa and seven other nation, marks the U.S. joining a string of countries that also restricted travels in the region over their concern about the new coronavirus variant.

On Thursday, the United Kingdom announced that they will temporarily suspend flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini.

European Union countries such as Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Malta, also announced all travelers who entered Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, and Eswatini. Meanwhile, Switzerland banned all direct flights from the said nations as well.

The Health Minister of Canada confirmed that they are also taking the same step as the U.S. in response to the new variant.

COVID Variant 'Omicron' Becomes 'New Variant of Concern'

The travel restrictions announced by the Biden administration came as the World Health Organization (WHO) also announced on Friday that the said COVID variant first detected in Southern Africa ss a variant of concern.

The organization also explained that preliminary evidence showed "an increased risk of reinfection" with the variant, as it added the new discovery to the list of variants of concern, giving it the name "Omicron."

Early testing for "Omicron" showed that 90 percent of the cases that were reported on Wednesday came from the South African province that includes Johannesburg.

As Experts from the WHO met on Friday to assess the new variant, Omicron prompted concerns on how easily it will spread, as the variant reportedly has a high number of mutations in the virus' spike protein, USA Today reported.

Within days of its identification, the government of Belgium, Hong Kong, and Israel reported that they have cases of COVID with the "Omicron" variant.

"So, at best, you can possibly slow down the spread around the world but trying to contain the virus to [Southern Africa] right now is like trying to contain the wind," Epidemiologist from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Michael Osterholm, said.

However, Osterholm noted that it is still too soon to say what the impact of "Omicron" might be.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Authorizes "Largest Ever Release' From Oil Reserve to Address High Gas Prices

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: New COVID-19 Variant: How dangerous is Omicron? - From DW News
A bus in Mexico carrying pilgrims lost its brakes and slammed into a building. The incident has killed 19 people and 32 more were injured. The bus was heading to a religious site in central Mexico, according to an NBC News report.

The assistant state interior secretary, Ricardo de la Cruz, said that the accidents happened in the township of Joquicingo. Six of the victims suffered severe injuries and were flown to a hospital in Toluca.

The bus was heading from the western state of Michoacan to Chalma, which is a town that has been visited by Roman Catholic pilgrims for centuries.

The victims that were flown to a hospital, included two minors. Others victims were transported to several hospitals in the region, according to officials.

The Ministry of Health noted that those injured included multiple women and children, with injuries ranging from broken bones to head trauma, according to an ABC News report.

Multiple agencies responded to the site of the crash, including the Red Cross and the Emergency Service of the State of Mexico.

Officials named the bus company as Turismo Tejeda and was bound for the Santuario del Senor de Chalma.

Most of the pilgrims often walk or bike on narrow roads or travel in aging buses, making accidents not uncommon.

Many Mexicans go on religious visits on the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is on December 12.

READ NEXT: 13 Bodies Hung From Bridges by Mexican Drug Cartels' Gunmen Amid Bloody Turf War in Mexico

Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage in Mexico

The pilgrimage is believed to be the largest Catholic pilgrimage in the Americans. The patron saint has become a symbol for Mexico, according to Britannica.

Worship of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been particularly popular among women, especially in Mexico. The devotion was spread throughout the world by the Jesuits and other religions since at least the early 18th century.

Aside from the religious background of Mexico, the Our Lady of Guadalupe played an important role in Mexican nationalism and identity.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla promoted her in 1810 as the patroness of the revolt he led against the Spanish, with the rebels' battle cry being "Long Live Our Lady of Guadalupe."

Chalma Pilgrimage Site

Its early history is enveloped in myth. However, it was reported that when Augustinian friars first visited the area in the mid-1530s, they earned that local Indians were making pilgrimages to a sacred cave with the name of Chalma, according to Sacred Sites.

Thousands of pilgrims visit Chalma each year to bathe in the sacred spring and make offerings at the sanctuary.

The largest number of pilgrims arrives in Chalma for Ash Wednesday services and has become the second most visited pilgrimage site in Mexico.

Chalma has also been known to be a symbol of folk Catholicism, with elements of indigenous and European faiths, according to an Encyclopedia article.

Augustinian friars went to replace the idol with a cross, which they already reportedly found the image broken in pieces and a crucify already in its place.

Modern pilgrimages are lively events celebrated by floral displays, songs, dances, and fireworks.

READ MORE: Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Wife, La Jefa, Arrested in Mexico on Money Laundering Charges

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: A Pilgrimage to Mexico and The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe - from GoCatholicTravel






Gary Poste, the man alleged to be the Zodiac Killer, reportedly recruited a group of troubled young men and ordered one to shoot an enemy dead.

Poste was claimed to have let alleged apprentice Chris Avery watch as he ordered another unidentified boy to shoot an enemy dead after luring the unidentified man to a remote lake near his home in California, according to a Daily Mail report.

Avery said that Poste just did not have a conscience, adding that Poste could kill indiscriminately.

Poste was the man believed to be the notorious Bay Area killer by a group of 40 private investigators.

Avery revealed to the group of independent sleuths, Case Breakers, that he had served under the alleged serial murdered after he had migrated from San Francisco to Groveland in 1970.

Avery said that Poste had to continue to kill, even if it was small animals, just to make himself feel better.

Avery said that Poste oversaw a group of 10 men whom he trained as assassins over the course of several decades. The alleged Zodiac Killer died in 2018.

Avery noted that he fled Groveland in 2010 after coming across Zodiac sketches, seeing a likeness to Poste.

READ NEXT: Scott Peterson to Be Re-Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Murdering His Pregnant Wife

Group of Troubled Young Men

The Case Breakers team is led by Thomas J. Colbert. The group also consists of former cops, forensic analysts, academics, and retired military, according to the New York Post report.

Colbert said that Poste had fronted as a mild-mannered house painter and was well-liked by the locals.

Meanwhile, the alleged killer has also started recruiting young men in their late teens and early 20s as his own personal gang, and had trained him as "killing machines."

Colbert said that some 10 men were part of what locals labeled as "The Posse." He noted that the young men stayed loyal to Poste for decades until he died.

The Case Breakers head noted that Poste would take the young men deep into the mountains, where they learned to "hike and kill."

Colbert described Poste as a type of "Fagin," which is the child-gang leader from Oliver Twist. He said that there was no indication that Poste had a sexual interest or sexual relationship with the young men.

Gary Poste as The Zodiac Killer

The Case Breakers linked Poste to the killings after they uncovered new forensic evidence and photos from Poste's darkroom. One image shows scars on the forehead of Poste that match scars on a sketch of the Zodiac, according to a Fox News report.

The team also believed Poste also killed Cheri Jo Bastes on Oct. 31, 1996, in Riverside, California. Bates was found dead in an alleyway on the Riverside City College campus after her father reported her missing to police.

Poste was an Air Force veteran when he received medical check-ups for a gun incident at a hospital located 15 minutes away from the Bates murder scene.

The group of internet sleuths noted that Poste painted homes for more than four decades. They added that detectives found a heel print from a military-style boot, which matched the same style and size that were found in other Zodiac crime scenes and of Poste.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito Case: Expert Says DNA Found on Her Body Could Provide 'Clue' to Who Killed Her

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Cold case team says it has identified Zodiac Killer - from FOX 9 KMSP






Former President Donald Trump keeps a sculpture in his office of an altered Mount Rushmore, which included his face besides other presidents of the United States.

New photos of Trump at Mar-a-Lago showed the sculpture on a lower shelf, Business Insider reported. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem reportedly gave it in 2020 at an Independence Day event at the real Mount Rushmore.

The original Mount Rushmore shows the faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. In the sculpture, Trump is next to Lincoln.

The bronze sculpture was seen in photos of Donald Trump with recently acquitted 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse and a Taekwondo administrator, showing the statue below a distinctive red MAGA cap and other memorabilia. Independent reported that the sculpture cost $1,100.

TRUMP MET WITH RITTENHOUSE.



The internet isnt ready for this. pic.twitter.com/hV5SWkEv0B  Benny (@bennyjohnson) November 24, 2021

Congratulations to former President Donald Trump on receiving an Honorary taekwondo black belt yesterday in his well-decorated Mar-a-Lago office. Fittingly, he becomes only the 2nd person to receive this MAJOR AWARD, after Vladimir Putin.



 New Mt. Rushmore and

Kim Jung Un pic.twitter.com/gJB8YtJw8l  ProperGander Stephen Simpson (@BamaStephen) November 25, 2021

In 2018, Noem reportedly said that she and the former president had discussed the historic landmark during their first meeting in the Oval Office. At the time, Trump said it was his "dream" to have his face added.

Noem first thought that the former president was joking and started laughing. But she noted that Trump was not laughing, "so he was totally serious."

In 2017, Donald Trump raised the prospect of placing himself on Mount Rushmore at a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio. In April, he said if he had been a Democrat, he would already be immortalized on Mount Rushmore.

Who Created the Mount Rushmore Sculpture With Donald Trump's Face Added?

Sculptors Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby created the work for Noem, The Sun reported. They were both Trump supporters and voted for him in 2016, 2021, and they plan to vote for him in 2024.

Heuning told The Daily Beast that it was "pretty cool," and good to see that the statute was on display because often it "ends up in a closet."

It was earlier reported that a Trump admin official contacted the South Dakota governor's office to ask about the process of adding additional presidents to Mount Rushmore.

However, his team pushed back, and the former president called it "fake news." Despite that, Donald Trump earlier tweeted that it "sounds like a good idea" to him.

READ NEXT: Former Pres. Donald Trump Could Spend Three Years in Prison for the Violation of Hatch Act - Legal Experts

Presidents in Mount Rushmore

The idea behind the sculpture in the Black Hills was first proposed in 1923 by South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson.

According to Britannica, Robinson has envisioned creating likenesses of famous Native American and American Old West personalities on a needlelike rock formation.

An American sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, said that the first site was too eroded and unstable and chose nearby Mount Rushmore instead.

Borglum proposed that the four heads in the sculpture show the first 150 years of the United States and the person symbolizing those.

Washington was included to represent the country's founding; Jefferson for its expansion across the continent; Roosevelt for its development domestically and as a global power; and Lincoln for its preservation through the ordeal of civil war.

The sculpting progress was hampered by periodic funding shortfalls, such as design issues. The project was also impeded after Borglum died in March 1941, before the sculpture was finished.

Borglum's son, Lincoln, took over the final workings of the project. It was completed in October 1941.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Seals $375 Million Deal for Washington D.C. Hotel to Firm That Plans to Change Its Name and Be Managed by Hilton Group

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Gravitas: Trump Wants His Face Added to Mount Rushmore - From WION






A Florida man has been charged with a total of 1,200 counts of sexual assault and incest involving a minor that allegedly took place over the last six years.

According to New York Post, Robert Cota of Pensacola was charged with 600 counts of sexual assault on a victim between the ages of 12 and 18 and another 600 counts of incest that have allegedly been occurring since 2015.

Florida Man Charged of Sexual Assault With Minor, Incest

The 31-year-old Florida man was reportedly arrested after a local pastor tipped the cops off about his unusual behavior. The pastor reported Robert Cota to the authorities after the suspect talked to him.

The pastor told police that Cota approached him last Sunday and confessed that he "had issues with one of the beliefs" outlined in the church guideline book.

Based on the arresting documents obtained by ABC-affiliated TV station WEAR-TV, the pastor said the suspect specifically pointed to the word "incest."

The pastor noted that he continued speaking to Cota and eventually told the suspect to turn himself in to the authorities since what he was doing was not right.

READ NEXT: Cocaine, Xanax Pills, Large Amounts of Cash Found at Family-Run Hot Dog Shop in Florida

Pastor Tells Authorities About the Florida Man's Sexual Encounters With Minor

The pastor later contacted the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and provided them with Robert Cota's photo, address, and phone number.

According to the News Journal, the provided piece of paper appeared to correspond with the church's policy about photographing new members.

Based on the arrest report, the victim confessed to the investigators that she had been having sexual encounters with the Florida man since she was seven, and it had been happening for about three years.

The girl, whose age has been redacted from the report, also revealed that Cota convinced her that the sexual act was how people showed affection. She estimated that Cota abused her more than 600 times.

The report also showed that in September 2020, the Florida man was arrested for aggravated assault and domestic violence after he pointed a gun at the girl. It happened after the victim's mother confronted Robert Cota regarding his sexual relationship with the girl.

The mother reportedly confronted the Florida man after she caught him in bed with her daughter. The arrest prompted authorities to investigate the sexual assault and incest allegations against the Florida man.

Police said both Cota and the girl talked about the sexual relationship with the mother. However, the two later retracted their statements.

When the deputies arrived to arrest the Florida man for sexual assault and incest, the suspect reportedly told the arresting officers that he was not surprised about the accusations and charges.

On Sunday night, Robert Cota was booked into the Escambia County Jail, where his bond has been set at $3 million.

READ MORE: Pregnant Nurse's Unborn Child Dies After a Patient Shoves Her Against a Wall in Florida Hospital

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: MCSO: Man Arrested for Incest, Rape, Other Charges - From WKRG
After reports surfaced that parents of Brian Laundrie turned over all their firearms to authorities, many have wondered how many guns do they actually own.

According to Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino, the elder Laundries have "five or six guns" stored in their Florida home.

Bertolino told Insider on Tuesday that Chris and Roberta Laundrie had surrendered these firearms to authorities, except for the one missing, on September 17 - the same day that their son was reported missing.

On Friday, the lawyer told CNN that Laundrie's parents only noticed that one of their guns was missing when they voluntarily surrendered their firearms to authorities. Bertolino said the elder Laundries discovered that one handgun was not in its case.

He noted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Port police were present at the time of the discovery. When asked why this information about the missing gun was not disclosed to the public, the lawyer said he and law enforcement agreed it was for "the best," believing it might cause panic.

"Imagine, with the frenzied atmosphere at the time, if the public thought Brian had a gun... I cannot speak to why (law enforcement) did not reveal the info but we spoke about it at the time and I believe they felt as I did," Bertolino told CNN.

At present, it is still unclear whether Gabby Petito's fiance took the missing firearm or it was the one he used to kill himself.

READ NEXT: What's Next in Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito Case? Can Laundrie's Parents Be Charged With Any Crime?

Brian Laundrie's Parents 'Uncertain' of Missing Gun's Model

According to The Daily Mail, Brian Laundrie's parents were "uncertain" of the missing gun's make and model. But Bertolino told the outlet that it was "definitely a pistol."

Peter Massey, a program coordinator of the Forensic Studies and Justice program at the University of South Florida, told WESH 2 that the lack of information about the missing firearm was troubling.

'If they are saying gunshot wound to the head and suicide, and we don't have a firearm at that scene, we have a big issue... We have to account for this firearm," Massey said.

But forensic expert and former director of San Diego Police Crime Lab, Jennifer Shen, told The Sun that she believes the police may have already found the gun used by Laundrie.

"Because the cause of death released was suicide by a gunshot wound to the head, it leaves one to believe there is additional evidence proving this... It is likely if a weapon could be recovered, it already has been," Shen noted.

Brian Laundrie's Autopsy Results

The medical examiner's announced the details on Brian Laundrie's autopsy report on Tuesday. According to the autopsy report, Laundrie died of a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was suicide.

According to a WPBF report, former FBI Agent Stuart Kaplan said the fact that the autopsy report did not publicize any other information aside from Laundrie committing suicide by shooting himself in the head may indicate that the investigation is still ongoing.

Kaplan added that he believes the investigators may be investigating whether someone helped Laundrie escape the surveillance of the police and stay hidden. That's why the time and date of his death have not been released.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg echoed what Kaplan said, noting that if investigators figured out that someone lied to them, they could be charged with a felony offense.

Aside from Laundrie's death, both experts from Florida said investigators may also be looking into Gabby Petito's murder since nobody has been charged yet.

"They're going to try to figure out more details about what happened and if anyone else was involved... The last thing they want is for some accomplice to go free," Aronberg noted.

Neither of the two local experts found it suspicious that the gun used by Laundrie to commit suicide was not found along with his remains.

Kaplan and Aronberg said given that the area where Laundrie's remains were found had been underwater for some time, it's completely possible the gun just floated away.

The partial skeletal remains of Laundrie were discovered in a swampy area of the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20. The remains were confirmed to belong to him after a review of dental records.

Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by the North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family.

Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August.

Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. A Teton County, Wyoming coroner said she was strangled to death by a "human being," and the manner of death was homicide.

Brian Laundrie was never charged in connection with Gabby Petito's murder. But an arrest warrant was issued for him for allegedly fraudulently using his fiancee's debit card after her death.

READ MORE: Brian Laundrie Family Lawyer Says His Parents Will Not Be Implicated as Gabby Petito's Family Hints More Individuals Will Be Charged

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: USF Forensics Experts Weighs in on Laundrie Autopsy, if Gun was Recovered - From WFLA News Channel 8
The neighbouring communities of Stradbally and Timahoe have embraced the Christmas spirit this year with both set to be a glow with a festive atmosphere.

Everyone is being encouraged to come down to Court Square on Sunday, December 5 from 11am-6pm for the first ever Stradbally Christmas Market.

With a wide variety of food and crafts to suit all, the turning on of the town Christmas lights, family fun, amusements and the chance to meet Santa - it's a great day out for all the family to enjoy!

There will be Carol Singing , Irish Dancing, street performers and the turning on of the Christmas Lights at 5pm. The organisers are hoping for a great day and urge everyone attending to exercise good judgment , maintain social distance and do all in your power to make it a safe and memorable occasion. More information will be posted in the next few weeks on facebook so make sure to like and share to spread the word.

The Stradbally, Vicarstown, Timahoe Activity & Wellness Club and the Stradbally Christmas lights Committee need two very lucky children to help Santa turn on the Christmas lights on December 5.

To be in with a chance tell us in 20 words or less: 'What I love most about Christmas is...' The competition is open to primary school children from Cosby NS and St Colman's NS. Entries will be collected from the schools on December 1.

So, get thinking and get writing.

Any questions contact Kathleen Sheridan on 086 081 5674.

A lot of work has gone into organising this years lights in the town between fundraising and putting up the decorations so great credit is due to all.

There will also be lots of festive cheer when the lights are switched on at the Timahoe Christmas Fair.

The Timahoe Heritage Centre is hosting a Christmas fair and official switch-on of the village Christmas lights December 5 next 4pm to 8pm. All artisan, and craft related stalls welcome. For details on stall inclusion contact 087 6813116. All stall holders must be self sustainable. The Christmas lights will be switched on at 6pm.

Meanwhile, the St Colmans NS parents Council have launched their annual Christmas Draw fundraiser, which takes place on December 22. Tickets are now on sale. All pupils will be bringing home a book of tickets and additional tickets can be bought from Simpsons Shop, Dunne's Pub, Stradbally Fayre, Ramsbottoms bar, Mick Moores Garage, Stradbally Pharmacy.

Donations of any kind towards the draw would be most welcome, and can be sent into the school or contact Kathleen on 086 0815674, or any Parents Council member.

Tickets 2. Book of 11 is 20.

1st Prize Dunnes Stores Shopping Voucher for 300

2nd Prize Shopping Voucher for 250

3rd Prize Hamper valued 200

Plus 40 additional prizes of hampers, vouchers,toys, household gifts and lots more.

All money raised goes direct back into the school for the direct benefit if the children.
A Newbridge company has given its backing to a fundraising drive for St Marks School.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by the employees of KDP Newbridge.

Campaign organiser, Krzysztof Magrecki, explains; We are a relatively new employer to the town, but we are keen to help our local community and assist good causes in whatever way we can.

This year we have teamed up with St Marks school for children with special needs to assist them in building a new extension to their existing facility.

Twenty employees have decided to bravely take the plunge into the bitterly cold Irish sea at Brittas Bay beach on November 27 at 10am.

We are looking for sponsorship for these 20 brave souls to raise funds for the kids in St Marks.

If you could donate a few euro, we would be immensely grateful and your money will be going to a great local cause. Thank you from all at the KDP Ireland family.

Check out Support for St Marks School in Newbridge on GoFundMe to find out more.

Last July the school was granted permission to demolish the existing school and out buildings to make way for the construction of a new spilt level single and two storey 14-classroom school building with a total floor area of 2,731sqm.

When completed, the new building will have a general-purpose hall, additional special needs classrooms, library, staff rooms and all ancillary accommodation.
Former Minister for Finance and Fine Gael stalwart, Alan Dukes has paid tribute to the late Austin Currie.

The politician, who lived near Allenwood, passed away on November 9.

It has been a great privilege to know Austin Currie, to work with him and to enjoy his friendship, said Mr Dukes.

I admired his courage as co-founder of the SDLP and his unswerving commitment to the cause of civil rights. At a time of great difficulty in Northern Ireland politics, Fine Gael was happy to give him the opportunity to continue his involvement in electoral politics and he successfully stood as a candidate for election to Dail Eireann in Dublin West in the 1989 General Election. He held a seat there until 2002.

It took great courage on his part to stand as a candidate in the 1990 Presidential election, but he did so with a heart and a half. In that election, he was a man before his time.

After his retirement from political life, he and Anita moved to Derrymullen, where they quickly became respected and happy members of the local community.

Austin was a rock of sense, a shrewd observer of human nature, a great defender and promoter of human and civil rights.

He never lost his commitment to the people he had so ably served in Northern Ireland, in Dail Eireann and as a Minister of State. He was always a warm and humorous friend.

My heart goes out to Anita, Emer and all the Currie family. Ar dheis De go raibh se.

The former MP, TD, Minister and Minister of State is survived by his wife Anita, children Estelle, Caitriona, Dualta, Austin Og and Emer and their spouses Sean, Siobhan, Hiroko and Malcolm, 13 grandchildren and extended family.
North West Hospice will host a virtual Remembrance Service on Sunday, November 28 at 3pm.

The service will provide an opportunity to pause and remember loved ones, to reflect on their passing and to move forward with hope. It is open to all who have been bereaved and after a year of huge loss for so many, the Hospice wanted to provide the Remembrance Service in support of the local community.

The Remembrance Service will be available to watch at 3pm on Sunday November 28 on the Hospice website. You can watch the service by visiting the North West Hospice website www.northwesthospice.ie the Remembrance Service video is on the homepage.

It will also be linked on the North West Hospice Facebook page on November 28.

Speaking about the Service, Michelle OReilly, from North West Hospice, explains Due to Covid 19 restrictions we are unable to come together in person to remember our loved ones. It is our hope that you will be able to join us for our virtual Remembrance Service this year.

It is an opportunity for you, family members and friends to pause and remember your loved one through music, reflection and a candle-lighting ritual.

You might like to light your own candle during our service or you can reflect on the light from our candles. We hope that you join us as we come together to remember.

Further details are available from www.northwesthospice.ie or (071) 9143317.

North West Hospice provides specialist care with compassion for those living with life-limiting illness in our community.

Further information on the Hospice is available online from www.northwesthospice.ie
A YOUNG man has been jailed for six years for his role in two violent attacks during which the victims were kicked in the head.

Mark Buckley, aged 24, who has an address at Collins Avenue, Kincora Park, Limerick had pleaded guilty to charges relating to offences which happened on January 1, 2019 and January 30, 2020.

Giving evidence in relation to the first incident, Detective Garda Shane ONeill said the injured party was walking to Colbert Station at around 6.30am when he was approached by a group of three young men.

He said the victim, whose aged in his late 30s, was struck across the back of the head with a rock and was kicked in the face after he was knocked to the ground.

His phone and wallet were taken and he was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick.

Judge Tom ODonnell was told the assailants were arrested a short time later and Mr Buckley was subsequently charged with robbery and assault.

John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, said the second incident occurred while he was on bail.

Garda Patricia McCormack said Mr Buckley struck the injured party, in that case, on the footpath outside a pub at Sarsfield Street in the city centre at around 10.30pm.

Mr Buckley, who was in the company of another man, can be seen on CCTV footage throwing a glass bottle and repeatedly striking the victim who was knocked unconscious.

The now 23-year-old student sustained serious injuries, including a skull fracture, a fractured eye socket and a broken jaw. He was admitted to UHL for four days and continues to receive treatment for his injuries.

Imposing sentence, Judge ODonnell said video footage of the incident makes for appalling and chilling viewing.

While accepting that Mr Buckley had pleaded guilty and accepts his high level of culpability he said the use of weapons and the violent nature of both incidents was an aggravating factor.

He also noted that a report from the Probation Service suggests the defendant represents a high risk of re-offending.

Having considered the principal of totality, he imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight years imprisonment. The final two years were suspended.
THERE is no rationale in excluding eligible people from pop-up vaccination centres, says a county councillor.

Cllr PJ Carey was responding to an article in the Limerick Leader two weeks ago which revealed Covid-19 vaccination clinics for Travellers were planned for towns in County Limerick.

A venue in Kilmallock was chosen to help encourage members of the ethnic group to get the first or second jab. Only members of the Travelling community will be able to avail of this service.

Cllr Carey said he welcomed pop-up clinics in targeted areas but these need to be available to everyone in the community.

Vaccines should be easy for everyone to access. It would be great to have such a convenient location for the whole community. The vaccination clinics in areas such as Kilmallock are great but is it fair while many older people will be required to travel to Patrickswell or Mallow for their booster jab?

We are all in this together, everyones health is equally important as far as l am concerned. I see no rationale in excluding eligible people from vaccination centres. Ethnicity should not come into it, said Cllr Carey in a statement to the Leader.

The Kilmallock-based councillor pointed to what is happening in other countries.

In Germany, for instance, they have vaccination centres in areas with high incidence levels, where Turkish people live, but the rule wasnt that you have to be Turkish to avail of the clinic. You simply had to be living in these areas, which is more inclusive. Likewise, in Australia they had similar campaigns for Aboriginal people but they are available to everyone, said Cllr Carey, who welcomed the point made by Martin Collins, of Pavee Point, regarding getting vaccine information from reliable sources.

In the original article, Mr Collins said members of the Travelling community, who are hesitant, are getting a lot of misinformation from social media. Pavee Point has worked with the HSE in Dublin to facilitate vaccination clinics on halting sites.

We welcome and fully support it. It is about making it very easy and very accessible and it couldnt be any more accessible than having a pop-up clinic right in the middle of the place that you live.

Thankfully, the reaction has been very positive and the uptake has been great, said Mr Collins.
TWO Limerick solicitors have joined one of the night-time patrols run by Limerick Suicide Watch.

Derek Walsh, a partner in Sellors LLP and his colleague Eanna Bane linked up with the group, which walks several-nights-a-week to support those who might be in distress on the riverside.

Mr Walsh, who is president of the Limerick Solicitors Bar Association did this after they donated 1,500 to the charity.

He said since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the changes many have experienced in their life have had profound effects on our mental health and wellbeing.

But one thing we have learnt from the changes, positive and negative, is that its important to talk about how they make us feel. Everyone has different thresholds for stress, and anyone can be affected by the pressure that comes with such dramatic changes as we have experienced in the last two years, the solicitor added.

As president of the Limerick Bar Association, Mr Walsh spoke of how he has seen how people have struggled with the dark cloud of depression.

We all want to be there for others when they are struggling, but to do that, we have to take care of ourselves too, he explained.

With this in mind, he and Mr Bane joined a patrol of Limerick Suicide Watch to see first-hand the vital work the patrol does.

As we walked the three bridges, I was struck by the respect and admiration that the people of Limerick have for the volunteers and the difficult work that they do. We met people along the waterfront from diverse backgrounds and there was always time for a chat. In fact, that this was what it was all about! The simple act of saying hi, how are you doing can reveal a lot about how someone is feeling. The volunteers take genuine interest in the people they meet, and people respond in kind. Just by chatting to walkers, the volunteers were able to get a sense of who needed help or attention, he said.

Mr Walsh also praised the fact the volunteers could carry on a conversation with someone who may be in distress while still keeping a sharp eye on the river and its banks.

If you require support, please contact Pieta at 061-484844, or the Samaritans at 116123.
HUMBLE, modest and most of all, a beautiful woman was the picture painted of one Limerick volunteer who has been nominated for her selfless work with grieving children.

Mary Browne from Broadford first began volunteering for the Childrens Grief Centre in Limerick ten years ago, after retiring from a career-guidance teaching post in Newcastle West.

When you watch small children play, if you look and listen hard enough, you will pick up their anxieties.

They will act it out unconsciously, CEO Sr Helen Culhane told of their work.

Now in operation for more than 12 years, the volunteer-led centre has seen over 1,600 children between the ages of 4 to 18.

The South Circular Road facility offers a unique listening service to those who have experienced a separation, divorce or the death of a parent or loved one.

Sr Helen recalls her first encounter with Mary, who, she this year, put forward for a Volunteer Ireland Award, where the former teacher has now been nominated under the Children and Youth category.

She introduced Mary to the model that the centre operates under, using play as a way of communicating with younger children.

The nomination states: Parents and guardians recognise the impact of Marys work, and often speak of the difference she makes in the lives of children experiencing loss, noting that they are coping better with their pain.

It also recognised Marys commitment to her volunteer role, revealing that she makes a 100km return trip to the centre from her home in Broadford each week.

Due to her gentle, compassionate presence, I find that both the small and the older children love her.

Children know whether you care about them or are just doing a job. This shows with Mary.

Pride of Place in the Centre is our Butterfly Remembrance Wall.



As part of Bereaved Childrens Awareness Week we invited children, parents and guardians to add their name or the name of a loved one to our butterflies. They recognise the strength and healing of children. pic.twitter.com/bTW6NWzp5M  Children's Grief Centre (@children_grief) November 25, 2021

Each week, Mary would see three children, easing the burden placed on the centre which two years ago won the National Lottery Good Cause Award.

Since then, Sr Helen says, children from all over the length and breadth of the country come down to the centre in Limerick city, to talk about their heart-breaking experiences.

Having someone like Mary here is a tremendous help. She has that very warm, motherly presence.

Volunteers come and go, but here is someone who has given a commitment of 10 years to us, and this is truly something exceptional, Sr Helen, a trained counsellor and psychotherapist concluded.
CHRISTMAS FM will be switching on Christmas in Limerick and across Ireland at midday this Sunday.

The festive radio station, which will broadcast on 105.5FM across Limerick, wants to Give the Gift of Childhood this year by raising over 250,000 which will go directly to the children's charity Barnardos.

Listener donations raised for Barnardos will be used to provide targeted and intensive support for over 5,000 children most in need  providing nutritious food, support with education, and therapeutic services with their trained support teams.

Christmas FM will be celebrating its 14th year on air this year when it launches this Sunday. Since it began broadcasting, it has raised over 2.7 million for a range of charities.

Commenting ahead of the launch, Garvan Rigby, co-founder of Christmas FM, said: "We have experienced the most unprecedented era in our lifetime over the past 18 months, and the children that Barnardos work with have felt this pressure acutely. Barnardos is a very special organisation who, now more than ever, need our help and we are delighted to be partnering with them for Christmas this year."

He added: "Christmas FM creates a feel-good festive factor and brings people together when theyve been apart for so long while broadcasting a unique and unrivalled service. We look forward to sharing that with everyone at Barnardos  staff, volunteers and, of course, all of the children who avail of its wonderful service. As sponsorship pays the running costs of the radio station, this means that all listener donations can go directly to Barnardos.

Commenting on its partnership with Christmas FM, Suzanne Connolly, CEO of Barnardos, said: We are delighted to have been chosen as this years Christmas FM charity partner, so that we can share more about the impact of our work and raise vital funds to help us continue supporting children most in need."

Christmas FM presenters, who are volunteering their time to bring a smile to everyones faces, will be broadcasting around the clock to keep the population in the festive spirit.

So, whether its Mariah Carey you want to belt out or George Michael youre dancing to, Christmas FM will bring the magic of Christmas to you and your loved ones.

Listen online at Christmasfm.com.
It's the weekend and Ronan O'Meara has been scouring the TV schedules to find movies to watch over the next seven days...starting tonight.

Here are 16 to choose from....

An Innocent Man: Saturday, Talking Pictures TV @ 9pm

Jimmie's living a grand life in California. Mike and Danny are two crooked cops not averse to robbing and framing suspects. One day they all collide and lives are shattered. A gritty and vicious thriller from 1989 that didn't strike a chord with TV audiences used to Selleck's friendly Magnum persona but it's a film that's really worth reevaluation. Selleck, David Rasche, Laila Robins, Bjada Djola and F. Murray Abraham add to a heady mix.

Zombieland: Saturday, Syfy @ 9pm

America's been overthrown by the undead and a young man from Columbus, Ohio just wants to get home. On his danger fraught journey he meets another survivor from Tallahassee, Florida and both decide to stick together. This is a joy, from it's Metallica scored opening scene to it's fairground set climax it's pure and utter fun. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are all game for a laugh here.

Parasite: Saturday, Channel 4 @ 10pm

The Kim's are living a miserable existence in a basement apartment in Seoul. The Park's live a comfortable life in a beautiful home overlooking the city. The youngest Kim goes to work for the Parks and things are never the same again. Parasite is amazing. A dive into Korean society that manages to be hilarious, nervewracking, terrifying and exhilarating all at once. A totally deserved best picture winner. Song Kang-ho, Jang Hye-jin and Cho Yeo-jeong are just perfect in their parts.

I Went Down: Sunday, RTE One @ 12.15am (midnight)

Two criminals travel into the wilds of rural Ireland to carry out a kidnapping at the behest of a man who owns them both. Things don't work out exactly as planned. For my money one the the best Irish comedies ever made. Brendan Gleeson is on fire as Bunny Kelly and Peter McDonald is good craic in his film debut. As always with Irish films the laughs come with a healthy dose of pathos and the two blend brilliantly.

Apocalypse Now: Sunday, BBC Two @ 12.15am (midnight)

Captain Willard has been tasked with going up the Nung River to terminate a rogue American Colonel with extreme prejudice. What he sees on his journey with stay with him and you forever. A nightmarish, drug fueled masterpiece and a harrowing, troubling, darkly comic & psychotic look into the troubling heart of man. If you haven't seen it yet I'm very jealous. Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Larry Fishburne, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest and Dennis Hopper will all blow you away.

The Day Of The Locust: Sunday, Talking Pictures TV @ 1.15am

The film where Donald Sutherland plays Homer Simpson. Yup. The 1930's were a bad time in America and people flooded into Hollywood to find fame and fortune away from the Great depression. It worked out for some and not for others. A vicious and biting satire of the film industry. Flamboyant and extravagant in places, downright horrifying in others. It's fantastic though and packed full of too many famous faces to list.

Gone Baby Gone: Monday, Great! Movies @ 9pm

A young girl goes missing in South Boston and a pair of investigators are hired to find her. A tough ask made tougher by red tape and the web of crime surrounding every aspect of the case. Ben Affleck's adaption of Dennis Lehane's book is a powerful and upsetting watch that will make you ask yourself questions you might not like the answers to. Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Amy Ryan and Ed Harris all do affecting work.

Alfie: Monday, TCM @ 9pm

Alfie's a self centred ass, he loves himself, loves to hear himself talk. Women love him too but he treats them like dirt, taking what he wants from them before throwing them aside. Then one day life decides to slap him in the face. Controversial on release and highly influential in the years since this 1966 drama is an excellent look at the light and dark of the swinging 60's. Michael Caine, Shelley Winters and Julia Foster all nail their parts.

Transsiberian: Monday, Great! Movies Action @ 10.55pm

A couple are travelling home from China and take the train to Moscow. Along the way they meet another couple. Things get......well you'll just have to see for yourself. A finely crafted and atmospheric watch from the Hitchcockian school of thrillers. It's rather violent and one scene may have you reaching for the remote but stick with it, it's worth your time. Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara and Ben Kingsley do good work

The Man From Colorado: Tuesday, Film4 @ 2.55pm

Owen Devereaux's been appointed the federal judge of a region in Colorado but he's not exactly suited to the job. He has psychopathic tendencies that have, in the past during the civil war, been covered up by his friend Del, a man not willing to do it anymore. From 1948 comes an uncommonly deep and thoughtful western that isn't afraid to shy away from big themes. For once Glenn Ford plays a villainous part and he does it well. William Holden and James Millican excel in supporting roles.

The Man Who Knew Too Much: Wednesday, Film4 @ 4.30pm

An American family take an impulsive trip to Morocco and finds themselves in the midst of an assassination attempt and their lives are immediately in danger. It sounds heavy but this is one of Alfred Hitchcock's lighter and more enjoyable films. James Stewart and Doris Day lead the film and are delightful as their roles as always. A highly enjoyable and suspenseful film worth recording for a rainy afternoon.

Deep Blue Sea: Wednesday, TCM @ 9pm

In an attempt to find a cure for Alzheimers disease a scientist grows mega sharks so she can experiment on their brains. These sharks are kept in a secret facility but guess what? They are really brainy and really hungry. Renny Harlin's scifi/actioner from 1999 is gloriously stupid but it's loads and loads of fun too. Blood spills and jokes fly as a wicked cast that includes Thomas Jane, Aida Turturro, Saffron Burrows and Samuel L. Jackson struggle to stay in one piece.

The Conversation: Thursday, BBC4 @ 9pm

Harry's a surveillance expert and he's got a new job. But the work is getting to him and his paranoia is at an all time high due to past events. Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 thriller is a stunner. A post Watergate classic seeped in the pervading atmosphere of a broken country. Gene Hackman's spectacular as a man coming apart at the seams and the late John Cazale as his partner is as always magnificent. A nerve shredding watch.

The Blood On Satan's Claw: Friday, Talking Pictures TV @ 9.05pm

A rural village in 18th century England is thrown into upheaval when an evil looking skull is unearthed by a plough and sinister things start happening in the aftermath. A prime example of folk horror, a subgenre from the early 70's that would still give you the chills nearly 50 years later. It's hefty stuff, that in places will offend but it's genuinely effective. Patrick Wymark, Linda Hayden and Barry Andrews all do strong work.

Damsel: Friday, TG4 @ 9.45pm

A man travels across the American Frontier of the 19th century on a little horse called Butterscotch. He's looking for the love of his life so he can propose and the only thing between him and happiness is danger. A lot of danger. A slowburn pace might annoy some but this left-field take on the western genre is an entertaining and twisting watch propelled by nice turns from Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska.

Lapsis: Friday, Film4 @ 11.15pm

Ray's taken a strange new job to help support his ailing brother. He's marching into the woods, dragging miles of cable behind him to connect up cubes used for futuristic trading. To say more would be a ruin a unique and humorous satirical look at the exploitative techniques modern day employment is made up of. It's not always successful but it's last 30 minutes really hits the spot. Dean Imperial as Ray is one to keep an eye out for.

As always visit hamsandwichcinema.blogspot.com/ for more film and tv chat.
Canada is following countries, from the U.S. to Hong Kong, in banning foreign nationals from seven southern African nations, amid concerns about a new Covid-19 variant.

Worries about the variant sent markets around the world tumbling Friday, feeding fears the latest threat could derail the fragile global recovery. There are no direct flights from the region into Canada.

We are acting quickly to protect the health and safety of Canadians," Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters in Ottawa. We are banning the entry of foreign nationals into Canada that have traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days."

Canadas largest airline, Air Canada, lost as much as 11%, the most since June 2020, but the damage was widespread. Every sector of the S&P/TSX Composite Index was weaker, with the equities benchmark tumbling 2.3%, the most in 13 months. Energy stocks led losses as oil plummeted, with the sector sinking 3.7%.

The seven countries are South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Eswatini.

One week ago, Air Canada said it no longer required support under a C$5.9 billion ($4.6 billion) state rescue package. The same day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government said it will ease testing requirements for vaccinated Canadians making short trips to the U.S.

Some economists are warning the spread of the variant could have material impacts on economic activity.

Some countries are already barring flights from Africa, but it may well be that this variant is already brewing elsewhere," Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, said in a report to investors Friday. What isnt clear is whether vaccines or antibody treatments can still defend against severe outcomes, which would be key to whether it can set us back on our physical and economic healing path."

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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NEW DELHI : Russia, India and China need to join forces to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches the people of Afghanistan without any hindrance and politicization, foreign minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday.

Speaking at the 18th meeting of the Russia-India-China (RIC) countries at the level of foreign ministers, Jaishankar pointed out that it was necessary for RIC countries to coordinate their approaches on the threats of terrorism, radicalization and drug trafficking. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov took part in the meeting. India took over as chair of the RIC after its last meeting in Moscow in September 2020.

Jaishankar said as a contiguous neighbour and partner of Afghanistan, India was concerned about the recent developments in that country, especially the suffering of the Afghan people.

In line with our commitment to the well-being of Afghan people, we have offered the supply of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to address the drought situation," he said.

A joint statement issued after the talks said the three countries reaffirmed their support for basic principle of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and called for the formation of a truly inclusive government", representative of all the major ethnic and political groups of the country.

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Stephen Sondheim, the legendary Broadway songwriter, has died at his home in Connecticut at the age of 91, according to The New York Times. The prolific composer and lyricist was the creative force behind some 20 musicals starting in 1954  including West Side Story (lyrics), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and more  as well as numerous film and TV projects, from adaptations of his Broadway hits to original songs for movies such as Dick Tracy and The Birdcage. Over his remarkable, seven-decade career, Sondheim won nine Tony Awards, eight Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize, and an Academy Award, among many other honors.

Versatility was a Sondheim hallmark. His willingness to experiment and innovate meant he rarely trod the same path twice, moving from farce to romance to historical drama and hitting every note in between. No topic was too obscure or offbeat to form the basis for one of his shows: Sweeney Todd followed a homicidal, cannibalistic barber against the backdrop of the early Industrial Revolution; Sunday in the Park With George explored the creative inspirations of the pointillist painter Georges Seurat; Pacific Overtures dealt with the Westernization of Japan in the late-1800s; Assassins was, quite literally, about presidential assassins.

Along the way, several of Sondheims songs entered the pop-cultural firmament. The mournful Send in the Clowns, from 1973s A Little Night Music, became his biggest hit after Frank Sinatra recorded it that year (his version runs over the end credits of Todd Phillips Joker), and Judy Collins take charted two years later. Barbra Streisand covered the song memorably in 1985  and Sondheim even wrote an extra verse for the occasion.

Presenting Sondheim with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, Barack Obama noted the complexities of the songwriters work and his desire to set the bar high for both himself and theatergoers: As a composer and a lyricist, and a genre unto himself, Sondheim challenges his audiences. His greatest hits arent tunes you can hum; theyre reflections on roads we didnt take, and wishes gone wrong, relationships so frayed and fractured theres nothing left to do but send in the clowns. Yet Stephens music is so beautiful, his lyrics so precise, that even as he exposes the imperfections of everyday life, he transcends them. We transcend them. Put simply, Stephen reinvented the American musical.

Sondheim grew up largely on Manhattans Upper West Side and, after his parents divorce, attended a military academy and a Pennsylvania boarding school before heading off to Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he majored in theater. He was mentored as a young man by another musical theater titan, Oscar Hammerstein II, whose son Sondheim had befriended.

Im interested in communication with audiences, Sondheim told Fresh Airs Terry Gross of why he was drawn to the theater. I love the theater as much as music, and the whole idea of getting across to an audience and making them laugh, making them cry  just making them feel  is paramount to me.

Several of Sondheims musicals have undergone successful revivals in recent years, including Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park With George (starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular painter). A planned revival of Company  a virtually plotless meditation on love and marriage that won six Tonys following its 1970 debut  starring Patti LuPone in the gender-flipped lead role and scheduled to coincide with Sondheims 90th birthday in March of 2020, was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic; its first preview show took place just weeks ago in Manhattan. Steven Spielbergs adaptation of West Side Story is set to hit theaters Dec. 10.

As news of Sondheims death broke on Friday, Broadway stars past and present reacted on Twitter. Josh Gad, Frozen star and a Tony nominee for his role in The Book of Mormon, wrote: Perhaps not since April 23rd of 1616 has theater lost such a revolutionary voice. Thank you Mr. Sondheim for your Demon Barber, some Night Music, a Sunday in the Park, Company, fun at a Forum, a trip Into the Woods and telling us a West Side Story. RIP.

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Stephen Sondheim, the dominant voice in American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century and the composer with the most Tony Awards, has died. He was 91. The Broadway icon died Friday, November 26th at his home in Roxbury, Conn. He was 91.

His shows, from the comedic A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to the ground-breaking Company to the operatic Sweeney Todd to the experimental Pacific Overtures, transformed the Broadway musical stage, influencing and advancing the medium. Sondheim, a protege of Oscar Hammerstein II, slowly moved away from that melodic tradition to incorporate complex and dissonant themes and structures of 20th century classical music into his works.

Sondheim won seven Tony Awards plus a 2008 Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theater.

Though he never achieved popular success on the order of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sondheim altered and broadened the boundaries of American musical theater with great daring and aplomb, basing his tuners on such disparate sources as the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (A Funny Thing), a film by Ingmar Bergman (A Little Night Music) and American political assassinations (Assassins). And while his critics claimed his songs lacked the whistle-ability factor of Richard Rodgers or even Lloyd Webber, his musicals continued to be revived, reappreciated and reappraised over the decades.

No one could deny Sondheims abilities as a lyricist  in that realm he easily rivaled the great Cole Porter. His talent, evident from his early collaborations with Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story) and Jules Styne (Gypsy), became even more pronounced and sophisticated as he grew as a composer and conceiver of musical subjects. Many of his musicals were sardonic and downbeat. Company dealt with a single man whose encounters with his married friends were less than encouraging; Follies, with the illusions of show business vs. real life. And, of course, Sweeney Todd was about a barber who killed his clients and baked them up in pies.

Such material was not always to mass-audience tastes. But critics and musical theater devotees thrilled to it. Sondheim won countless Tonys but, more importantly, paved the way for musicals that dealt with sophisticated subject matter as directly as any straight drama.

Sondheim was almost defined by his New York sensibility. He was born Stephen Joshua Sondheim in Manhattan into a middle class family and sent off to a military school after his parents divorced. With his mother he moved to Doylestown, Penn., where they lived near Oscar Hammerstein II, a family friend who soon became his surrogate father. At age 15, Sondheim presented his first musical, By George, to Hammerstein, who summarily tore it apart. I learned more about songwriting and the musical theater (that afternoon) than most people learn in a lifetime, he later recalled. Sondheim worked as an assistant on Hammersteins musicals Allegro, South Pacific and The King and I. After finishing the George School, he attended Williams College, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1950 and earned a Hutchinson prize to study music and composition, which he did with composer Milton Babbitt.

Sondheims Broadway debut came in 1953 with the musical Saturday Night, for which he wrote the music and lyrics, but the producer died suddenly and so too did its financial backing. Sondheim briefly earned a living in Hollywood as a telescripter for the series Topper. He also wrote the incidental music to such plays as Girls of Summer and Invitation to a March.

Through Arthur Laurents, Sondheim was introduced to Bernstein, who afforded him the opportunity to write the lyrics for his musical updating of Romeo and Juliet called West Side Story (1957). Though he disparaged his work on that musical later, it launched Sondheim on his career. He was to have written the music as well as the lyrics for Laurents Gypsy, but the star, Ethel Merman, demanded that Jule Styne be brought in to write the music. Sondheims brilliant lyrics and Stynes score transformed the tale of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee into what many legiters consider one of the great musicals of all time. (Sondheim also contributed some lyrics to Bernsteins Candide).

Sondheim was finally ready to strike out on his own, which he did with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a comedy derived from the works of Roman comic playwright Plautus. Starring Zero Mostel, it opened in 1962 and would prove to be Sondheims most profitable musical, long running and frequently revived with the signature songs Comedy Tonight and Everybody Ought to Have a Maid.

But Sondheims next musical was one of his biggest disappointments. Collaborating with Laurents on the experimental Anyone Can Whistle, which opened in 1964, proved to be an enervating experience. Nor was his next Laurents collaboration much better. Do I Hear a Waltz?, for which Richard Rodgers wrote the music (it was Sondheims last collaborative effort), was based on Laurents play The Time of the Cuckoo (which became the film Summertime) and had a brief, unprofitable run.

Except for the ABC TV original musical Evening Primrose, Sondheim was not heard of again until 1969, when he began his winning collaboration with director Hal Prince, stretching the musical comedy envelope with the multicharacter, free-form Company. When it opened on Broadway the following year, its cynical, acerbic view of urban married life struck a nerve, as did such songs as Being Alive, The Ladies Who Lunch and Im Not Getting Married Today. It won Sondheim his first Tony. The following year came the even more audacious, dream-like Follies (also with Prince), a dazzling reconception of the backstage musical, dark and introspective and brilliantly staged. The pastiche score of several different musical eras brought Sondheim another Tony, though the show was not as big a success as Company.

A Little Night Music, based on Ingmar Bergmans Chekhovian romance Smiles of a Summer Night, opened in 1973, and whoever doubted Sondheims ability as a composer (from the start, no one ever doubted his lyrical mastery) was converted by the tuners waltzes and its plaintive Send in the Clowns, the closest thing to a hit song Sondheim ever penned. He also co-wrote with Anthony Perkins his only film script, The Last of Sheila, a rather convoluted murder mystery.

Merrily We Roll Along seemed to try even harder to be clever, telling its story backwards. Thus the bitter characters at mid-life become younger and more idealistic as the show goes along.

Conceptually it was daring. Its execution left a great deal to be desired, though it boasted one of Sondheims best scores, including the haunting Not a Day Goes By. He also musicalized Aristophanes The Frogs.

Sweeney Todd, the Grand Guignol melodrama about a homicidal barber in 19th century England, was essentially an opera. And as staged by Prince, it won Sondheim well-deserved accolades. It quickly passed into the operatic repertory worldwide and won Tonys for Sondheim.

Sondheims last two Broadway successes (though neither compared to Sweeney or Funny Thing) were Sunday in the Park With George  a reverie in two time periods (19th century France and today) about pointillist painter Georges Seurat, and more abstract than the melodramatic Sweeney Todd  and the dark fairy tale Into the Woods. He received a Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park With George in 1985.

His next effort, Assassins, about such presidential killers and would-be killers as John Wilkes Booth and Squeaky Fromme, was regarded as an oddity at best and did not move to Broadway after running at Playwrights Horizon in 1991. (However, a 2004 Broadway production from the Roundabout Theater Company was a critical success and won five Tonys, including the trophy for musical revival.)

He returned in 1994 with Passion, based on a film by Italian director Ettore Scola. While it was respectfully received and won several Tonys, some thought it lacked real songs  they saw it as an interesting experiment, but one for which audiences were not ready. His play Getting Away With Murder, co-written with George Furth, closed quickly on Broadway in 1996.

His most recent new musical, Road Trip, underwent a long, bumpy development process. Initially called Wise Guys in an Off Broadway workshop in 1999, the show premiered as Bounce at Chicagos Goodman Theater in 2003 and also had a run at the Kennedy Center later that year. However, the musical did not reach Gotham until 2008, when yet another retooled version, this time called Road Trip, bowed at Off Broadways Public Theater in a staging director by John Doyle, whose stripped-down Broadway revivals of Sweeney Todd (in 2005) and Company (in 2006) had won raves.

Toward the latter years of his career, his work was revived on Broadway with a frequency seen by few other composers. The Roundabout Theater Company made a habit of producing Sondheim musicals, ranging from Assassins to Sunday in the Park to Pacific Overtures. In 2010 the Roundabout renamed one of its Broadway venues after the composer.

In 2002 the Kennedy Center staged a summerlong celebration of his work, including repertory presentations of six of his tuners. Commercial stagings of Sondheim musicals also proliferated in recent years, included Sweeney, Company, A Little Night Music (2009) and Follies (2011).

Not many commercial productions of Sondheims musicals managed to recoup, despite the accolades and the fan fervor. But Sondheim more than achieved his aspirations, leaving an indelible stamp on the musical theater and American music in general. Compendium revues of his work Side by Side by Sondheim, Marry Me a Little, Putting It Together, Youre Gonna Love Tomorrow and Sondheim and Sondheim helped popularize tunes that were never appreciated in his less successful musicals as well as those from movies.

Sondheim wrote the score for the 1974 Alain Resnais film Stavisky and penned the songs in Warren Beattys Reds and Dick Tracy, winning an Oscar for the latter in 1991 for Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man). (Sondheim was Grammy nominated for another song from Dick Tracy, More). He also wrote I Never Do Anything Twice for The Seven Percent Solution.

The composer won multiple Grammys for musical cast show album and won song of the year in 1975 for Send in the Clowns.

In 2007 director Tim Burton adapted Sweeney Todd for the bigscreen, with Johhny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter starring, and the Hollywood adaptations wouldnt stop there. Disneys bigscreen adaptation of Sondheims Into the Woods generated some controversy among theater fans ahead of its December 2014 release when Sondheim revealed in June of that year that cuts were being made to make the musical more family-friendly. You know, if I were a Disney executive, I probably would say the same thing, Sondheim said. However it did land three academy award nominations, including one for star Meryl Streep who played the iconic witch.

Director Richard Linklater is currently working on a movie re-telling of Merrily We Roll Along starring Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein, which is being shot over the period of 12 years.

Sondheim was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973-81. In honor of his 80th birthday, the Henry Millers Theater was redubbed the Stephen Sondheim Theater in September 2010. The birthday was elaborately celebrated through a number of a special concerts and benefits.

And in 2011 he received a Special Award at the U.K.s Olivier Awards in recognition of his contribution to London theater. In November 2015 he award the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.

HBO explored his legacy in the 2013 documentary Six by Sondheim.

Sondheim had a relationship with dramatist Peter Jones for several years until 1999.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  Democrats wielded demands to fix the nations broken immigration system as a cudgel against Republicans in the 2020 campaign. Elect us, went the argument, and well stop the cruel treatment of migrants at the border, and put in place lasting and humane policies that work.

A year into Joe Bidens presidency, though, action on the issue has been hard to find and there is growing consternation privately among some in the party that the Biden administration cant find the right balance on immigration.

Publicly, its another story. Most Washington lawmakers are largely holding their tongues, unwilling to criticize their leader on a polarizing topic that has created divisions within the party  especially as concerns mount over whether Democrats can hold on to power come next year.

It's a hard balancing act to pull off, said Douglas Rivlin, spokesman for Americas Voice, an immigration reform group. Especially when Republicans are unrelenting in their negativity toward the president, even a little friendly fire can be a challenge.

Its hard but they've got to do it, he said. Theyre going to face voters next year, all the people on the Hill. Biden isnt, they are. And they have to be clear theyre pushing Biden to be the Democratic president we elected, rather than being scared of the issues because the politics are difficult.

Democrats have pointed to the recent House approval of a huge spending bill backed by the White House that would allow for expanded work permits and some other, less ambitious immigration provisions. When Biden took office, he promised a pathway to U.S. citizenship for millions of people in the country illegally. Democrats say the measures in the spending bill are enough to show the party wont shy away from the immigration issue during next years midterms.

I dont see it as as the fault of the president per se or ... these challenges that were facing today, solely falling on the shoulders of the president, said Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents a district in El Paso, Texas, across the border from Juarez, Mexico. It is a collective obligation that we have and and I think Democrats have solutions and we need to lean in on them.

Her Democratic colleague, Rep. Joaquin Castro, from San Antonio, ducked a question when asked if House members in swing districts will be forced to run away from Biden in 2022, saying Im going to wait on political discussions.

But Castro added that the party had done as much as it could do on immigration this session, given Senate rules that have prevented larger legislation on the issue from advancing with the required minimum of 60 votes in that chamber.

Right now, Democrats have control of the White House, the Senate and the House and we have pushed as hard as we can with the number that we have in the chambers to get protections from deportation, workplace permits, drivers licenses, travel abilities, Castro said.

Former Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke, who recently announced hed run for Texas governor, has been one of a few Democrats to put the border front and center, heading almost immediately to the U.S.-Mexico border after he announced he was running, where he suggested the White House is doing its party no favors.

Its clear that Biden could be doing a better job at the border, ORourke said during an interview with KTVT TV in Dallas-Fort Worth. It is not enough of a priority.

Like most top Democrats, ORourke will have to counter the narrative pushed by Republicans that an increase in the number of people crossing the border illegally this year has reached crisis levels. Incumbent Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts campaign accused ORourke of supporting Bidens open borders policies and financed billboards along the border featuring ORourkes face morphing into that of the president.

Nick Rathod, Rourkes campaign manager, sees neglect, I think by Democrats across the board, not just the Biden administration, in engaging in an authentic manner in those communities along the border.

Its sort of created a vacuum. What we want to do is fill that space.

But immigration is a complex issue, and no administration has been able to fix it. And Biden is trapped between the conflicting interests of showing compassion while dealing with migrants coming to the country  illegally  seeking a better life.

The administration has said it is focusing on root causes of immigration, and working to broker long-term solutions that make migrants want to stay in their homelands. Theyve pushed through regulations that aim to adjudicate asylum cases faster so migrants dont wait in limbo, and theyve worked to diminish the massive backlog of cases.

But mostly, Biden has spent much of the past year undoing Trump-era rules widely viewed as cruel that clamped down on asylum seekers, gutted the number of refugees allowed to the U.S. and then shuttered the border entirely in the name of COVID-19.

Despite that effort, Biden has faced a heap of criticism from progressives and immigrant advocates who say he is still making too much use of inhumane Trump-era policies.

One of the most criticized is the Remain in Mexico program, where migrants are sent to wait for resolution of their immigration claims over the border to Mexico in fetid makeshift refugee camps. It was put on hold after a judge ruled it was improper, but according to court papers, the Biden administration is waiting on final agreements with Mexico to start doing it again.

We reject a system where people facing life and death consequences are forced to navigate a complex legal system  in a language they may not speak and in a culture which they may not be accustomed to  alone, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network said in a statement.

Another is a provision, known as Title 42, that gives federal health officials powers during a pandemic to take extraordinary measures to limit transmission of an infectious disease. The White House has appealed a judge's ruling that ended the regulation.

The administration has used the provision to justify the deportation of Haitian migrants who entered Texas. After viral images surfaced of U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics, Biden's team took heat from even the staunchest of allies.

Republicans are hammering border security, intent on keeping the issue in the headlines. The issue remains a high priority to some voters. A CNN poll earlier this month showed 14% of Americans identified immigration as the top issue facing the county, trailing behind the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Border Patrol reported more than 1.6 million encounters with migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border from September 2020 to September 2021, more than quadruple the number in the prior fiscal year and the highest annual total on record.

The number of encounters had dropped over the previous 12 months to around 400,000, as the pandemic slowed global migration. But the rebound is now higher than the previous record set in 2000, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. The tally includes both expulsions when migrants are turned away immediately, and apprehensions when they're detained by U.S. authorities, at least temporarily.

The U.S. system is still ill-equipped to manage such a crush, though career immigration officials warned of a coming surge. Border stations are temporary holding places not meant for long-term care. It's a massive logistical challenge, especially when dealing with children who cross alone and require higher standards of care and coordination across agencies.

___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
Thanksgiving is an all-American holiday, however, it is not just celebrated in the United States. The countrys neighbors to the south in northern Mexico also have their own Thanksgiving dinners, even if they celebrate it unofficially.

Scores of people from Nuevo Laredo  who stay in Laredos sister city during the holiday or simply travel to the United States to buy pies, turkeys and other items for the meal  state the tradition has grown on them as they see a major connection they have with the American culture, especially for those who also have ties in family located in the United States. It is becoming an unofficial holiday in northern Mexico, as people from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey and even Saltillo celebrate the holiday.

Many spoke to LMT recently declaring how much they enjoy participating in the American holiday.

As proud Mexicans, there is nothing better than just having another holiday, even if it is not ours, Petra Sanchez said. For years, we have been doing this as we know how important it is to give thanks every day, so why not enjoy this fabulous holiday as well that is all just about thanking. In fact, we even have our families from Laredo come to Nuevo Laredo to eat some turkey as they say we cook better.

The Sanchez family is not the only one celebrating as other families are also observing the holiday across the Rio Grande with the traditional turkey meal.

My kids continue to come to Thanksgiving to my house, as they like the way I do the stuffing, Perla Rodriguez said. They like how I put everything from raisins to apple and even some Mexican spices on it that gives it a new feel to the traditional American dish. People love it a lot.

According to Rodriguez, she has been celebrating Thanksgiving since she can remember as her father  who welcomed tourists in the city of Nuevo Laredo decades ago while driving his taxi  got the idea from his interactions. He also got into the holiday by visiting his family in Laredo and other cities like Dallas, which made him feel like part of the tradition. Since then, Rodriguez and some of her children, who are American, have celebrated Thanksgiving in Nuevo Laredo.

I think it is beautiful that this tradition is celebrated here as well, although not officially, Rodriguez said. I also have family in Monterrey who celebrate this holiday, and even my own nephews do things like Friendsgiving and others to celebrate this important holiday with friends and family as well. It is beautiful to celebrate this American tradition, which shows how the United States has a lot of culture as well.

One local scholar of sociology spoke about the reason why Thanksgiving is celebrated in Mexico.

After looking into this a bit, I have learned that the reason this is done is that culture is passed from one people to another, said Jose Jacobo Gutierrez, who studies sociology and focuses on the Mexican-American border in Nuevo Laredo. Although we always hear about the United States celebrating Cinco de Mayo and having all these Mexican traditions such as Los Dia De Los Muertos and even El Dia de Los Reyes, so do Mexicans also celebrate this American holiday as the border life allows for this culture trend to be passed from one area to another. It shows the beauty of the cultures and it helps showcase how important the border area is.

Families are not the only ones who celebrate such holidays. Even restaurants and local banquet companies such as Ovidio's Banquetes y Servicios prepare meals for people to buy in Nuevo Laredo to celebrate the holiday. For places like Ovidio's Banquetes y Servicios, they have for decades performed this type of service for the people of the sister city.

One of the people who bought from this service was the Medrano family, who did so because they wanted to focus on more being with family than just cooking.

I havent seen my family for close to two years because of the pandemic, because they are already mostly older and (we) dont want to expose them, Beatrice Medrano said. So this time, we wanted to have Thanksgiving with a service like this but also enjoy our families the most as possible, which is what we did.

According to Medrano, she believes what she is most thankful for this Thanksgiving is being able to see her family once again. She is happy to again show the love she has for all the family she is able to once again kiss and hug as the pandemic is winding down, and also to see them in Mexico as they finally feel safe to cross.

We also sometimes buy tamales as well or make tamales from leftover turkeys, which we hope to do so now as our oldest aunts are here. And the way they make tamales are much better than us younger ones, Medrano said. We are ready to have Thanksgiving the Mexican way for sure.

Even though it is clear many Mexicans do celebrate Thanksgiving, it is also clear that is not the only holiday they will be celebrating this time around. Many also plan to go shopping on Friday, which is another unofficial holiday in the United States.

I just want to wish everybody whether in the United States or Mexico a happy Thanksgiving, and let them know that it does not matter when it comes to borders to celebrate such a beautiful holiday like this, Sanchez said. Also, I wish people also get to eat a lot, and get ready for Friday and Saturday as all the stores will be packed. Black Friday is also a tradition we celebrate as well.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
PRAGUE (AP)  Coronavirus infections in the Czech Republic soared to a new record high, reaching almost 26,000 daily cases, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The daily tally hit 25,864 on Tuesday, about 3,000 more than the previous record registered on Friday.

The countrys infection rate has risen to 1,061 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, almost twice as many as two weeks ago.

As infections soar, the government has been considering mandatory vaccination for certain groups of people, including the elderly, medical and military personnel and police officers.

Just over 58% of the Czech population has been fully vaccinated.

Another proposal under consideration is shortening the time between a second shot and a booster from six to five months.

The government is expected to announce its plan soon, possibly next week.

The latest surge has hit the country at a time of political transition following a parliamentary election in October.

Some of the proposals and measures imposed by the outgoing government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis are opposed by a coalition of five parties that agreed to form a new government.

The new coalition strictly rejects any mandatory vaccination. Vlastimil Valek, the candidate to be the new health minister, said on Wednesday that its not a solution, it only further divides the society.

President Milos Zeman was set to appoint the leader of the new coalition, Petr Fiala, the prime minister-designate, on Friday but its not clear when the president might swear in his government.

Some new restrictions targeting the unvaccinated already took effect Monday. Most unvaccinated people are no longer allowed to show negative coronavirus tests in order to attend public events, go to bars and restaurants, visit hairdressers, museums and similar facilities or use hotels. Only people who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 will remain eligible.

The new coalition said it wants to return to allowing negative tests to act as a pass for those venues and activities.

Overall, the nation of 10.7 million has registered over 2 million cases of COVID-19 and 32,408 deaths.

___

Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
BRUSSELS (AP)  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia Friday that any attempt to invade Ukraine would have costs, as concern mounts about a Russian military buildup near its former Soviet neighbors borders.

Ukraine says Moscow kept about 90,000 troops near their common border following massive war games in western Russia earlier this year. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said units of the Russian 41st army remain near Yelnya, about 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of the border.

Moscow denies that its planning any invasion and refuses to provide details about troop movements on its own territory.

If Russia uses force against Ukraine that will have costs, that would have consequences, Stoltenberg said, ahead of a meeting of the 30-nation military organizations foreign ministers in Latvia Nov. 30-Dec. 1, where Russias activities will be high on the agenda. He did not say what those costs would be.

This is the second time this year that Russia has amassed a large and unusual concentration of forces in the region, Stoltenberg told reporters. He said it includes tanks, artillery, armored units, drones, and electronic warfare systems, as well as combat-ready troops.

This military buildup is unprovoked and unexplained. It raises tensions and it risks miscalculations, Stoltenberg said. He conceded that there is no certainty about the intentions of Russia but said that this is a military buildup by a country that has invaded Ukraine before.

Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 after the countrys Moscow-friendly president was driven from power by mass protests. Weeks later, Russia threw its weight behind a separatist insurgency that broke out in Ukraines east.

Ukraine and the West accused Russia of sending its troops and weapons to back the rebels. Moscow denied that, saying that Russians who joined the separatists were volunteers. More than 14,000 people have died in the fighting that devastated Ukraines eastern industrial heartland known as Donbas.

A 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany helped end large-scale battles, but efforts to reach a political settlement have failed and sporadic skirmishes have continued along the tense line of contact.

NATO would not be able to provide Ukraine with any substantial military support in time to make a difference against Russian forces, so economic measures like Western sanctions are more likely to be used to inflict a financial cost on Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday alleged that his countrys intelligence service has uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup detat in Ukraine next week, something which the Russian government denied.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday spoke with the head of the Presidential Administration in Ukraine, Andriy Yermak. The two discussed their shared concerns about ongoing Russian military activities near Ukraines border and agreed that all sides should pursue diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

Mr. Sullivan underscored the United States unwavering commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement read.

___

Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report.
3 1 of 3 Courtesy photo /U.S. Border Patrol Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy photo /U.S. Border Patrol Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Several migrants were apprehended after the vehicle they were riding in got stuck in a ditch, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

On Tuesday, a concerned citizen reported seeing multiple people running from the brush to a white pickup along Texas 44, north of Laredo.
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
Dr Una Fallon, Director of Public Health in the HSE Midlands Department of Public Health, covering the four counties of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly, is asking for the support of everybody in efforts to increase Covid-19 vaccination uptake rates in communities.

Dr Fallon outlined, As you know the national Covid-19 case numbers are rising again and we have seen a significant increase in our own counties in the Midlands as well as nationally in the last two weeks.

Vaccination against Covid-19 is safe and effective. While the number of cases, hospitalisations and numbers in ICU are increasing, the hospital situation would be worse if over 90% of our population was not vaccinated. The death rate from Covid-19 is a fraction of what it would be without the vaccine. Everything possible is being done to protect the most vulnerable such as the elderly, the immunocompromised and Health Care Workers and these groups are currently being offered a third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or booster vaccine.

Covid-19 vaccination is the greatest measure we can all take in order to protect ourselves and others from severe infection, hospitalisation, and even death. It is in all our interests - medically, socially, culturally, economically  to try to achieve the highest vaccination rate possible in the Midlands, she added.

The HSE Midlands Department of Public Health, is urging people, to come forward to receive their Covid-19 vaccine and booster in an effort to improve vaccination uptake in the region.

While the majority of people in the Midlands eligible for vaccination have come forward, vaccination uptake rates in some of the Local Electoral Areas (LEAs) are lower than the national average.

Recently, Mike Ryan of the WHO stated that we all need to do a deep dive on who is vaccinated and who is not vaccinated. If you have a significant number in the community who remain unvaccinated and who are at high risk of disease and you have intense community transmission, your health system will come under pressure.

Dr Fallon explained that The Midlands Department of Public Health is working on a number of strategies to improve Covid-19 vaccination uptake rates in the region including supporting a range of workplaces and hard-to-reach communities with vaccine advocacy using translated materials and dedicated vaccination clinics.

However, we need help and would appreciate support from all local communities and voluntary organisations in spreading the message. We know that Covid-19 vaccines save lives, she added.

Information on COVID-19 vaccine

General HSE written information in English and many other languages:

Find the vaccine information materials at hse.ie/covid19vaccinematerials

COVID-19 vaccines easy read and accessible information formats are available here

COVID-19 vaccine resources and information have been translated into 38 different languages. To access translated COVID-19 information, visit: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/covid-19-resources-and-translations/translated-covid19-information/?utm

Walk-in vaccination clinics

You can also get your vaccine without an appointment at a walk-in clinic. The walk-in clinics open this week are listed on HSE website

Walk-in clinics are open for people aged 12 and older. Children aged 12 to 15 must attend with their parent or guardian.

Walk-in clinics are for first and second dose only. You cannot get a booster dose at a walk-in vaccination clinic. You can find more information on the booster dose here.

Find a pharmacy giving COVID-19 vaccines

Many pharmacies are now offering COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 12 and over. Find a pharmacy to book your vaccine appointment. You can find more information here.

Where to find COVID-19 Vaccination Information

We encourage everyone to read about the COVID-19 vaccine and to get their information from a factual, trusted source  here are the links to the pages with information on the vaccine:

Read the National Immunisation Advisory Committee Chapter about COVID-19 vaccine

Information in Irish Sign Language: information resources on the COVID-19 vaccines in Irish Sign Language are available here



Video information on the Covid-19 vaccine for women who are pregnant, in different languages



Polish https://youtu.be/spz73WjNcyo



Spanish https://youtu.be/I7It7et1NWw



Portuguese https://youtu.be/hkQ5L7_NfPc



Romanian https://youtu.be/_FRmkl3NVbk



Mandarin Chinese https://youtu.be/EHsJBYz4dCA



Russian https://youtu.be/PgNZgSEZR8U



Lithuanian https://youtu.be/rd9Nnp3mj5I



You can contact your doctor, pharmacist or call HSELive:

Freephone 1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787 - open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday
Sinn Fein TD for Longford Westmeath Sorca Clarke has urged the government to take action and end the scandal of there being no domestic violence shelter in Longford.

Speaking on the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Thursday, November 25), she has called on the government to take action to put in place domestic violence refuge spaces in Longford without further delay.

Deputy Clarke said: On the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I want to commend the many brave women who have spoken out to share their stories, who have raised awareness of violence against women and who are encouraging others to seek help.



I also want to pay tribute to the many workers and volunteers who dedicate their time to supporting survivors of these appalling crimes. Violence against women is never acceptable and as a society we must send the loud and clear message that we support survivors.



However, government inaction is failing victims. We cannot talk about the scourge of domestic violence, but at the same time fail to provide resources that are urgently needed, which those in power are prone to doing. That must change.

There are nine counties in the state which have no domestic violence refuge and Longford is one of them. This is indefensible and the government must act urgently to change this.

Research by Safe Ireland shows that on average 7 women per day during the pandemic were turned away from a refuge when they sought help. No one who seeks help should ever be turned away.

I am urging the Government to act now and ensure there are domestic violence refuge spaces in Longford. Failing to do so is leaving victims at risk.

Sinn Feins Budget 2022 housing proposals included 9m in additional funding for domestic violence emergency and step-down accommodation and supports. The money is there to deliver additional refuge places, it is the political will that is lacking from government.
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High near 55F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy and windy with periods of rain ending overnight. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.




Premier Apple partner Power Mac Center opened three new stores this November to provide better access to essential technology amid the shift to digital for productivity and creativity. The expansion is also in line with the companys goal of strengthening its geographic footprint across the country to serve more people through its retail stores, service centers, and training centers.

New beginnings are always good. Despite the difficulties of the current situation, its important for us to power through the challenges and be there for our customers in the different channels they prefer. Were expanding our reach further through online platforms and physically with our new stores to provide Filipino Apple fans a better shopping experience as we all hope for our continuous recovery as a nation, said Joey Alvarez, Power Mac Center Director of Product Management, Marketing and Space Planning.





The first new Power Mac Center store to open since the pandemic and the 53rd branch in the Philippines overall was Power Mac Center Ongpin which welcomed customers on November 12. Located at the heart of Binondo, Manila at 888 Neo Plaza Bldg., Power Mac Center Ongpin is one of the biggest branches in the metro, having two floors decked out with premier Apple products and accessories that customers can check out for themselves. It is open Monday to Sunday from 10AM to 8PM.

Two new stores also opened on November 26  Power Mac Center in SM City Grand Central and The Loop by Power Mac Center in SM City General Santos.

Power Mac Center in SM City Grand Central is located on Level 4 Cyberzone. The first branch in Caloocan City, it is open Monday to Friday, 11AM to 9PM, and 10AM to 10PM on weekends.

Meanwhile, The Loop by Power Mac Center in SM City General Santos is the first The Loop branch in General Santos City and its third in Mindanao. It can be found on the 3rd floor of the Cyberzone area and is open daily from 10AM to 9PM. The Loop is Power Mac Centers brand that features lifestyle products geared towards millennials and Gen Z digital natives.

Among the Apple products that customers can get from the newly opened stores are the latest devices such as the iPhone 13 series, iPad (9th Gen), and the Apple Watch Series 7.





Opening weekend deals





To celebrate this milestone, there will be exclusive deals at both SM City Grand Central and SM City General Santos from November 26 to November 28, 2021. Customers will get to enjoy up to 15% off on select Apple accessories and Beats by Dr. Dre products when purchasing via non-installment payments (cash, straight credit card, debit card, bank transfer, check, HomeCredit, GCash, GrabPay, WeChat, AliPay, PayMaya, Hello Money, UnionPay, BDO Pay, and Wirecard).





In addition, participating premium accessories are discounted at at 10% off from November 27-28. Customers purchasing Apple devices using non-installment payment methods, meanwhile, get up to 5% off during the entire opening weekend sale.





Easy and Convenient Shopping online

Power Mac Center also has Enhanced Contactless Shopping or EC Shopping solutions for customers who prefer buying online. Through its call-to-order option, customers can check the availability of the products first by calling the store, then paying in-store or online. Theres the call-to-deliver option for door-to-door deliveries and the curbside pick-up option, where customers may receive their purchases at a mall designated area.





Add to cart and order products at any of the following official online stores:

 Web Store <powermaccenter.com>

 Viber store <http://iksi.link/pmc>

 Official The Loop Store on Shopee <https://bit.ly/3yRRdFj

 Official The Loop Store on Lazada <https://bit.ly/3lHfk3V>





Additionally, customers can check for product availability at any store by visiting <bit.ly/PMCstores>. Follow the official Facebook pages <fb.com/PowerMacCenter> and <fb.com/theloopphilippines>, Instagram (@powermaccenter, @theloopph), Twitter (@powermaccenter), and TikTok (@powermaccenter) accounts, and join the official Power Mac Center Viber community at <https://bit.ly/PMConViber>





Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-131963 Series of 2021 (Power Mac Center Grand Central)





Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. RX11-GS-068 Series of 2021 (The Loop by Power Mac Center General Santos)




Happy weekend! I hope you ate your fill of turkey during Thanksgiving. My favorite part of the meal is all of the sides.I can leave the turkey, but give me some dressing and cranberry sauce. I actually cooked a 25-pound turkey. I have been very lucky. I usually never cook for Thanksgiving dinner, but I must have gotten the short straw this year! The best part of the day was having everyone all together again. There is nothing better than having the ones you love most reminiscing and having some fun.

The Senior Center was closed Thursday and Friday so the staff could spend some time with our own families. I am really trying not to get too crazy over shopping for Christmas this year. If the pandemic taught me one thing it was we really dont need all of the stuff that we already have.

But do you know what today is? It is Shop Small Saturday. It is the day to encourage all of us to shop local and keep the money in our hometown businesses. My plan is to hit the downtown today and pick up some lovely gifts for family and friends. I love the Downtown Dollars that you purchase at the Chamber. They are for shops and restaurants in town and its a great way to give back to our community.

This week we have two days before December starts. We have a popular Tai Chi class Monday and Wednesday mornings, Zumba on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, and Sit & Get Fit on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Stop by and get your body moving a little.

It is amazing how things change daily with COVID. We have all been getting things ready for the Jingle Bell Ball and now with the change of masks for vaccinated people in indoor public spaces, we are going to cancel the party. Will things ever get back to normal? We have lost so many people of all ages, it is so sad. I have healthy family members who have had their vaccinations and have come down with the variant and have gotten very ill. The Wagoner Community Center has a mandatory mask mandate and everyone who enters this building will have a mask on and need to leave them on. We can not take a chance with anyone not being respectful of their neighbors. I hate the masks myself, my skin breaks out and it is difficult to talk and breathe, but right now I do not see a better alternative. This is what we have, and we are going to need to follow these rules at the Wagoner Community Center.

I was in Bear Lake last weekend having a delicious breakfast when I saw the lights being put up for Sparkle in the Park. If you havent been there before you need to go! It is fun to drive through and look at their displays. They do a great job and it is really enjoyable for all ages. It started last night, so find a time this holiday season to support a fun experience in Manistee County.

We are still looking for some donations for our Homebound Christmas Gifts program. It is something that has evolved to make seniors who are more isolated know that their neighbors havent forgotten them. It is the thought that counts and we want to make a lot of people in Manistee County smile. If you or someone you know could use a little pick me up, give us a call to get on the list. We are looking for pretty simple things to make someones day. Then Santa and his Gals will get everything wrapped up and will hop in their sleigh to deliver the gifts to some very special people. If this sounds like something you would like to help with, here is a list of some of the things we need. Lotion, chapstick, kleenex, slipper socks, candy, sugar free candy, throws, chocolate, shampoo, large print puzzle books, large print word search books, Sudoku books or anything you think people would like. You can give us a call to get the entire list. Thank you for your help. With the pandemic there are a lot of people who are isolated, and we just want to do our part.

Dont forget that there will be a Holiday Craft Show at the Wagoner Community Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 4. Stop in and check out all of the craft vendors. It will get you in the Christmas Spirit!

I hope you have a great week and remember to try something new!

HOLIDAY GIFT PROGRAM

Once again the senior center would like to partner with the community to help provide Christmas gifts for homebound seniors in Manistee County. If you would like to help, here is a list of gift ideas.

Large print word search books; Kleenex; art and craft supplies;sugar free candy; regular candy; sugar free pop; large print crossword puzzles; throw blankets; religious books; cookies; razors; no-slip socks/slipper socks (mens & womens, all sizes); stuffed animals, coloring books; puzzles; shawls; games; handkerchiefs; Hershey's Kisses; trivia books, historical novels; body wash; nail polish & remover. Deadline to donate to this program is Dec. 14. Call the senior center if you have any questions. 231-723-6477

CONGREGATE MEALS

The congregate meal site at the Wagoner Community Center will resume congregate meals on Nov. 29. The congregate meal site in Wellston will be passing out lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to noon, curbside carryout as well. The Onekama meal site at the Farr Center is handing out meals on Mondays and Wednesday at 11:15 a.m., (curbside carryout).

FOOD BANK

The senior center food bank takes place from 9-11 a.m. on the third Friday of the month. Seniors from Manistee County who are 60 years of age and older are eligible to participate. If you are picking up for another senior, be sure you have a proxy note, along with their name, address, birthdate and household information. Monetary and non-perishable food item donations are always appreciated. Next food bank is Jan. 21, 260 St. Mary's Parkway. There will be no December food bank.

EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE

If you are a Manistee County senior and are in need of emergency food assistance, please call the senior center at 231-723-6477 and speak to a staff member. We have an emergency food pantry that we use to help prevent food insecurity in our senior population during these times.

SENIOR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

The MCCOA has a program designed to help seniors remain independent, by reimbursing qualifying expenses. If you are a senior from Manistee County, you could receive reimbursement for payments you have made for house cleaning, yard work, snow removal services. For current clients in the Senior Reimbursement Program, please take note, all receipts must be current, no more than 30 days old. Income requirements apply. New clients must fill out a registration form. Please mail all receipts to 260 St. Mary's Parkway. Please call the Senior Center at 231-723-6477 ext. 214, for more information. Once a senior has moved out of their home, they are no longer qualified for the reimbursement program.

EXERCISE OPPORTUNITIES

Sit and Get Fit Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Wagoner Community Center. Cardio drumming classes,Thursday evenings at 5:45 p.m. Yoga classes are Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. (chair yoga), and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. (regular yoga). Tai Chi Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. Zumba classes are Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. All classes are free to all seniors, and donations accepted for those under 60.

DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP

The dementia support group will meet the second Thursday of the month. The group is a supportive, friendly gathering for caregivers, family members or anyone interested in learning more about and supporting our senior dementia community. The next meeting will be Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. Contact Jacki Krolczyk, 231-883-1341 for more information.

PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP

The Parkinson's support group meets at 11 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month.The next support group meeting will be on Dec. 16 at the Wagoner Community Center. Please call Linda Nickelson 231-690-5048 for more information.

MEDICATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The Manistee County Council on Aging has started a medication management program. Jean Anderson, the RN on staff, is available to assist in this area. Please feel free to call with your questions. 231-723-6477, ext. 215

SENIOR NUTRITION MENU

Nov. 29 - Dec. 3. Menus are subject to change.

Monday: Chicken ala King, cauliflower, spring veggies, cinnamon applesauce, biscuit

Tuesday: Chili, steamed corn, mixed veggies, banana, corn bread

Wednesday: Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, broccoli, strawberries,roll

Thursday: Toasted cheese sandwich, tomato soup, green beans, sliced pears, bread

Friday: No meals, center is closed

UPCOMING EVENTS

Nov. 29

 9 a.m. Tai Chi

 1 p.m. Pinochle

 1 p.m. Mah Jongg

 2 p.m. Zumba

Nov. 30

 12:30 Bridge

 3:30 p.m. Chair Yoga

Dec. 1

 9 a.m. Tai Chi

 10:30 a.m. TOPS

 11 a.m. Bingo

 1:30 p.m. Genealogy group

Dec. 4

 Holiday Craft Show
MANISTEE  With the leftover turkey safely nestled away in the fridge, many families are turning their attention toward Christmas.

Every year, Black Friday and all the accompanying deals entice many shoppers to roam the aisles in search of bargains.

Kellie Parkes, owner of Kellie's Hallmark Shop, said this year's Black Friday was a relatively busy.

"I think things are going great. It was a little slow this morning, but people go to the big box stores in the morning because they're open at 5 or 6 a.m.," she said. "Then all of a sudden they finish doing that and they come downtown. We've had a pretty good day. It's just now kind of cleared out, but it's been good."

Family Farm and Home's Black Friday deals were active all week long.

"We haven't really done Black Friday in two years because of COVID. ... The ad was all week," said manager Chance Young. "We've been selling a lot of the black oil sunflower seed because it's 25 pounds for like $10 and people go crazy over those. I thought I ran out this morning, but we didn't, so that was good."

Young said things were slow in the morning but quickly picked up.

"I'm sure it will get busier as the day goes on because people are coming from other stores  I know Menards had their Black Friday morning deals, and Meijer and Walmart," she said. "At about 10 a.m. it got pretty busy and I've been running all over like a chicken with its head cut off."

Port City Emporium opened its doors an hour early on Friday. Owner Anita Shaffer said while Friday was a successful day, she believes today will be even busier because of Shop Small Saturday.

"On Shop Small Saturday we are offering a free gift bag for the first 10 people in the door. We'll have all our exclusive stuff for Christmas," she said. "We have an ornament that was made for us especially for Victorian Sleighbell Christmas this year. We'll have all of our goodies out."

A number of downtown businesses have Christmas displays in their front windows as part of the Manistee County Community Christmas lighting event. Shaffer said her husband, Pat, had a blast decorating the front of their shop.

"My husband put a lot of effort into it. He loves that we have the little bump-out window now because we expanded last month," she said. "We have double the space now in our store and he was able to put in a lot more things. ... We are also collecting food for the Manistee County Community Christmas which benefits Blessings in a Backpack this year."

Shaffer said events like the Manistee County Community Christmas are great for drawing people to downtown Manistee and encouraging them to shop at local businesses.

"I think it's really important to shop local. You want to support the people that are in your community that you work around," she said. "Without the local people supporting local businesses, we're not going to be here. Tourists are only here part time, but we're open all year round."

Jill Popielarz, manager of Snyder's Shoes, said Black Friday kicked off a two-day sale at the store.

"Today and tomorrow, all purses and wallets are 20% off, all jewelry is 20% off, and then sporadically through the store we have a couple different specials on shoes," she said. "We call it the Mitten, so it's marked with a little Michigan mitten and we put the before and after price on there."

Popielarz said Snyder's saw plenty of shoppers on Friday, and added she is grateful to the customers who have supported the store throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

"COVID has obviously changed things. There's been a lot of things that have had to change on our end, but our customers have been awesome," she said. "We've been busy. We've been very blessed. We're respectful of other people: If they're wearing a mask, social distancing, we're still doing that. Otherwise, it's business as usual."

Parkes said she finds some people feel safer shopping in smaller stores amid the pandemic.

"Everybody feels differently. Some people are a little more frightened than others, but I think people do feel more comfortable shopping where they know people," she said. "Plus, they know we clean the doors, we clean the checkout counter, and I think it makes a difference. You're not standing shoulder-to-shoulder, generally  I mean, there are times, but not all the time, and you can usually get in and out pretty quick  if you want to. A lady just told me she could be in here for hours looking at everything, so, you know.

"We have noticed more people coming in with masks, but I haven't noticed a decline in people shopping."
Secretary Benson, legislators visit Livonia, Canton where service is faster than ever

Secretary Benson, legislators visit Livonia, Canton where service is faster than ever

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and state legislators visited the Livonia and Canton offices today, two of the most historically busy offices where the average wait time for service was more than 90 minutes in November of 2018. Now visitors are in and out in an average of just 20 minutes.

"We are in a new, service-driven era and Michiganders who visit our offices are consistently and pleasantly surprised at how quickly and easily they are in and out," said Benson. "Office visits are easy to schedule online and by phone, or residents can walk up to any office and they'll typically be served immediately or helped to schedule a visit at a time convenient for them."

Benson has made numerous improvements to Secretary of State operations, including adding online services and self-service stations. Now the majority - 60 percent - of all transactions are conducted without an office visit. This is more than double the share of remote transactions in 2018, and part of the reason the offices run so efficiently.

"I was grateful for the opportunity to see firsthand how the visits and services at our Livonia SOS branch office have improved," said state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia). "I want to thank all the employees and Secretary Benson for this monumental effort."

"Improving the overall experience Michiganders receive when entering a branch office has been a cornerstone of Secretary Benson's goals. I appreciate the invitation to visit the branch office in Canton to see these improvements for myself," said state Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth). "Branch offices are now working more efficiently, and morale among the employees is very high. That's a win-win."

"I'm proud that Secretary Benson was able to meet with employees in our Livonia Secretary of State office to see how their creative and forward-thinking efforts have made our local branches more accessible to all residents," Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) said. "Secretary of State staff have been working so hard to relieve the stress of residents since the onset of the pandemic and should be commended for their people-centered approach. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature to continue honoring the hard work of employees across our state by providing more resources to ensure smooth branch operations."

"I want to thank Secretary Benson for visiting Canton today to check on how well our branch is currently serving the public," said state Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton). "On the ground conversations with employees and customers are what led to this successful operations model to begin with, and I'm glad this work is continuing to fine tune the process and ensure this work can continue. Visiting a branch location is now easier than ever before, and I look forward to the Legislature's continued partnership with Secretary Benson to provide better and more reliable customer service than ever before."

Residents can conduct most of their Secretary of State business online at Michigan.gov/SOS, where they can also locate their nearest self-service station, many of which can be found in Kroger, Meijer and other grocery stores. Office visits can be scheduled at Michigan.gov/SOS, or by calling 888-SOS-MICH.

# # #

For media questions, contact

Tracy Wimmer at 517-281-1876.

We welcome questions and comments at the Contact the Secretary of State page.

Customers may call the Department of State Information Center to

speak to a customer-service representative at 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424).
Gov. Whitmer Calls Active Duty Michigan Troops on Thanksgiving

Gov. Whitmer Calls Active Duty Michigan Troops on Thanksgiving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 25, 2021

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer Calls Active Duty Michigan Troops on Thanksgiving

LANSING, Mich. - Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer called currently deployed members of the Michigan National Guard to wish them a happy Thanksgiving and extend to them our state's sincere gratitude for their continued service.

"The men and women of the Michigan National Guard have been called on in an unprecedented manner over the past nearly two years," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "They are always willing and able to answer this call to service and for that we are all truly grateful. On this day of thanksgiving, we should recognize their service and honor the sacrifices they make on behalf of all of us. As we get to spend time with our loved ones at home, these service members and countless other Michiganders who serve in the other branches of our armed forces are on the frontlines, away from their families. I hope we all take some time to give thanks to our service members and their families this Thanksgiving and pray for their safe return home."

"I want to thank our soldiers and airmen of the Michigan National Guard who are currently deployed supporting ongoing COVID-19 response missions here in Michigan, assisting with efforts at the Southwest Border and serving overseas during this Thanksgiving holiday," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. "Their selfless service and defense of our freedoms is why we are able to gather and give thanks today. I also want to recognize and thank the family members that share in the sacrifices related to their loved one's service. While they may be apart on this Thanksgiving, we look forward to many more joyous holiday celebrations in the years ahead upon their safe return."

The governor spoke to members of the:

110th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard

127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard

1775th Military Police Company of the Michigan Army National Guard

1776th Military Police Company of the Michigan Army National Guard

The Michigan National Guard service members Governor Whitmer spoke to are serving in Lebanon, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Yuma, Arizona. These brave men and women are tackling a wide range of challenges in each of their respective missions, bringing their expertise in operations, logistics, engineering, and communications to get the job done.

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The Tribune will publish Self-Help, information in the Upper Thumb area on a space-available basis. Each notice should be limited to 30 words. Please mail or bring information, clearly marked, to the Huron Daily Tribune, 211 N. Heisterman St., Bad Axe, 48413, call 989-269-6461 or email hdt_news@hearstnp.com.

Womens support

 Huron County SafePlace offers free support groups to women on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Transportation via Thumb Area Transit and child care for these support groups will be available by calling SafePlace.

These meetings take place in Bad Axe, please call for additional information or to make your reservations 989-269-5300.

 For information on meetings of the Womans Christian Temperance (self-control) Union, call Marie at 989-975-2465. It is a support group for people with addictions.

Substance abuse

 To find Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the area call 800-230-4085.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron & Tuscola Chapter will have monthly meetings at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Hills and Dales Corporate Services and Regional Education Center in Cass City. For more information, visit their website www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

 Family member or friend addicted? Call Families Anonymous. Familes Anonymous is a 12 step program to aid families with substance abuse or behavioral problems. Meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 206 Scheurmann St. in Essexville. For inquiries, call 989-895-5938.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets Mondays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Caseville United Methodist Church. For inquiries call 800-230-4085.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets from 7 to 8:15 at the Port Austin Bible Campus on Thursdays.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron County chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Huron Fairgrounds Expo Center.

Family forum events are designed to promote recovery community and provide individuals to share their story, reducing shame and stigma associated with the disease of addiction.

Support is available online at familiesagainstnarcotics.org, via phone 989-551-4326 (HFAN), and Facebook @huronfan.

Grief

 GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Seminar sessions include The Journey of Grief, The Effects of Grief, Your Family and Grief, Why? and Stuck in Grief.

For more information, call Chaplain Londa at 989-545-8357.

 Grief Support meets second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. at Caro Community Library. Please call Sue or Pam at 800-275-4517 for more details.

 Grief Support meets last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. for dinner at Franklin Inn in Bad Axe. Call 1-800-635-7490 ext. 4134.

 Grief Support meets at noon on the first Tuesday of the month at Eddie Gs in Marlette. Call United Hospice Service for more information at 800-635-7490.

 Thumb Compassionate Friends is a chapter of a national self-help group offering support to families who have suffered the loss of a child at any age. Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at the Community of Christ Church, 2081 E. Deckerville Road, Caro.

For information, call Sharon at 989-683-3305 or Dave at 810-376-2801 or visit www. TCFcaro.org.
At the main intersection in Harbor Beach where State Street and M-25 meet, two women are breathing new life into one of the oldest buildings in the city, one though spiritualism and the other through dance.

Barbara Siemen and Carol Hoef have set up their own respective studios in the same space, Huron Fitness & Health and Lake Huron Dance, which was birthed out of Siemens desire to help other women de-stress.

Despite their setup in the heart of Harbor Beach, neither of the women are originally from the area. Siemen married a dairy farmer from the area whom she attended Michigan State with.

Hoef, meanwhile, is from the Detroit area, has danced since she was three, and studied and taught at dance schools all over the United States. She purchased a house in Harbor Beach unsure if she wanted to stay or flip it, but she ended up falling in love the town and people that make it up.

Siemen started practicing yoga and meditation in 2016 as she went though a depressive phase and started questioning her life.

I dont remember how I found yoga or spirituality, Siemen said. I followed the bread crumbs and learned more as I was interested. It came to the point where I want to share this with other people.

The building at the corner is one of the oldest in Harbor Beach, having had past lives as a bank, a post office, a newspaper, several hardware stores, and a variety shop before being vacant for two years. Aside from space on the first floor where dance lessons, yoga, and meditation take place, the upstairs of the building contains Siemens office where she offers other services, and an apartment that is rented out.

Siemen purchased the building in August 2019 and got her studio up and running in November, enjoying a few months of business and meeting Hoef in one of her classes. Three days a week Siemen taught yoga, dance cardio, and yochilates to around 10 to 12 people.

Then everything in person had to stop because of COVID-19, with Siemen then offering online classes over Zoom.

It worked for a while, but its best to teach in person than over Zoom, Siemen said. We reopened when it felt safe to come back into the studio and be close to one another without being afraid.

For Lake Huron Dance, Hoef has around 25 to 28 students that take jazz, ballet, and tap dancing classes two days a week. She draws students from Harbor Beach and Port Hope, along with Kinde, Forestville and Port Sanilac, with an allowed age range of 3 through adult.

The classes go on through June, with the students putting on a dance recital at the Maritime Festival after that. The performances normally take place underneath a big tent.

Everyone can come and watch, Hoef said. There are no frilly costumes. It is, 'Here are some kids, come watch them dance and see what they learned.'

Opening a new dance studio is a risk since other dance studios here are established and have a good family client base, Siemen said. To have an offering on the east side (of Huron county), it gives an option for those who want to stay closer to home.

Because of Huron Fitness emphasis on yoga, meditation, and other spiritual aspects, Siemen said there are still plenty of people in Harbor Beach who do not understand what it all means.

I got letters from community members saying that its demonic, Siemen said. Yoga is a mind body experience. It has nothing to do with religion. So that has been an obstacle, getting the community to understand what it is and debunking what it is not.

Even Siemens family was not sure how to take her new interests, as she would do mediation, weird poses, praying, and use essential oils.

Slowly over the years as I kept up practice and became more peaceful and loving, they saw a new mom emerge and they jumped on board, Siemen said, with her family attending the classes she puts on and her daughter Adrienne, a junior at Harbor Beach High School, helping Hoef with her dance classes.

Both Siemen and Hoef see further potential in their building, as there is another side of the building which has not been renovated yet. Siemen acknowledged that renovating an old building costs plenty of money and they are looking to save for now.

Its needed love for a couple of decades, Siemen said. We inherited all the boo-boos and its taking time to fix them all.

Siemens message to those who attend her studio, mostly women, is that it takes time and effort to take care of yourself. With women not taking that time due to lifes other stresses and responsibilities, this is her way of giving them time to be themselves for an hour no other stresses.

If you dont take care of your body, it will make you, Siemen said. Youll be sick, tired, have aches and pains. You really need to be proactive in taking care of you.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Afghanistans Taliban prime minister defended the groups rule in a public address Saturday, saying it was not to blame for a worsening economic crisis and is working to repair the corruption of the ousted government. He also dismissed international pressure for the formation of a more inclusive Cabinet.

The half-hour audio played on state-run media was the first such public address by Mohammed Hassan Akhund since the Taliban captured Kabul and secured their rule over the country three months ago. The Taliban takeover led to a shut-off of international aid to the government and the blocking of billions of dollars in Afghan assets held abroad, worsening an already crumbling economy.

Akhund said the problems of worsening unemployment and the financial meltdown had begun under the previous, U.S.-backed government, adding that Afghans should not believe claims that the Taliban were to blame.

Nation, be vigilant. Those left over from the previous government in hiding are ... causing anxiety, misleading the people to distrust their government, he said.

The ousted government had run the weakest system in the world, he said, pointing to pervasive corruption. In contrast, he said, the Taliban are eliminating corruption and have brought security around the country.

We are trying as much as possible to solve the problems of the people. We are working overtime in every department, Akhund said, adding that the group had formed committees to try to the resolve the economic crisis and pay salaries to government employees, who have largely gone without pay for months.

U.N. officials have warned of a humanitarian crisis with millions of Afghans plunging deeper into poverty and facing hunger  with increasing numbers on the verge of starvation. Afghanistan has been hit by one of its worst famines in decades, and the economic collapse has meant many people are unable to afford food.

Akhund urged people to pray for an end to the famine, which he called a test from God, after people rebelled against Him.

The United States and other countries have refused to recognize the Taliban government until it includes more of Afghanistans ethnic and political spectrum  as well as women  and until it guarantees womens rights.

All the ministers in the current Cabinet come from the Talibans ranks. The Taliban have not completely barred women from the public sphere as they did during their previous rule in the late 1990s. But they have ordered most women government employees not to come to work and have not let high school girls return to school, though they allowed younger girls.

Akhund dismissed the demands, saying the government has members from around the country. He insisted the Islamic Emirate  as the Taliban call their government  has saved womens dignity.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP)  A 54-year-old man who shot three people on a city bus in southwestern Michigan has died after being wounded while exchanging gunfire with police.

Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley said Anthony Oliver died Saturday at a hospital following the 9:15 a.m. shootings at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center.
HONOLULU (AP)  A Honolulu city worker died Friday after being trapped in a tank at a sewage treatment plant, officials said.

Firefighters received a 911 call at 10 a.m. requesting a confined space rescue at the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

Because of federal rules, a hazardous materials unit was first deployed to check the air quality in the tank to determine whether it was safe for a rescue team to enter. Rescuers retrieved the worker once the hazmat unit deemed the area safe.

The worker was transferred to paramedics at 10:39 a.m. The city did not elaborate on the worker's condition at the point of rescue, but confirmed that the worker died.

The worker's death is being investigated.

A spokesperson for Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the worker's family.

The city mourns the loss of our dedicated city employee, the spokesperson said in a statement.
MANISTEE -- One of the many components to the Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend is to focus on the historical aspects of Manistee.

There will be special programs over the Sleighbell Weekend taking place at three of Manistee's most historic buildings featuring some of that rich history that helped to shape the community.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the Old Kirke Museum and Manistee County Historical Museum all have special events that are sure to appeal to people of all ages. Just like the Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend take a step back in time so will the programs offered in these three locations.

St. Pauls Lutheran Church located at 313 Fourth St. is one of Manistee's oldest churches dating back to the 1880s and from noon to 2 p.m. on Dec. 4 members will be hosting an open house with tours and fun activities for the kids.

Church member Nancy Skory, who is on the program committee, said they are offering something just a little different this year.

"We have done an open house for years, but this year we wanted to do something a little more for the kids," said Skory. "So this year it is going to be called St. Paul Lutheran Church Christmas for Kids and an Open House."

Skory said they will be holding a Christmas ornament craft for the children during that time frame giving parents the option of dropping their children off or staying and taking a tour of the historic church.

"If you want to drop your kids off for two hours and do some shopping that is fine, as the kids can enjoy some Christmas crafts, games and hear the Christmas story," said Skory.

There are plenty of interesting things to see in the building as well for the adults.

"Our open house includes tours of one of the oldest churches in Manistee, said Skory. Refreshments will served and it is free to the public. We have a big basement room where the kids will do the crafts and the tours will be upstairs, so it will be separate.

Another historic church with a special program scheduled is the Old Kirke Museum located at 304 Walnut St. They will be holding a two-day Scandinavian Christmas Open House from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m on Dec. 4 and 5.

Old Kirke Museums director Ken Cooper said they plan to have some festive decorations up for the event. The Old Kirke Museum was built in 1868 as a Danish Church and holds the honor of being the oldest Danish Lutheran Church in America with its doors still open.

We will have an open house over the weekend of the Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend festival, said Cooper. We will have three trees decorated one Norwegian, one Swedish and one Danish and we will also have some snacks for the people.

The free event will also include some other things for the public to view that focus on the historic aspects of Manistee.

We will also have an exhibit of Tiny Towns and Trains and the Madsen Lumbering Dioramas, said Cooper.

Manistee County Historical Museum executive director Mark Fedder said this year's holiday display will feature a kind of two for one type of display that celebrates the holidays while honoring a great volunteer at the same time.

The display will have lots of historical Christmas decorations from over the years, but will also pay tribute to Ken Jilbert and many of the historical displays that he has created for the Manistee County Historical Museum.

"The display this year is called 'Christmas and Ken Jilbert,'" said Fedder. "We wanted to do something a little different this year than in the past, so we will have the usual holiday displays with Christmas, but then we are also going to feature the models, wood workings and works of Ken Jilbert."

After opening the weekend of the Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend on Dec. 2 the exhibit will run through the rest of the month. Cost of admission is $1 for students and $3 for adults. The museum is located at 425 River St.

Jilbert has created models of eight of the historic vessels that visited the port of Manistee that are on display at the museum. Each of those models was done with intricate detail that catches the eye of most visitors to the Manistee County Historical Museum.

We are going to include a couple other ones as we have the (vessel) Maggie Marshall which was a big lumber schooner that was used by (late 1800 Manistee lumberman) Louie Sands. Typically all of those things Ken made are tied to the history of Manistee.
Chabad of Eastern Michigan will place a public Chanukah Menorah in the Midland Mall in Midland, throughout the eight days of Chanukah.

On Tuesday, Nov. 30,, the third light of Chanukah, there will be a community-wide celebration at the Menorah sight in the Mall, 6800 Eastman, Midland at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will feature hot latkes, music, dreidels n gelt, camaraderie, gifts for the children and lots of fun for all.

The menorah serves as a symbol of Midland and Midland County's dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship Gd freely, openly, and with pride. This is true especially in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution, said Shainie Weingarten, the Co-Director of Chabad House.

The Menorah lighting is part of the worldwide Chanukah campaign, an initiative launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 1973. The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday  publicizing the story of the Chanukah miracle.

The message of Chanukah is the message of light, added Rabbi Yisroel Weingarten. The nature of light is that it is always victorious over darkness. A small amount of light dispels a lot of darkness. Another act of goodness and kindness, another act of light, can make all the difference.

Today, the unprecedented public display of Chanukah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and awareness of the festival. The Midland Mall menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad in more than 100 countries around the world, including landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin, helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the universal holiday message

Throughout the State of Michigan, Chabad will be presenting scores of Chanukah events and celebrations, including public Menorah Lightings & Chanukah festivities. Chabad of Flint, in co-operation with Ascension-Genesys, will celebrate at noon on Monday, Nov. 29. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m. at Shea Automotive Lot on Linden Road in Flint Township. Chabad-Flint will host a community Chanukah celebration and other events throughout the community during this beautiful Festival of Lights.

For more information about Chanukah and more details on other local events, call Chabad House at 810-230-0770
It seems Santa has one more name for his good list, Shawn Urkett, who remembers how flood waters came to his backyard and knew he wanted to help Sanford.

Wednesday, he got his chance when he helped secure the nails inside of the former Lannys Restaurant so that Sanford Shines could hold inside carnival games.

Im the type that loves to help people out, said Urkett.

He watched as flood waters came to his backyard after the Sanford Dam broke during the May 2020 mid-Michigan dam failures.

Me and my landlord were lucky, he recalls of the day.

On Wednesday Urkett joined Tom Valley, a Midland Public Schools retiree who now works maintenance for the Arnold Center in Gladwin.

Urkett said he was in his backyard the day of the devastation and witnessed the damage.

Im the type that loves to help out people, Urkett said.

He especially liked that his efforts helped secure a safe place for kids to play carnival games during the Sanford Shines event on Dec. 3.

Knowing I can make a difference in kids lives means a lot, Urkett said.

Valley said the Arnold Center played a big role in allowing them to take part in the event. He said when the Arnold Center heard about the need, they were all about it. Urkeet jumped on board because he wanted to do something to help.

We are so thankful to them, said Anna Merillat of Sanford Shines.

Former Lannys building owner, Lon Wackerle said he wants to keep Lanny's spirit alive in Sanford.

Valley said he always hears how kids have nothing to do.

We wanted to take part in making sure they do have something to do, Valley said.

Urkett said he always wanted to eat at Lannys, but instead, he was charged with cleaning it up.

Wackerle said he is thrilled with the initiative.

Its a nice shelter for inside fun, Wackerle said.

He said it used to be a gathering place and this helps keep the spirit alive.

Arnold Center, Inc. is a Midland-based non-profit that empowers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to independence through enhanced vocational, social life skill training opportunities that lead to greater self-sufficiency, according to its website, arnoldcenter.org. Donations can be made online at arnoldcenter.org/donate, or call 989-631-9570 for more information.
HEREFORD, Pa. (AP)  A 10-year-old boy was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day while he was with someone who was target shooting in southeastern Pennsylvania, authorities said.

The shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. near the child's home in Hereford, Berks County District Attorney John Adams said Friday. The boy was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead there a short timer later.
LE GOSIER, Guadeloupe (AP)  Frances government is offering to discuss some autonomy for the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which has been wracked by virus-related rioting and strikes that reflect long-running frustrations over inequality with the French mainland.

The overnight offer by the government minister for overseas affairs, Sebastien Lecornu, drew sharp criticism Saturday from conservative and far right candidates for Frances April presidential election.

Guadeloupe uses the euro currency and has close political ties with the mainland. But high unemployment in Guadeloupe and nearby Martinique, high costs of living and lingering anger over historical abuses have prompted some local officials to demand change. Both Guadeloupe and Martinique are overseas departments of France.

Some officials have asked the question of autonomy, Lecornu said in a televised address Friday night to Guadeloupe residents. According to them, Guadeloupe could manage itself better than it is managed from Paris, and they notably want more autonomy to manage health-related issues locally, he said. The government is ready to talk about it.

He denounced rioters whose pillaging is hurting local merchants and workers, and whose road barricades are preventing some patients from getting medical treatment and forced schools to close. But he also acknowledged structural issues behind the anger, and called for a collective" response.

The recent tensions in Guadeloupe and Martinique started because of France's obligatory vaccinations for health care workers, and nationwide health pass to get into restaurants and other venues. To get the pass, people need to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test or recent recovery from the virus.

Most medical personnel in Guadeloupe  85%  have had at least one dose. But uptake in the broader population remains limited, at 46% of the adult population compared to 89% on the mainland.

Anger and resentment over the government's handling of a toxic pesticide called chlordecone  used for years in the French Caribbean after it was banned on the mainland and in the U.S.  have fueled mistrust in the government's COVID-19 vaccine polices and the central government in general.

Chlordecone, used mainly in banana fields, is blamed for record levels of breast and prostate cancers in the region, and experts say it will remain in polluted soils for the next 700 years.

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines shared on WhatsApp or Telegram groups has also fed skepticism in Guadeloupe and Martinique.

For the four months since the mandatory vaccine for health workers and health pass rules were announced, demonstrations have multiplied by several trade unions. They want the government to abandon the measures, or at least adapt them for overseas territories.

Feeling they hadn't been heard, unions launched a general, indefinite strike Nov. 15  the deadline for health workers to get vaccinated or risk suspension without pay. Anger erupted into rioting 10 days ago, and in Pointe-a-Pitre, the islands largest urban area, clashes left three people injured, including a 80-year-old woman hit by a bullet while on her balcony.

The French government on Friday decided to delay mandatory vaccinations for health care workers in the region until Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, the protesters' demands have spread to include higher salaries and jobless benefits and the hiring of more teachers.

A third of the Guadeloupe population lives below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate is 17%. The cost of living, meanwhile, is higher than the mainland because the island relies heavily on imports, yet salaries are lower.

Water supplies have been a major problem in recent years because of obsolete pipes, that leaves some residents without water for hours at a time  or even up to a week.

___

Angela Charlton reported from Paris.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
A New Haven police officer who resigned after being accused of coercing two women into sexual encounters became the first cop in the state to be permanently barred from law enforcement for general misconduct outlined under the provisions of a 2020 police accountability law.

The officer, Gary Gamarra, had his certification revoked last week by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, effectively prohibiting him from serving as a police officer anywhere in the state.

Proponents of a wide-ranging police accountability law that went into effect last October said Gamarras decertification is an example of the law working to keep certain officers off the streets. The law, passed with mostly Democratic support, was drafted in response to nationwide protests against police brutality and abuse that were touched off by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

I do think it is a sign to the public that when officers step well outside of the boundaries, that there are real repercussions for them, said state Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, who backed the legislation as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee.

The law placed tougher rules on police searches and the use of deadly force, required officers to wear body cameras and barred the use of chokeholds. It also allowed POST to revoke an officers certification for conduct undermining confidence in law enforcement, such as falsifying reports or engaging in racial profiling.

Previously, the councils powers to decertify officers had been limited to cases where an officer was convicted of a felony, lied during the initial certification process or engaged in limited other specific violations.

According to a list of decertified officers maintained by POST, Gamarra is the first officer to be decertified under the general misconduct provision of the new law. The other three decertifications issued since the law went into effect, including the decertification of former Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez, were due to felony convictions, which were covered under the previous law.

The 2020 law also prevents Gamarra and other decertified cops from serving as private security guards.

Police Academy Administrator Karen Boisvert confirmed on Wednesday that Gamarras decertification was the first to be done under the expanded provisions of the 2020 law, though she declined to rule out the possibility that POST could have stripped Gamarra of his certification under the councils previous authority.

He would not have been able to be decertified under this particular element because it never existed, Boisvert said, adding that Gamarras actions were pretty straightforward under the misconduct provision of the law.

According to police, Gamarra allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with two women he met while working as a patrol officer in the Fair Haven neighborhood. Both internal affairs investigations began after the department received a tip from the Sex Workers and Allies Network.

One of the women said she felt obligated to get into the car because he was an officer, according to an internal affairs report, which added that the woman felt that Gamarra had raped her.

Gamarra initially denied having sexual contact with either women, according to internal affairs reports, before admitting to both encounters, which he said were consensual.

One of the vocal critics of the legislatures policing reforms, state Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-Wallingford, called Gamarras actions an egregious use of force, while pointing out the provisions of the law allowing for his decertification made up just a portion of the 72-page bill.

The process with regard to this particular portion of that bill did work, Fishbein said. Theres a lot of other bad things in the bill, but I think if this bill was voted on just for this particular portion, it would have gotten a lot of support.

Fishbein, who serves as a ranking Republican member on the legislatures Judiciary Committee, noted that lawmakers voted this year to delay some aspects of the 2020 law related to the use of deadly force, to allow more time for police to be trained on the new standards.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said Gamarras removal is a sign that the law is working to remove bad officers and support most of our officers who work hard and want to do a good job.

Despite a lot of the fear and rhetoric and lies that have been told about this bill, its working to provide the public with trust, Duff said.

State police Sgt. John McDonald recently submitted his resignation on the same day the agency began the process of seeking to decertify him, according to internal affairs investigation reports.

McDonald, who had been on desk duty since a 2019 DUI crash that injured two people, pleaded no contest to two charges of second-degree reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. A judge also granted his application for an alcohol education program, which will dismiss the DUI charge if McDonald successfully completes the program.

McDonalds resignation came amid a separate investigation into malfeasance or other serious conduct related to his use of a state police time management computer system, according to an internal affairs report.

Boisvert declined to comment Wednesday on POSTs review of the officers certification or the applicability of the 2020 law, citing the ongoing investigation.

Reporters Peter Yankowski and Ben Lambert contributed to this article.
LEXINGTON PARK, Md. (AP)  Authorities in southern Maryland say that a man has been charged in the deaths of a 6-year-old girl and her 37-year-old mother.

NBC Washington reported Friday that Lyneasha Justice Greenwell and her mother, Martina Patterson, were reported missing on Wednesday from their home in Lexington Park in St. Mary's County.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Police on Wednesday released video of officers shooting a knife-wielding man who charged at them in a residential hotel.

Ajmal Amani, 41, was shot Friday morning in the narrow corridor of the building on South of Market after threatening several people with a large kitchen knife. He was shot in the stomach and leg and died at a hospital.

Amani was a former Afghan interpreter for U.S. special forces who had been shot several times during more than five years of service and struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, his former lawyer, his case manager and a property manager told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Amani was charged with assault with a deadly weapon in 2019 for allegedly slashing a city park ranger with a box cutter who said he appeared to be in an altered mental state."

Amani was ordered to undergo mental health diversion which he completed this year and was living in a city-rented room at the residential hotel.

Police were called to the hotel on Friday morning by reports that a man was screaming and yelling and had a knife. Amani's case manager also called 911 to report that a co-worker said Amani was having a really bad episode."

On Wednesday, police released hotel surveillance video and footage from officers' body cameras. They show Amani holding and gesturing with the knife, confronting two people, including someone who is fending him off with a broom, then walking past other people into a room.

When two officers arrive, the man with the broom tells them that Amani had threatened to kill him.

An officer tells the radio dispatcher that they can hear Amani screaming.

According to body camera video, the officers remain in the corridor and try to talk to Amani, who is in a room. Amani swears and tells them to leave him alone and one officer says nobody wants to hurt you.

Less than a minute later, Amani charges down the hallway and is shot after an officer shouts: Stay there! Stay there!

Police said Amani was holding a knife with a 6-inch blade. He was shot four times with a handgun and three times with bean-bag projectiles.

As Amani lay on the ground, still moving, more officers arrived. They waited several minutes to cautiously approach him, then handcuffed him and used CPR and a tourniquet on him before paramedics arrived.

At a virtual town hall meeting where the video was released, Police Chief Bill Scott said his department and prosecutors were investigating the shooting. Scott said he had personally offered condolences to Amani's family.

Scott Grant, a deputy public defender who represented Amani, said he was utterly devastated" by his death.

Grant said Amani suffered incredible trauma" and violence during his time with U.S. forces.

His tragic death is a failure of our systems of government here to support somebody who risked his life to support this country, Grant told KTVU-TV.
BRUSSELS (AP)  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia Friday that any attempt to invade Ukraine would have costs, as concern mounts about a Russian military buildup near its former Soviet neighbors borders.

Ukraine says Moscow kept about 90,000 troops near their common border following massive war games in western Russia earlier this year. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said units of the Russian 41st army remain near Yelnya, about 160 miles north of the border.

Moscow denies that its planning any invasion and refuses to provide details about troop movements on its own territory.

If Russia uses force against Ukraine that will have costs, that would have consequences, Stoltenberg said, ahead of a meeting of the 30-nation military organizations foreign ministers in Latvia Nov. 30-Dec. 1, where Russias activities will be high on the agenda. He did not say what those costs would be.

This is the second time this year that Russia has amassed a large and unusual concentration of forces in the region, Stoltenberg told reporters. He said it includes tanks, artillery, armored units, drones, and electronic warfare systems, as well as combat-ready troops.

This military buildup is unprovoked and unexplained. It raises tensions and it risks miscalculations, Stoltenberg said. He conceded that there is no certainty about the intentions of Russia but said that this is a military buildup by a country that has invaded Ukraine before.

Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 after the countrys Moscow-friendly president was driven from power by mass protests. Weeks later, Russia threw its weight behind a separatist insurgency that broke out in Ukraines east.

Ukraine and the West accused Russia of sending its troops and weapons to back the rebels. Moscow denied that, saying that Russians who joined the separatists were volunteers. More than 14,000 people have died in the fighting that devastated Ukraines eastern industrial heartland known as Donbas.

A 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany helped end large-scale battles, but efforts to reach a political settlement have failed and sporadic skirmishes have continued along the tense line of contact.

NATO would not be able to provide Ukraine with any substantial military support in time to make a difference against Russian forces, so economic measures like Western sanctions are more likely to be used to inflict a financial cost on Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday alleged that his countrys intelligence service has uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup detat in Ukraine next week, something which the Russian government denied.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday spoke with the head of the Presidential Administration in Ukraine, Andriy Yermak. The two discussed their shared concerns about ongoing Russian military activities near Ukraines border and agreed that all sides should pursue diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

Mr. Sullivan underscored the United States unwavering commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement read.

___

Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippines' defense chief rejected on Thursday Chinas renewed demand that it remove its outpost on a disputed South China Sea shoal and said Chinese coast guard ships should leave the area and stop blocking Manilas supply boats.

Philippine forces use a grounded warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, as an outpost on the submerged but strategic shoal that is at the center of an ongoing dispute with China.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Second Thomas Shoal lies within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China has ratified. He said a 2016 ruling by a U.N.-backed arbitration tribunal also invalidated Chinas claims to the busy waterway, leaving them without any legal basis.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the Philippines Wednesday to honor its commitment" and remove its grounded vessel on Renai Jiao, the name Beijing uses for the shoal, which Filipinos refer to as Ayungin. Chinese coast guard ships have allowed Manila's boats to bring food and other supplies to Filipino forces at the shoal for humanitarian reasons, it said.

But defense chief Lorenzana told reporters he was not aware of any Philippine government commitment to remove its navy ship, which has been grounded upon the shoal since 1999.

We can do whatever we want there and it is they who are actually trespassing," he said.

Chinese coast guard ships have surrounded the shoal in a years-long territorial standoff and tried to block Philippine supply boats in past years. In the latest confrontation, Chinese coast guard ships used water cannons to forcibly turn back two supply boats manned by Philippine navy personnel last week, sparking outrage and warnings from Manila.

Following the Chinese blockade, the United States said it was standing by the Philippines and reiterated that an armed attack on Philippine public vessels in the South China Sea would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under the two allies 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

The Philippine navy successfully transported supplies and fresh personnel to the Sierra Madre this week then left without any major incident after Lorenzana talked with China's ambassador to Manila. President Rodrigo Duterte, who has nurtured close ties with Beijing, angrily condemned the Chinese blockade in a video summit of Southeast Asian leaders with Chinese President Xi Jingping. Xi did not specifically react to Dutertes remarks but said China will not bully its smaller neighbors.

It was the latest flareup of long-simmering disputes in one of the worlds busiest waterways, where China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

President Joe Biden has assured U.S. allies that American forces will continue to patrol the disputed waters to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight and regional stability. China has warned the U.S. to stay away from what Beijing considers a purely Asian dispute.

Greg Poling of the U.S.-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, which closely monitors the South China Sea conflicts, said Chinas recent move may have been aimed at testing the response of the Philippines and its allies if it blockades the Sierra Madre anytime.

I expect this will happen again and, eventually, China will make a concerted effort to maintain a blockade to force Manila to withdraw, Poling said.

The World War II-era Sierra Madre is now effectively a shipwreck but the Philippine military has not decommissioned it. That makes the rust-encrusted ship an extension of the government and means any assault on the ship is tantamount to an external attack against the Philippines.
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Its rare that an independent oil company lasts 50 years through the economic ups and downs of the industry. Its also rare that an independent company helps usher in a discovery that transforms the industry.

Both events are part of the history of Henry Resources and its founder Jim Henry and are recounted in a just-released book, The Wolfberry Chronicle.

We helped pioneer a new fracturing treatment in the Permian Basin, recounted Henry at a reception celebrating the books release. He added that the company didnt pioneer the horizontal drilling that launched the shale boom but used the new treatment in vertical wells that combined production from the Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations, thus Wolfberry.

He wanted to tell the story of the company, which began life as H&L Consultants, opened by Henry and Bob Landenberger. A few years later he bought Landenberger out and proceeded as Henry Petroleum before selling to Concho Resources and starting anew as Henry Resources.

Beyond that, he said he wanted to tell the story of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in a way that was understandable to the public.

Theres a lot of misunderstanding about the oil industry, Henry said. The public thinks were polluters. I hope this helps them understand the industry.

In seeking to celebrate the companys 50th anniversary, Henry tried three times to have a book written. The effort was complicated by his desire to incorporate the technology of the fracturing treatment that went into developing the Wolfberry play.

The first time (Henry tried to have a book written), Henry hadnt pioneered the Wolfberry, so the best was yet to come, said Gregory Berkhouse, who brought the project to completion.

No one had ever told the Wolfberry story, Berkhouse said. There have been books on individuals, companies or on fracking, but not one mentioned the Wolfberry. It was a vertical play and what got the Permian Basin up and running. Then EOG Resources came in and started drilling sideways.

Berkhouse brought to the book decades of experience as a geologist and engineer, including 21 years at Henry. Henry asked him to spend two years writing the book, he recalled, so he spent the first year evenly split between his oil and gas duties and the book, talking to people and doing background reading.

As this year dawned, he said he worked full-time on the book in order to complete it on time. He credited his editor in New York for the painful process of editing the book and helping turn it into a good, marketable book.

Like Henry, Berkhouse said the goal was for the book to serve as a primer on the technology of fracturing as well as on the geology of the Permian Basin.

Fracking has such bad PR because people dont understand it, said Berkhouse. This book dispels all those myths.

Said Henry, Greg has done a super job of writing so people can understand, of explaining horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing so the public can understand. They think were polluters and were not. This both tells the story of our 50 years and how the oil company started and what it does. Its very informative and easy reading.
Three acquisitions have bolstered Colgate Energy Partners operations as well as its public profile.

This year was a unique year, acknowledged Will Hickey, co-chief executive officer. The opportunity to do acquisitions was better than in the past.

Sitting in the companys conference room at its offices in downtown Midland, Hickey said Colgate had been trying to complete some of the deals for three years and was finally able to bring them to completion.

James Walter, co-chief executive officer, said the opportunities presented the company this year were too good to pass up and the company was financially healthy enough to complete the deals.

The biggest, Hickey said, was an agreement to acquire approximately 25,000 net acres and daily production of 10,000 barrels of oil equivalent in Reeves and Ward counties from Occidental Petroleum for approximately $508 million.

The Occidental deal closely followed an agreement to acquire a majority of the assets owned by Luxe Energy LLC in an all-stock transaction. That deal brought to Colgate 22,000 net acres adjacent to its existing position in Reeves and Ward counties with average net daily production of 17,000 barrels of oil equivalent and 5,000 gross acres that support future development.

The company is strictly focused on the Delaware Basin, and that includes the New Mexico portion of the basin, Hickey said. Earlier this month, the company agreed to purchase approximately 22,000 net acres that directly offset its legacy Parkway operating area in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico, for $190 million.

One of our first acquisitions was in New Mexico and we are as equally focused on New Mexico as we are West Texas, he said.

Recently, the company ramped up its activity level from three rigs to five rigs. Given where prices are, it was the right business decision to grow our production base while generating free cash flow, Hickey explained. He said the company has a business model that works well if oil prices are between $40 and $50 a barrel.

Both Hickey and Walter relocated to Midland after Colgates founding, saying being based in Midland rather than the Metroplex or Houston was important to the companys success because the employees are close to the companys assets.

The company has been bigger, more successful than we thought, said Walter. Were proud of the people weve hired.

Hickey noted that the company doubled its headcount this year, and Walter agreed, saying there are 62 in the downtown Midland office and another 150 in the field or working as contractors.

And were still hiring, looking for good people, said Walter. We want to find good people and well find a place for them.

Looking ahead, the two said plans are to remain focused on the Delaware Basin and keep an eye out for acquisition opportunities that make the company better, not just bigger.

The acreage has to be better or able to compete with our existing inventory, said Hickey. Thats a high bar to meet.

Walter said he and Hickey use Concho Resources  now part of ConocoPhillips  and Diamondback Energy as models of how they want to build Colgate. Not just for the way they operate but for the dedication to the communities they work in, they said.

Personally, professionally, its important to model ourselves after them, Walter said.
What's new at Jacksonville Public Library:

"Rizzio" by Denise Mina: This novel vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era, set mostly over the course of a single day, March 9, 1566. Mary, Queen of Scots, is the target of a conspiracy. Her ambitious husband, Henry, Lord Darnley, joins a plot to have David Rizzio, Marys personal secretary and close friend, murdered in front of the pregnant queen in hopes the shock will cause her to miscarry and, thus, strengthen Darnleys claim to the throne.

Adult Nonfiction

"Conquering the Pacific" by Andres Resendez: University of California-Davis history professor Resendez delivers a riveting account of the 1564-1565 Spanish expedition that was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean from the Americas to Asia and return, launching an era of global trade with the Far East. Spain funded the costly expedition out of a port in Navidad, Mexico, building four ships in secrecy from its competitor Portugal, and recruiting a skilled multinational crew. Included were famed explorer and Augustine friar Andres de Urdaneta and Afro-Portuguese pilot Lope Martin, who had achieved the highest rank available to a free mulatto.

DVD

"Centigrade": In 2002, a young American couple, Matthew and Naomi, travel to the Arctic mountains of Norway. After pulling over during a snowstorm, they wake up trapped in their SUV, buried under layers of snow and ice. As if the stakes arent high enough, it is revealed that Naomi is eight months pregnant in their frozen prison. Matthew and Naomi realize they must work together to survive in a crippling battle against the elements, hypothermia, disturbing hallucinations, and plunging temperatures reaching as low as -30 Centigrade. (That's -22 Fahrenheit.) Will they make it out of this alive?

Juvenile Nonfiction

"Understanding COVID-19" by Douglas Hustad: COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV2. Like all viruses, it is far too small to be seen by the naked eye. Yet this virus and the disease it caused had an enormous impact on the world. "Understanding COVID-19" explores how the virus and the disease work, examining what makes them so dangerous and what health officials have learned about fighting them. Features include a glossary, references, websites, source notes and an index.

Childrens Picture Book

"Ferry Boat" by Michael Garland: A child describes each moment of the ferry boat ride from Manhattan to Staten Island and back, including seeing the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Bridge.

Did you know?

The library will host a kids film screening of "The Land Before Time: The Great Valley Adventure" at 2 p.m. Saturday. Looking for something for your kids to do after Thanksgiving? Bring them to this fun film about dinosaurs.
Law enforcement agencies across the state will be cracking down this holiday shopping season on people who illegally park in spots reserved for those with disabilities.

Its very, very necessary to have those spots available for people who truly need them, said Becky Fitzgerald, program services director for Pathway Services. If (people with disabilities) go out for any reason, they may have a need to walk a shorter distance to get to a store or, if theyre in a wheelchair, theyre going to need that space provided by a handicap parking spot.

Secretary of State Police are conducting stings at shopping malls in the state, ticketing people who illegally park in handicap parking spaces, Secretary of State Jesse White said.

The effort, now in its 14th year, began Friday at shopping centers in Springfield, Schaumburg and Fairview Heights and will spread around the state through December.

Our mission is not to issue tickets but to ensure that accessible parking spaces are available to those who need them, White said. Parking illegally in a space reserved for people with disabilities means a possible drivers license suspension and a hefty fine, money which could otherwise be used on gifts.

The bottom line, he said, is if you dont belong there, dont park there.

Fitzgerald has worked in the developmental disabilities field for more than 35 years and also has a disabilities-parking placard for her personal use because of a knee problem, she said.

There are times I wouldnt be able to go in a store without the ability to park close to the door, she said.

Shes not the only one.

Not that long ago, Fitzgerald and her husband were at County Market and saw an elderly lady parked in one of the spaces; even so, she was struggling to get into the store. Fitzgeralds husband asked the woman if she needed help and found out her struggle stemmed from an untied shoelace, Fitzgerald said, adding that the woman thanked him for his help and noted she wouldnt have made it into the store without his assistance.

Its real important that the people who need those spaces have them, Fitzgerald said. That might be the only time they have to get out.

While Fitzgerald hasnt noticed much of a problem with people illegally parked in handicap spaces in Jacksonville, she supports the effort to raise awareness of the issue.

With the higher volume of people (out doing their holiday shopping), its just something to be cognizant of, she said. The Secretary of State effort just brings it back into peoples thinking. They may not think about it at other times. But, this time of year, you very well may have people getting out who dont get out at other times of year.

Drivers caught misusing a placard allowing them to park in a handicap spot face a six-month drivers license suspension and a $600 fine. Repeat violators face a one-year drivers license suspension and a $750 fine. Third or subsequent offenses result in a $1,000 fine and a one-year drivers license revocation.



The fine for parking in a handicap-accessible parking space without a disability placard or disability license plates can be up to $350.



The state now has 530,498 permanent placards, 34,965 meter-exempt placards, 50,721 disability plates and 6,944 disabled veteran plates registered in Illinois, according to the Secretary of State Office.



Those who see someone using a handicap parking spot without the proper permission can report the issue to the Secretary of State Office at 217-785-0309. Callers should provide placard and license plate numbers, and the location of the vehicle. People also can report abuse via the Secretary of State website at ilsos.gov, which has a complaint form available.

Lots of people watch for (people illegally parked in handicap spots) anyway, Fitzgerald said. Thanks to those who do.
Regardless of political affiliation, and whether leaning left or leaning right, we have an obligation as parents and taxpayers to support public education. We all want to make sure our children, as students, gain enough knowledge and perspective  especially in the critical high school years  to enable them to become responsible workers, and perhaps parents themselves one day.

Yet we also have a higher obligation in the United States to have our public education system help prepare students to be informed citizens and voters. The very nature of our democratic system of government is rooted in core values of free speech and free press that are embodied in the First Amendment. There should be no disagreement on that, even in these highly polarized times.

Unfortunately, we are not providing much, if any, actual instruction regarding how students can learn to be better-informed citizens. Students, along with their parents, are bombarded throughout the political spectrum with slogans such as fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, with the usual result being a nasty Twitter battle between those hurling the accusations and those trying to disprove or at least defend them.

Imagine being in high school amidst this white noise. For many students, maybe they think its best to tune out entirely by just going on TikTok or messaging on social media with friends. News may not matter because to them, its just a bunch of adults screaming at each other.

Additionally, as Joel Breakstone, who heads the Stanford History Education Group, observes, Theres a widespread misconception because young people are adept at using digital devices, that they are also skilled at making sense of the information that these devices provide.

Here is where parents can play an important role in shaping public education, which seems to be a growing desire as school board meetings suddenly have become packed houses, albeit in some cases just another forum for sloganeering. How about developing community-wide commitments to raising the news literacy standards of our high school students?

Cynics may argue this is just another way to bring political ideology into the classroom, and thus may resist introducing news literacy within a high school curriculum because it is destined to be slanted to one way of thinking or another. But before reaching this conclusion, they should see how news literacy is not a subject in itself, but rather a skill that can be integrated into a variety of subjects, including history and geography.

For example, Breakstones Stanford researchers worked for a year with ninth-graders at a suburban Chicago high school. They discovered that students can be taught lateral readingopening a new tab after they read a news story online so that they can discover more information about it. And students can be taught to distinguish news reporting from opinion journalism, and editorial content from advertising. The ability to make these critical distinctions can be important to train a new generation of news consumers, and more importantly, better-informed citizens.

Workable approaches like this are gaining appeal across the country. Fifteen states have adopted some news media literacy standards already, with Illinois leading the pack with a new law for all public high schools taking effect next fall. It focuses on the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and communicate using a variety of forms.

Sufficient resources will have to be allocated at the local level in order to implement this type of goal in a meaningful way. Students will only be able to become more media-savvy if their teachers are media savvy, too, so the entire educational supply chain will need to be upgraded.

But perhaps most importantly, parents need to step up to the microphone at school board meetings now to find out how their educators are addressing news literacy. This expression of interest at the local level also can start a necessary national conversation. It can bring together disparate political factions to help our children become the type of informed citizens that the drafters of the First Amendment envisioned, and that our nation will depend upon in the years to come.
COVID variant spreads to more countries as world on alert View Photo

LONDON (AP)  The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread.

The U.K. on Saturday tightened its rules on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases. New cases were confirmed Saturday in Germany and Italy, with Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong also reporting that the variant has been found in travelers.

In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments top infectious diseases expert, said he would not be surprised if the omicron variant was already in the United States, too.

We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility  it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over, Fauci said on NBC television.

Because of fears that the new variant has the potential to be more resistant to the protection offered by vaccines, there are growing concerns around the world that the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions will persist for far longer than hoped.

Nearly two years since the start of the pandemic that has claimed more than 5 million lives around the world, countries are on high alert. Many have already imposed travel restrictions on flights from southern Africa as they seek to buy time to assess whether the omicron variant is more transmissible than the current dominant delta variant.

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take targeted and precautionary measures after two people tested positive for the new variant in England.

Right now this is the responsible course of action to slow down the seeding and the spread of this new variant and to maximize our defenses, he told a news conference.

Among the measures announced, Johnson said anyone arriving in England must take a PCR test for COVID-19 on the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they provide a negative test. And if someone tests positive for the omicron variant, then he said their close contacts will have to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status  currently close contacts are exempt from quarantine rules if they are fully vaccinated.

He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required and said the independent group of scientists that advises the British government on the rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been asked to accelerate the vaccination program. This could involve widening the booster program to younger age groups, reducing the time period between a second dose and a booster and allowing older children to get a second dose.

From today were going to boost the booster campaign, he said.

Britains Department of Health said the two cases found in the U.K. were linked and involved travel from southern Africa. One of the two new cases was in the southeastern English town of Brentwood, while the other was in the central city of Nottingham. The two confirmed cases are self-isolating with their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place.

The British government also added four more countries  Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia  onto the countrys travel red list from Sunday. Six others  Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe  were added Friday. That means anyone permitted to arrive from those destinations will have to quarantine.

Many countries have slapped restrictions on various southern African countries over the past couple of days, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Iran, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand and the United States, in response to warnings over the transmissibility of the new variant. This goes against the advice of the World Health Organization, which has warned against any overreaction before the variant was thoroughly studied.

Despite the banning of flights, there are mounting concerns that the variant has already been widely seeded around the world.

Italy and Germany were the latest to report confirmed cases of the omicron variant.

An Italian who had traveled to Mozambique on business landed in Rome on Nov. 11 and returned to his home near Naples. He and five family members, including two school-age children, have since tested positive, the Italian news agency LaPresse said. All are isolating in the Naples suburb of Caserta in good condition with light symptoms.

The variant was confirmed by Sacco hospital in Milan, and Italys National Health Institute said the man had received two doses of the vaccine. Italys health ministry is urging all regions to increase its tracing of the virus and sequencing to detect cases of the new variant first identified in South Africa.

In Germany, the Max von Pettenkofer Institute, a Munich-based microbiology center, said the omicron variant was confirmed in two travelers who arrived on a flight from South Africa on Nov. 24. The head of the institute, Oliver Keppler, said that genome sequencing has yet to be completed, but it is proven without doubt that it is this variant, German news agency dpa reported.

The Dutch public health institute said the omicron variant was probably found in a number of the tested persons who were isolated after arriving Friday in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa. The institute said in a statement that further sequencing analysis is underway to determine for sure that it is the new variant. The results were expected Sunday. A total of 61 people were tested.

Israel said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and was tracing 800 travelers who returned recently from southern African countries. And Australia said early Sunday its scientists were working to determine whether two people who tested positive for COVID after arriving from southern Africa are infected with the omicron variant.

The variants swift spread among young people in South Africa has alarmed health professionals even though there was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease.

A number of pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer, said they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of omicron. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they expect to be able to tweak their vaccine in around 100 days.

Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the omicron variant, noting that most of the mutations appear to be in similar regions as those in other variants.

At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease, but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed, he told BBC radio.

Some experts said the variants emergence illustrated how rich countries hoarding of vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic.

Fewer than 6% of people in Africa have been fully immunized against COVID-19, and millions of health workers and vulnerable populations have yet to receive a single dose. Those conditions can speed up spread of the virus, offering more opportunities for it to evolve into a dangerous variant.

One of the key factors to emergence of variants may well be low vaccination rates in parts of the world, and the WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded, said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Saturday with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, and they stressed the importance of working together to help African nations vaccinate their populations, the State Department said in a statement. It said Blinken praised South Africas scientists for quickly identifying the omicron variant and the government for its transparency in sharing this information, which should serve as a model for the world.

___

Geir Moulson in Berlin, Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Colleen Barry in Milan, Lynn Berry in Washington, and Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

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Follow APs coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

By PAN PYLAS

Associated Press
Solomon Islands violence recedes but not underlying tension View Photo

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Violence receded Friday in the capital of the Solomon Islands, but the government showed no signs of addressing the underlying grievances that sparked two days of riots, including concerns about the countrys increasing links with China.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare sought to deflect attention from domestic issues by blaming outside interference for stirring up the protesters, with a thinly veiled reference to Taiwan and the United States.

External pressures were a very big  influence. I dont want to name names. Well leave it there, Sogavare said.

Honiaras Chinatown and its downtown precinct were focuses of rioters, looters and protesters who demanded the resignation of Sogavare, who has been prime minister intermittently since 2000.

Sogavare has been widely criticized by leaders of the countrys most populous island of Malaita for a 2019 decision to drop diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of mainland China. His government, meanwhile, has been upset over millions in U.S. aid promised directly to Malaita, rather than through the central government.

Those issues are just the latest in decades of rivalry between Malaita and Guadalcanal, where the capital, Honiara, is located, said Jonathan Pryke, director of the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tanks Pacific Islands program.

Most of the drivers of the tension have been in the country for many decades and generations, and a lot of it is born out of the abject poverty of the country, the limited economic development opportunities and the inter-ethnic and inter-island rivalry between the two most populous islands, he said.

So everyones pointing fingers, but some fingers also need to be pointed at the political leaders of the Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands, with a population of about 700,000, are located about 1,500 kilometers (1,000 miles) northeast of Australia. Internationally they are probably still best known for the bloody fighting that took place there during World War II between the United States and Japan.

Riots and looting erupted Wednesday out of a peaceful protest in Honiara, primarily of people from Malaita demonstrating over a number of grievances. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators, who set fire to the National Parliament, a police station and many other buildings.

Protesters defied a lockdown declared by Sogavare on Wednesday to take to the streets again on Thursday.

Critics also blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals.

Since the 2019 shift in allegiance from Taiwan to China there has been an expectation of massive infrastructure investment from Beijing  locally rumored to be in the range of $500 million  but with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after the shift, none of that has yet materialized.

Malaita threatened to hold a referendum on independence over the issue, but that was quashed by Sogavares government.

Sogavare said Friday that he stood by his governments decision to embrace Beijing, which he described as the only issue in the violence, which was unfortunately influenced and encouraged by other powers.

Im not going to bow down to anyone. We are intact, the governments intact and were going to defend democracy, he said.

More than broad geopolitical concerns, however, Pryke said the demonstrations really boiled down to frustration over the lack of opportunities for a largely young population, and the concentration of much of the countrys wealth in the capital.

I guarantee you the vast majority of the people involved in the rioting and looting couldnt point China or Taiwan out on a map, he said. They were there as opportunists because they have had very limited economic opportunity. Its a very poor country with high youth unemployment, and this just shows how quickly these things can spiral out of control in a country thats volatile.

Andrew Yang, a professor at Taiwans National Sun Yat-sen University and former deputy defense minister, said Chinas efforts to win diplomatic recognition from the Solomon Islands government are part of a competition for regional dominance.

I think its part of the power competition between United States and China because China also is extending its influence into the Pacific region and also taking advantage of this opportunity to compromise the U.S. so-called Indo-Pacific security strategy, he said. So island countries in the South Pacific regions are a vitally important part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific security umbrella.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been following the protests with concern, said his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

(Guterres) calls for an end to the violence and the protection of hard-won peacebuilding gains. He urges dialogue and peaceful means to address differences, Haq said in a statement on Friday.

A plane carrying Australian police and diplomats arrived late Thursday in Honiara to help local police restore order.

Up to 50 more Australian police as well 43 defense force personnel with a navy patrol boat were scheduled to arrive on Friday.

They were requested by Sogavare under a bilateral treaty with Australia, and the presence of an independent force, though small, seemed to help quell some of the violence.

Australia has a history of assisting the Solomon Islands, stepping in after years of bloody ethnic violence known as the tensions in 2003. The Australian-led international police and military force called the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands helped restore the peace and left in 2017.

The Australian personnel are expected to be on hand for a matter of weeks, according Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Payne told reporters on Friday that she had no indication that other countries had stirred up the unrest.

We have not indicated that at all, Payne said.

Australia is not assisting in the protection of the National Parliament and the executive buildings, in a sign that it was not taking political sides.

Weve been very clear. Our view is we dont want to see violence, Payne said. We would very much hope for a return to stability.

Local journalist Gina Kekea said the foreign policy switch to Beijing with little public consultation was one of a mix of issues that led to the protests. There were also complaints that foreign companies were not providing local jobs.

Chinese businesses and (other) Asian businesses  seem to have most of the work, especially when it comes to extracting resources, which people feel strongly about, Kekea said.

Protesters were replaced by looters and scavengers on Friday in Chinatown, Kekea said.

Its been two days, two whole days of looting and protesting and rioting and Honiara is just a small city, Kekea said. The capital has 85,000 residents.

So I think that theres nothing much left for them to loot and spoil now, she said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison questioned whether Chinese citizens and businesses were being targeted. He described the unrest as a bit of a mixed story and noted Chinatown was the scene of rioting before Australias 2003 intervention.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday condemned the violence and stressed Beijings support for the Solomon Islands government. He said China was taking measures to safeguard the safety and rights of Chinese people and institutions in the country.

We believe that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare, the Solomon government can restore order and stabilize the internal situation as soon as possible, he said.

The establishment of diplomatic ties with Beijing has won sincere support of the people, and any attempts to undermine the normal development of China-Solomon relations are futile, Zhao said.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok.

By DAVID RISING and ROD McGUIRK

Associated Press
Macao detains Suncity boss on China gambling charge View Photo

BEIJING (AP)  Macao police on Saturday detained the head of Macaos biggest casino junket organizer and others after Chinese authorities issued an arrest warrant for them over accusations that they ran an illegal cross-border gambling syndicate.

The arrests in the gambling enclave came after prosecutors in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, on Friday accused Suncity Group CEO Alvin Chau and another person, Zhang Ningning, of leading cross-border gambling operations and setting up casinos across China.

Casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in mainland China, and semi-autonomous Macao is the only Chinese city allowed to operate a casino. Mainland visitors are able to travel to Macao to gamble but are required to obtain a visa.

Based on evidence obtained from previous criminal investigations, the (Macao) police brought the criminal suspect Chau and other persons involved back to the police station for investigation in accordance with the law this morning, Macaos government said in a statement on Saturday.

Authorities said they had been investigating the case since July last year. They said that the gambling syndicate has 199 shareholder representatives, over 12,000 agents that promoted its gambling operations and more than 80,000 gamblers in its network.

The syndicate also set up asset management firms to assist gamblers with cross-border fund transfers and to recover debts they owed, authorities said,

In 2019, Chinas official Xinhua news agency accused Suncity of targeting mainland gamblers with online gambling and proxy-betting operations based in Cambodia and the Philippines. Suncity denied the allegations.

Authorities said the syndicate severely damaged the social order of the country and on Friday urged Chau to turn himself in in exchange for a more lenient punishment.

Hong Kong-listed Suncity Group could not be reached for comment by phone and did not immediately reply to email inquiries.

Associated Press
Anti-government protesters block bridges, roads in Serbia View Photo

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors devastating the environment.

Hundreds of people on Saturday appeared simultaneously in the capital Belgrade, the northern city of Novi Sad and other locations to block main bridges and roads for one hour in what organizers described as a warning blockade. They pledged further protests if the laws on property expropriation and referendum werent withdrawn.

Police officers blocked the demonstrators from reaching the bridges, which led to skirmishes as police helicopters flew overhead. The protesters then marched around while managing to stop traffic at a key bridge in Belgrade and in various central streets.

Organizers said a number of people have been detained. Police earlier have warned that any blockade of bridges is illegal.

A number of environmental groups and civil society organizations are angry that the authorities have lowered the referendum threshold and allowed for swift expropriation of private property if deemed to be in the public interest. Activists argue this will pave the way for foreign companies to circumvent popular discontent over projects such as the bid by the Rio Tinto company to launch a lithium mine in western Serbia.

Serbias authorities have rejected the accusations, saying the new laws are needed because of infrastructure projects. The countrys autocratic president, Aleksandar Vucic, said a referendum will be organized on the Rio Tinto mine.

Environmental issues recently have drawn public attention as local activists accuse the populist government of allowing for the devastation of nature for profit. Experts have warned that the planned lithium mine in western Serbia would destroy farmland and pollute the waters.

Following decades of neglect, Serbia has faced major environmental problems such as air and water pollution, poor waste management and other issues. Serbia is a candidate nation for European Union entry, but little so far has been achieved with regards to improving the countrys environmental situation.

Protesters on Saturday blew whistles during the blockade and chanted We wont give up Serbia. Huge columns of cars and other vehicles formed at several locations as the demonstrators allowed only the emergency services to pass.

The protest coincided with a convention of Vucics populist Serbian Progressive Party as thousands of his supporters were bused into the capital for the gathering that was designed as a show of support for his policies.

Although formally seeking EU membership, Vucic has refused to align the countrys foreign policies with the 27-nation bloc and has instead strengthened the Balkan countrys alliance with Russia and China.
Bear cub injured in Tamarack Fire View Photo

Sonora, CA  After going from being hailed on social media for rescuing a little bear cub with severely burned paws and then being villainized for his escape, a South Lake Tahoe wildlife center appears to have come full circle to a happy ending.

The cub was named Tamarack after the blaze that scorched more than 100 miles forced residents from their homes gained national attention with his plight and escape, by tunneling under an electrical fence, detailed here. Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care center officials noted that it was the first escape in the 45-year-history of the facility. This week, private donors, the Bentley Foundation and MH Buckeye, pledged to match $500,000 in contributions for a $1 million expansion at the rescue.

Repairs have been underway at the center since the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) declared in October that it had to make improvements to its enclosures. The slow repairs have been attributed to supply-chain challenges, according to center officials. While state officials have allowed the center to continue rescuing smaller animals, including seven rehabilitated coyote pups that were recently released, it has been prohibited from accepting big game, like bears, since that order. Once the work is completed, CDFW will conduct a site inspection and evaluate whether to reinstate the centers ability to temporarily house and care for larger injured animals. With this infusion of cash, center officials advise that the center should be fully operational by next month.

The new expansion to the facility will include a hospital with two large recovery rooms, surgery and X-ray areas, individual care buildings for different species, and a small dormitory for staff providing round-the-clock care. The rescue was only $180,000 short of the $1.05 million needed to begin building the first animal hospital in the Lake Tahoe area. Construction is slated to begin in the spring and finish by the end of 2022.

As updated here in October, center officials believed Tamarack to be safe after he was spotted in a tree for a second time. They added that after his escape staff never gave up and a lot of time and money was spent trying to find him. With that sighting, he is believed to be out there now in the wild, living the bears life.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  New Zealand will reopen its borders to the world over the coming months, the government announced Wednesday, allowing for the return of displaced residents from January and tourists from April.

The South Pacific nation imposed harsh border restrictions when the pandemic began, effectively banning tourists and requiring returning residents to spend two weeks in a quarantine hotel run by the military.

At times, demand for quarantine beds has far outstripped supply, causing some displaced residents to wait months for available slots.

For the first 18 months of the pandemic, the border measures were considered vital in keeping New Zealand free from the virus.

But an August outbreak proved impossible to stamp out, prompting New Zealand to abandon its elimination strategy in October. Vaccination rates have also been rising, making the border measures increasingly hard to justify.

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the government had made difficult trade-offs to keep New Zealanders as safe as possible throughout the pandemic.

We acknowledge that it has been very tough. Families have been separated. People have found themselves having to shelter in places they did not expect to stay for prolonged periods of time, Hipkins said. We are acutely aware of the impact that these restrictions have had on individuals lives and their livelihoods.

Under the governments plan, all incoming travelers will still be required to isolate themselves for seven days, at least for now.

Hipkins said it wanted to mitigate the virus risk posed by incoming travelers by reopening the border in stages.

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders will be able to return from Australia without staying in quarantine from Jan. 16 and from other countries after Feb. 13. The door will then open in stages to tourists and other travelers from April 30.

New Zealand is also removing a very-high-risk designation from certain countries including Indonesia, India and Brazil, allowing people from those countries to return or visit.

New Zealand announced earlier this week that bars, restaurants and gyms can reopen in Auckland from Dec. 2, removing the last remnants of a lockdown that began in the nation's largest city in August.

It also signaled a new phase in New Zealands response to the pandemic, in which people around the country will need to be fully vaccinated in order to participate in anything from getting a haircut to watching a concert.

About 69% of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated, including 84% of those aged 12 and over. New Zealand has reported just 40 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began.
A proposed 2022-2027 bond project could bring a new $6.4 million park to the San Antonio Medical Center area. The 16-acre park would be along Huebner Creek near Babcock Road and Floyd Curl Green Street.

Elaine Kearney, a landscape architect with TBG Partners, spoke about the city-recommended project during the 2022-2027 parks and recreation bond committee meeting on Tuesday, November 16. She tells MySA she represented the presentation on behalf of her the San Antonio Medical Foundation and the Medical Center Alliance.

The three organizations have been working with the City of San Antonio over the years to develop a master plan for the Medical Center area. The team is the same one who helped make the 1.8-mile Floyd Curl Drive Green Street possible, which opened two years ago to add bicycle paths, pedestrian facilities linked to off-site trails, and landscaping.

Billy Calzada, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

However, despite having the green street, Kearney says the Medical Center is the No. 1 area in San Antonio in a deficit of a 10-mintue walk to a park, according to Trust for Public Land  a nonprofit that uses a mapping tool to see where parks are to where they live.

According to Kearney, the park would not only connect to the green street, but it would also form a connection between the green street to the Howard Peak Greenway Trail System. It would have picnic tables, a dog park, walking trails, benches, and a trailhead. The San Antonio Medical Foundation will also donate one acre of land for a trailhead and parking lot area. It is worth $850,000, Kearney says.

"The opportunity to truly bring a new park and a new green space, I think, not only would be an amazing amenity for the people who live in the medical center, but also in the times that we've been in right now with COVID being so stressful  this could help all the first responders and the people who work in health care to go out and take a walk between shifts to help their mental health," Kearney says.

The proposed plan has been recommended by the City Council to be a project to use with the more than $1.2 billion bond for 2022-2027. City staff members have recommended spending $274.3 million for parks, recreation, and open spaces (including $110 million for the greenway trails).

"We have partnered with CoSA (City of San Antonio) for 20 years to make approximately $100 million in infrastructure improvements in the SAMC (San Antonio Medical Center), including Floyd Curl Greenstreet," Bill Balthrope with the South Texas Medical Alliance says. "Tying these improvements into the park and trail system would provide a healthy and safe environment for residents and employees."

Courtesy, Medical Center Alliance

While the park is estimated to be around $6.4 million, Kearney says the organizations are only asking for $3.5 million as both San Antonio Medical Foundation and the Medical Center Alliance plan to contribute $1 million each to help get the park planning going.

"A major theme of the Medical Center is health and fitness, though currently lacking in facilities to accomplish this," Jim Reed with the San Antonio Medical Foundation says. "SA Tomorrow (a city-based agency planning effort to guide the city toward growth) recognized this and made connectivity and green spaces major priorities going forward."

If approved for funding through the bond Kearney says they anticipate beginning the design process in the summer of 2022. She says the park's grand opening could be at the earliest by 2024 or 2025.
Arlene Richie/Getty Images

Selena's father finally addressed rumors that she was denied life-saving procedures that could have prevented her death.

Abraham Quintanilla discussed with Corpus Christi station 3 News the life-saving efforts doctors took to keep the Tejano legend alive. He shot down rumors that he denied Selena a blood transfusion because of religious beliefs.
Lisa Krantz, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

With another contender in the running for Bexar County Judge, there are still a few more potentials that may throw their name in the hat.

Millennials grew up with County Judge Nelson Wolff, who won't run for reelection next year, but the ballot on the Democrat side is shaping up to contain a diverse set of candidates. It'll be an interesting race.
Oregon-born gray wolf makes it almost to LA before death strikes Oregonlive (resilc) :-(

Stephen Sondheim, Titan of the American Musical, Is Dead at 91 New York Times

Maj. Ian Fishback, Who Exposed Abuse of Detainees, Dies at 42 New York Times (resilc)

How animal uses of fire help to illuminate human pyrocognition Aeon (Anthony L)

Canada issues weather red alert for British Columbia CNN

What I learned eating at 8,000 Chinese restaurants BBC (David L)

J.R.R. Tolkien Denied the Beatles Making a Lord of the Rings Movie Insider (furzy)

#COVID-19

Time for a round of applause for GM. Lambert found this tidbit:

Specifically, at 3:48, Topol having just depicted Delta as unanticpated, says of Omicron that it was even more unanticipated because it is chock full of mutations.

Having heard years of Whocoulddanode? after the global financial crisis, its galling to hear that excuse for elite failure trotted out again.

As we quoted GM on November 19, based on an e-mail of November 13 that codified some things hed been saying in bits and pieces over the preceding weeks:

The most likely future major developments of the pandemic fall into one of these three scenarios: 1. We get a second-generation Delta variant that has a major advantage over all other Delta lineages. This is the most likely one simply because right now 98% of the virus circulating around the world is Delta and Delta was the most fit variant to begin with. 2. We get a second-generation variant from one of the lineages that have still survived the Delta sweep that is capable of competing against Delta. Eyes are on Lambda/C.37 and Mu/B.1.621 and possibly P.1, because those are the only first-generation variants that still circulate in significant numbers in South America 3. Something new appears out of nowhere that is fitter than the rest. This will most likely come from Africa there is no surveillance in the depths of the continent and there is no knowing what is brewing there.

COP26/Climate Change

China?

Brexit

New Cold War

Syraqistan

Imperial Collapse Watch

Biden

Antitrust Tech Bills Gain Bipartisan Momentum in Senate Wall Street Journal

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Supply Chain

CalPERS

The Bezzle

Holiday shopping 2021: More Americans wont be buying holiday gifts this year CNBC (J-LS)

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. Rupert A: Cat owns public footpath, spotted in Wellington, Aotearoa.

And a bonus (guurst):

Get in here pic.twitter.com/tR73PwTSEJ  The World Of Funny (@TheWorldOfFunny) November 22, 2021

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Yves here. I know it is obvious, but it still is important not to forget: a big reason gun culture has become so well established in the US is that movies and TV make such heavy use of shootouts. Westerns. Crime shows. Spy movies. War pictures. Most action flicks. Many of these dramas have normalized the idea of shooting someone to protect your stuff, as opposed to your life and limb. And by contrast, there is just about no modeling of talking merely crazy or very upset people who are wielding weapons into putting them down. I wonder if the NRA and gun companies were early on to paying for product placement in shows.

By Robert Spitzer, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the Political Science Department, State University of New York College at Cortland. Originally published at The Conversation

No observer of contemporary gun politics could fail to notice a jarring disconnect between the two very different trajectories of the gun rights movement today.

On the one hand, more states are allowing Americans to carry weapons in public without permits, and the gun-rights movement could be on the verge of a major Supreme Court victory. On the other, the National Rifle Association, which advocates on behalf of gun owners, faces an existential crisisthats mostly due to the NRAs own missteps.

As a political scientist who has studied gun politics and policy for over 30 years, Im confident that there is no precedent for this contradictory situation. Moreover, theres no reason to believe that the NRAs problems will influence how the courts treat gun-rights cases.

2 Very Different Lawsuits Are Pending

The Supreme Court case, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, challenges a state law that requires authorities to exercise discretion when issuing concealed-carry pistol permits. When justices heard oral arguments on Nov. 3, 2021, a majority of them appeared to be skeptical about the laws constitutionality  despite the fact that it was first enacted in 1911and has withstood legal challenges in the past.

Meanwhile, as it marks the 150th anniversary of its 1871 founding, the NRA looks like an organization in jeopardy.

Expensive and protracted litigation exposed a pattern of lavish perks for its top officials, including private jets, designer clothes and vacations at expensive resorts  as well as plenty of cronyism and sweetheart contracts.

Many of these allegations of misdeeds were crystallized in a 160-page lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney Generals office in August 2020. It called for the NRAs dissolution and the removal of Wayne LaPierre as its CEO.

A nonprofit gun-control group led by former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived being shot at close range, is also suing the NRA. The Giffords group alleges financial misconduct and possible campaign finance law violations.

Also, some NRA board members have resigned in recent years due to their objections to the organizations track record. In September 2021, a dissident board member called for the entire board to be replaced and for LaPierres removal.

And in November, a National Public Radio report on secret recordings of a 1999 conference call among the organizations top leaders held immediately after the Columbine High School shootings further tarnished the NRAs reputation.

The recordings revealed frank discussions of the organizations public relations strategy and derided some of the organizations more zealous members as hillbillies and fruitcakes.

The organization has not released clear information about how any of this has affected membership. Because the NRA gets 40% of its annual revenue from member dues, which are reportedly stagnant, this exposure could be affecting its bottom line.

Whats Happening in Court

The NRAs national reputation, however, might not matter that much.

First, while the NRA has long played a key role in Second Amendment litigation, many affiliated and unaffiliated organizations have taken on the task of challenging laws that restrict gun rights, such as the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association  the plaintiff in the pending Supreme Court case. Similar state-specific organizations exist throughout the country.

Second, and arguably more important, recent Republican presidents have been remarkably successful in appointing to the federal court system a large number of young and very conservative jurists. They have expressed great sympathy for an expansive reading of gun rights under the Second Amendment. Their interpretation goes further than the standard the court set out in its 2008 D.C. v. Heller ruling, when the court for the first time established that Americans have a right to own handguns for personal protection in their homes.

Even though he served for only one term, President Donald Trump was particularly successful in filling judicial vacancies, thanks in large measure to Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnells efforts.

The three conservative Supreme Court justices Trump appointed, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, had all previously expressed their support for the rights of gun owners. And Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, who have been on the court far longer, have often expressed dissatisfaction that gun rights have not received sufficient deference in prior court rulings.

Public Opinion Is Shifting

Theres another paradox that could matter too: Most Americans, especially Democrats, continue to support stricter gun laws, and yet people in the U.S. are buying guns, mostly handguns, at a record pace.

Notably, support for stricter gun control fell in the past year by 5 percentage points to 52%, according to a Gallup poll conducted in October 2021. That decline followed a 7-percentage-point drop Gallup measured a year earlier. Still, the poll reflects overwhelming support for existing gun laws: Only 11% favor making gun laws less strict.

A record-setting 1.2 million background checks, a proxy for gun sales, were conducted in two separate single weeks in March 2021. The buying spree was fanned by fears that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrations tied to the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2020 elections.

However, only about 20% of these purchases were new gun owners. For the most part, the nations estimated 72 million gun owners are adding to their firearm collections.
Yves here. Unfortunately these protests will be overshadowed by Omicron coverage. But the flip side is labor battles are not won with David-like single shots at Goliaths. They are protracted exercises in guerrilla warfare.

By Kenny Stancil. Originally published at CommonDreams

On Black Friday, more than 70 labor unions and progressive advocacy groups shut down workplaces and hit the streets in cities around the globe to demandon Amazons most profitable day of the yearthat the sprawling tech and logistics corporation pay a living wage to its employees and a fair share of taxes to compensate the societies in which it operates.

From oil refineries, to factories, to warehouses, to data centers, to corporate offices in countries across the world, workers and activists are rising up in strikes, protests, and actions to Make Amazon Pay, reads the campaigns website. While the international coalition held its first Black Friday day of action 12 months ago, opposition to Amazons abuses has only grown since then, and work stoppages and rallies targeting the e-commerce giant were expected in at least 20 countries on every inhabited continent this year.

According to the Make Amazon Pay coalition, planned actions include:

In Kathmandu, Nepal, organizers from the UNICOME Nepal and UNI Nepal Liaison Council will protest in defense of Amazon suppliers and their rights to decent conditions;

In Berlin, Germany, warehouse workers will march on the site of Amazons HQ to launch the Amazon Workers Against Surveillance;

In Toronto, Canada, postal workers and the Warehouse Worker Resource Center will march on the Brampton Amazon facility to demand better wages;

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, activists will take action at the Axion oil refinery against Amazons services to fossil fuel corporations like BP; and

In Warsaw, Poland, a broad coalition of unions and environmentalists will take to the streets to protest Amazons worker repression and arbitrary firings at its warehouses.

Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, said Friday that people worldwide are demonstrating to end corporate impunity, to end the scandal of [Amazons] monopoly power.

They pay little or no tax, yet their obscene wealth is actually untrammeled, Burrow continued. She emphasized the need to stan[d] with Amazon workers every day and thanked unions for their solidarity.

Today is a great day of global action and protest against one of the worst corporations of our time! Today in Brussels, Bangladesh, Berlin and Boston, and more than 20 cities on 6 continents we are coming together to #MakeAmazonPay! @SharanBurrow pic.twitter.com/B2h34pAtqk  ITUC (@ituc) November 26, 2021

Amazon is headquartered in the United States, but its reach is globalwith a massive workforce of roughly 1.3 million people, excluding countless others employed by the companys subcontractors, and a carbon footprint larger than two-thirds of the worlds countries. Resistance to one of the most powerful corporate empires in historyfounded by Jeff Bezos, currently the second-richest person on the planetis also transnational.

Amazon is everywhere, involved in almost every step of the global economy, but we are too, explains the coalition, which includes Progressive International, UNI Global Union, Amazon Workers International, and dozens of other trade unions and civil society organizations working to stamp out inequality, tax evasion, and climate injustice.

At every link in this chain of abuse, we are fighting back, the coalition says. We are workers and activists divided by geography and our role in the global economy but united in our commitment to Make Amazon Pay fair wages, its taxes, and for its impact on the planet.

Campaigners from the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Bangladesh, Germany, Cambodia, and Poland described how Amazon just doesnt give a shitexploiting workers and consumers, despoiling the environment, dodging taxes, and using its ill-gotten gains to wield enormous, anti-democratic influence over lawmakers.

Today, we #MakeAmazonPay. From Brazil to Bangladesh, workers are rising up in the largest mobilization against Amazon in history. Join the movement. Spread the word. Support striking workers. pic.twitter.com/oyUk1sU7cf  Progressive International (@ProgIntl) November 26, 2021



The Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, has exposed how Amazon places profits ahead of workers, society, and our planet, the Make Amazon Pay coalition notes on its website.

Last year, for instance, Amazon became a trillion-dollar corporation. According to a video on the coalitions website, Amazons wealth has increased so much during the pandemic that its owners could pay all 1.3 million of its employees a $690,000 Covid bonus and still be as rich as they were in 2020.

Amazons wealth has increased so much during the pandemic that its owners could pay all 1.3 million of its employees a $690,000 Covid bonus and still be as rich as they were in 2020.

Bezoswho paid a 1.1% true tax rate between 2006 and 2018, according toa June report from ProPublicaalso became the first individual to amass a personal fortune of more than $200 billion. He surpassed that figure in August 2020, just a few months after he eliminated the short-lived hazard pay of Amazon employees, who have continued toiling at great risk to their own health.

In addition, Amazons union-busting tactics were on full display earlier this year in Bessemer, Alabama during a drive organized by the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

Union organizers at the Bessemer warehouse came up short in the April election, but an official at the National Labor Relations Board has recommended invalidating those results and mandating a new vote after RWDSU filed nearly two dozen complaints alleging that Amazon illegally threatened employees with loss of pay and benefits, installed and surveilled an unlawful ballot collection box, and expelled pro-union workers from so-called captive audience meetings during which management argued against unionization.

In addition to ruthlessly squashing unionization efforts, Amazon denies governments revenue through its world-beating efforts at tax dodging, says the Make Amazon Pay Coalition.

Like all major corporations, Amazons success would be impossible without the public institutions that citizens built together over generations, the coalition stresses. But instead of giving back to the societies that helped it grow, the e-commerce giant paid just 1.2% tax in the U.S. in 2019, up from 0% the two previous years.

As far as pollution goes, the coalition points out, Amazons growing delivery and cloud computer businesses are accelerating global climate breakdown.

Bezos, meanwhile, said in Julyimmediately following his first suborbital flight, which he admitted was paid for by Amazon workersthat he thinks it would be a good idea to relocate industrial production to outer space, threatening, however unrealistically, to push capitalisms detrimental impacts beyond Earths atmosphere.
(Natural News) As expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light for all Americans 18 years of age an older to take the booster shot of their choice for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

In an announcement, FDA director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Dr. Peter Marks said he determined that the currently available data support expanding the eligibility of a single booster of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to individuals 18 years of age and older.

Based on a very brief analysis of just 200 people for Pfizer and 149 people for Moderna, the FDA decided that there is more than enough evidence to show that getting a third injection produces amazing immunity or something, and that everyone should comply.

It seems to be the consensus now that immunity from the jabs wanes rapidly, disappearing almost entirely after a few months. In order to re-up it, the fully vaccinated are being told they need to get boosted.

The drop (in immunity) is more pronounced in the elderly and those who have serious underlying health conditions like obesity, claims The Epoch Times.

FDA officials override advisory panel, recommend boosters in defiance of science

Early on, the FDA pretended to be against the booster shots. An advisory panel voted against expanding the follow-up jabs to people of all ages, only to later phase it all in starting with the elderly.

Now, people as young as 18 can sign up to receive any of the currently available booster shots, regardless of which brand they chose for their primary series of injections.

What actually happened is that FDA officials sidestepped the recommendation of the agencys advisory panel to not recommend the boosters at all. Those at the top apparently wanted the boosters approved no matter what, so they overrode the decision.

I think it would have been of value for the public to hear an open discussion about the need for boosters, announced Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

Offit, by the way, is a pro-jab quack who infamously stated that babies can safely be injected with 10,000 vaccines at one time.

Offit is also an FDA panel member, so of course his influence guided this decision. There has never been an injection that Offit did not want injected into babies bodies, it turns out, so his yes vote was a no-brainer.

Dr. Paul Spearman, another FDA panel member who works with infectious diseases at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, added that he had to vote for the boosters because of declining antibody levels and breakthrough infections.

There was some reluctance on the committee to say that everyone needed boosters, and perhaps they wanted to move this ahead without much controversy, but that is just speculation, Spearman further stated.

I think the data support giving boosters, and with cases rising in some parts of the U.S., it makes sense to boost protection rather than wait until antibodies decline to the point that the individual is put at risk for serious disease.

Amazingly, this FDA panel did not even hold a meeting before the vote. Instead, its members arrogantly and flagrantly just gave their approval, claiming that it had already convened in the past and concluded that the requests do not raise questions that would benefit from additional discussion by committee members.

With rising cases amongst vaccinated nationally, I think this is the right move, stated Dr. Leora Horowitz, director of the NYU Langones Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science in support of the decision.

More related news about the plandemic jab push can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has always supported policies that allow criminals, including violent ones, back out on the streets so they can repeat offend and continue to unravel the fraying fabric of society.

But you might think she would wait to repeat her call for ending cash bail at least a couple of months after a man who was out on cheap bail was arrested for allegedly using an SUV to mow down participants and spectators of a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wis., and killing six people while injuring more than 40 others.

However, if you thought that, youd be wrong because she didnt.

Before authorities even knew the extent of the damage to lives allegedly done by a career criminal, AOC was again calling for significant reductions in cash bail requirements for her New York City residents, as noted by Breitbart News:

Open socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) promoted bail reform efforts just one day after the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade, where the suspect  Darrell E. Brooks Jr., who has an extensive criminal record  was released on $1000 bond days prior to when he allegedly plowed an SUV into crowds of people.

In a tweet on Monday morning, AOC shared a letter that she penned with Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) asking New York Citys five District Attorneys for information on excessive bail in the NYC court system  particularly for low-income defendants.

More than 75% of individuals in custody havent been convicted of a crime, and are confined in unsafe conditions simply because they cannot afford cash bail. Condemning thousands of individuals to languish in such environments as they await trial is unacceptable, she tweeted.

We have grave concerns that excessive bail amounts are leading to unnecessary pretrial detention and contributing to a humanitarian crisis in New York Citys jail system, particularly on Rikers Island, AOC and two other members of Congress added in a statement, USA Features News added.

Fourteen people have died this year in the custody of New York City Department of Correction. Condemning thousands of individuals to languish in an environment plagued by persistent overcrowding and mounting violence as they await trial is not acceptable, and risks violating the federal civil rights of these individuals, they said.

If these conditions are not addressed, federal intervention may be necessary to protect detainees from additional harm.

The Daily Wire noted further:

Earlier this month, the suspect was arrested for allegedly punching his childs mother in the face and hitting her with his car at a gas station. The criminal complaint from the incident says that officers observed tire tracks on her left pants leg.

The suspect was later released on $1,000 bail, which the Milwaukee Co. District Attorney said in statement today was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against the suspect. The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail, the statement added.

Needless to say, she was ratioed big time on social media for bad timing and bad policy.

Your time is  odd, The Daily Wires Ben Shapiro noted.

The day after a massacre occurred in Wisconsin by a violent criminal released under bail reform policies, AOC posts this, political commentator Mike Cernovich added.

Said conservative radio host Dana Loesch: Because Waukesha wasnt bad enough apparently.

Holy sh**. @AOC is a demonic sociopath. A guy out on $1,000 bail just mowed down a bunch of women and children, and her immediate response is to ensure that even more violent criminals are released back into their communities. These people are really, truly, diabolically evil, The Daily Wires Matt Walsh added.

The day after a man kills 5 people and injures 48 while out on a $1,000 bond (after trying to kill someone ELSE with his car), AOC comes out with a letter arguing that bails are too high. Cant make it up, noted political strategist Matt Whitlock.

Judicial Watchs Tom Fitton hit the nail on the head when he wrote: The extremist Left opposes incarceration, in principle. Dont be distracted by arguments about bail, criminal justice reform, etc. The communist revolutionaries believe the criminal justice system has no moral authority to jail anyone (other than their political enemies).

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

USAFeatures.news

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Its not illegal in America to travel from state to state, yet. You might think so if you watch or read fake news, though. The corporate smear is on to ruin Kyle Rittenhouse and his fast-growing martyred reputation for standing up for the Constitution and defending himself proper. Watch out, He crossed state lines, the news was plastered across America. Hes got a rifle! they decried, AND hes a white male. Thats the Democrats scripted formula for white-supremacist, extreme-Right, Nazi-fascist, domestic terrorist. Innocent or guilty, Rittenhouse was tried in a mass-media court of law and found guilty of being a white dude with a gun who crossed state lines.

For that, in the USA, you deserve to serve 99-to-life, according to the Left. This is the media smear campaign on Rittenhouse, and just like with Nick Sandman, the corporate fake news media is about to take on some big defamation lawsuits, and probably lose billions of dollars, especially since they keep painting the white supremacist and murderer picture even after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges.

How dare an American defend himself against white Antifa attackers who want to take his gun and kill him  what a racist

The people who attacked Kyle Rittenhouse were white, yet somehow, this is still a racial topic for all the fake news networks, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and sometimes FOX. Theres a fake race war going on in America, and every event is twisted and warped with that fake underlying theme, but most people cant believe its all a con.

The George Floyd riots were all peaceful protests by the Left, according to all mass media, but any white person ever protesting anything anymore is a white-supremacist (even though the Democrats invented the KKK).

The outrage over Rittenhouse getting off Scott Free is all fake. Its just a bunch of talking heads on TV and a few Soros-paid jailbirds out on bond, committing acts of atrocity to stay out of jail. Isnt that ironic and oxymoronic. Martin Luther King, Jr., called for peace and harmony among Blacks and whites. Then he exposed how the true US government white-supremacists were putting the Black men on the front lines in Vietnam, in the meat grinder as it was called, and so they had him shot.

Top 5 fake news CNN talking points for Rittenhouse coverage

The newscasters read the script and the communist Biden Regime writes it. People surf for news and this is what they see, hear and read everywhere they turn, including at the gym, at the airport, bus terminals, news stands and as alerts on their smart devices, which ironically make them dumber. Fake news is psychological terror and usually has NOTHING to do with what is really happening, especially when it comes to safety, health or national security.

Here are the 5 key CNN talking points for Rittenhouse news coverage:

#1. Hes still guilty and he only got off because hes a white male.

#2. He crossed state lines so hes a huge threat (he lives 30 minutes from the state line and its never been illegal to cross state lines).

#3. Hes a deplorable white-supremacist savage (even Biden calls him a white supremacist).

#4. He had an illegal, unregistered, banned assault rifle (the AR-15 is actually legal under Wisconsin law based on its barrel length).

#5. He gunned down innocent protesters (which, of course, is also not true).

Tune your internet dial to Survival.news for great tips on DIY weapons, food storage and protecting our constitutional freedoms.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

TheDailyBell.com
(Natural News) A prominent South African doctor who played a key role in developing early treatments for COVID-19 has said that the current vaccine campaigns have one purpose: to control and kill off a large proportion of our population without anyone suspecting that we were poisoned.

This controversial claim was made by a family doctor in South Africa, Dr. Shankara Chetty, whose website says he has successfully treated 7,000 patients with COVID-19 without a single death or hospitalization. He is also the doctor behind the 8th Day Therapy for COVID-19 geared toward patients in the diseases more dangerous inflammatory stage.

In a video recording, Dr. Chetty said that while we all know that there are inconsistencies and coercion going on right now, it is important to understand the reasons. For him, it all boils down to the spike protein.

If I had to give you my opinion, as to what is happening on a global scale, [the] spike protein is one of the most contrived toxins or poisons that man has ever made, he stated. And the aim of this toxin is to kill billions without anyone noticing it. So, its a poison with an agenda.

In his opinion, global lockdowns led patients to get to hospitals later in the diseases progression, and the protocols used were designed to engineer death and damage [in order] to stir all the fear in order to justify vaccinating the planet and exposing all of us to the spike protein for longer.

Too many varied deaths will make it hard to pin the blame on the vaccine

He paints a deeply disturbing picture of how the vaccine is going to kill people without ever making itself look like the obvious culprit. The vaccines spike protein will be distributed throughout the body via mRNA, he says, and made in different tissues throughout the body.

Those tissues will be recognized as foreign and will trigger a host of autoimmune responses. So, the deaths that are meant to follow the vaccinations will never be able to be pinned on the poison! They will be too diverse, there will be too many, and they will be in too broad a timeframe for us to understand that we have been poisoned, he said.

The vaccines ability to exacerbate pre-existing illnesses means that peoples deaths will instead be blamed on whatever underlying conditions they had, even if those conditions never would have killed them otherwise. This might be cancer flareups spurred by the vaccine that kill patients, whose deaths would then be blamed on the cancer rather than the vaccine. Likewise, diabetics who have strokes and people with hypertension who have heart attacks will have their illnesses attributed to those conditions rather than the vaccines.

While it may sound outlandish to some, he believes that understanding the endgame provides lots of clarity. Since the vaccines dont make sense from a scientific standpoint, he believes this is a more likely explanation.

But I think if people understand what the intention is, then theyll understand why whats happened has happened. The ill logic, the coercion, the suppression, is all warranted if you understand that there is a bigger plan. This plan is to make sure that we can control and kill off a large proportion of our population without anyone suspecting that we were poisoned, he stated.

Other prominent doctors have taken a somewhat similar stance, including a former senior project manager for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Geert Vanden Bossch, and highly published physician and COVID-19 expert, Dr. Peter McCullough.

Another expert, former Pfizer Vice President and Chief Scientist for Allergy & Respiratory, Dr. Michael Yeadon, said when posting Dr. Chettys video on Telegram: The vaccine mandates are illogical & frightening, since most arent at great risk from the virus in the first place & the vaccines dont prevent infection or transmission. So, they dont provide a societal benefit, only a potential individual benefit, he stated.

Wed NEVER force people to do something which ONLY benefits them & even then, under unlikely circumstances. Its nuts. Decline, he added, referring to the dangerous vaccines.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) The Defense Department is apparently threatening to sort of decertify the Oklahoma National Guard after its commander, on approval of the state commander-in-chief, Gov. Kenny Stitt, issued an order instructing his troops they will not be required to comply with Joe Bidens unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The Oklahoman on Nov. 12 provided some background on the situation:

In one of his first acts as the head of the Oklahoma National Guard, new Adjutant General Thomas Mancino updated the guards COVID-19 vaccine policy.

In a memo issued Thursday, Mancino ordered that no members of the Oklahoma National Guard be required to take a COVID-19 vaccine.

The memo obtained by The Oklahoman also notes no negative administrative or legal action will be taken against guard members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.

The memo came just one day after Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Mancino to replace former Adjutant General Michael Thompson, who had served in that role since 2017.

The clarified policy on COVID vaccinations for Oklahoma Army and Air National Guardsmen reflects the governors ability to assert his command authority over the men and women of the Oklahoma National Guard while they are within the states borders, Lt. Col. Geoff Legler, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Guard, told the paper.

At a time when our adversaries continue to increase their quantitative and qualitative advantage against our forces, we should seek to ensure that no policy, even unintentionally, hinders military readiness, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He added that the mandate should be immediately revoked so as to not cause irrevocable damage to our national security.

Of course, the regime doesnt like to be told no, so the Pentagon has dug in its heels, under the guise of the mindless commander-in-chief in the Oval Office, Joe Biden.

It is a lawful order for National Guardsmen to receive the Covid vaccine. It is a lawful order, Defense Department press secretary John Kirby stated, according to Politico.

Refusing to do that, absent an approved exemption, puts them in the same potential [for disciplinary action] as active-duty members who refuse the vaccine, Kirby added.

He noted further that the secretary of Defense has the authority to require these vaccines for all members of the force, including the National Guard  even in a Title 32 status. Because when theyre called up for their monthly training, theyre still federally funded.

The mood in Oklahoma may be catching, according to the Washington Post:

The extraordinary move by Stitt has prompted interest among multiple governors and National Guard commanders to explore similar policies in their states, Oklahoma officials said, while leaving the Biden administration with little recourse but to hold individual service members accountable for refusing lawful orders that their immediate chain of command has disavowed.

Mancino defended his order, however.

I did not initiate a civilian-military crisis just because I thought it was cool, right? Mancino told several members of the Oklahoma National Guard in Oklahoma City, noting that by state law and military law he is bound to obey the order of the governor.

Now, however, the Pentagon may be realizing it is running out of options to actually force the members of the Oklahoma Guard to comply, according to a social media post this week.

BREAKING: Defense official reportedly says, if the Oklahoma National Guard doesnt comply with COVID vaccine requirements, they will no longer be maintaining national recognition, thus, state will no longer have a Nat Guard, but rather a militia  VOAs Pentagon correspondent, the post from Insider Paper, which is a blue-check verified account, noted.

In other words, the Oklahoma National Guard will revert back to the status it and the other state Guard units held for decades until they became sort of, kind of, federalized last century.

To which the state should respond, So what?

Sources include:

Politico.com

Oklahoman.com

WashingtonPost.com

Pandemic.news
(Natural News) An Australian doctor says that he was questioned by police after sending emails to his local MP expressing concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines.

The incident occurred at the home of Dr. Bruce Paix in Adelaide, South Australia. Although the police originally said they had come to his house for a firearms check, an officer who was caught on video later admitted that he came because of emails Dr. Paix had sent to his local MP, Josh Teague of South Australia.

Dr. Paix is a former military physician who has 32 years of experience, including serving as a senior doctor in South Australias government system, a rescue doctor and an anesthesiologist. He also managed health threats during his time as a senior military doctor in the Middle East during the MERS outbreak.

After spending thousands of hours educating himself on coronavirus, he determined that nothing about the worlds COVID response template makes sense (including in my own state of South Australia) and indeed is likely harmful.

Of particular concern to Dr. Paix is the way that the media has been censoring reports of adverse events from COVID-19 vaccines. He wrote: The vaccines in particular have numerous valid safety risks, and knowledge of these is being systematically suppressed by governments, professional bodies, and media.

He also took issue with the ban on early treatments against the virus, such as Ivermectin, which is often denied to patients despite evidence that it can be effective in fighting COVID-19.

Valuable therapeutic options (Vit D, Ivermectin) are being outlawed in favor of a jab or nothing strategy, he lamented.

Dr. Paix said that he had contacted the MPs office multiple times to voice his concerns. His requests to meet with Teague were denied, and eventually, he says, the MPs response was to send the police in to threaten him.

In a video of the incident, an officer is heard telling Dr. Paix that his emails have come to the attention of the police and are drawing attention to you, which you probably dont need or dont want.

The doctor pressed the police officer on the purpose of his visit, pointing out that the firearms check was not random and was instead being done in the context of the letters he had sent his MP. The officer told him that he was not aware that the emails contained any criminal offenses and that his aim was just to let the doctor know that the police were aware of the emails.

Dr. Paix is not the only physician who has come under fire in the country because of his opinions on the virus. The clinic of Australian physician Dr. Mark Hobart was raided by health officers just a few days before the incident; they confiscated his appointment book and confidential patient files.

Both of the doctors had been giving patients vaccine and mask exemptions, and Dr. Paix had also been instructing patients on how they can obtain Ivermectin for protection against the virus.

Australia taking an extreme approach to virus, vaccines

Australia has taken a very extreme approach to COVID-19. The government recently completely locked down a pair of remote aboriginal communities, hauling dozens of residents into military trucks and bringing them to quarantine facilities, after nine people tested positive for the virus.

When a woman recently tested positive for the virus in the popular beach town of Byron Bay, the entire facility was locked down, forcing more than 80 backpackers into a week-long lockdown.

In Queensland, locals have been told to get fully vaccinated by December 15 or face trouble getting a job or entering public spaces. The government has also taken to threatening its people, with the head of the Australian Medical Association in Queensland issuing an ominous warning: Life will be miserable without being vaccinated. You wont be able to hide.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

WIONews.com
(Natural News) In 2018, after a local news crew filmed Ryan Nichols rescuing dogs abandoned by their owners after Hurricane Florence, the former Marine appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Not only did DeGeneres commend Nichols longtime work as a search-and-rescue volunteer, she donated $25,000 to the Humane Society in his name and gave Ryan and his wife, Bonnie, a $10,000 check to pay for the honeymoon they had missed the year before so Ryan could assist rescue efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

(Article by Julie Kelly republished from AMGreatness.com)

But instead of heading to Hawaii, the Nicholses used the generous donation to buy a rescue boat. With his Marine buddy and best friend, Alex Harkrider, at his side, the pair has participated in dozens of hurricane rescues and disaster relief efforts, according to Joseph McBride, Nichols attorney.

Three years after his appearance on the DeGeneres show, Nichols was featured on another program, but this time, Nichols spoke from the fetid confines of a political prison in the nations capital. And instead of telling a heroic story of saving dogs drowning in rising flood waters, Nichols told Newsmax host Greg Kelly a harrowing tale of what he saw at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

We showed up in good faith . . . to protest the election results but never would have imagined we would encounter the horrors that we did on the west terrace and in the tunnel that day, Nichols explained to Kelly in a phone interview on November 9. When I saw women being beaten and in distress, my rescue instinct kicked in and I knew I had no choice but to help rescue them.

Nichols account is detailed in an appalling new court filing that confirms what American Greatness has reported for months: on January 6, D.C. Metro and Capitol police assaulted nonviolent protesters with explosive devices, rubber bullets, tear gas, and in some cases, their own fists and batons. A tunnel on the lower west side of the Capitol building became a dangerousand, likely for at least one protester, deadlybattle scene as police viciously attacked American citizens on the hallowed grounds of the U.S. Congress.

Nichols, of Texas, has been behind bars since his January 18 arrest; he sits in the D.C. jail specifically used to house January 6 detainees, charged along with Harkrider with multiple offenses including assault of a police officer, civil disorder, and unlawful possession of pepper spray.

So, what on Earth turned two decorated veterans with a history of helping people in crisis into insurrectionists who attacked police officers? It was what they saw when they approached the tunnel around 3 p.m. on January 6. They hear people screaming in pain and crying for helpwomen and old men are bloodied and injured, McBride wrote in a motion seeking Nichols release. Training and instincts kick in and they head to the tunnel, wondering if an accident had happened and if other people were even more seriously injured.

McBride viewed three hours of surveillance video captured by Capitol security camerathe extensive system captured at least 14,000 hours of footage that the Justice Department and Capitol police are desperate to keep away from public viewand described for the first time what happened inside the tunnel where a combination of D.C. and Capitol police, ostensibly, were stationed to prevent protesters from entering the building:

[Just] after 4:00 pm, Ryan is sprayed multiple times by an officer standing on a ledge in the tunnel, McBride wrote in a November 1 filing. He is also separated from a woman who stood next to Ryan at different times at the Western Terrace. She was middle aged and nice. Ryan promised to keep an eye on her. The woman was wearing a red shirt and a MAGA hat. Shortly thereafter, officers begin terrorizing people in and around the tunnel. People are screaming and getting crushed. There is a pile of human beings stacked on top of each other at the tunnel entrance. People are trapped and there is nowhere to go.

McBride focused on the conduct of one officer in particular, with badge number L359 and wearing a white shirt. The unidentified officer begins to beat a man for no apparent reason . . . [and] beats the man so badly that the man crawls over to the woman with the MAGA hat.

At this point, according to the security video, the officer turns his sights on the woman. Then for reasons that no fair minded or decent human being will ever understand[the officer wearing the] White-shirt turns his attention to the woman and begins to pulverize her, McBride explained. The weapon this officer appears to be using is a collapsible stick, designed to break windows in emergency situations. This stick is neither designed nor to be used against another human being.

For the next several minutes, between 4 p.m. and around 4:15 p.m., the officer in the white shirt relentlessly beats the woman; McBride furnished a literal blow-by-blow account in the court document. (The time stamp is based on a three-hour video clip, not time of day.)

2:07:01: White-shirt hits the woman in the head with his baton five times in seven seconds;

2:07:22: The woman is sprayed directly in the eyes by officer on ledge;

2:07:24: White-shirt uses his baton to hit another person with a mask on;

2:07:30: The woman and others are still being maced and hit by White-shirt and ledge officer;

2:07:38: Blood is visibly coming out of the womans head and can be seen on the white hoody;

2:07:55: White-shirt and other officers are randomly assaulting people for no apparent reason;

2:08:17: White-shirt makes his way to front of crowd again and targets woman who is attempting to escape;

2:08:30: White-shirt spears and pokes the woman with his baton about the head, neck, and face so as to inflict maximum pain;

2:08:46: White-shirt beats the woman with his baton striking her eight times in six seconds;

2:09:13: White-shirt punches the woman in the face, with his left-hand, landing five punches in five seconds, with all of his might;

2:09:35: Another officer joins in and starts beating the woman in the head with his baton, landing twelve strikes in seven seconds;

2:10:47: If you pause the video here, you will see the welts on the womans face along with a disturbing look of helplessness;

2:10:54: Officers push the woman around the tunnel;

2:10:55: The woman briefly collapses;

2:11:13: White-shirt follows the woman to the front of the tunnel and beats her with his baton as shes falling;

2:11:24: The woman is taken to the back of tunnel and is never seen again.

Read more at: AMGreatness.com
This year, California's Geologic Energy Management Division rejected about 109 fracking licenses.

Reason Why California Regulators Rejected the Permits

Since February, California authorities have refused to authorize licenses for the controversial oil and gas extraction process referred to as fracking, effectively getting rid of the process prior to Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2024 deadline to put a stop to it.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the state's Geologic Energy Management Division, or CalGEM, has rejected about 109 fracking permits this 2021.

Since California started allowing fracking in 2015, this year's denials is the highest in a single year. Fifty of the permits, with majority from Bakersfield-based Aera Energy, were refused purely due to worries about climate change.

In response to an Aera letter, state oil and gas supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk said he couldn't grant the permits due to the more urgent climatic repercussions of fossil fuel production and the continued implications of climate change on public health and natural resources

Newsom, a Democrat, proposed for a ban on the process by 2024 in a 2020 legislative proposal. However, a legislative proposal failed, prompting Newsom to authorize CalGEM to continue with the schedule on its own.

Aside this, he also wants to phase down oil and gas production in California by 2045, long after he retires. The Western States Petroleum Association and Kern County, which has the most fracking in the state, have sued the state over the rejections.

WSPA claims that state law compels CalGEM to allow fracking if it fulfills technical criteria, and that the rejections amount to a de facto ban on the practice that hasn't been authorized by the legislature.

A hearing in the Kern case is set for Monday, and the state has until December 2 to reply to WSPA's complaint.

Also Read: Permian Fracking Will Unleash 40 Billion Tons of CO2 by 2050 if Not Prevented

Why is Fracking Considered an Environmental Threat?

Fracking is the process of pumping a high-pressure mixture of primarily water, sand, and chemical additives into rock in order to generate or enlarge cracks that enable oil and gas extraction, according to Fox Business.

In California, permitted fracking activities account for just 2% of total oil output. However, the method is divisive owing to fears that the chemicals used in fracking fluid may contaminate groundwater.

A number of environmental justice groups representing low-income areas and people of color have objected to fracking because of its potential water pollution and the methane generated by the process. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that has the potential to contribute to global warming.

Results of Permit Denial

By refusing the permits, Juan Flores, a community activist with the Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment in Kern County, said Newsom and his administration are living up to voters' expectations.

WSPA President Catherine Reheis-Boyd told the Chronicle that these measures don't actually bring the beneficial advantages for a fight against climate change, but they do impose huge repercussions on Californians - on their income, their liberties, and basically, how they live and work every single day.

This year, CalGEM authorized just 12 fracking licenses, compared to 83 in 2020 and 220 in 2019.

Ntuk mentioned excessive heat, drought, and wildfires as examples of the threats posed by climate change in his letter to Aera, explaining why the state declined permission applications.

CalGEM, he claimed, must verify that the operations it oversees are in line with the state's environmental, public health, and climate change objectives.

Related Article: The Pros and Cons of Fracking

For more news, updates about fracking and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
AP

COVID variant spreads to more countries as world on alert

The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus has popped up in more European countries, just days after being identified in South Africa
AP

Violence has receded in the capital of the Solomon Islands, but the government has shown no signs of attempting to address the underlying grievances that sparked two days of riots, including concerns of the countrys increasing links with China
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Higher levels of education have been associated with better mental health. Causal relationships are notoriously difficult to establish and are generally multifactorial. Nevertheless, education has been shown to be one of the clearest indicators of life outcomes such as employment, income, and social status. It is thus a strong predictor for improved health and well-being.

Meanwhile, lower levels of educational achievement have been linked to lower socioeconomic status. But there is no simple strategy to improve the health and economic success of a nation. In the past, compulsory schooling laws, which imposed a legal obligation on children to stay in school longer, were found to lead to deleterious outcomes in mental health.

This article looks at the associations between education and mental health, the link to socioeconomic status and other factors such as age and gender, and the political intricacies involved in alleviating the problems for future generations to come.

Image Credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.com

Educational attainment and mental health

Higher levels of education have been associated with better mental health. The reasons touted are that educated people have a greater number of choices and thus more control over their lives and better security. Those in receipt of higher education are liable to earn more throughout their lifetimes.

Conversely, job satisfaction among educated people has been found to be surprisingly low and its thought that this could be because of high aspirations which sometimes prove to be unfeasible. Similarly, life satisfaction can also be lower in this demographic cohort.

Meanwhile, low education has been linked to a lack of a sense of control and resilience. A corollary of low educational attainment can be lowered socioeconomic status. Lower education is associated with a lack of psychosocial resources (Neimeyer, H. et al., 2020) such as a sense of control, resilience, the ability to delay gratification, and access to cultural activities and exposure to more day-to-day stressors. These negative factors have been strongly correlated with the onset of depression.

Education and socio-economic status

Multiple factors may contribute to the association between socioeconomic status and mental health. Notwithstanding the challenges, research has uncovered a correlation between lowered socioeconomic status and problems with mental health. A gradient in mental health has been found in analyses of the independent indicators of occupation, income, and education and this is continuous throughout a lifetime.

There have been attempts to establish a causal relationship between socio-economic status and mental health. Two different models have been used to assess this relationship:

Selection model



Explains the differential social gradient by individual downward drift after the onset of mental health problems occur

Explains the differential social gradient by individual downward drift after the onset of mental health problems occur

Causation model



Assumes factors linked with socioeconomic status contribute to the onset of mental health issues in the first place

Research findings specifically looking at depression have been inconsistent. But there is growing consensus in support of the causation model. The WHO recommended that researchers balance their research efforts by considering also positive mental health (PMH)  comprising emotional, psychological, and social well-being. There is currently a paucity of studies opting to analyze either of the two models social selection or causation in the context of PMH.

Gender and age are also important

Researchers have found gender and age to be important sociodemographic factors in studies looking at the educational level of attainment concomitant with socio-economic status in association with negative mental health outcomes. Women are at higher risk than men (9.9% compared to 4.2%, Maske, et al. 2016). The risks are also much greater for members of the younger population than they are for older adults.

Older retired people with a higher level of educational attainment together with a positive attitude toward leisure have been discovered to enjoy better levels of well-being, better social lives, and better cognitive function.

Engagement with leisure activities helps offset the major stressors associated with getting older such as the loss of loved ones and health-related concerns about disability and disease. A higher level of education has also been correlated to a better perception of age-related changes physical, life, and professional.

Educating only those who want to be educated

Given the above findings does more education always then improve mental health. Research has demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. In many people staying in education can have deleterious effects upon mental health. Researchers studied the problem after educational reforms in Britain in the early 1970s recommended raising the minimum age school for leaving school from 15 to age 16.

The whitepaper, Education: a framework for expansion was presented to parliament in 1972. Although the reform did marginally improve educational attainment and raise levels of inspiration it had no impact on social mobility. Instead, researchers discovered the compulsory reforms served to increase the risk for depression and other mental health problems in adulthood.

The results did not suggest that the physical act of staying on in school was the problem. Rather the findings were the result of forcing low achieving teenagers to stay in an academically focused environment under which they were not thriving. Researchers posited that the reforms might result in long-term unintended consequences to mental health.

Although better educational attainment has been clearly linked to better individual mental health outcomes, there remain differentials of age and gender to be attended to. Furthermore, improving the mental health of the nation is not simply a case of prescribing better opportunities for improving education as past attempts to do so have revealed. This prescription is not suited to all. Researchers have begun instead to search for solutions and interventions to tackle the inequalities that exist and more such research is now needed.

References:

Avendano, M. et al. (2017) Does more education always improve mental health? Evidence from a British compulsory schooling reform. Health, econometrics, and data group (HEDG). Online: https://www.york.ac.uk/media/economics/documents/hedg/workingpapers/1710.pdf

Belo, P. et al. (2020) Relationship between mental health and the education level in elderly people: mediation of leisure attitude. Frontiers in Psychology. Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00573.

Maske, U. E., et al. (2016). Prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV-TR major depressive disorder, self-re-ported diagnosed depression, and current depressive symptoms among adults in Germany. Journal of Affective Disorders. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.006.

Neimeyer, H. et al. (2020) Education and mental health: Do psychosocial resources matter? SMM  Population Health. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2019.100392.

UKRI (2014) The wellbeing effect of education. Online: https://esrc.ukri.org/news-events-and-publications/evidence-briefings/the-wellbeing-effect-of-education/

Further Reading
The most comprehensive genomic study of syphilis to date has mapped the recent resurgence of the disease around the world.

There is widespread global transmission of syphilis, particularly within the last 20 years, according to research published in Nature Microbiology.

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Wellcome Sanger Institute, the UK Health Security Agency, and their collaborators mapped the recent resurgence of the disease around the world. They found almost identical syphilis samples between 14 countries, with the global syphilis population made up of two lineages, SS14 and Nichols.

Detailed analysis of these lineages provides important insights into the genetic diversity of syphilis, with implications for vaccine design and antimicrobial resistance.

Syphilis is one of the most common sexually-transmitted infections (STI) globally, with approximately six million infections each year. Caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, it is easily treatable, although symptoms may fade before an individual realises they are infected or may not appear at all. If left untreated syphilis can cause serious long-term health problems.

Syphilis infections occurring during pregnancy can be passed on to the child, causing congenital syphilis. This is the second leading cause of stillbirth globally and can have severe developmental outcomes for children carried to term. It can be prevented through early screening and treatment during pregnancy. Congenital syphilis is more common in countries without such screening programmes.

For this study - funded by Wellcome - researchers at LSHTM and the Wellcome Sanger Institute coordinated the collection of 726 syphilis samples from 23 countries. This included well-sampled areas such as the United States and Western Europe, as well as poorly sampled regions such as Central Asia, Australia and Africa.

The Sanger Institute sequenced the genome of each sample and conducted phylogenetic and cluster analyses to map the global syphilis population.

Because DNA changes occur at a known and predictable rate over time, the ancestral relationships between different sequences can be established. The team found that all the samples came from just two deeply branching lineages, Nichols and SS14. Both lineages are currently circulating in 12 of the 23 countries sampled, and almost identical samples were present in 14 of these countries.

The dominant syphilis lineages infecting patients prior to 1983 were not the same as those infecting patients today. Our analysis shows a population bottleneck occurred in the late 1990s that indicates a large decline in the population size of T. pallidum, most likely as a result of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The concerning thing from a public health perspective is that the presence of almost identical samples in numerous countries suggests the disease is being transmitted internationally on a regular basis. Syphilis is back and it is global." Dr Mathew Beale, first author of the study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute

Syphilis incidence declined during the 1980s and 1990s, in part due to safer sexual practices in the wake of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. But in recent decades syphilis has increased again, rising by over 300% in some countries since 2010. Syphilis disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in some countries - for example, 90% of UK syphilis cases in 2017 were among MSM.

Dr Helen Fifer, a senior author of the paper from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: "The explosion of syphilis cases in recent decades is hugely concerning. It is a sexually transmitted infection that can easily go undetected, with a large proportion of cases being diagnosed at the latent stage among men who have sex with men (MSM) in recent years. An increase in syphilis among heterosexuals is also concerning due to the risk of congenital syphilis. Anyone having sex with new or casual partners should use a condom and get tested - STIs can pose serious consequences to the health of individuals and the health of their current or future sexual partners."

The study is a valuable resource for understanding the genetic diversity of T. pallidum that will have implications for vaccine design and drug resistance. Many of the samples sequenced were resistant to macrolides, a class of antibiotics used to treat many STIs - though none showed resistance to the most common syphilis treatment, benzathine benzylpenicillin. Any syphilis vaccine will need to be tailored to the most common lineages of T. pallidum currently in circulation.

Professor Nicholas Thomson, senior author of the study from LSHTM and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: "It's been a huge logistical effort to bring this study together and we couldn't have done it without our international collaborators. We wanted to build the field of syphilis genomics and these data provide a solid foundation for future research. Combined with the recent ability to culture T. pallidum in the lab, there is now a wealth of activity in this field, which is important because syphilis is fast becoming an urgent public health issue."
The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behavior of the virus. The TAG-VE was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

There are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE will continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.

Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.

As such, countries are asked to do the following:

enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.

report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.

where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

Individuals are reminded to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

For reference, WHO has working definitions for SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) and Variant of Concern (VOC).

A SARS-CoV-2 VOI is a SARS-CoV-2 variant:

with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND

that has been identified as causing significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.

A SARS-CoV-2 VOC is a SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:
(Newser)  Since 2018, you shouldn't be able to buy a "fairness cream" over the counter in India. That was the year the government required that 14 topical steroid creams be made available only with a doctor's prescription. And yet CNN was recently able to purchase four types of topical steroid creams without a prescription in 16 pharmacies located in four corners of the subcontinent. As for why that's a problem, one dermatologist group cites the "serious adverse effects on the health of millions of Indians" the creams cause, and CNN brings that to life by personalizing the experience. As a 14-year-old, Soma Banik began using a cream containing the corticosteroid betamethasone after a neighbor told her mother how much her own daughter had "benefitted" from achieving fairer skin with the use of the cream.

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It "worked," with friends starting to comment on the teen's "good looks" as her skin lightened. But two months in, the problems started: the feeling of burning when her skin was exposed to the sun, acne, itching, and a condition called hirsutism in which hair grows on the face. Dermatologists says those are symptoms associated with Topical Steroid Damaged/Dependent Face, which results from the extended or overuse of steroid creams. And it's not easy to just give up the creams once you've started, as "every attempt to stop will lead to an eruption of pimples, rashes, and redness," as CNN puts it. (Banik no longer uses the creams but still suffers from hirsutism.) It looks at the reasons why these creams are still so readily available, from the pharmaceutical lobby to issues related to verifying registered pharmacists are staffing shops. (Read the full piece for much more.)
(Newser)  Dario Del Bufalo, an Italian expert on ancient stone, was signing copies of his book, Prophyry, about the reddish-purple rock favored by Roman emperors when a man flipped to a page showing a priceless Roman mosaic that had vanished during World War II. "'Oh, Helen, look, that's your mosaic,'" the man said to a woman beside him, Del Bufalo recalls in an interview with CBS News. "And she said, 'Yeah, that's my mosaic.'" Del Bufalo's next move was vital in seeing the 4.5-foot-square mosaicpart of the floor of one of two ships on which emperor Caligula is said to have hosted orgies during his reign some 2,000 years agoreturned to Italy for the first time in decades, per the Guardian.

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He says he followed up with the woman who had used the mosaic as a coffee table for the past 45 years. (This was in 2013.) Helen Fioratti, a New York City art dealer and gallery owner, told the New York Times in 2017 that she and her husband had purchased the mosaic, made of porphyry and green and white marble, from an Italian noble family in the 1960s before turning it into a coffee table. "It was an innocent purchase," she said. "It was our favorite thing." But the Manhattan district attorney's office said the mosaic was likely stolen during World War II.

Recovered from Lake Nemi near Rome in the 1930s, it was housed in a museum that the Nazis used as a bomb shelter, then burned in 1944. Fioratti's mosaic had no fire damage, suggesting it had been moved elsewhere. It was seized and returned to Italy in 2017, and is now on display, with much thanks to Del Bufalo. He tells CBS that he hopes to make a replica for Fioratti. "I think my soul would feel a little better." (Read more antiquities stories.)
(Newser)  It's not too much of a stretch to use the word "exodus." The Wall Street Journal digs into census figures out of California to highlight a fast-moving demographic shift: In broad strokes, middle-class families are fleeing the too-expensive coast. Their destination? Many are landing in the region known as the Inland Empire, still in California but shading eastward toward Nevada and Arizona. Think hills and mountains instead of beach. This area, broadly encompassing the San Bernardino-Riverside metropolitan area, is home to "the biggest movement of people in the most populous state in America," write Christine Mai-Duc and Paul Overberg. As a result, the coastal area is increasingly made up of a polar-opposite mix: the affluent who can afford the ever-exploding house prices or families who are too poor to move.

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In terms of numbers, the Inland Empire tied the Phoenix area last year for the biggest population gains from migration in the US. But while the gains in Phoenix slowed down amid the pandemic, they sped up in the Inland Empire by a factor of 50%. All told, about 250,000 people moved there. The story explores the tradeoffs. The median price of a home is $830,000 in Los Angeles County and $1.85 million in San Francisco, compared to $570,000 in Riverside County. Not cheap, but families can get more space for less money in neighborhoods that provide room to roam (for now). They lose the amenities of big-city living, but also the notorious traffic jams. Of course, this exodus also means that housing prices in the Inland Empire are beginning to surge as well, as longtime residents sell and move away (often to other states) to accommodate the new arrivals. (Read the full story.)
(Newser)  South Africa's government and travel industry have responded angrily to travel restrictions imposed by the US, Britain and other nations over the latest coronavirus variant. Health Minister Joe Phaahla, at a press conference Friday, said the travel bans "are completely against the norms and standards as guided by the World Health Organization. The same countries that are enacting this kind of knee-jerk, draconian reaction are battling their own waves." Government officials learned of the first temporary travel restrictions just hours after being briefed on the Omicron variant by scientists, the Guardian reports.

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South Africa's tourism minister called the restrictions devastating and suggested they're unfair, per the New York Times. "Perhaps our scientists ability to trace some of these variants has been our biggest weakness," Lindiwe Sisulu said. "We're finding ourselves punished for the work that we do." A World Health Organization official in Africa worried about the toll on future transparency. "This will just discourage different countries for sharing information which might be very important for global public health," Thierno Balde said.

The travel industry had been counting on a holiday jump in business after the long pandemic downturn. "It's just absolutely ridiculous," said a sales manager at a game reserve, adding that employees there wear masks and otherwise follow COVID-19 protocols. "South Africa's very safe to be in at the moment," he said. The government on Friday urged everyone over age 12 to get vaccinated. President Cyril Ramaphosa will consider restoring lockdown restrictions Sunday when South Africa's coronavirus command council meets. (Read more COVID variants stories.)
(Newser)  Procter & Gamble has recalled 18 of its Old Spice and Secret aerosol antiperspirant sprays in the US after it says the cancer-causing chemical benzene was found in some of its products. The recall announcement issued by the company notes that it has told retailers to pull eight Old Spice and 10 Secret products with an expiration date of September 2023 from store shelves, and it also urges customers who already have these products in their homes to dump them (they can apply for reimbursement via the two brands' websites). P&G says that so far, it hasn't received reports of any "adverse events" tied to this finding, and that it's voluntarily recalling the products "out of an abundance of caution."

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A P&G spokeswoman tells the Wall Street Journal the benzene was detected in the propellant that shoots the spray out of the can. Although the company notes that "daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences," it acknowledges that exposure to the human carcinogen "can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening." The Hill reports that Johnson & Johnson earlier this year recalled five of its own aerosol products (Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens) after it discovered low levels of benzene in those items. (Read more recall stories.)
(Newser)  A group of people went into a Home Depot in California and came out with a pile of toolswithout paying. The group, up to 10 people all apparently young adults or teens, grabbed hammers and crowbars, then ran out into at least one waiting car in Lakewood, a city in Los Angeles County. They had the sledgehammers ready to hit people who were trying to stop them, Home Depot employee Luis Romo told KTLA. There has been a rash of smash-and-grab robberies in Los Angeles and other big cities using tools like the ones taken Friday evening, CNN reports. Police deputies say the entire hammer section at the store was cleaned out, per FOX11.

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Police are taking the robbery seriously, and are on tactical alert, the Los Angeles Times reports. Similar flash mob robberies include one at a Nordstrom at the Grove shopping center involving as many as 20 people, and other stores at Beverly Center. Witnesses say there may have been multiple cars helping the suspected thieves leave the Home Depot. Beverly Hills police say they arrested four people they suspect are involved in that crime. Three people have been arrested in connection with the thefts at the Nordstrom on Wednesday. (Read more crime stories.)
(Newser)  Germany and Italy reported confirmed cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus on Saturday. The UK already had said two people there have the new strain. The two German cases involved travelers in Munich who had arrived from Cape Town, CNN reports, while the patient in Italy had come from Mozambique. Belgium, Israel, and Hong Kong also said they'd detected the omicron variant in travelers, per the AP. Dr. Anthony Fauci said it wouldn't surprise him to learn that the new variant has reached the US.

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"We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility ... it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over," Fauci said. In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday evening that face masks would be required in stores and on public transportation for the first time since July, per the New York Times. His government is renewing its efforts to get the coronavirus vaccines, including booster shots, into people. "From today we're going to boost the booster campaign," Johnson said.

The omicron variant's appearance brought up the issue of uneven access to vaccines around the world. Some experts said the hoarding of vaccines by wealthy countries could prolong the pandemic, per the AP. There are populations that haven't received any vaccine, often including health care workers. Less than 6% of the population in Africa has had even the first dose. The virus can spread quickly through unvaccinated populations, making it easier for new variants to evolve. "The WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded," said an expert in London. (Read more COVID variants stories.)
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Scattered flurries and snow showers. High -1F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%..

Tonight

A few snow showers scattered about the area this evening, otherwise a good deal of clouds. Low -6F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Commodore Rehan Ali Khan, Mission Commander of Pakistan Naval and Maritime Security ships currently at Bahrain, yesterday stressed their commitment to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region and curb terrorism in all its forms.

For this, Pakistan Navy has taken the initiative to deploy its units for Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), said Rehan Ali Khan. He said they are fulfilling international obligations for maritime security and safeguarding national shipping while observing freedom of navigation across high seas.

Pakistan Navy, as an instrument of Government policy, has a mission to safeguard freedom of seas and trade, he stressed. Commodore Rehan Ali Khan also described their visit to Bahrain as a step towards opening new vistas for future cooperation in the maritime arena.

The goodwill visit, he said, will contribute to making allout efforts for eradication of piracy and elimination of its underlying causes. Ali Khan said this during a reception organised on-board PNS Behr Masah for Rear Admiral Mohammed Bin Yousif Al Asam, Muhammad Ayub, the Ambassador of Pakistan, Royal Bahrain Defence force officers, ambassadors of Turkey, Bangladesh, Oman and other guests.

The ships arrived in Bahrain as part of celebrations of the 50 years of PakistanBahrain diplomatic relations. Docked at the Mina Salman port are PNS Dehshat, an indigenously built Missile Fitted Fast Attack Craft commanded by Commander Jalal Khan, PNS Behr Masah, a survey vessel constructed by China and commanded by Captain Muhammad Shahzad, and PMSS Hingol, a Maritime Patrol Vessel also built at China and commanded by Lt Cdr (Ops) Akhtar Zaman Khan.
Bahrain will be venue of Gulf German Film Festival second edition

Bahrain will be venue of Gulf German Film Festival second edition

Agencies | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The second edition of the Gulf German Film Festival will be held in Bahrain on December 6-8 in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region.

A riveting program of recent German cinema and international co-productions, ranging from art house films to box-office hits. The star-studded event invites an audience of all stripes, the German embassy and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region said.

Three films, Gundermann, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, and Too Far Away, will be screened at Cineco Juffair - Oasis Mall in Manama.

All movies will start at 7 pm and entrance is free; however, and under the strict precautionary health measures followed in Bahrain, the green shield will be required.

Ambassador Kai Boeckmann on Thursday hailed the steady deepening of relations between Bahrain and Germany in culture, politics, business and other fields.

He was speaking as German group Arcis Saxophone Quartet enthralled the audience at the Cultural Hall with an outstanding performance of their "Colors of the Saxophone" concert.

The Munich Quartet, Claus Hierluksch, soprano saxophone; Ricarda Fuss, alto saxophone; Edoardo Zotti, tenor saxophone; and Jure Knez, baritone saxophone, had a charismatic and authentic stage presence that captivated the audience and set them aflame with their enthusiasm and passion in the rare form of chamber music.
ROXBURY  Stephen Sondheim, the legendary Broadway composer and lyricist whose work spanned more than six decades and included Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and West Side Story, died at his home in Roxbury Thursday night. He was 91.

Sondheims death was first reported by the New York Times Friday evening, citing his lawyer and friend, F. Richard Pappas, who said he died early Friday after celebrating Thanksgiving. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Roxbury fire officials independently confirmed Sondheims death to Hearst Connecticut Media.

Sondheims achievements included six of his plays winning Tony Awards, according to reporting by the Associated Press, a Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park, an Academy Award for the song Sooner or Later from the film Dick Tracy, five Olivier Awards and the Presidential Medal of Honor. He also received a special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2008.

Memorials to Sondheim came pouring in on social media soon after the news broke.

Stephen Sondheim was more than just a masterful musician, he was a person of passion who always sought to highlight the human experience in a unique way so we could better empathize with one another. His music and his art helped us grow and see beyond ourselves. Even if you werent a fan of musicals, his music influenced our culture and touched your life, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. My condolences are with his family. We will miss him dearly.

Performing his work has been among the greatest privileges of my career. A devastating loss, actress Anna Kendrick wrote on Twitter.

Author Neil Gaiman wrote that Sondheim wrote him a wonderful permission letter for Gaiman to use Sondheims song Old Friends in one of Gaimans works. I avoided meeting him (failed only once) and refused dinner because I didnt have many heroes. Now Ive got one less. Thank you Stephen Sondheim so much, Gaiman tweeted Friday.

Stephen Joshua Sondheim was born March 22, 1930, in Manhattan, according to The Times, to Herbert Sondheim, the owner of a dressmaking company and Etta Janet Fox. After his parents divorced when Stephen Sondheim was 10, he spent much of his youth with his mother. He went on to graduate from Williams College in 1950.

Sondheim met the person who would be his mentor through his mothers friendship with Dorothy Hammerstein, wife of the lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. Sondheim said Hammerstein taught him to write songs for myself.

I wrote songs that imitated him, he said no, write what you feel, Sondheim recalled in an interview with Stephen Colbert

That was important because you would think that would be natural but its not, its not, Sondheim said, particularly if you think highly of the person that youre imitating, which I did.

Two of Sondheims early works  providing the lyrics for 1957s West Side Story and 1959s Gypsy  would go on to be among the most well-known and lauded musicals of their time.

His career would go on to include more than a dozen plays, most of which he composed and wrote lyrics for, including A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Sweeney Todd (1979) and Into The Woods (1987).

Sondheim also had a townhouse in Manhattan, according to his obituary in the Times, but had been spending more time at his home in Roxbury during the pandemic.
DANBURY  As COVID-19 cases surge across the state, the Danbury areas numbers are increasing more slowly.

With the exception of New Milford, Bridgewater and Easton, towns across the Danbury area have some of the lowest case rates in the state  remaining below 15 cases per 100,000 residents  according to data released Wednesday. This means the towns are coded as yellow or orange on the states color-coded COVID-19 case rate map, while other towns and cities have fallen back into the most severe red zone.

An additional 43 towns turned red this week, for a total of 110 municipalities. This includes areas with high vaccination rates like New Milford.

Fourteen municipalities across the state are in the yellow zone, with a case rate between five to nine, and nine are in the gray zone, with a case rate of less than five.

Danbury stands at just 7.5 cases per 100,000 residents, putting it solidly in the yellow zone. New Fairfield, Newtown and Bethel are also in the yellow zone, reporting rates of 5.7, 6.9 and nine respectively.

Redding, Brookfield and Ridgefield are hitting higher rates in the orange zone, which means they have 10 to 14 daily cases per 100,000 people.

Kent, Washington and Sherman are in the gray zone, reporting fewer than five cases per week and a case rate below five.

Still, the area has not been immune to the recent uptick.

Our case rates have been climbing, just not as quickly as other parts of the state, Danbury Health Director Kara Prunty said. I do think that we are seeing that increase similar to the rest of the state.

Tying in trends

No one can say for sure why the area has slightly lower rates.

Prunty pointed to the areas good vaccination rates and emphasis on mitigation strategies.

Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker thinks his town is doing better in part because of consistent messaging with residents.

In collaboration with the local school superintendent and other town leaders, Knickerbocker has worked to get very very strong and consistent information to residents about safety precautions and the importance of vaccines.

Weve really stressed that very hard, he said.

Over 72 percent of Bethel residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, state data show.

Local leaders and health directors frequently communicate with each other about the virus and other governance issues that stretch beyond their own borders.

Prunty called this very effective and very helpful.

In August, five first selectmen met virtually to make a unanimous decision to reinstate mask mandates as the Delta variant surged.

If we see these numbers continue to climb were going to get back together, Knickerbocker said.

Not out of the woods

Despite the positive report this week, area leaders, who have been religiously watching their rates rise and fall for the past 20 months, said they would not be surprised if cases rise further in coming weeks.

This week, the World Health Organization announced a new, highly transmissible variant of concern in South Africa, which they are calling Omicron. Cases in Connecticut are up more than 99 percent over the last 14 day period, according to the New York Times.

Prunty said she is a little bit concerned about the Thanksgiving gatherings that took place this week. Most of the citys cases are traced back to social events and parties at this point.

I dont see any reason for us to rest on our laurels, Knickerbocker said. My No. 1 wish is to just get more people in to get that vaccine.

In Bethel, cases are being driven by almost exclusively unvaccinated young adults, according to Knickerbocker. There have also been a few relatively minor breakthrough cases.

Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said he didnt want to speculate on what may be resulting in lower rates in the area but said it wouldnt surprise him if rates went up some.

Cases in Newtown are related more to household spread than community spread, according to Rosenthal. The town reported a case rate of 6.9, with 10 cases reported the week starting Nov. 7, and 17 cases reported the week after. About 78 percent of residents have had at least one shot.

Bass said that New Milfords numbers  41 cases each week during the two-week reporting period  are driven largely by unvaccinated youth. This was also the case when the town saw a spike October. While some of the infected youths are eligible for the vaccine, others are still too young, Bass added.

These cases have pushed New Milfords case rate to 21.9.

Vaccines recently became available to children aged five to 11 in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

The clusters we were seeing were after-school activities, Bass said. They didnt germinate from the school itself.

This is similar in Danbury, where the highest number of cases are in the five to 11-year-old group, followed by the 18 to 39-year-olds, according to Prunty.

Despite New Milfords case numbers, the town has seen high demand for child vaccines following federal approval, and vaccination percentages for first doses are hitting 77 percent. Compared to numbers seen in town this time last year, current trends are still down, according to Bass.

The goal is to get as many people as we can vaccinated, he said.
DANBURY  The defeat of a plan for a homeless shelter has raised questions about what will happen to the clients living there and how the city will support these individuals over the long term.

Pacific House, a Stamford-based nonprofit, still aims to permanently operate an 86-room shelter out of the former Super 8 motel, where homeless individuals have been staying for most of the coronavirus pandemic.

Those clients will end up going back on the street, said Rafael Pagan Jr., executive director of Pacific House. Thats a very real possibility if this doesnt get resolved.

The Zoning Commission voted 6-3 on Tuesday to reject regulation changes that could have paved the way for shelter to permanently operate at the 3 Lake Ave. Extension property.

Shelter clients may continue to stay at the facility under the governors COVID-19 executive orders. But if those orders arent renewed in February, the city would be obligated to issue a cease and desist order against the property, said Mayor Joe Cavo, who has supported the project.

Still, he expects the orders will be renewed.

What do you do? Do you put 55 homeless people out on the street in the middle of February? Cavo said. I dont see that happening.

The neighbors who opposed the project were thrilled with the commissions decision. They said theyre ready to work with the city on a plan to house shelter clients elsewhere, while still fighting any attempt to keep the facility from their backyards.

The commission made the right decision, said Jeff Berlant, who lives near the shelter. But as a community, we are going to continue to talk, and obviously there is a homeless issue, which all of us are very sensitive to.

Nobody should have to sleep out on the cold, he added.

Whats next for shelter

Pagan would like the Super 8 shelter to become permanent, but doesnt yet know how to do it.

Thats the challenge, right, because in order to do that wed have to be able to have zoning approval, he said.

Tim Hollister, attorney for Pacific House, said officials would discuss plans in the coming days.

At the moment, all options are on the table, he said.

Average occupancy at the shelter has been 50 to 60 people, although that could increase to 60 to 70 in the winter months and about 80 in extreme cold, Hollister told commission members.

If the shelter is forced to close in February, other facilities in the region and state, including Pacific Houses shelter in Stamford, wouldnt have the beds to house everyone, Pagan said.

Thats part of the problem, he said.

The dormitory-style shelters across the state have fewer beds available because of social distancing restrictions, Pagan said. For example, the shelter in Stamford would typically have up to 80 people but can only fit 36.

By offering hotel rooms to clients, Danbury was really on the forefront to address homelessness, Pagan said.

If anything, if you look at the communities across the state, they would die for a facility like this because it really allows you to operate in a safe environment, he said.

Residents at public hearings suggested that existing nonprofits and smaller shelters in Danbury provide services for homeless individuals.

Were not against the homeless, said Rachel Halas, who lives near the shelter. Were not against helping people in need with all sorts of issues, whether theyre addiction issues, mental health. Its just not the right location.

The city-run New Street shelter and the nonprofit Dorothy Day Hospitality Houses shelter closed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Dorothy Day lost its appeal of a city shutdown order earlier this year. Amos House offers transitional housing and shelter for women and children.

Pagan said it would make absolutely no sense to revert back to an old model of sheltering people experiencing homelessness.

Im just kind of dumbfounded by that, he said.

Rather than relying on congregate housing, states like Oregon and California have also purchased hotels for emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent affordable housing, according Pew Charitable Trusts.

Nationally, states are moving away from that (congregate) model because it doesnt work, Cavo said. This proposed model, they have a lot more hope for it because it centralizes services. It brings mental health and substance abuse counseling to the table, which a lot of congregate shelters never did.

Pacific House is the owners on record for the property, Pagan said. But since the nonprofit used the states allocation of federal funds to purchase it, the property would likely go back to the state if it were not used for a shelter, he said.

Really, its not our money, he said. Its intended for providing a wider service within the community.

But again, were not there yet, he added.

Whats next for neighborhood

Residents who live near the shelter created a Protect our Children website, petition and signs against the project. More than 1,600 people signed the petition, with public hearings stretching late into the night and early morning as residents spoke or the commission read letters against the proposal.

They are concerned largely about crime, public safety and the effect of the shelter on local businesses.

Its just been a nightmare for people here with their quality of life, said Halas, a retired Danbury cop.

After the vote on Tuesday went in their favor, the residents regrouped.

If they try and keep it there, were going to keep up the community involvement and were going to grow it, Berlant said.

He and his neighbors said they felt the city wasnt transparent about the project initially. More than a dozen residents who live at the nearby Mill Ridge Housing Development sent letters to the commission saying the didnt tell them about the project.

At least this time, well be well prepared, said Ben Doto, who lives near the shelter. We wont have it thrust on us.

Berlant expects their numbers will grow as they raise awareness further.

If they reapply, well have 2,500 or 3,000 people that are going to know, instead of 1,500 or 1,600, he said. We just need to educate Danbury.

Berlant said he wants to work with the newly elected officials in Danbury and, perhaps, surrounding towns to figure out another place for unhoused individuals to go.

Its our city, too, he said. We cant turn our back on the issue, and we dont want to.

But Cavo said the city already had a plan  the Super 8 shelter.

This is a better plan, the best plan Ive seen in 20 years, toward helping to end homelessness and helping people get back on their feet and back into society, he said.
OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Public Health Agency of Canada

The Government of Canada is working with partners to protect the health and safety of Canadians and Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada, and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants in Canada. Self-isolation is one of the most effective ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. However, for some people in Canada, crowded housing conditions and high costs can make it unsafe or impossible to self-isolate, putting themselves, their families and communities at risk through no fault of their own.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced more than $5 million to support the following two projects in British Columbia, through the Government of Canada's Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program:

an employer-based reimbursement program for agricultural workers living and working across British Columbia through the Government of British Columbia's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries to help support agri-worker isolation needs; and

through the Government of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries to help support agri-worker isolation needs; and a safe voluntary isolation site in the City of Surrey through the Fraser Health Authority.

Voluntary self isolation sites help people who have COVID-19or have been exposed to itaccess safe isolation accommodations to keep themselves and their community safe. These sites are in addition to the facilities available for people experiencing homelessness who need to isolate because of a positive test.

Voluntary isolation sites reduce the risk of spreading the virus among household contacts in situations where people are faced with crowded housing and do not have an alternative. These sites are one of the rapid response tools established to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and can be deployed to communities facing outbreaks.

The Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program directly supports cities, municipalities and health regions that are at-risk of COVID-19 community transmission. Sites selected under the Program provide an accessible location where people can safely self-isolate for the required period. Local public health officials determine eligible people who may be offered the option to transfer to the isolation site on a voluntary basis to keep them and their household contacts safe during an outbreak in their community.

Quotes

"Helping people to self-isolate when they don't have the means to do so where they live is an important way to protect Canadians from COVID-19. The Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program supports municipalities across Canada, including these projects in British Columbia, so they can assist individuals to ensure they have safe places for self-isolation."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos

Minister of Health

"Farmers need a secure labour force to provide British Columbians with the food we rely on, and the Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites program will help B.C. farmers continue to do so while keeping their employees and communities safe. Through efforts like this one, that complement the Province's Temporary Foreign Worker isolation program, and the hard work and resilience of our farmers, fresh B.C. fruit and vegetables will continue to be easily available and enjoyed in communities throughout the province."

Lana Pophamn, British Columbia Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries

"A number of residents in our communities live in crowded households where they are unable to isolate safely from others if they are infected with COVID-19. The Safe Voluntary Isolation Program can help support people to isolate more safely and prevent the spread of COVID-19 to the loved ones they live with."

Dr. Aamir Bharmal, Fraser Health Medical Health Officer

Quick Facts

The Government of Canada is providing up to $5,080,989 in funding to two projects across British Columbia to operate two safe isolation sites projects, including:

1. up to $4,150,000 in funding for the Government of British Columbia's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries for an employer-based farm worker isolation program and funding available to support an emergency response to an outbreak in the agri-food sector; the funding can support up to an estimated 1,350 agricultural workers living and working across British Columbia to safely isolate and will be used on an as needed basis;

This program provides funding to agriculture employers who have farm workers residing on farm who required self isolation for COVID-19 reasons and did not have an appropriate space on the farm to do so. Eligible employers may apply for reimbursement for expenses incurred from April 1, 2021 onwards for safely isolating worker(s) at a hotel/motel and providing daily needs.



2. up to $930,989 in funding with one site totalling 20 rooms for the City of Surrey.

The Government of Canada is providing a total of approximately $100 million in funding to municipalities and health regions to establish safe voluntary isolation sites across the country. This funding is part of Canada's rapid response to the spread of COVID-19.

is providing a total of approximately in funding to municipalities and health regions to establish safe voluntary isolation sites across the country. This funding is part of rapid response to the spread of COVID-19. To date, the Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program has provided $99.7 million to establish sites in Ontario , Saskatchewan , British Columbia and Nova Scotia .

to establish sites in , , and . Since the first safe voluntary isolation site opened in Toronto in September 2020 , approximately 10,792 people have sought access and support through one of the federally funded sites across the country.

in , approximately 10,792 people have sought access and support through one of the federally funded sites across the country. Regular monitoring and reporting of safe voluntary isolation sites is conducted in coordination with local public health officials.

The sharing of best practices is encouraged among the selected isolation sites to improve how the sites operate and how services are delivered to the people who access them.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Canadians are advised to follow local public health measures, avoid places that do not have controls in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to stay home if they are experiencing any symptoms.

Associated Links

Support for Provinces and Territories

Canada.ca/coronavirus

B.C. Farm Worker Safe Isolation Program



SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

For further information: Marie-France Proulx, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; COVID-19 public enquiries: 1-833-784-4397
OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Latvia's Independence Day:

"Today, we join Latvian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Latvia's Independence Day.

"This day has always been significant for Latvians. In 1918, the country's proclamation of independence was marked as a new beginning. However, the Second World War resulted in the Soviet annexation of Latvia, ushering in over half a century of communist rule. During that period, Latvia experienced propaganda, mass arrests, and oppression. Canada never recognized the Soviet Union's annexation, and was the first G7 country to acknowledge the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991.

"Since then, Canada and Latvia have enjoyed a strong relationship, founded on the shared values of democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and the close connections between people in our two countries. More than 30,000 people of Latvian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive.

"Canada was also the first country to ratify Latvia's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004. Since 2017, Canada has led the multinational NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia, contributing approximately 540 troops as part of Operation REASSURANCE.

"Today, Latvia and Canada work closely in multilateral organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe. We are also trading partners through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which is creating new opportunities and good jobs for people on both sides of the Atlantic. Canada will continue to work with Latvia to reinforce our dynamic bilateral relationship, reaffirm our commitment to NATO's defence and deterrence measures in Eastern and Central Europe, and grow our economic partnership for the benefit of people in both our countries.

"On behalf of the Government of Canada, I offer my best wishes to all those celebrating Latvia's Independence Day."

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected]

Related Links

https://pm.gc.ca/


The Indian government has requested that states exercise prudence and accelerate the testing of overseas travelers, particularly those arriving from Africa.

The World Health Organization has recognized the new COVID-19 variant, which was initially detected in South Africa last week, as a variant of concern. In view of the deadlier Omicron strain of the Coronavirus making its way out of Africa, India on Friday added several nations to the list of countries from which visitors will need to take extra precautions upon arrival.

Post-arrival testing is also included in these measurements. South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, and nations in Europe, including the United Kingdom, are among the countries from which inbound travellers will need to take extra precautions upon arriving in India.

The Indian government has also requested that states exercise prudence and accelerate the testing of overseas travellers, particularly those arriving from Africa. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan sent a letter to all additional secretaries, principal secretaries, and secretaries of health in all states and union territories yesterday, urging them to follow the Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate guidelines to the letter.

According to the health ministrys standards, all foreign travellers departing from or passing through these nations are subjected to rigorous screening and testing.

On Monday, the Delhi government will hold a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to discuss the next course of action. These specialists will give a presentation to the DDMA, recommending actions to safeguard the national capital against the coronavirus strain B.1.1.529. During the second wave of the epidemic, Delhi was one of the worst-affected cities in India.

According to the Centre, no cases of the new Covid-19 type have been reported in India as of yet. However, according to news agency ANI, Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, noted that the new strain has a high chance of bypassing the bodys current protection, which one may have gained through immunizations or natural infection.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meet on the situation relating to COVID-19 and vaccination with top government officials today at 10:30 am.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop flights from those countries which are affected by the new Covid variant. I urge PM to stop flights from those countries which are affected by new variant. With great difficulty, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent this new variant from entering India, Kejriwal said in a tweet. In view of the threat from a new COVID variant from African countries, Kejriwal had earlier requested experts to make a presentation to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and suggested necessary steps in this regard.



Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meet on the situation relating to COVID-19 and vaccination with top government officials today at 10:30 am. Cabinet Secretary Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM Modi, PK Mishra and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will attend the meeting.



Amid rising concern about a new COVID-19 variant Omicron first detected in South Africa, India also added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing for infection.



The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare adds Hong Kong and Israel to the list of countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing considering the detection of new COVID variant Omicron in South Africa.



Countries from where the travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India are South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, countries in Europe including the UK.



This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country, in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel.
China's Export-Import(EXIM) Bank lent Uganda $207 million at two per cent upon disbursement, in 2015. However, it has now emerged, through international media reports, that the clause for international immunity was waived by the Ugandan government for securing the loan.

Uganda might soon join the list of countries that have fallen prey to the infamous Chinese debt trap strategy. The country risks losing its only international airport, the Entebbe International Airport, to China. Chinas Export-Import(EXIM) Bank lent Uganda $207 million at two per cent upon disbursement, in 2015. The loan, meant for the expansion of Entebbe airport, came with a repayment period of 20 years, and a grace period of seven years. However, it has now emerged, through international media reports, that the clause for international immunity was waived by the Ugandan government for securing the loan. This means that the Chinese lender can repossess the Entebbe International Airport without any international arbitration. Statement from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) suggests that some provisions in the Financing Agreement with China expose Entebbe International Airport and other Ugandan assets to be attached and taken over by Chinese lenders upon arbitration in Beijing.

Last week, Ugandan finance minister, Matia Kasaija, apologized to the countrys parliament for mishandling the multi-million dollar loan. The latest media reports also suggest that a delegation of Ugandan officials visited China earlier this year in an attempt to renegotiate the terms of the loan agreement. However, the Chinese made it clear that they do not want any alterations to the deal originally agreed upon.

China is undoubtedly trying to make inroads in Africa for a really long time. From Chinese gold mine operations in Ghana to the Dolareh Multipurpose Port in Djibouti, and now the Entebbe airport, African nations have proven to be easy takers of the Chinese debt trap bait. The need for capital for infrastructure development in the underdeveloped African countries, and less than transparent governments have greatly helped the expansionist Chinese regime in growing their influence in the continent.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said that the agenda for the "two plus two" format dialogue between India and the Russian Federation, which is scheduled for December 6, will cover "political and defence issues of mutual interest."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said that the agenda for the two plus two format dialogue between India and the Russian Federation, which is scheduled for December 6, will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. Speaking at the press briefing, Bagchi said, the agenda for the dialogue will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. The establishment of this new mechanism of two plus two dialogue is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. The MEA spokesperson informed that the first meeting of the two plus two dialogue between India and the Russian Federation at the level of foreign and defence ministers will be held in New Delhi on December 6.



External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent the Indian side of the dialogue, whereas the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu will be visiting New Delhi on December 5-6 to represent their nation. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin will also arrive in New Delhi on December 6 for the annual India-Russia summit.



This will be the first face to face meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the meeting on the sidelines of the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Brasilia in November 2019, said Bagchi. He further said, since then, there have been six telephonic conversations between the two leaders. Apart from the virtual meetings that theyve attended for multilateral summits. The leaders will review the state and prospects of bilateral relations and discuss ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between our two countries, Bagchi said.



The summit will afford an opportunity to exchange views on regional multilateral and international issues of mutual interest. The visit is in continuation of the tradition of annual summits alternately in India and Russia. and we are confident the visit will further provide an impetus to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership, he added.
Superintendent of the TDSB, Helen Fisher, raised worry over Murad's book, urging book club organizers that kids should not attend a February session with the author as it could offend the Muslim students of the school.

A school board in Canada has cancelled an event with ISIS survivor Nadia Murad, claiming that her presentation will offend Muslims and encourage Islamophobia. Murad would discuss her book The Last Girl: My Story Of Captivity with children from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Canadas biggest school board with approximately 600 schools, in February 2022 at Tanya Lees book club.

Murads expose details her escape from ISIS after she was kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery when she was 14 years old. Her book tells her tale of being raped and tortured before fleeing to a refugee camp in Durhok, northern Iraq, and eventually to Germany, where she currently resides.

The Toronto District School Board(TDSB) has prohibited kids from attending the event, claiming that it will promote Islamophobia. Superintendent of the TDSB, Helen Fisher, raised concerns over Murads book, urging that kids should not attend the February session with the author as it could offend Muslim students.

Tanya Lee has written an email to the superintendent about the matter. In the email, she has written, This is the meaning of the Islamic State. Its a terrorist group, to be sure. It has no effect on ordinary Muslims. According to The Telegraph, she has also written, The Toronto school board should be aware of the difference.

Notably, this is not the first time that the TDSB has been accused of promoting the cancel culture. A Room Of Your Own Book Club featured author and lawyer Marie Henein in October, while he was defending Canadian radio star Jian Ghomeshi against sexual assault accusations. Despite the fact that Ghomeshi was cleared of all charges in 2016, the TDSB refused to allow its pupils to attend the gathering.

It is noteworthy that Murad was the first Iraqi woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy against sexual assault and abuse. She is a major advocate for genocide and sexual abuse survivors, as well as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.
Every year, small businesses around the country celebrate "Small Business Saturday" the day after Black Friday. This day started as an American Express campaign in 2010 and was official co-sponsed by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) a year after.

Like last year, Connecticut's small businesses are hoping to continue through the challenging times that the COVID-19 have brought.

Before COVID, most of my business was at craft shows from early summer into mid-December. Last year, the month of December brought in about 40 percent of my income and Im expecting the same this year, said Meb Boden of Mebs Kitchenwares in South Woodstock told Hearst Connecticut Media. I see the holidays as a great time to support our local and small businesses, especially handmade artisan ventures.

A 2020 nation-wide American Express survey found that 97 percent of shoppers recognized the positive impact they can make by shopping small and 85 percent of them reported they also encouraged friends and family.

These local small business owners are our fellow community members who have really hung in there through a very challenging period. We hope that everyone will support the local small business community for all of their holiday shopping needs this year, Middlesex Chamber Vice President Jeff Pugliese told Hearst Connecticut Media. They need us now more than ever.

Here is what you need to know about Small Business Saturday in Connecticut.

RELATED: 'They need us now more than ever': Shop local during Small Business Saturday in Middletown

How do I participate in Small Business Saturday?

Buying from local businesses in your area is the best way to participate in Small Business Saturday. However, people can participate in the "Shop Small" campaign all year long by visiting small shops or restaurants.

To find participating businesses, visit the American Express small businesses' map.

What is considered to be a small business?

While it can vary between industries, the SBA categorizes small businesses by the amount of revenue and the number of employees of the business. The revenue ranges from $1 million to $40 million and the company size from 100 to 1,5000 employees.

In order for a business to be considered "small" it has to make less revenue than corporations or regular-sized businesses, according to the American Society for Quality.

What is "Shop Small"?

"Shop Small" is a nationwide all-year movement to celebrate small businesses organized by American Express and SBA.

Which Connecticut businesses participate in Small Business Saturday?

Local business owners around the state are offering special prices For example, more than a dozen of shops, restaurants and services are participating in "Shop Small Stratford" where they are offering discounts. Windsor's small businesses are also offering discounts such as 20 percent off in holiday ornaments. New Haven and Middlesex are offering free popcorn to shoppers. Additionally, local chambers of commerce such as the Fairfield and Stamford's are promoting small businesses on their social media pages.

To find more local businesses near your city, visit the Shop Small map.

RELATED: Made in CT: 10 local spots to shop on Small Business Saturday

Can I only participate in Small Business Saturday in person?

No, people can also participate in Small Business Saturday online.

RELATED: 7 Connecticut Etsy shops where you can shop local
It was a tale of two economies at some of greater New Havens best known shopping destinations on Black Friday 2021.

The robust pre-Covid economy was on full display at Clinton Premium Outlets. There were lines everywhere: a half-hour to get off Interstate 95 and lines of 10 people or more waiting to get into the stores of some of the retail centers most popular brands.

These are brands that people really want, Kathleen Mones, area director of marketing and business development for Clinton Premium Outlets said of Vineyard Vines and Ugg, two of the stores that attaracted the longest lines. It was encouraging to see so many people carrying multiple bags of merchandise.

The recovering pandemic economy was on wider display elsewhere from R.J. Julia in Madison to Chapel Street in New Haven. Steady sales activity was hampered to some extent by bitter November cold and rain for part of the day.

With our store, its who is coming, not how many, said Tom Maloney, owner of Raggs, a high-end clothing store on Chapel Street. Those who were coming in were spending money, according to Maloney, who celebrated his 37th year in business on Friday.

Things are moving in the right direction, he said. The last three months have been as good as the last three months of 2019. And 2019 was my best year ever.

Lori Fazio, chief operating officer at R.J. Julia, said the independent bookseller was mostly busy all day Friday.

It used to be that we wouldnt get busy until the afternoon, Fazio said. It was as if people would go to the big box stores early in the day and bring their friends here in the afternoon to see their favorite book. But thats changed in the last six years or so.

In Milford, the Connecticut Post Mall had customers milling around the facility before 8 a.m. as the doughy aroma of soft pretzels already hung in the air. At Target, electronics and toy aisles were crowded, with an aisle jammed with carts here and there.

Outside the Target, Jon Lessard rested on a couch, after working the night shift. He stocked shelves from midnight to 7:30 a.m., and when his shift wrapped, he bought a bagful of Magic: The Gathering cards, which he unwrapped as people filter out of Target and into the other parts of the mall.

The cards were on sale, Lessard said -- he bought a tin for $10.

Inside Target, a row of TVs near the dressing rooms advertiseed a Black Friday sale. There were small crowds beginning to form near the TVs and electronics sections  with a a cart jam here and there.

But persistent reminders of the fragile recovery from the pandemic remain. The parking lots at Westbrook Outlets, for example, were only partially filled with shoppers by midday.

If the response to social media inquiries from Hearst Connecticut Media are any indication, the appeal of shopping in-person on Black Friday has waned considerably during the pandemic.

I shop 98 percent online and Im spending more than last year, said Shanna MucHugh-Barara of Cheshire, who runs a home-based design business. I don't have the patience to go store-to-store to find the right size and color.

Beryl Lyons of Cheshire said she does abut half of her shopping online and makes the rest of her purchases from local gift shops and small stores.

I do very little at malls or big box stores, Lyons said of her holiday shopping habits.

Hearst CTInsider staff writer Ginny Monk contributed to this story.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
GREENWICH  Overcast skies and raindrops were no match for the Christmas spirit when Santa and his reindeer arrived Friday afternoon at Sam Bridge Nursey and Greenhouses.

Almost as if on cue, morning rain stopped and skies cleared to patches of sun and blue sky when Santa arrived for the annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival and Santas Workshop and a special Welcome Back ceremony on Friday.

And in true Greenwich fashion, Santa did not arrive by sleigh but pulled into the backcountry nursery in a chauffeured Mercedes convertible, waving to the crowd of nearly100 people of all ages that gathered for the start of the 13th annual event.

The sun came out for us! How wonderful that is, said event master of ceremonies Mary Ann Heaven, who drove the Mercedes  courtesy of Mercedes Benz of Greenwich  to the event with Santa as her VIP passenger. Were so happy Santa and his reindeer are back.

Greenwich resident Carolyn Leistensnider came with her husband Scott and their 3-year-old son Rex. They are Sam Bridge shoppers during the holiday season, they said, and had hoped to come last year until the pandemic changed their plans. Friday was their first trip there as a family to see Santa.

We are very eager to see Santa and the reindeer, Carolyn Leistensnider said.

The event typically attracts people from out of town. This year, Jen De Loizaga from Colorado was there with her 3 1/2-year-old daughter Genevieve and her mother-in-law, Adela De Loizaga, from Norwalk. The family was visiting Connecticut for Thanksgiving and came to Sam Bridge for the first time to start the holiday season off right, they said.

We thought this would be great for her and were eager to enjoy all the festivities, De Loizaga said. This is a fun family event.

While the reindeer were in Greenwich last year, there could be no Santas Workshop because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With that in mind, the Greenwich Reindeer Festival had something special this year.

A mural created by artist Rick Garcia and sponsored by Greenwichs C. Parker Galley was unveiled. People will have a chance through December to sign the edges around it with well-wishes and thank yous to front line medical workers.

Santa himself was the first to sign the mural.

The mural will eventually be presented to Greenwich Hospital for display. Hospital President Diane Kelly not only was on hand for the ceremony on Friday but signed the mural with a thank you to her staff.

Just being recognized by the community is very important for healthcare workers, Kelly told Greenwich Time at the ceremony. They are our heroes. We tell them that every day but this is taking a lot out of them. The pandemic is taking its toll, and knowing theyre being recognized and supported by their community speaks volumes to them.

During the ceremony, Kelly said the hospital would proudly display the mural and that it was an honor to serve the community during such an unprecedented time. Everyone has appreciated the cards, the letters, the drive by salutes, the donated meals during the pandemic and the many incredible gestures of solidarity and kindness, she said.

It truly does sustain the people working in health care, Kelly said.

Artist Garcia traveled from Florida for the event.

It started off with the idea of honoring the nurses, he said. I have a special passion for nurses. I wanted to make it bright and colorful and positive as an overall thank you.

The mural is seven feet by 20 feet and was done digitally.

We wanted to show our appreciation for Greenwich Hospital and all the essential workers, Tiffany Benincasa, principal of C. Parker Gallery, said. Theyre here for us every day and theyve especially been here for us through the pandemicI think this will connect the community with the art world. Maybe not everyone will walk into an art gallery or an art museum, but a mural is a great public way to connect everyone.

The festival, which is being presented by Jenny Allen/Compass, allows kids to give their Christmas lists to Santa and for their parents to purchase photo packages of them with the Jolly Old Elf. A portion of all the photos purchased through the holiday season will benefit Kids in Crisis, a non-profit based in Cos Cob that provides services for the region, including 24/7 care to children and families in need of emergency shelter and counseling.

There is also a Kids in Crisis Giving Tree in set up at Sam Bridge for people to offer their direct support to the non-profit.

This is Sam Bridges fifth year hosting the reindeer festival; it will host the three reindeer through most of December.

The reindeer, who are safely in a pen, will be available for public viewing during business hours at Sam Bridge until Dec. 22. Santa will be meeting with kids until Christmas Eve.

The hours of operation are from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Sam Bridge Nursery and Greenhouses is closed on Sundays.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  Nigeria has designated armed groups blamed for hundreds of abductions and killings in northern areas as terrorist organizations, in a major swing in response to a key security challenge facing Africas most populous country.

The office of Nigerias attorney-general, Abubakar Malami, said in a statement Friday that the designation was made by a court following an application by the federal government. The court made its decision Thursday.

The decision will allow authorities to charge suspected members of the groups with terrorism-related offences, which some believe will lead to a more effective crackdown on their activities.

The Nigerian government argued in court documents that the groups' activities should be considered terrorist acts as they "can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and (pose) a threat to national security.

The groups mostly consist of young men from the Fulani ethnic group, who had traditionally worked as nomadic cattle herders and are caught up in a decades-long conflict with Hausa farming communities over access to water and grazing land.

They often plunder villages in the northwest and central parts of the West African country, where they have killed thousands, and kidnapped hundreds of travelers and schoolchildren for ransom. The attacks have sometimes taken on religious dimensions.

In many remote communities in northern Nigeria, the gunmen outnumber and outgun security forces. When troops deployed to respond to attacks end their operations and depart, the groups return.

Some of the gunmen  who often operate in bands of more than 100, hiding out in abandoned forest reserves  have been joining forces with Islamic extremist rebels, security analysts and residents say.

Assaults on villages can often last hours. Last week more than 40 people were killed in the northwest Sokoto state in an attack that lasted through the night.

In the first half of 2021, at least 2,500 people were killed in the northwest and central states mostly as a result of such attacks, according to an analysis of media reports collated by the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations.

The gunmen, often referred to in Nigeria as bandits, have also abducted about 1,400 children from their schools over the last year and more than 100 of them have yet to be released. Sixteen children have died in the attacks.

The troubles in the northwest come in addition to the 10-year Islamic extremist insurgency in northeast Nigeria.

Nnamdi Obasi, the International Crisis Groups Nigeria Senior Adviser, told The AP last month that Nigeria could be heading from what we are calling banditry to a full-scale insurgency if the government fails to act decisively.

Prosecution of the gunmen in the northwest is rare even when the military announces that dozens of them have been arrested. Umar Gwandu, a spokesperson for Nigeria's attorney-general, said that part of the challenge was that the groups had not been banned as terrorist organizations.

The security agencies can now lawfully declare war on the bandits, he told The Associated Press Friday.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The Oregon Health Authority is offering to pay pharmacies $35 for each dose of COVID-19 vaccine they administer, with the intention to boost vaccination rates.

Based on the health authority's database, 79% of people 18 years or older in Oregon have received at least their first vaccine dose.

In addition, the Statesman Journal reports that the program  which launched this month  directly addresses staffing shortages at pharmacies, where growing workloads have resulted in long lines across the state. In some cases, customers have reported having to wait two or three hours to pick up their prescriptions.

The state is offering to pay temporary pharmacists in order to bolster workforces, said Rudy Owens, a public affairs specialist for the Oregon Health Authority.

However, the temporary staffing program is only available to independent pharmacies. Corporate-owned pharmacies are not eligible, but they can still receive vaccine payments from the state.

To qualify for the payments, pharmacies must meet certain standards for vaccine equity, including offering multilingual signs for COVID-19 vaccinations, expanded vaccine-related counseling aimed at boosting vaccine confidence, and a plan for ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement to ensure equitable access, according to a flyer from the health authority.

Owens said the state doesnt have data yet on how many pharmacies have applied for the supplemental payments.

Officials say pharmacy staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the closure of more than 35 Bi-Mart pharmacies earlier this month and limited reimbursements that pharmacies receive from what are known as pharmacy benefit managers.

Brian Mayo, executive director of the Oregon State Pharmacy Association, told the Statesman Journal that if those reimbursements were fair, pharmacies would be able to hire more employees and lines would be shorter.

Mayo said that due to the staffing crisis community pharmacies across Oregon are five to 14 days behind filling prescriptions because they cant keep up with the demand.

The pharmacists, technicians and interns are working as fast as they can, Mayo said. In many cases, they are being forced to continue working without required breaks and voluntarily working longer unrecorded hours so they can provide care to their customers. They want to help the patients. Thats why they chose this profession, but it feels like things are getting out of control."
CASS LAKE, Minnesota (AP)  Animal neglect used to be such a problem on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota, with basic services like sterilization out of reach for many due to poverty and remoteness, that packs of stray dogs would sometimes bring traffic to a halt on the main highway.

Today, strays are rare. Kids are helping their elders in animal rescues, pet food and supplies are routinely distributed in the community and the first veterinary clinic in the main town, Cass Lake, is one final permit away from breaking ground.

Its all thanks to a yearslong and increasingly organized push by several community members to improve animal welfare that is deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual values regarding the Ojibwe peoples relationship with all living creatures.

It helps animals, but it brings people up too, said Rick Haaland, who has been leading the efforts among his fellow Ojibwe as community outreach manager with the Leech Lake tribal police. Our pets are the ones who walk with us.

Animals are central to Ojibwe beliefs and sacred origin stories.

According to one, which by tradition may be told only once snow blankets the northland, the Creator asked the original man and his wolf to travel the earth together, and on their journey they became as close as brothers. Their task completed, the Creator told them to go on separate paths, even though they both would be feared, respected and misunderstood by the people later joining them on earth.

Since dogs are the wolfs relatives, the story teaches, they should be brothers to todays Native people, honored though separate.

So things like promoting pet care and bringing much-needed vet services to the reservation nestled among forests and lakes reinforce the Creators intentions for harmony between humans and animals  a value that some say faded over the years.

Traditionally we were told to be grateful to animals. Cats and dogs have chosen to be with us and comfort us. But as we were assimilated, and went into deep poverty, our stories werent told. People forgot we need to care for them, said Elaine Fleming, who started rescuing animals 10 years ago after holding a ceremony for them with prayers, singing and drums.

Now, Were taking back our culture, added Fleming, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe elder and teacher at Leech Lake Tribal College.

Nearly 40% of Leech Lakes population lives in poverty, making it hard to afford routine spaying and neutering, let alone emergency care that can run up to hundreds of dollars per surgery.

That meant that all too often, injured animals would die or be abandoned, as would litters of puppies and kittens nobody could afford to care for.

Things started to turn around about a decade ago, when the Twin Cities-based nonprofit Leech Lake Legacy began taking in surrendered animals  more than 9,000 to date  for adoption elsewhere and regularly bringing a visiting mobile clinic to the reservation for low-cost vet services.

The pandemic has dealt a setback as care, especially spaying and neutering, was shut down for several months in 2020, according to Leech Lake Legacy founder Jenny Fitzer, and now its a scramble to get back on track.

I cant imagine when well be able to catch up, she said, adding that more than 400 animals are on her waitlist and might not get fixed for a year.

But a game changer for Leech Lake will be the permanent veterinary clinic, which Haaland hopes to start construction on before the winter deep freeze and could open its doors in the spring, supported by national animal welfare organizations as well as local fundraising. A veterinarian living right on the reservation would not only take care of routine sterilizations but also treat emergencies  currently it costs $500 just to get a doctor to come into Cass Lake after hours, according to Haaland.

He envisions having informational screenings playing in the waiting room, building on awareness programs the community is already doing on best practices like leashing and kenneling to keep pets from harm.

I dont think people dont care, said Haaland, who owns three dogs and a cat. Its education. Thats our way out of this.

In the meantime, Haaland has been rescuing abandoned pets and driving injured animals to far-flung veterinaries, putting some 27,000 miles in just a year on a new van he acquired thanks to a grant from the Humane Societys Pets for Life program. At $115,000 this year, the grant has also allowed him to work on animal care full-time.

Pets for Life's national director, Rachel Thompson, said the communities it serves from Louisiana to Alaska face the same challenge: structural inequalities that perpetuate poverty also put animal care out of reach.

At the end of a recent day spent rescuing a cat, two kittens and two 10-week-old golden-haired puppies, Haaland pulled up pictures on his phone of a pit bull stuck with hundreds of porcupine quills that required months of surgeries and treatment, donated by a veterinarian college. Fights with porcupines can kill dogs that are not properly housed, leashed and trained.

The yard where Haaland found the pit bull had garbage strewn all over, so Haaland offered the owners help cleaning up before returning the dog. When he arrived one early morning with other tribal members, the family had already done most of the work.

They wanted to do better, he said. We are a proud people, with a chance to rise above the trauma of the past.

Erik Redix, a scholar of Ojibwe history and member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe, said that animals have spirits, just like us, and their neglect is both an affront to the spiritual imperative of treating all living beings well and a symptom of broader social distress in impoverished Native lands.

So animal care revivals like the one in Leech Lake also signify a revitalization for Ojibwe society, he added  to get us back to where it should be.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Contributed / Connecticut State Police

NORWALK  State police said they arrested a 27-year-old man from New York Thursday afternoon, after the man allegedly jumped over a barrier into traffic on the Merritt Parkway.

During an ensuing fight, the two troopers at the scene were injured and used a Taser on the man before taking him into custody, according to state police. Both later were hospitalized as a result of their injuries.
WEST HAVEN  For about 20 years, New England Brewing Co. has seen its distribution of craft beers grow while fostering community at an 18,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and taproom in Woodbridge.

Now, owner Rob Leonard says that keg is kicked and the brewery is ready to expand.

Weve outgrown this space, he said during a recent tour of the Woodbridge facility.

The brewery plan to move to West Haven, to a larger space with twice as many barrels to produce craft beer.

Its not the first time the brewery has outgrown its space; in 2012, the brewery moved across the street from one Woodbridge location to another.

As the company moves around, Leonard said it looks to be a good neighbor to the community. Based on early feedback from the community, its made a positive first impression in West Haven.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

West Havens City Council last week accepted a proposal to enter into negotiations with Eclipse Development Group  which will construct a 52,000-square-foot building at the Rock Street site of the Savin Rock Conference Center for a brewery and taproom to lease from the city, from which NEBCO plans to sublease. The move is expected to bring an additional 75 jobs to the city.

Doug Gray of Eclipse Development said he jumped at the opportunity once it became available, following several months of discussions with New Haven economic development officials.

Prior to the councils vote, the brewery received mostly positive reviews from residents of the city and nearby area. Those who were critical were harsher on city officials for the dizzying speed by which the proposal reached the council than on the brewery itself.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Matthew Lupoli, a music teacher at Carrigan Intermediate School, is a member of Team Craft Beer, which raises funds for Smilow Cancer Hospital and is sponsored by the brewery. The team has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research.

He was one of several members of the public who testified before the council to say that NEBCO is a community-oriented business that supports local causes, local artists and will serve as an economic engine for the area.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Lupolis comments echoed Leonards promise that the company wants to be a good neighbor. And Leonard and his team said they are listening already.

Its not going to be red, Leonard said of NEBCOs future home in West Haven. It will probably be more driftwood gray. More beachy.

A visualization of the proposed construction in West Haven had shown a red barn-like building. A neighbor told the City Council that shoreline aesthetics matter, and a red barn is more evocative of Vermont.

Local ties

NEBCOs director of business development, Marty Juliano, is a West Haven native. He said the company also is deliberate about its sponsorship and community partnerships.

Its about causes that tie into who we are as a company, he said.

Cancer research and veterans are two of those causes, he said, because mostly everyone knows someone affected by cancer or who is a veteran. We vet these initiatives. We want to be sure itll truly make a difference for the cause.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Greater New Haven also is where NEBCO was built.

Leonard, a 1991 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, initially was looking for a job as a comedy writer. While looking for work, he began work at New England Brewing at the dawn of the craft beer industry, placing empty bottles on conveyor belts for $6 per hour fresh out of college.

Leonard said he worked his way up through the company and, by 2002, when the brewery was going out of business, Leonard saw an opportunity. He bought the rights to the name and sold off all the equipment to start anew.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

From 2002 to 2010, Leonard said the company mostly was just him. He was doing draft beers only, using a canning machine to make two cans of beer at a time.

I wanted to make the beer in my place, he said. People thought I was crazy. It would take all day to do 100 cases of beer.

Now, the brewery produces 1,000 cases per day; following the West Haven move, Leonard said that daily output should more than double.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Initially, the brewery sold two beers: Elm City Pilsner and Atlantic Amber, the latter which he inherited. However, Atlantic Amber eventually would be retired.

The label was old and traditional. It wasnt working, Leonard said. I wanted to put some personality into the brand.

The company started to take off when the brewery injected that personality, he said, developing its signature IPA, Sea Hag. Sea Hag IPA now is a top-selling IPA in Connecticut; Juliano said it outsells all other local brands combined.

I wanted two syllables, a two-word name. Something memorable, he said.

Leonard said it was not based upon the character from the Popeye cartoon characters world, rather an inside story he had with college friends. The IPA now is about 80 percent of what the brewery produces.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

In addition to supporting local causes, NEBCO has invested in racially diversifying the craft beer industry; the company funds a scholarship for one Black student to receive a certificate in brewing science at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Juliano said the company also wants to support local restaurants  at its Woodbridge location, taproom patrons have the ability to order from local restaurants, with a virtual order for delivery being sent to nearby restaurants kitchens.

He said NEBCO places a heavy emphasis on ordering from local restaurants as a business model and as a staff.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

The potential effect the brewery could have on West Haven restaurants was an area of concern for some members of the City Council. Juliano said the brewery location would look to install a catering kitchen to warm food provided for events instead of installing a full-service kitchen.

NEBCO employee Craig Gilbert told the council that a favorite part of his job is socializing from behind the bar with beer tourists. He said his desire is to offer recommendations.

Id love to say to people to talk a walk down the shoreline and get a lobster roll at Stowes, he said.

In total, NEBCO plans on investing about $20 million in its move to West Haven; Leonard said about $7 million to $8 million of that would be on purchasing and transporting equipment.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Currently, Director of Brewing Operations Greg Radawich said the brewery is focused on seasonal charity brews  such as its Ales for ALS beer. He said the expected flavor profile would be easy drinking and approachable to make it an appealing fundraiser; 100 percent of the proceeds are for ALS research. The brewery also is bringing back a holiday-time imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels for a year.

For the planned West Haven site, with a blue-gray exterior in mind, Juliano said the company would work with an interior designer for the taproom.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

He said the company wants to maintain its personal brand while adapting it for the shoreline.

In addition to the conference center, the brewery also will take the place of the Savin Rock Museum. Juliano said the brewery is looking to incorporate elements of the museum into the walkway into the taproom, through an entryway of about 1,000 feet.

We try to entrench ourselves in the community were going through, Juliano said.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
The abductors of 66 worshippers at the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji, in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have asked ...





The abductors of 66 worshippers at the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji, in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have asked for N99 million as ransom to release the 61 persons still in captivity.





The abductors had shot five of their victims, killing three and injuring two others.





The Kaduna State Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Hayab, on Friday confirmed to newsmen that the kidnappers of the 66 worshippers of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kakau Daji in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were demanding N99m ransom.





He also confirmed that two of the abductees of the Church were killed on the spot, one other was later shot dead while two were injured and hospitalised.





Rev. Hayab said aside from the 66 persons kidnapped from the Baptist Church, Kakau Daji, that on November 6th, they picked five young men between the ages of 15 to 24 as if they were going to release them, not knowing that they had evil intention.





Rev. Hayab said, They opened fire on all of them. Two died on the spot and one later died. We have buried three and two others who sustained injuries are still being treated but 61 are with them in the bush and nothing is happening.





The state CAN Chairman also confirmed the release of one of the remaining four Bethel Baptist High school students, Kaduna, after spending over 150 days in captivity.





The students were kidnapped on 5th July 2021 in the school premises numbering 121 along the Kaduna-Kachia highway and were released in batches.
Ghanas parliament on Friday rejected the governments 2022 budget proposal due to concerns over an electronic banking levy. It was the fi...

Ghanas parliament on Friday rejected the governments 2022 budget proposal due to concerns over an electronic banking levy.





It was the first time the national budget has been rejected since 1981 in the West African country.





Ghanas parliament is split between the two main parties following an election a year ago, increasing the risk of gridlock as the country struggles to rebound from the impact of the global pandemic and a heavy debt burden.





Fridays setback came after the government introduced a proposed new levy on electronic bank transactions, including popular mobile phone money apps.





Ruling New Patriotic Party lawmakers walked out after accusing the house speaker of bias because he said the finance minister should not be present during the vote.





The opposition MPs then voted down the proposal.





The 2022 budget has been rejected by Parliament, opposition lawmaker Sam George wrote in a Tweet. We as a minority took a stand with the people of Ghana to reject a budget that had the obnoxious E-Levy, increased government fees and charges. Victory for Ghana.





In January, soldiers were forced to enter Ghanas parliament to break up fights between rival lawmakers at odds over the election results.





President Nana Akufo-Addos ruling party will now have to negotiate with the opposition party in parliament to reach a compromise over the budget proposal.





Ghana is touted as a stable democracy in volatile West Africa, although the 2021 elections were marked by opposition accusations of fraud and five people died in violence.
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has challenged a presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, to embark on road trips from Abu...





Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has challenged a presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, to embark on road trips from Abuja to Zamfara, Kaduna or Abuja to Lagos without security details.





This challenge came following a claim by Garba Shehu that his boss President Muhammadu Buhari deserves credit for his efforts in tackling security issues in Nigeria,





The trips, according to HURIWA, should either happen or he should cover his face in shame for talking down on the hundreds of innocent citizens wasted on Nigerian roads especially in the North West by terrorists in the last six years.





Shehu made this claim on Friday while presenting a paper at the tenth year anniversary of Federal University Dutsin Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State, where he claimed that the Buhari administration is the only government that has provided a workable solution to the herder-farmer crisis





The rights group said the spokesman lacks decorum and respect for the memories of hapless and innocent citizens whose lives were deliberately taken away by different armed non-state actors including, but not limited, to the rampaging armed Fulani terrorists.





HURIWA said it defies logic and common sense to think that one of the key spokesmen of the President could be this insensitive and reckless to utter such words.





HURIWA reminded Garba Shehu that only a few days back, armed bandits who are indeed terrorists blocked the Abuja-Kaduna Road on Sunday afternoon and kidnapped many travellers, just one of the hundreds of incidents.





HURIWA, therefore, is challenging the Spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Alhaji Garba Shehu to embark on televised road travels from Abuja to Zamfara and Katsina and from Abuja to Lagos with no security protection so he can have the bragging right to ask Nigerians to heap praises on his master if he thinks security has improved.





How do you solve a crime without the suspects being brought to face the full weight of the law for their atrocities against farmers including the killings of many Catholic Priests in Benue State?, HURIWA asked.
The wife of late Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu has urged Governors of the Southeast geo-political zone to reme...





The wife of late Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu has urged Governors of the Southeast geo-political zone to remember Ojukwu just as Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra did with the memorial anniversary in honour of her husband.





During the event held in Owerri, Bianca begged President Muhammad Buhari to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the plea of Igbo leaders who paid him a courtesy visit.





The Former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain advised that releasing Nnamdi Kanu would further buttress President Buharis commitment to healing the wounds inflicted by marginalisation felt by the Igbo nation.





She explained that Kanus release would also demonstrate Buharis magnanimity, saying the clamour for secession was a direct consequence of perceived inequality in the distribution of resources and political appointments in the country.





Also speaking, Mr Ahamefula Ojukwu, son of the late Igbo leader thanked Uwazuruike for conducting the affairs of the entire Igbo nation in unity.





Ojukwus son who is also the chairman of the occasion urged Igbo people especially those privileged to occupy positions of authority to preserve the legacies of his late father whom he described as an embodiment of selfless service and sacrifice to the Igbo cause.





Earlier, Dr Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor of Anambra decried the use of violence in the quest for self-determination.





He implored Igbo people to be united and fight diplomatically to achieve a set objective.
A 78-year-old man, Moshood Habibu, has allgedly hacked to death, his 94-year-old brother, Salisu Surakatu, over land matters. Habibu was sai...





A 78-year-old man, Moshood Habibu, has allgedly hacked to death, his 94-year-old brother, Salisu Surakatu, over land matters.





Habibu was said to have stormed his brothers house at Kara Ewumi village Mowe, Ogun State, on Wednesday after which a disagreement ensued between him and the nonagenerian over the land.





The suspect got enraged and attacked the aged man with a cutlass, killing him in the process.





The Ogun State police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, saying Habibu was arrested by the CSP Saminu Akintunde-led team after the incident was reported at Mowe police station by Amino Tajudeen, said to be a son of the deceased.





On interrogation, the suspect claimed that the deceased sold a plot from their family land and didnt give him his own share of the proceeds, and that he went there that morning to demand for his own share which led to hot argument between them, Oyeyemi said.





The police image maker explained that the suspect had gone to the deceased mans house with a cutlass, but the nonagenarian, who was visually impaired, did not know he was with a cutlass.





While the deceased was asking him to leave his house, he descended heavily on him and matcheted him to death, it was said.





The suspect would be transferred to the homicide section of the state CIID as ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, Oyeyemi disclosed.
The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed that no fewer than 10 persons were killed while over 30 houses were burnt down in Teegbe vil...





The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed that no fewer than 10 persons were killed while over 30 houses were burnt down in Teegbe village in Miango district, Irigwe chiefdom, Bassa local government area of the state when unknown gunmen invaded the community.





It was reported that the incident which occurred early hours of Friday, led to the killing of an unspecified number of persons while others were left injured.





The assailants stormed the community shooting sporadically with their sophisticated weapons when the villagers were asleep.





A statement issued by the states Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Gabriel Uba said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka had ordered an investigation into the attack, assuring that the perpetrators must be brought to book.





The statement reads, On 26/11/2021 at about 0130hrs, the Command received a report of an attack by yet to be identified gunmen at Teegbe Village of Bassa LGA of the State. Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Bartholomew Onyeka, immediately drafted a tactical team of the Command to the scene to avert a further attack.





Unfortunately, 10 persons were killed and about 30 houses set ablaze by the attackers. The Commissioner of Police further led other Senior Officers of the Command to the scene for an on the spot assessment and to console with the victims of the attack.





Recall that the state was recently engulfed with the activities of criminal elements who plunged it into a religious crisis leading to the death of many residents.





Some schools were shut down following the killings in the state as governors across the country evacuated their indigenes studying in Jos, the state capital.
A medical doctor, Dr Olakunle Omoteemi has said the best treatment for a bite from a poisonous snake is antivenom in a hospital. Dr Omoteemi...





A medical doctor, Dr Olakunle Omoteemi has said the best treatment for a bite from a poisonous snake is antivenom in a hospital.





Dr Omoteemi also said without the quick administration of antivenom on snakebite victims, symptoms typically progress to respiratory failure, which leads to cardiovascular collapse and death of the victim.





He added that this typically happens within 7 to 15 hours in the case of a very poisonous snake like a black mamba.





Advising that all snake bites be handled as an emergency, the physician added that in the event of a snake bite, an ambulance should be called in to convey the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible.





While waiting for medical aid, the medical doctor advised that the victim should be moved away from the striking distance of the snake.





He also advised that the bite be covered with a loose and clean bandage and for the victim to be kept still to prevent the venom from spreading throughout the body.





However, there are some things that should not be done to a victim of snakebite. These are; the wound should not be cut open, the venom also should not be sucked out of the wound.





A tourniquet, ice or water should not be put on the snake bite area, magic stone should not be applied on the wound and alcohol, beverages or any other medications should not be administered to a snake bite victim.





The only medication that can work when such occurs is an antivenom administration in a government or certified private health facility.





Omoteemi who warned that a bite from a poisonous snake is dangerous explained that on most occasions, it may be hard to know whether the snake that bit someone is poisonous or not, especially if the snake has not been found.





Not all snakes are poisonous. But snakes like the black mamba, timber rattlesnake, and copperhead are extremely poisonous and can make someone collapse within 45 minutes.





Recall that recently a Nigerian Airforce personnel, Lance Corporal Ogah Bercy died in Abuja as a result of complications from a snake bite.





According to reports, she was bitten by a snake in her toilet at the Airforce Base, Clinton Drive, Abuja.





She reportedly died because an antivenom was not administered to her on time.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Windy with rain showers. High 57F. Winds SSW at 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph..

Tonight

Decreasing cloudiness and windy. Low 33F. W winds at 25 to 40 mph, decreasing to 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.
Dave Hurlbert, co-founder of the Marigny Opera House and its ballet company, has seen more than his fair share of holiday performances of The Nutcracker. He says he has a love/hate relationship with Tchaikovskys score.

I played piano for the San Francisco Ballet, Hurlbert says. I played Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy 47 times a season.

The ballet has a singular place in American dance, with regular professional presentations, dance school productions, and even a Barbie Nutcracker film.

Most cities have their own local nutcracker, Hurlbert says. It doesnt make a difference where its set, because its always this Victorian mansion with this little girl having her party.

Now, Marigny Opera Ballet is doing the show, but with a more substantial adaptation. New Orleans Jazz Nutcracker has a new score and an altered story.

Instead of a teenage girl, Clara is a young woman who wanders into Jackson Square on Christmas Eve, Hurlbert says. She decided to go out and try to have some fun. She comes to Jackson Square and sits on a bench. The activity, which is usually an upper-class party, is people in Jackson Square: a drag queen, a fortune teller, tourists, a couple of celebrities, a very odd family.

Since its in Jackson Square, there are some big French Quarter rats as well.

The Marigny Opera Ballets version uses a score composed for the company by Lawrence Sieberth.

Its magnificent, says Hurlbert. Its a jazz take on (Tchaikovskys) Nutcracker. Larrys score is difficult. Its very sophisticated.

The production will use a 10-piece ensemble made up of jazz and classical musicians.

Sieberth incorporated rhythms that one would hear in New Orleans, including swing and Latin rhythms, says Jarina Carvalho, who choreographed the show.

Carvalho grew up in Brazil and is a veteran of Dance Theater of Harlem. She has been in a couple of Nutcracker productions presented by New Orleans Ballet Theatre since moving to New Orleans in 2004. She and Hurlbert hung out in Jackson Square to capture the scene and its movement.

'Paper & Glue' follows French street artist JR around the globe JR photographs people in communities that are disenfranchised, impoverished or forgotten and makes their faces visible to the world.

The shows movement is grounded in ballet, and Carvalho has accented it in step with Sieberths rhythms and the diverse crowd in Jackson Square. The production is just over an hour, and removing some of the traditional elements has let them create a more joyous show, Carvalho says.

There are many dance solos in the show, including by Clara, as well as the drag queen and the fortune teller. But the show is the largest cast for a Marigny Opera Ballet production. It uses 10 company dancers as well as 11 young dancers, mostly cast as the rats.

The Marigny Opera House stage is compact, so the production preserves as much space as possible for the dancers. Besides a Jackson Square bench, props are minimal. The show gets fancier where it can, with costumes and lighting, including projections to depict the square.

New Orleans Jazz Nutcracker originally was slated to premiere last year. Instead, its the companys return from Covid shutdowns. Marigny Opera Ballet has been shut down for productions since it canceled a run of its original show Follies of 1915 in March 2020, but it has maintained a schedule of classes. Hurlbert expects to present Jazz Nutcracker again, though not necessarily annually. The Marigny Opera House has been open for weekly concerts, mostly featuring jazz works, since September.

New Orleans Jazz Nutcracker runs Dec. 3-5 & 10-12 at Marigny Opera House. Tickets are $35-$50 at marignyoperahouse.org.
During the pandemic, Michael Bruno started the Filipino pop-up Kusina. He grew up in New York and Florida and moved to New Orleans to work at Shaya before the pandemic. This week, he and partner Ruby Ruhala bring Kusina to Miel Brewery from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, and Parleaux Beer Lab beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27. For information, find @kusinanola on Instagram.

Gambit: How did you get into cooking Filipino food?

Michael Bruno: I have been cooking all my life. I am half Italian, half Filipino. I ate a lot of Filipino food growing up, but not just Filipino food. At holidays, it was always a big feast, and sometimes we would order lechon (whole roasted pig). At home, wed eat pancit palabok (noodles with shrimp sauce), lumpia (spring rolls), dinuguan (pork blood stew) and adobo (pork stew). Dinuguan is one of my favorite things. Its pork blood stew. Its got really deep flavor, but its not bloody. Its got a lot of ginger, lemon grass, garlic, a little tanginess from some vinegar. Its really comforting for me. Its served with puto, which are little steamed cakes with a sweet taste.

I have been cooking in restaurants since I was 16. It was the first job I got, and I started thinking of doing it as a career. My dad passed away when I was 19, and I moved back to New York. I was living in Queens and went to the International Culinary Center. It used to be known as the French Culinary Institute. I was there for a couple of years and did some internships. I moved back to Florida, and during those years, I came to New Orleans on vacation. I was like, This place is awesome, and the restaurant scene is something else, so I decided to move here.

I started working at Shaya, but I was furloughed during the pandemic. My friend was like, Man, just start selling food. So I started doing that. Originally, I started Pasta Luna, doing pasta sales from my house, but it didnt really work out. After a couple months I switched over to Filipino because I could vend at some places.

It was a year ago. I started at Nolavore Commissary Kitchen. There was a Thursday night market, and I was one of the food vendors. I started out with a little charcoal grill, a wok and a table. I started with chicken and pork barbecue skewers and veggie pancit. Pancit just means noodles. It could be egg noodles or glass noodles stir fried with vegetables, garlic and soy sauce.

Now, I am at Gasa Gasa most Fridays. I pop-up at Parleaux and Miel. Sometimes I am at the Broadside and Broad Theater. I have done a second line. I have been at Pepps Pub and Henrys Uptown Bar. I try to stay away from Frenchmen Street. I want to serve locals because I am making a brand for myself.

Gambit: At pop-ups, how familiar are your customers with Filipino food?

Bruno: Filipino food is here. People should know more about it. One of the oldest Filipino communities in America was less than 100 miles away  St. Malo. There are three active Filipino pop-ups in the city now.

Some people who moved here from California know Filipino food and they miss ube, adobo and lumpia. A lot of people dont know what to expect. Sometimes they think its like Chinese food, or ask, Is it spicy? But Filipino food is a blend of East and West. There are a lot of European and Asian techniques and flavor profiles. Surprisingly, its not very spicy  some regions are  but its not chili heavy.

I was worried certain names would intimidate people  not knowing what something is, like bagoong (shrimp paste). But I would always cook barbecue for my friends, and they were like Why dont you sell this? I might have to do a little bit of explaining.

Dragonfly Cafe is a new breakfast and lunch spot in the Irish Channel Dragonfly Cafe is as much about breaking down barriers isolating people with developmental, learning, language and behavior differences as it is about serving fresh food.

Gambit: What dishes do you like to serve at Kusina pop-ups?

Bruno: I change the menu every couple of weeks. I like to do a mix of traditional (dishes) and contemporary stuff thats just good food with Filipino flavor. My best-selling traditional thing is pork adobo. I use pork shoulder, soy, cane vinegar, garlic, peppercorn, bay leaf and fish sauce. I braise it for three hours and serve it over jasmine rice and tomato-onion salad.

Something more modern would be bagoong Brussels sprouts. Bagoong is a Filipino fermented shrimp paste. Its used as a condiment or a flavoring for sauces, soups and stews. I make a vinaigrette with it and then deep fry Brussels sprouts and toss them in with the vinaigrette, shaved red onions, green onions and cilantro and top it off with peanuts, golden raisins and crispy garlic.

Ube is a purple taro thats native to the Philippines. Its a super common dessert flavor. Its got a nutty, almost vanilla flavor. I do a few things with it. My most popular ube dessert is ube cheesecake. It has a Marias cookie crust. Theyre like digestive biscuits  not too sweet, but buttery. I make a whipped coconut cream and top it with toasted coconut. I have a sweet tooth, so I like to make good desserts.
Dealing with the challenges posed by the pandemic is scary enough for a chef opening his first restaurant. But for Nanyo Dominguez, that wasnt even the half of it. He opened Besame, which means kiss me in Spanish, on Sept. 25 at 110 S. Rampart St.  just a half-block from the site of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel.

When I first looked at the space back in April, Canal Street was still closed, Dominguez says. There was no traffic, the block felt abandoned  with a graffiti covered wall across the street. It was rough.

Yet he still saw potential with the sites proximity to the Saenger, Joy and Orpheum theaters as well as the French Quarter and many hotels.

If things progress in New Orleans as I hope they do, two or three years from now, all my investment and hard work will pay off, he says. Im 45, and I dont want to wait until Im too old and dont have the energy to start my own business.

He was ready on the cooking side of the equation. Dominguez spent 16 years working in New York before coming to New Orleans in 2015 to work at Johnny Sanchez with chef Aaron Sanchez. From there, he moved to Titos Ceviche and Pisco in Uptown and most recently helped open Espiritu Mezcaleria. Born in Pueblo and raised in Mexico City, his forte is all things Latin American, which is reflected on the Besame menu.

The first section features ceviches, offering five takes on the citrus-cured seafood dish. All use locally sourced seasonal seafood, like the small chunks of sheepshead and Gulf shrimp in the Caribbean style ceviche, which combines coconut milk with pineapple and habanero for sweetness and heat. A version with salmon uses citrus and passion fruit to cut the richness of the fish and adds depth of flavor with soy sauce, avocado and chili oil. Mezcal highlights the Oaxacan ceviche, made with Gulf fish, roasted guajillo peppers and diced cucumber and tomato.

In the tapas section, theres guacamole with the option to add bits of fried pork rind, Mexico City style. Queso gets a crawfish upgrade, theres a vegan empanada made with sweet potato, beans and soy, and sandwich choices include steak asada and al pastor marinated pork.

Tacos are filled with tempura-battered fish or shrimp or roasted cauliflower with a cashew habanero cream, which is one of the menus vegan options. The bar features South American wines and brandies such as pisco as well as Latin American spirits, including mezcal.

Breanna Fletcher transitions her B&G Foods bakery into a vegan operation Baker Breanna Fletcher on starting a business with her fiance, selling goods at farmers markets and the switch a vegan bakery.

The Besame space formerly housed a fast-casual eatery called TaCreole  a tapas-meets-Creole-cuisine concept connected to the new HI New Orleans Hostel on Canal Street. It was the first location in the international nonprofit network with its own restaurant.

They wanted to make a change, and when I saw the space, I felt ready to take on the challenge, Dominguez says. I feel good about being connected to them.

I worked with a great mentor with the (Small Business Association) who helped me do the first business plan in my life, he adds. That helped me secure the loan. After four banks said, Nah, too risky, the fifth one took a chance on me.

He transformed the restaurants two dining rooms with bold shades of teal, red and gold, adding linens, art, cushions and comfy chairs. One wall is dominated by artist Kristen Downings mural paying homage to the Canal Street lunch counter sit-ins, which happened at both The Woolworths and McCrorys during the movement to end segregation. The hostel commissioned the work in 2019 to commemorate the events that happened steps from its door.

Although the restaurant is short staffed and business was initially slow after Hurricane Ida, Halloween weekend turned the tide, Dominguez says. Its currently open for dinner Thursday through Monday, but the chef is putting in long days, arriving at 8 a.m. each day. Its starting to pay off.

We did 175 covers on Friday, so business is picking up, he says. Now at least when I drive home to my house in Algiers, I feel more relaxed. I can sleep at night.

Besame

110 S. Rampart St., (504) 308-0880

5 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Monday
A Kenner man has pleaded guilty in an airline baggage scam that resulted in more than $300,000 in fraudulent claims.

Pernell Anthony Jones Jr., 31, admitted to conspiracy and mail fraud, the U.S. attorney's office in New Orleans said Tuesday. For each count, Jones faces as long as 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although maximum sentences in federal court are rare for first offenders. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 24.

Authorities say that beginning in 2015, Jones flew on several airlines using false identities. When he arrived at the destination airport, he falsely alleged his baggage was lost and requested compensation.

Through the scheme, Jones submitted more than 180 false claims and requested more than $550,000 in reimbursement, prosecutors said. Airlines paid him more than $300,000.

On April 7, 2018, Jones was arrested at Dallas Love Airport while trying to go through security screening with 36 fake driver's licenses and 47 credit cards under fictitious names. He was arrested again in March 2020 while trying to pick up a reimbursement check at Louis Armstrong International Airport.

Law enforcement later searched his home and found 34 fraudulent driver's licenses, 21 fake work ID cards and a number of fraudulent airline employee badges with his photograph, prosecutors said.

Jones' alleged co-conspirator, Donmonick Martin, 29, of Chalmette, has pleaded not guilty. But he's scheduled Jan. 26 to change his plea, according to court records.
POINT JUDITH, R.I. - Robert Ballinger watches every inch of a long green net as it unfurls from a spool on the back of this boat, the Lena Pearl, one of dozens of fishing vessels packed into a tiny harbor in Americas smallest state. Hes concentrating, looking for any tears or debris that might cause trouble next time hes trawling off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Hed prefer to focus on small problems like these and ignore the big one on his mind: the growing array of wind turbines sprouting along the coast. He wouldnt have much issue with them, he said, if they didnt happen to work best in the same deep, wind-swept waters where he finds his most lucrative catch.

Where they want to put those turbines is right where all these are during the summer, he said, grabbing a squid from the deck and giving its slimy, silvery body a frustrated squeeze. And the amount they want to put in  its mind-boggling. It will change the entire squid season.

Squid is to Rhode Island what lobster is to Maine and shrimp is to Louisiana. More than 22 million pounds are landed each year, making it by far Rhode Islands biggest fishery, and almost all of it comes through the harbor at Point Judith. Ballinger fishes a variety of species  whiting, fluke, butterfish  but he makes half his money catching squid between July and October.

The countrys first offshore wind project, the Block Island Wind Farm, was built about 14 miles south of here in 2016. A much larger one, known as Vineyard Wind, is set to begin construction about 40 miles to the east, near Marthas Vineyard.

By the end of the decade, some 2,000 turbines could be clustered along the coast from Massachusetts to North Carolina, according to the Biden administration, which is expediting wind farm permitting to reach its goal of generating 30,000 megawatts from offshore wind by 2030.

Where offshore wind advocates see one of the best options for curbing climate change, fishers see a maze of obstacles that will make their jobs tougher and more dangerous.

Wind farms are getting a tremendous political push, whereas the people who fish are being crushed, said Greg Matarones, president of the Rhode Island Lobstermens Association.

Now, offshore wind developers are starting to turn their attention to the Gulf of Mexico, where the offshore oil and gas industry has cultivated a ready and willing workforce and easily adaptable ports and other infrastructure.

But the Gulf is also the source of 70% of the countrys shrimp. Of the more than 200 million pounds of shrimp netted in the Gulf each year, much of it was caught in the waters off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. These prime fishing waters happen to overlap with the areas of the Gulf that have the greatest potential for wind energy development.

So the conflicts in the East may soon be headed south, said Acy Cooper, a Venice shrimper and president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association.

This story is the fifth in a series of five.

We have the same concerns as the guys up there on the East Coast, he said. We know the (wind farms) are coming, but we dont know where and how much ground is going to be taken from us.

Ballinger has a warning for Gulf fishers: They better hope the wind farm companies screw this up so bad here that they dont ever come down to the Gulf.

Fishing the turbine forests

With just five turbines, the Block Island Wind Farm is tiny compared with the projects in the construction pipeline. It was installed relatively close to shore and on the kind of rocky sea bottom trawlers avoid.

But thereve been plenty of problems with the transmission line that carries electricity from the turbines to the mainland. Despite promises it would be buried, large sections sit exposed on the seafloor.

Orsted, the Danish energy company that owns the farm, has placed blocks and mats on the exposed sections, but these protections pose snag hazards for drag netters in what Ballinger said was a sweet spot for squid.

Ive wrecked two nets on it, and various other guys have wrecked nets on it, he said.

Near Ballingers boat, squid fisher Sam Tucker and his three-person crew were offloading a ripped net. It likely wasnt damaged by the cable because he and other fishers now avoid it.

Fixing the net will cost Tucker four fishing days and $10,000.

The net looks rugged, but its fragile and temperamental, Tucker said. Its like an underwater kite.

Ever try flying a kite in a forest? Thats what it will be like to fish among the 62 turbines Vineyard Wind initially plans to build across 65,000 acres of prime squid fishing grounds, Tucker said. Slaloming through the turbines is a dangerous prospect, even if theyre installed a mile apart.

Throw in the 79 additional turbines planned for phase two, as well as the development of neighboring wind energy lease areas that cover five times as much ocean, and it could spell the end of the fishery, Tucker said.

Lobster fishers might be hit even harder. Turbines act as artificial reefs, sometimes fostering a profusion of mussels and other creatures. That can be a good thing, but not for lobsters. Reefs tend to increase the concentrations of black sea bass, a voracious eater thats spreading north into the waters off New England as ocean temperatures rise.

The sea bass love to eat baby lobsters, said Matarones, of the Lobstermens Association. Theyre like vacuum cleaners. When they find a spot, they go at it till theres nothing left.

Lobster fishers already say theyre being boxed in by a host of new federal fishing restrictions aimed at saving the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. Numbering fewer than 400, the whales are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear, particularly the buoy lines of lobster traps.

Closing off large areas of whale habitat while allowing a proliferation of wind turbines leaves little room for fishers.

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Wind farms are a good idea, but they cant displace the people making a livelihood out here, Tucker said. Theres a better way.

They're trying to win us over

For Tucker, the better way would be for wind energy developers to work closely with fishers and take their concerns seriously.

Vineyard Wind wouldn't comment for this story, but the trade group American Clean Power defended the company's efforts to "coexist with the commercial fishing industry," including modifying turbine layouts, hiring fisheries liaisons and fishers to staff survey vessels, and funding cooperative research with fisheries groups.

Its true wind energy companies have held several meetings and gathered a lot of input, but it amounted to little for fishers, said Annie Hawkins, executive director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, a group that advocates for the fishing industry.

We put in hundreds and hundreds of hours of work with (wind farm developers), and then its totally dismissed, she said. The process seemed merely for show. Its to check a box and move on, Hawkins said.

Last month, the group filed notice of intent to sue the federal government over its approval of the Vineyard Wind project. The group argues that the Vineyard Wind development will impede safe navigation for fishing boats and establishes a template for other projects that will also harm the fishing industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which oversees offshore energy leases, had considered the advocacy group's request for 4-mile-wide transit lanes through the wind farm but recently abandoned the requirement.

The approved 1-mile gaps between turbines is too narrow for fishing and search-and-rescue operations, the advocacy group said in its notice. It also alleges the Vineyard Wind project violates federal law that requires a "fair return" for leases in federal waters.

The federal government is charging Vineyard Wind $3 per acre and no royalties from energy production. Thats in sharp contrast to the starting bid of $25 per acre and production royalties required from oil and gas leases.

Still, the struggles on the East Coast might not carry over to the Gulf, said Mike Celata, the Gulf region director for the federal agency. By the time leasing happens in the Gulf, the process will be improved and refined, he said.

Celata pledged to begin discussions with Gulf shrimpers and other commercial fishing groups well before the lease sale process begins in 2025.

A lesson weve learned is we want to meet early and often, he said. Weve committed to that.

Cooper, of the Louisiana Shrimp Association, commended the agency for already starting to make the rounds at Gulf fishing industry meetings.

Theyre trying to win us over, he said.

The agency has promoted the idea that wind farms wont be any worse for fishing than the 3,500 offshore oil and gas structures already in the Gulf, not to mention 27,000 miles of underwater pipelines, most of which are inactive or abandoned.

Cooper agrees shrimpers are accustomed to the Gulfs industrial obstacle courses, but it doesnt mean they like it. The introduction of offshore wind infrastructure increases navigational challenges.

There are a lot of platforms and all that, and weve been dealing with them a long time, he said. But wind farms are a whole new ballgame.

The Southern Shrimp Alliance has taken the bold step of asking the agency to ban wind energy leases in almost all areas where shrimping activity occurs. Its proposed restricted area, laid out in an 11-page letter to the agency, stretches between Port Isabel, Texas, to Gulf Shores, Alabama  including the entire Louisiana coast  and, in some areas, extends well beyond 100 miles from the coast.

If wind leasing is permitted in this area, the alliance urged the agency to pay special attention to how transmission lines can affect shrimpers, particularly the ones who fish close to shore. About 87% of the Gulfs more than 11,000 shrimp vessels are small, shallow-water boats that ply state-managed waters.

Although the gusts in these areas arent strong enough to attract big wind farms, shrimpers will still have to worry about snagging their nets on transmission lines running between deep-water turbines and mainland substations.

The alliance asked that the agency establish programs to compensate shrimpers for the inevitable loss or damages to nets and other gear.

Taking a lesson from all the old oil and gas infrastructure thats been allowed to rust in the Gulf, the alliance also urged the agency to require wind developers to put aside money for removing turbines and transmission lines once theyre shut down or knocked out of commission by storms.

Gulf shrimpers say much is at stake beyond their livelihoods. The fishery is an economic engine for the region, generating almost $800 million per year for hundreds of shrimp dealers and processors, as well as grocers and restaurants that rely on the potent marketability of wild-caught shrimp.

East Coast fishers say they tried the same tactic but quickly learned their talk of millions of dollars goes unheard when the energy industry speaks of the billions to be made with offshore wind.

Why wont they negotiate with fishermen? said Tucker, the Rhode Island squid fisher. Because people are making a killing off turbines. They dont have to worry about us.

This story is part of a Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate series on offshore wind energy supported by an MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative journalism fellowship.

Tristan Baurick is an environment reporter for The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate. Email him at tbaurick@theadvocate.com and follow him on Twitter, @tristanbaurick.
Acy Cooper grew up on the water, breathing in the air of Barataria Bay. As a third-generation shrimper, he feels the industry in his blood, and the beady-eyed, long-bodied crustaceans caught in his trawling nets represent his heritage as well as his livelihood.

My dad taught me how to fish, and I taught my kids how to fish, said Cooper. All my friends, were a big tight-knit community that fishes together.

Each year, the regions short, multimillion-dollar brown shrimp season provides an early opportunity for Cooper and his friends to start paying down loans after the winter months and before white shrimp appear in August. But the freshwater infusion from Louisiana's planned $2 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project could cripple chances to catch any brownies" after it opens.

The project is a key piece of Louisianas 50-year, $50 billion effort to save the southern third of the state, yet even its staunchest advocates allow that it could drive brown shrimp and oysters, two Louisiana seafood staples, away from Barataria Bay once torrents of Mississippi River water start to pour into a brackish estuary that supplies one third of the states catch.

The fishing industry doesnt see the payoff here. Its going to kill us more than its going to help anything, said Cooper, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. He said he feels as though the sparsely populated fishing communities of lower Plaquemines Parish, where the diversion is to be built, have been written off. We have no oil field down here. If you take the moneymaker from down here, what are you going to do to these small communities?

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion aims to deliver replenishing mud to the Barataria Basins weakened wetlands and maintain a critical hurricane buffer between the Gulf of Mexico and the New Orleans area. In the process, however, its almost bound to cause the swift and immediate decline of seafood fisheries that are the lifeblood of residents in lower Plaquemines, according to the Army Corps of Engineers draft environmental impact statement on the project.

No matter how you look at this, this is going to be a shock treatment to the system, said Earl Melancon, a biologist for LSU SeaGrant. Not only in terms of the flora and fauna in the estuaries, but for the people who live and work in the estuary, its going to be a shock treatment to them.

In the long term, Melancon said, its possible that the basins freshwater biodiversity could surpass that of its current state. But at what cost? Crawfish and other freshwater species typically dont fetch the same price as the oysters or shrimp.

Louisianas proposal for Mid-Barataria calls for spending part of a $305 million chunk of mitigation money to help fishers adapt to the disruption in their lives and their bank accounts.

But industry representatives doubt that the governments analyses sufficiently assess the economic cost of such a drastic change to an industry that not only supplies seafood but also plays a part in marketing Louisiana to tourists.

The freshwater species coming in are not going to be the cash crop that were giving up on, said longtime oyster harvester Mitch Jurisich.

The Barataria Basin has seen the most land loss of Louisianas coast due mainly to the leveeing of the Mississippi River, hurricane damage and marshes weakened by oil and gas exploration. Since 1932, the basin has lost more than 430 square miles of what was once almost 1,500 square miles of land. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project would rebuild and nourish 27 square miles over 24 years, backers say.

Without it, the same species most affected by the diversion will continue their gradual decline as the basins water grows saltier, temperatures change and more marsh converts to open water, according to the Corps report:

The number of shrimp, oysters and largemouth bass are expected to shrink over the next 30 years, and to drop steeply after 2050.

Crabs will likely see a gradual loss, though to a lesser extent.

Productive oyster habitat in Barataria Bay would eventually shift westward into areas newly converted into open water.

By 2070, the eastern half of the project area would be rendered unsuitable for oysters, according to analyses by The Water Institute of the Gulf.

But vocal diversion opponents such as Jurisich have come to terms with the estuarys slow downward spiral. Instead, they advocate for the state to rely solely on building land with pipelines carrying dredged sediment.

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We can work with the coast and the changing coast as long as its a slow-paced change, said Jurisich, chair of Louisianas Oyster Task Force. Even at the more rapid pace weve been at lately, we can still adapt. You can still time things in a fashion where we dont lose production.

The state already employs the pipeline tactic  dredging mud and pumping it miles away into wetland areas to build more land  in some parts of its coastal master plan. But the marsh created that way has a limited life span without a ready source of new sediment. Brian Lezina, chief of planning for the states Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said the Mid-Barataria diversion would be key to extending the life of additional wetlands acreage added to the basin with dredging projects in the near future.

With the diversion, the fishing industrys contraction will be much more sudden than many can stomach. The only habitat suitable for oysters would be pushed out toward the outskirts of the irregularly shaped basin, near the barrier islands where the hard bottoms needed for reefs might not exist. White shrimp, which are more tolerant of freshwater than their brown counterparts, could eventually see minor benefits from the diversion, although competition within the industry for the species would likely increase.

On the flip side, crabs might see few to no adverse effects. The same is predicted for redfish and speckled trout, the favored catch of recreational fishers and many charter boat operators. The Corps report suggests these might even find a small benefit from the habitat provided by newly rebuilt marsh for feeding.

While many effects of the diversion on fisheries were anticipated ahead of the Corps report, Melancon said the draft environmental impact statement gives fishers hard numbers to quantify their loss or gain and provides a jumping-off point for discussions between the commercial fishing industries and the state and federal agencies involved in the project.

It is now in a factual form that they can put their arms around and say, This is whats going to happen to me, he said. It gives the ability on both sides to say what kind of reality are we really looking at based on these numbers that are nothing more than a scale and can be interpreted based on the person whos reading it at the time.

+4 Huge Louisiana coastal project receives positive report from the Corps of Engineers Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion could create 28 square miles of marsh in rapidly eroding Barataria Basin

The Corps environmental impact statement and the draft restoration plan written by the Louisiana Trustees Implementation Group detail initial plans for mitigating the collateral damage caused by the diversion. The trustee group oversees spending of $8 billion in BP Deepwater Horizon settlement money that will pay for the diversion.

The restoration plan promises hundreds of millions of mitigation dollars to communities that will be most harmed by the diversion. For the shrimp and oyster industries, it calls for paying to improve fishers gear, for training if they want to find a new line of work and for marketing assistance to increase dockside prices.

For oysters in particular, the plan outlines expanding programs already underway by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to open broodstock reefs to help seed depleted reefs, provide cultch for private leases and expand opportunities to grow oysters off bottom in cages.

Lezina said these mitigation offers are just a starting point based on meetings, focus groups and surveys conducted with hundreds of the basins fishers in 2019. He urged the public to specify assistance they would like to see when they submit comments on the Corps draft report.

We want to do whats best for the industry as put forth by the industry, he said. The whole goal here is to keep a viable commercial and recreational fishery in coastal Louisiana.

Though lack of computer access and literacy creates a barrier for some fishers to participate in the virtual public meetings scheduled, Jurisich and Cooper said there are plans to help fishers submit comments.

But litigation to halt the diversion seems almost inevitable. George Ricks, who runs a charter fishing business out of Hopedale and leads the Save Louisiana Coalition, said theres not enough money in the current diversion plan to pay for the harm it will cause to fishers.

You cant put a dollar value on culture and heritage, he said. Everything weve been saying all along, its true. The land-building capabilities  thats uncertain. But now were certain about the impacts.
In this multi-part series, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate takes in-depth look at the economic and energy-producing potential of offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico.

Our journalists traveled to Rhode Island to explore how several companies in Louisiana's oil and gas industry helped build the country's first offshore wind farm. Now those same companies and more are shifting gears to keep pace with a booming offshore wind industry that could soon put wind turbines off the Louisiana coast.
Early voting in the Dec. 11 runoff elections for New Orleans City Council, Sheriff and Clerk of Criminal Court begins Saturday, and voters will also weigh in on tax propositions for the New Orleans Public Library and housing.

The highest-profile citywide race has Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman facing former independent police monitor Susan Hutson as he seeks to extend his tenure over the city's jail. Gusman missed an outright reelection victory by taking 48% in a five-candidate primary field Nov. 13.

That has left him in a pitched battle with Hutson, who finished with 35% of the primary vote. Gusman has accused Hutson of being part of a network of radical extremists, while Hutson has bashed Gusmans management of the beleaguered jail.

On the City Council, both at-large seats were decided during the primary election when at-large Councilmember Helena Moreno scored a commanding victory over her opponent and former state Sen. JP Morrell secured a majority of the vote in a four-way race. District A City Councilmember Joe Giarrusso also easily retained his seat while the four remaining district seats headed to runoffs.

Challengers forced two incumbent council members into the runoff, with political newcomer Lesli Harris taking on Jay Banks in District B and former council member Oliver Thomas vying with Cyndi Nguyen in District E.

Primary results indicate potentially tough races for the incumbents. Thomas, who is attempting a comeback after a 2007 bribery conviction, edged Nguyen 45% to 41%.

Banks bested Harris 45% to 37%, but another anti-Banks candidate, Rella Zapletal, scored 14%. With Cantrell endorsing Banks for a seat she once held, the election race will also be a test of her sway with the constituents who have known her the longest. Harris, meanwhile, boasts endorsements from District Attorney Jason Williams and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.

Two other races are guaranteed to end with new faces on the council. District D pits political veteran Eugene Green against a nonprofit director and neighborhood activist, Troy Glover. Green garnered the most votes in the primary, netting 35% in a race with 14 candidates. But Glover has recently gathered momentum, with endorsements from Cantrell, Williams and several former primary foes.

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+10 All but one of New Orleans' City Council district races are headed to runoffs New Orleans City Council members Joe Giarrusso and Helena Moreno easily won reelection Saturday and former state Sen. JP Morrell narrowly avoi

District C is a battle between two lawyers, Freddie King and Stephanie Bridges. King, who came in first with 44% of the vote, has Cantrells backing, while Bridges is supported by former primary challengers and Women on the Move, a civic organization.

The clerks of two city courts are vying to replace retiring Criminal District Clerk of Court Arthur Morrell. Austin Badon of the First City Court took 43% of the primary vote, while Second City Court Clerk Darren Lombard edged into second place ahead of a third candidate, Patricia Boyd-Robertson, who endorsed Badon.

Also on the ballot are two 20-year property tax renewals, one for the New Orleans Public Library and the other for housing. The 4-mill library tax, which equates to roughly $50 per year on a $200,000 home, would generate about $17.5 million if levied at that rate. It is currently levied at 2.58 mills, which brings in about $11 million, or a little more than half the librarys revenue.

Good government watchdog Bureau of Governmental Research supports the library millage, but says it should continue to be levied at the current rate. BGR is against the 0.91-mill affordable housing tax, however, because it says the Cantrell administration has not put forth clear plans for using the revenue.

The housing tax, which amounts to $11.38 per year on a $200,000 house, would generate about $3.9 million annually.

Five early voting centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 4, with the exception of a one-day closure on Sunday, Nov. 28. The five locations are:
An oil tanker hit an offshore oil platform at night off Louisiana because its Turkish operating company didn't give the ship's master time to recover from days of sleepless travel, federal investigators have found.

The master, or person in charge of sailing the Atina, had traveled from Istanbul and told investigators "he was tired from having no sleep for over 50 hours," according to a National Transportation Safety Board report made public Tuesday.

The crash just off the mouth of the Mississippi River on Oct. 17, 2020, caused an estimated $72.9 million in damage - $72.3 million to the platform SP-57B and the rest to the tanker Atina, the board said. However, nobody was hurt when the empty 898-foot-long ship ran into the platform at 4:46 a.m., and there wasn't any pollution, the board said.

The "accident master" took over immediately from the departing master even though the operating company's own safety manual calls for a 24-hour overlap, the report said. Such an overlap would have let him rest, it said.

The report described the accident's probable cause as the "operating company not ensuring sufficient time for the master's turnover, which resulted in the master's acute fatigue and poor situation awareness during an attempted nighttime anchoring evolution."

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The man had been told in Istanbul that he had to take over as soon as possible. The reason, according to the report, was that the master on board planned to leave after having "issues" with an inspector for the ship's owners and operators. The ship finished discharging its cargo of crude oil at the NuStar Terminal in St. James then left for its planned anchorage off Southwest Pass, the report said.

The new master arrived on board and - instead of anchoring where the previous master had planned - chose a closer spot. He told investigators he "didn't want to spend a lot of time finding a place to anchor in the middle of the night on a vessel he wasn't familiar with" and he was exhausted. That spot was about three quarters of a mile from the platform, the report said.

The board identified the Atina's owner as Hanzhou 1 Ltd and its operator as Besiktas Likid Tasimacilik Denizcilik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi.

Besiktas did not respond to an email on Wednesday. An attorney representing both companies in a lawsuit filed by the platform's owners, Cox Operating LLC of Houston, did not immediately respond to an email Friday.

Cox filed that suit the day after the crash, in federal court in New Orleans. It estimated damages to its platform at $225 million, including economic losses during repairs.

The National Transportation Safety Board does not assign fault or blame, and U.S. law forbids using its reports as evidence in lawsuits.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are selling at a reduced price this Black Friday at two US retailers: Amazon and Best Buy. The device offers speak to chat and active noise cancellation features.

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Sony's popular WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are on offer this Black Friday. The device features active noise cancellation, up to 30 hours of battery and speak to chat functionality. We reported on the release of these headphones last fall.

The gadget also has adaptive playback, which uses sensors to detect whether you are wearing your headphones or not, so that it can automatically play and pause. Sony suggests that this device is suited for travelling or working in a noisy environment like a cafe.

The gadget is currently in stock and on sale at Best Buy, costing US$248 (~219), down from US$349.99 (~309). The headphones are available in all three colours; black, midnight blue and silver. Best Buy's returns period has been extended for the festive season, allowing you to return your purchases made between October 18 and January 2, until January 16.

The WH-1000XM4 headphones are also on offer at Amazon, with a deal matching Best Buy on pairs in the same three colours, at US$248 (~219). Amazon has also extended its return window for the holiday period, giving customers until January 31 2022, to return items purchased between October 1 and December 31.

Buy the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless headphones on Amazon
The pairing process starts automatically when the charging case is opened for the first time. Samsung smartphones then directly recognize the new Galaxy Buds2 and suggest pairing. Alternatively, the pairing process can be started manually by holding both sensor surfaces.

Users of other smartphones should download the Samsung Wearable app (Android) beforehand. After pairing, the app recommends installing the appropriate plug-in (Android only), and then you are ready to go. For Apple devices, the Samsung Galaxy Buds app is available, but it did not support Galaxy Buds2 at the time of testing. However, this is already the case in the app for Windows. It is similar to the Android app, but sorted a bit differently.

Among other things, the app can be used to initiate the acoustic test and install updates. The ANC can be turned on or off via the app, but there are no settings. However, the ambient mode is divided into three levels. With the stronger variant, these are even amplified. If the low ambient sound setting is selected, ambient noises are slightly muffled. The latter setting is more practical outdoors on windy days.

The app can also be used to configure the two touch sensors separately from each other, activate experimental functions or search for the earphones. The search function is an acoustic function where the earphones start to chirp and get a bit louder over time.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near the Burma-India border region around dawn on Friday, but there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 7.5 miles (12 km), and was about 87 miles (140 km) away from Aizawl in northeastern India, according to Indias National Center for Seismology.

Witness accounts gathered by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said the tremor, which started after 5 a.m local time, was felt in Chittagong in Bangladesh and as far away as the east Indian city of Kolkata, some 280 miles (450.62 km) from Aizawl.

One of the testimonies gathered by EMSC was from an Indian person from Hnahthial some 52 miles (84 km) away from the epicenter.

Suddenly a tremor  and we were about to jump out of our bed! It stopped then. Luckily no loss and damage were recorded  Thank God, for protecting us, the person stated.

Another witness said the earthquake felt very strong in Chittagong, about 115 miles (184 km) west of the quakes epicenter.

Tremors were felt across states in northeastern India and other major urban areas in Bangladesh, according to EMSC and Indias earthquake monitoring agency.

EMSC pegged the temblors magnitude at 5.8, after having earlier given it a magnitude of 6.0.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
A person who was suspected of being armed with a knife was shot and killed on Friday at the entrance to San Diegos Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) by military base personnel, according to local reports.

The San Diego Police Department said it was called just after midday notifying that a military base guard opened fire on a person, reported KGTV.

Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) officials said in a statement a car tried to enter the facility at the Gate 5 checkpoint on Washington Street and Pacific Highway at 11:50 a.m., reported KFMB.

Guards warned the car to stop, at which point the driver emerged from the car, allegedly holding a knife, and approached the guards at the gate with hostile intent.

The person was shot after he ignored several commands to stop, according to the statement.

Emergency services responded, but the person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The persons identity has not been made public.

Local NBC reporter Artie Ojeda shared a photo of the scene on Twitter, showing a vehicle at the entrance of the military base.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) will handle the investigation into the fatal shooting, because it took place on federal property.

In a statement to outlets, the NCIS said it cannot provide further details at present [o]ut of respect for the ongoing investigative process, reported CNN.

From The Epoch Times
BELGRADE  Stained for years by its brutal role in the horrific Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, Serbia is now basking in the glow of success in a good war: the battle to get its people vaccinated.

Serbia has raced ahead of the far richer and usually better-organized countries in Europe to offer all adult citizens not only free inoculations but a smorgasbord of five different vaccines to choose from.

By contrast, the European Union has stumbled badly in providing shots, with a disjointed procurement and distribution strategy that bet big on the AstraZeneca vaccine. That strategy hit a roadblock this week after key members of the bloc, including Germany and France, suspended inoculations with the vaccine over concerns it might increase the risk of blood clots, compounding delivery problems that stemmed from a production shortfall the company announced in January.

Serbias unusual surfeit of vaccines has been a public relations triumph for the increasingly authoritarian government of President Aleksandar Vucic. It has burnished his own as well as his countrys image, weakened his already beleaguered opponents and added a new twist to the complex geopolitics of vaccines.
Indonesias top intelligence official in Papua Province was a one-star general who did not believe in leading from his office. A Bali native, Brig. Gen. I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha rose through the ranks of Indonesias feared special forces and often went on patrol with troops in areas where separatist rebels were known to stage attacks.

Ambushes and gunfights are common, said Wawan Hari Purwanto, a spokesman for the State Intelligence Agency. But he always chose to be at the front in every patrol and observation, including in gunfights. He didnt want to be just behind a desk.

On Sunday, General Danny, 51, walked into his final ambush. He was shot and killed near a church in remote Dambet Village in Papuas central highlands. Now, human rights activists fear that President Joko Widodos call for a strong response to the generals death may prompt harsh reprisals against the Indigenous population in Indonesias easternmost province.

In announcing the killing on Monday, Mr. Joko called on the army and the police to hunt down and arrest every member of the group responsible for the generals death. General Danny was the first general to die in action in Indonesias history, an army spokesman said.
Dreaming of golden beaches and the caress of tropical breezes? Then consider a holiday on the island of Phuket.

Thats the pitch being made by the government of Thailand, which has seen its tourism-dependent economy battered by the pandemic. On Tuesday, the Thai cabinet approved a plan, called Phuket Sandbox, that will allow vaccinated international visitors to roam the island without having to quarantine for 14 days, as is the current policy for arrivals in Thailand.

Im very excited that its finally happening, said Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, the head of the Phuket branch of the Thai tourism authority. Business here has been devastated. With this reopening, at least the people are being given the chance to welcome tourists again.

But Phuket Sandbox  which is scheduled to start on July 1 with five flights from Singapore, Qatar, Israel and the United Arab Emirates  may not deliver the economic boost that its supporters were hoping for. And the late date of formal approval, with many international travelers having already made summer plans, makes it unlikely that crowds of sun seekers will be descending on the island anytime soon.
For the first time high-ranking officials from the 1990s wartime government in Serbia were linked to involvement in atrocities in neighboring countries, as a war-crimes tribunal in The Hague on Wednesday convicted two former Serbian officials of aiding and abetting war crimes committed in the wars that ravaged the Balkans at that time.

The case was the final one to be heard by the international criminal tribunal established by the United Nations to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the Balkan wars. The verdict capped dozens of trials that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, a conflict that unleashed waves of sectarian and ethnic fighting.

Coming nearly three decades after the tribunal was established, the case was also a coda for the protracted legal struggle to hold accountable the architects and perpetrators of the worst bloodletting in Europe since the end of World War II. It was the last chance for U.N. prosecutors to tie officials from the Serbian state to atrocities in neighboring Bosnia and Croatia.

Few Serbian officials played as critical a role during the conflicts as the defendants Jovica Stanisic, the former head of Serbias state security, and Franko Simatovic, his deputy.
But election experts still expressed worries about the amount of personal information being requested and the security risks, both to voters and to the electoral process, that could come with such a transfer of information. Such risks have grown increasingly common in partisan election reviews around the country.

Thats a really bad idea to have private information floating around in a Senate caucus, said Marian K. Schneider, an elections lawyer for the A.C.L.U. of Pennsylvania. And its really not clear how the data is going to be used, whos going to be looking at it, who can have access, how its going to be secured. And its unclear to me why they even need the personally identifying information.

Republicans in several states have pursued similar reviews  misleadingly labeled audits to suggest an authoritative nonpartisan investigation  in the name of protecting election integrity. The reviews have often centered on baseless claims and debunked conspiracy theories about the presidential contest, spurred in part by the falsehoods promoted by former President Donald J. Trump and his allies.

President Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes, and the results have been reaffirmed by the states Department of State.

The entirety of our proceedings today, issuing subpoenas, is based upon such a noncredible foundation, said Anthony H. Williams, a Democratic state senator who represents an area near Philadelphia. He added that it was very troubling and, in fact, leads us to darker days in this country, such as when hearings like these, during the McCarthy era, were held, where voices were silenced and liberties were denied, being bullied by the power of the government.

State Senator Jake Corman, the top Republican in the chamber, who approved the review last month, portrayed the investigation as merely trying to inform future legislation and lashed back at Democrats, asking what they were scared of.

All were doing is seeking facts, seeking information, so that we can make better public policy, Mr. Corman said.
FRONT PAGE

Because of an editing error, an article on Friday about the threats that climate change and flooding pose to the Smithsonian museums in Washington misidentified the maker of the original Star Spangled Banner, which hangs in the Smithsonians National Museum of American History. It was made by Mary Pickersgill, not Betsy Ross.

INTERNATIONAL

An article on Thursday about a government ministers successful defamation suit misidentified the source of mistaken reports that Andrew Laming, a Liberal member of Parliament, had taken a photo of a woman in a skirt and had been accused of upskirting. The mistaken report was from social media users, not news outlets.

WEEKEND ARTS

An article on Friday about Don Johnson reprising the title role in a Nash Bridges revival misidentified the creators of the new TV movie. Johnson wrote it with Bill Chais, based on the work of Carlton Cuse. Cuse said he was not involved in the revival.

MAGAZINE

An article on Page 28 this weekend about risks associated with e-cigarettes misstates which products were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It approved two tobacco-flavored products. No menthol flavor was approved.
MELBOURNE, Australia  After days of riots in the Solomon Islands during which protesters called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign, set buildings ablaze and looted stores, the authorities on Saturday said they had found the bodies of three people in a burned-out building.

They are the first reported deaths following days of violent protests in Honiara, the nations capital. The three bodies, which were burned, had been found in the remains of one store in the Chinatown district, a police spokesman said. The police were investigating the deaths, he said.

Its unclear if the deaths are directly linked to the protests, but they come after officials in China have urged the Solomon Islands to protect Chinese citizens and businesses. Honiaras Chinatown was one of the areas most heavily targeted by protesters.

The decision by the Solomon Islands central government to switch its diplomatic relationship from Taipei to Beijing in 2019 was the driving force behind the protests, according to experts, with the move exacerbating social and political fault lines dividing the nation.
Someday, I may appreciate the irony in this situation.

For now, Im in my fourth hour trapped on the tarmac at Amsterdams Schiphol Airport, where officials will not allow so much as a catering truck to bring us water. And an appreciation for irony is elusive.

My flight took off nearly 16 hours ago from Johannesburg, where people were abuzz with the news of the discovery of a coronavirus variant that is spreading in South Africa.

This variant has many mutations, in particular on the spike protein that helps it enter human cells, and is spreading relatively quickly around Johannesburg.

South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases shared what it knew midday on Thursday, and before I even took off, Britain had banned flights from southern Africa. Europe apparently panicked while I was somewhere over the Sahara; by the time we landed, we were told we would not be permitted off the plane.
This article is part of our latest DealBook special report on the trends that will shape the coming decades.

Demographics are destiny.

It is a phrase, often attributed to the French philosopher Auguste Comte, that suggests much of the future is preordained by the very simple trend lines of populations. Want to understand how the power dynamic between the United States and China will change over the next 20 years? An economist would tell you to look at the demographics of both countries. (Chinas economy is likely to overtake the U.S. economy by 2028, but remain smaller on a per capita basis.)

Want to know how much lithium were going to need to mine to make batteries over the next 20 years? Demographics will most likely provide the answer. (We are likely to need 13 to 42 times the amount we currently use, according to the International Energy Agency.) And on and on.

Predicting the future may be a fools errand. But using demographic data to assess the opportunities and challenges of the next two decades is something that business and political leaders dont do enough. Were all too swept up in the here and now, the next quarter and the next year.

Of course, demographics cant spot pandemics or other crises. But as seismic as they feel in the moment, such events are rare.
The staggering Covid death toll at nursing homes in 2020, steep declines in cases after the successful vaccine campaign and then the steady rise again in late summer and this fall should have made boosters for older Americans a top priority, some experts say.

Whats been surprising is the lack of data and attention on nursing homes this time around, said Dr. Ashish Jha, a physician and dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. The government should have authorized additional doses as early as July, he noted, especially since nursing home residents were among the first to receive the vaccines 10 or more months ago.

The data was clear at that point, Dr. Jha said. We were seeing waning immunity, particularly in the elderly.

In August, third doses of some vaccines were authorized for people with weakened immune systems. But by the time booster shots were approved for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in late September, followed by approvals for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines the next month, many nursing home residents had already lost some of their initial protection against infection, experts say. And they were more vulnerable to serious disease because of their age and declining health.

Six months for them was a lot earlier than six months for the general population, said David Grabowski, a health policy professor at Harvard who studies nursing homes. Residents of assisted living facilities are particularly at risk because there does not appear to be a coherent strategy, he said. New outbreaks complicate matters by putting booster programs on hold until the cases subside.

The effort to vaccinate residents last winter was delegated to two large drugstore chains, CVS Health and Walgreens. When the federal contracts ended earlier this year, nursing homes reverted to relying on the pharmacies typically used to help them vaccinate residents against the flu.
Now his body automatically controls its insulin and blood sugar levels.

Mr. Shelton, now 64, may be the first person cured of the disease with a new treatment that has experts daring to hope that help may be coming for many of the 1.5 million Americans suffering from Type 1 diabetes.

Its a whole new life, Mr. Shelton said. Its like a miracle.

Diabetes experts were astonished but urged caution. The study is continuing and will take five years, involving 17 people with severe cases of Type 1 diabetes. It is not intended as a treatment for the more common Type 2 diabetes.

Weve been looking for something like this to happen literally for decades, said Dr. Irl Hirsch, a diabetes expert at the University of Washington who was not involved in the research. He wants to see the result, not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, replicated in many more people. He also wants to know if there will be unanticipated adverse effects and if the cells will last for a lifetime or if the treatment would have to be repeated.

But, he said, bottom line, it is an amazing result.

Dr. Peter Butler, a diabetes expert at U.C.L.A. who also was not involved with the research, agreed while offering the same caveats.

It is a remarkable result, Dr. Butler said. To be able to reverse diabetes by giving them back the cells they are missing is comparable to the miracle when insulin was first available 100 years ago.
Patty Cook

Prairie Village, Kan.

To the Editor:

Understanding the scientific method and how evidence-based medicine works is important. The fact that Ross Douthat tried the Rife machine (which emits electromagnetic waves) and it worked is correlation, not causation.

A great example is back pain. Many people experience back pain and will report that one treatment or another was successful (if any were at all). The data to date is not great for surgery, and many patients get better with therapy or just with the passage of time. Whatever they were doing when it finally resolved is then observed to be the cure  whether chiropractic, acupuncture or other treatments.

Unfortunately, I view Mr. Douthats story to be one of how I became desperate, not open-minded. If Mr. Douthat is convinced his treatment helped him, he should use the bully pulpit he has to push for a trial at a reputable center where others are suffering as he had. That would settle the question.

David J. Melvin

Chester, N.J.

The writer is a strategist and market research expert consulting with pharmaceutical companies.

To the Editor:

Ross Douthat contrasts his therapeutic experiments with the empirical science-based approach of conventional medicine. He need not be so apologetic. While we benefit from rigorous F.D.A. and C.D.C. studies of drugs and protocols, the dirty secret of much medical practice today is how often patients are essentially experimented on when doctors evaluate and prescribe for them. Theres a good deal more lets try this and see if it works than the medical establishment admits to.

As for diagnosis, one has only to read Dr. Lisa Sanderss Diagnosis columns in The Times Magazine to see how often patients are ferried through an essentially speculative odyssey combining guesswork and experimentation, often receiving the right treatment only as a matter of chance that someone on the team happened to have seen the condition somewhere once. Not to mention that about 20 percent of diagnoses of serious diseases are flat-out wrong and may initiate therapies that do harm.

The medical establishment should be more willing to admit that Mr. Douthats slow recognition of patterns in his case is not that far off from its own frequent serial experimentation.
Right now, thanks in part to extreme partisan gerrymanders, Republicans enjoy control of government in 23 states, allowing them to pass increasingly aggressive restrictions. The lawmakers who so eagerly pass these bills claim they are about protecting life, but if that were their true motive, they would also be striving to provide easier access to contraception  thus reducing the need for abortions in the first place  and expanding government assistance to families with babies and young children. Most dont, of course.

If this is a dark time for reproductive freedom in America, it is also one of opportunity. Keep in mind that the anti-choice movement achieved as much as it did because it has had a clear enemy: Roe v. Wade and the reaffirmation of that ruling. In contrast, the abortion-rights movement has mostly played defense, believing that the courts would serve as a backstop. Now the tables are turning. Conservatives control the Supreme Court, and they will likely win many victories there in coming years. But they might soon tire of all that winning, for just as success breeds complacency, defeat begets urgency.

This moment is also an opportunity to recast the fight over abortion and reproductive rights generally. It should be centered on womens equality and liberty, not on their privacy, the right on which the Roe decision was grounded. The problem with that rationale, which was conjured by a court consisting of nine older men, is not only that it does not appear explicitly in the Constitution, but also that it carries insinuations of secrecy and even shame. Thats a rickety foundation for such a fundamental right. It is far harder to refute calls for equality and liberty, as evidenced by the struggles and successes of the L.G.B.T.Q. movement.

That movement, which played out in roughly the same time period as the fight for abortion rights, is in large part about pride. Not unlike the anti-abortion movement, its earliest breakthroughs were not in courts of law but in the court of public opinion, which influences how the Supreme Court rules more than any justice wants to admit.

In the end, this is how reproductive freedom must be saved  through a concerted political campaign that harnesses public support with a message of openness and pride, and a focus on womens equality and bodily autonomy. It needs to encompass not just the right to end a pregnancy but also the right not to get pregnant in the first place by having easy access to contraception. This shift may not happen tomorrow, but it wont happen at all unless voters start coming out and choosing representatives who support reproductive freedom, and convert that support into policy.

The Supreme Court will rule on Dobbs, but that will not be the end of the story. This story, like most movements for greater equality throughout American history, is not ultimately about the judiciarys interpretation of the Constitution. It is about the impact of large-scale social movements, and of regular people and their power to change the way we think about  and defend  our most fundamental rights.
These were the sort of transcendental moments we might hope to enjoy when we book a trip for adventure. But what they all had in common was some unanticipated ingredient. They relied on serendipity, whether in the form of weather conditions or animal idiosyncrasy. The high-flown emotions they triggered  the sorts that manifest in goose bumps, sometimes even tears  came unbidden.

Some occasions, by contrast, when I didnt feel awe: gorilla tracking in Uganda, seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre amid a jostling crowd of people taking photos of it with their mobile phones, every safari Ive ever been on. These experiences were certainly noteworthy. But they were far from sublime.

Space tourism belongs to this subset of ostensibly awesome experiences that often feel anticlimactic precisely because they come with a promise of awe factored in.

For one thing, space tourists probably embark with a pretty good simulation of the experience already imprinted on their minds. Westernized and space curious, clients of the new space tourism outfits will have watched the modern canon of astronautical drama, including Gravity and Interstellar. In preflight training, they will have been drilled and prepped for every moment they will spend in suborbit. The sense of surprise that is arguably the most vital precondition for experiencing awe will have been watered down by the months of forethought and demystification.

Often, the problem is simply one of context. Do you have any preconceived expectations about the experience? How exposed are you to the thing youre observing? Is the activity ethically fraught? These potential distractions might seem incidental. But they all have the potential to obstruct our ability to enjoy an authentic communion with the sublime.

Its the difference between joining a 20-strong organized tour to see the Northern Lights and, say, camping alone in some Scandinavian wilderness and being roused from your tent by the auroras spectral green ripples illuminating the canvas. The first will be nice, even memorable. You will take pretty photos and get lots of hearts on Instagram. The second could make you feel that you have been touched by grace.

The scientific study of awe is still in its infancy, but this awe junkies intuition is supported by a growing body of research. One of the most striking discoveries in our 15 years of studying awe is how often it involves finding the extraordinary in the ordinary: a friends generosity to a homeless person in the streets, looking at a leafy trees play of light and shadow on a sidewalk, said Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at Berkeley and the author of a book on awe set for release next year.
While a minimalist interior may have represented an aspirational environment only a few years ago, it seems that intermittent lockdowns and supply-chain-induced shortages have led people to re-evaluate the aesthetic of an empty house.

The result is a resurgence of maximalist home decor that embraces pattern, color and ornamentation. Cabinetry that may once have been wood grain is now jewel-toned; streamlined furniture has given way to all things squishy and wiggly; trends like cottagecore and grandmillennial aim to elevate items that are handmade, chintzy and secondhand.

Is it any wonder that fake food is back, too?

Charcuterie and cheese candles, resin-cast croissants and Jell-O salad lamps are hot items. Retro-style fake cakes are big on Instagram. The high-end jewelry brand Mociun sells faux glasses of spilled wine and melting ice cream cones alongside $10,000 engagement rings. And Yukiko Moritas Pampshade lamps, which are made from real baked goods that have been preserved, can sell for around $80 apiece.

For John Derian, the founder of an eponymous home decor and decoupage line, the resurgence of fake food is very welcome. Mr. Derian has had a fake cake sitting on his kitchen counter at home for 14 years, he said, and he estimates that he has been selling food-themed items in his store for about 20 years, starting with a stuffed doll made by Nathalie Lete that had sausages for arms and a steak for a head.
Before he died of Covid-19 in September, Nick Bledsoe was not shy about publicly sharing his opposition to masks and vaccines on Facebook. In April, Mr. Bledsoe, an auto mechanic from Opelika, Ala., added a frame declaring I dont care if youve had your vaccine to his profile photo and urged his father not to get the shot.

During the summer, he posted a petition against school mask requirements, cursed President Biden and his vaccine, and in his final post, shared a video casting doubt on the safety of vaccination against the coronavirus.

Then, with his last words before being placed on a ventilator, Mr. Bledsoe agreed to get vaccinated once he recuperated, according to his father. But he never left the hospital, dying at the age of 41 and leaving behind a wife and four children. The day after Mr. Bledsoe died, his father started urging those who were unvaccinated to get the shots.

The details of Mr. Bledsoes death and desperation-fueled change of heart stayed largely confined to his Facebook page. That is, until they appeared in screen-shotted detail the following week on a website that compiles the coronavirus deaths of vocal vaccine opponents.
It was evidence of Sondheims long-lasting popularity that, on the day of his death, audience members lined up to see revivals for two of his musicals: Company, a Broadway production starring Patti LuPone and Katrina Lenk, and Assassins, about the people who killed or tried to kill American presidents. Both had been delayed by the pandemic.

With the cast of Company standing onstage behind her at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater, arms around one anothers shoulders, Elliott said that Sondheims death had been a shock to the production, whose members had gotten to know the composer and lyricist during the preparation for the revival. Even at 91 years old and with more than six decades of writing music and lyrics for Broadway behind him, Sondheim had taken an active role in the new run of the musical, which first premiered in 1970 and won six Tony Awards. The current production was a hit with critics when it debuted in London in 2019.

He didnt need to do that, Elliott said. But he became the greatest enthusiast for it, and every single line of George Furths and every single lyric we talked about, we debated, we argued, we chatted, we laughed, Elliott added, referring to the playwright.

In this version, the central character, a bachelor with commitment issues, is played by a woman (Lenk). He had been supportive of the changes to the musical, Elliott said. He really understood about art, she said, and he really understood about the now and why art should speak to the now.

To close the remarks, Elliott offered the spotlight to Patti LuPone, one of the stars of Company who knew Sondheim well. All of us on this stage  cast musicians, crew  dedicate tonight, and going forward, for our entire run, to Stephen Sondheim, LuPone said.
Across the street from Maries, the mood was decidedly more raucous at the Duplex, where an ad hoc reunion of Mostly Sondheim, an open mic that ended a 12-year run in 2016, was underway. Inside, musical-theater insider jokes freely mixed with raunchy profanity and references to The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. The appreciative room fell into a hush at all the right moments, though, as when the music director Brian Nash teared up during the spoken opening of Sunday in the Park With George.

The Best Music of 2021 From Lil Nas X to Mozart to Esperanza Spalding here is what we loved listening to this year. Best Songs: A posthumous political statement and a superstars 10-minute redo are among the 66 best tracks of 2021. Pop Albums: Recordings with big feelings and room for catharsis made the most powerful connections. Jazz Albums: Even the big-statement albums this year had a feeling of intense closeness. Classical Music: 2021 was a year of reawakening for the art form, with performances that spoke meaningfully to the moment.



See, Im crying so hard,  he said. Then he and hosts Emily McNamara and Marty Thomas went straight into the upbeat Comedy Tonight.

Shortly after hearing the days news, Mr. Nash decided to bring back Mostly Sondheim. Luckily, the upstairs cabaret at the Duplex, a few doors down from the Stonewall Inn, was available. It seemed important to hold a space for folks to feel whatever they needed to, to sing and cry and laugh and be with people who understood what a loss this was to those who love theater, he said in an email sent near dawn.

He had no problem rallying the troops.

I was so ready to go home and go to bed, said Ms. McNamara, who had been at a big family gathering in New Jersey. But when Brian called me I was like, Ill chug some caffeine, put on some lashes, and lets go! 

There was trivia: Now were going to find if there are actual nerds in the room: On what song did Sondheim write the lyrics under the pen name Esteban Rio Nido?(Answer: The Boy From  with music by Mary Rodgers.) And there were reminiscences about first encounters with Sondheim, and of high school performances.

And even those stuck at home could join in when Telly Leung (who was once in a Broadway revival of Pacific Overtures) encouraged the crowd to sing along to Not a Day Goes By  the event was livestreamed on Facebook. (A commenter rejoiced: I am trapped in Delaware with no access to a piano bar. Thank you Brian and all for bringing the tribe to me.)

Others mourned and celebrated Mr. Sondheim at the theater: he had shows running on Broadway and off when he died, and Friday nights performances were exceptionally emotional.
AUSTIN  Over the last few years, in one of the fastest-growing cities in America, change has come at a feverish pace to the capital of Texas, with churches demolished, mobile home parks razed and neighborhood haunts replaced with trendy restaurants and luxury apartment complexes.

The transformation has perhaps been most acutely felt across East Austin and the neighborhood of Montopolis, a 2.5-square-mile patch southeast of downtown, where unobstructed views of the ever-expanding skyline have made the historically Black and Latino neighborhood a sought-after community.

And the momentum is nowhere near abating. These days, construction sites and cranes feel more like permanent fixtures across the neighborhood, where longtime residents have watched with growing anxiety as chic coffee shops, yoga studios and pricey bars have inched closer and closer.

We knew it was coming, said Francisco Nunez, who for nearly two decades lived at the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park until it was sold to a developer to make way for amenity-rich apartments that now fetch more than double what he once paid in rent.
Kevin Strickland left a Missouri prison penniless on Tuesday after serving more than 40 years for a triple murder that he did not commit, but more than 20,000 strangers have donated about $1.3 million to an online fund-raiser to help his re-entry to society.

He was exonerated without DNA evidence, which disqualified him from being compensated by the state, despite spending decades behind bars, his lawyers said. Mr. Strickland, 62, said on Friday that the community did not owe him anything for his wrongful imprisonment.

The courts failed me and thats who should be trying to make my life a little more comfortable, he said. I really do appreciate the donations and contributions they made to try to help me acclimate to society.

Mr. Strickland said the four days back in Kansas City had been overwhelming.

The sprawl of highways was especially dizzying, he said during a phone call while headed to the Independence Center shopping mall to spend $25 that someone had given him. He said he planned to buy a bag of cough drops and a shower cap  his first purchases outside of prison in more than 40 years.
The cascade of travel closures triggered a wave of resentment among Africans who believed that the continent was yet again bearing the brunt of panicked policies from Western countries, which had failed to deliver vaccines and the resources needed to administer them.

Richer countries, having already hoarded vaccines for much of 2021, were now penalizing parts of the world that they had starved of shots in the first place, scientists said.

Told you so, said Francois Venter, a researcher at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, referring to warnings from African researchers that delaying vaccinations there risked the emergence of new variants. It feels like these rich countries have learned absolutely nothing in terms of support.

The sense of outrage was most visceral in South Africa, where business leaders predicted a dire economic toll, especially on tourism. In the arrivals halls of Johannesburgs O.R. Tambo International airport, Ronald Masiwa, a tour operator, watched with dread as the information board flipped to red, displaying cancellation notices. Three clients had already canceled trips overnight, and he feared that many more would follow.

Some health officials said that the travel bans may buy some time to figure out how to deal with the new variant. But just as border closures a year ago did little to stop the spread of an earlier coronavirus variant from Britain, scientists said, the latest travel shutdowns had likely come too late.
He gave us priority

Given the torrent of scandals of the Bolsonaro era, an electorate that was once eager to crucify Mr. da Silva and his party has taken a more sanguine approach, said John French, a history professor at Duke University who wrote a biography of Mr. da Silva.

They were being indicted for not having been able to take money and corruption out of a political system where it has always been the essence of politics, he said, arguing that Brazilian voters by and large have become resigned to political graft. If you assume everybody is corrupt, the question is who really cares about you? Who feels for you? Whos capable of doing something for you, something concrete?

Those questions have kept people like Rodrigo da Silva, the fisherman, loyal to Mr. da Silva.

The shipyard where he once donned a uniform with pride is now overrun with weeds. The recruitment office is shuttered, the sign outside missing several letters. The company has begun repairing ships to pay off creditors, but has no plans to build them.

He has been unemployed since 2017. His electricity bill is months overdue. Raw sewage often bubbles up outside his home. But his eyes lit up when he spoke of the return of the former president who shares his last name.

The period during which I worked the most was when he was president, he said. Everybody steals. But he gave us priority.

Lis Moriconi contributed reporting from Rio de Janeiro.
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan  Racing down the cratered highways at dawn, Mohammad Rasool knew his 9-year-old daughter was running out of time.

She had been battling pneumonia for two weeks and he had run out of cash to buy her medicine after the bank in his rural town closed. So he used his last few dollars on a taxi to Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Afghanistans north, and joined an unruly mob of men clambering to get inside the last functioning bank for hundreds of miles.

Then at 3 p.m., a teller yelled at the crowd to go home: There was no cash left at the bank.

I have the money in my account, its right there, said Mr. Rasool, 56. What will I do now?

Three months into the Talibans rule, Afghanistans economy has all but collapsed, plunging the country into one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. Millions of dollars of aid that once propped up the previous government has vanished, billions in state assets are frozen and economic sanctions have isolated the new government from the global banking system.
Image At a counter for coronavirus quarantine and test appointments inside Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands, on Saturday, after 61 passengers arriving in the country tested positive for the virus. Credit... Eva Plevier/Reuters

Scientists raced to study a new coronavirus variant as several cases were spotted in Europe and governments around the world announced travel restrictions targeting the southern African region where it first emerged, prompting criticism that the continent was yet again bearing the brunt of panicked policies from Western countries.

Omicron, the new variant first detected in Botswana, sent Europe into high alert after cases were detected in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Belgium. The Czech Republic, Austria, Israel and the Netherlands were all investigating suspected cases of the variant.

Relatively little is known about Omicron. It has mutations that scientists fear could make it more infectious and less susceptible to vaccines  though neither of these effects has yet to be established. Most confirmed cases of the variant are contained to southern African countries, but there are worries Omicron could have spread more widely before scientists there discovered it.

Theres been a window of probably about two weeks conservatively that this virus has been spreading, Andrew Pekosz, an epidemiologist from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said in an interview on Saturday. It is likely the variant is already in New York, he said.

There certainly is a chance that it has already spread globally, but we just dont know yet, Mr. Pekosz added.

European leaders, already struggling with a surge in Covid-19 cases that has made it once again the epicenter of the pandemic, tried to strike a balance between increasing caution and avoiding panic.

Sixty-one passengers out of more than 500 on two flights from southern African countries into the Netherlands on Saturday tested positive for the coronavirus and are quarantining in Amsterdam. The Omicron variant is likely to be found in some of those 61 passengers who tested positive, the Dutch authorities said.

The European Union is restricting travel to and from seven countries in southern Africa  Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe  while the United States and South Korea have targeted those countries and Malawi. Britain has restricted travel with those eight nations and Angola, Mozambique and Zambia.

Canada, Australia, Russia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Morocco have all announced similar restrictions.

Israel announced the most restrictive ban Saturday, saying it would close its borders to foreign nationals for two weeks.

Some health officials said that the travel bans may buy some time to figure out how to deal with the new variant. But just as border closures a year ago did little to stop the spread of an earlier coronavirus variant from Britain, scientists said, the latest travel shutdowns had likely come too late.

And richer countries, having already hoarded vaccines for much of 2021, were now penalizing parts of the world that they had starved of shots in the first place, scientists said.

In a news conference on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that to curb the spread of the variant, face masks would be required in stores and on public transportation, a rule the country had ended in July.

Britain will also require travelers from abroad to get a PCR test within 48 hours of their arrival and require contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.

The variant was also detected in Hong Kong, which prompted the most stringent boarding and quarantine requirements for travelers coming from southern African countries.

I think certainly caution is warranted to restrict travel and to watch this closely, but at the end of the day, we really need a lot more data to evaluate this new variant, Philip A. Chan, an infectious disease doctor at Brown University who has helped lead the Covid-19 response for Rhode Island, said.

What we do know, he said, is that the Omicron variant seems to be overtaking the Delta variant in southern African countries, which suggest Omicron is more contagious and that it can overcome some of the natural immunity and vaccine immunity.

Neither one of those things are good, obviously. And I think that those are the two reasons that have experts and scientists so concerned, Dr. Chan said. But he still urges caution and patience.

Lets wait to see what the data shows. Lets take appropriate precautions, he said.

Dr. Chan also cautioned that without a robust global vaccination effort, we are half-treating the pandemic and leaving the world open to new and more transmittable variants.
PARIS  A couple decades ago France suffered a severe shock. A Spanish restaurant called El Bulli, on the Catalan coast north of Barcelona, led a culinary revolution so bold that French cuisine suddenly looked stilted, a self-satisfied tradition stuck in a cloying bed of butter and cream.

In an article the French have never forgotten, Arthur Lubow wrote in The New York Times Magazine that Spain has become the new France. Chefs opined that classic French cuisine had run out of gas. It was a country, one esteemed Spanish restaurant critic suggested, where chefs go to learn what not to do. How could a veal blanquette or an entrecote with morels and cream hold a candle to white bean foam with sea urchins or spherical melon caviar?

That was in 2003. Ferran Adria, working with his younger brother Albert, turned his restaurant in the Catalan seaside town of Rosas into a gastronomic gem so sought after that annual requests for tables rose into the millions, few of them satisfied.

The world wanted to taste Mr. Adrias conjuring of unlikely fusions and lightness. Kitchen and laboratory merged. Escoffier yielded to essences. Sauces were aerated rather than reduced. Beet foam and basil jelly were the new hollandaise and veloute.
Perhaps theres a war going on between Israel and Iran, but from the little civilians perspective we are being held as prisoners here in the middle and are helpless, said Beni Kvodi, 52, an editor at an Israeli radio station.

Mr. Kvodi has been openly gay for years, but the hack on the Israeli dating site threatened to expose thousands of Israelis who had not come out publicly about their sexual orientation. The site collected embarrassing information about users sexual habits, as well as explicit photos.

Ali, a 39-year-old driver with the national taxi company in Tehran who, like other Iranians interviewed, asked that his last name not be used out of fear for his security, said he lost a day of work waiting in gas station lines that snaked for miles.

Every day you wake up in this country and you have a new problem, he said in a telephone interview. It isnt our fault our governments are enemies. Its already hard enough for us to survive.

Both countries appear to be striking out at civilians to send messages to their governments.

The hack on Irans fuel distribution system took place on Oct. 26, near the two-year anniversary of large antigovernment protests set off by a sudden increase in gasoline prices. The government responded then with a brutal crackdown, which Amnesty International said killed more than 300 people.

The cyberattack appeared aimed at generating another wave of antigovernment unrest.

Gas pumps suddenly stopped working and a digital message directed customers to complain to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, displaying the phone number of his office.
Ms. Hassan, an engineering student, works part time in a flower shop in the Kurdish capital Erbil, the city from which Ms. Nuri left by plane to begin her fateful journey, a two-hour drive from her hometown, Soran. On Valentines Day, she said, Mr. Assad visited, and bought an armful of roses to take to Ms. Nuri.

Ms. Nuri finished high school but did not go on to college. In late October, Ms. Nuri called her best friend and told her to come to her house, where she told her she was ready to join Mr. Assad in England and would leave soon.

She told me, Dont worry, Im going the safest way, and said she would avoid the sea crossing, Ms. Hassan said.

Mr. Assad had procured an Italian-issued tourist visa that allowed Ms. Nuri to travel to the European Union, paying $20,000 to someone from outside the Italian consulate, according to Mr. Assads brother, Nihad.

Some people in Erbil get visas  they are just like smugglers, said Nihad Assad, who is a butcher in Erbil, referring to the people selling visas in the city.

The Italian consul could not be reached for comment.

Ms. Nuris uncle, the father of Ms. Hassan, worked at the airport in Erbil and talked her through how to find boarding gates and seat numbers on the plane. Ms. Nuri spoke Turkish but no English, and Ms. Hassan tried to teach her a few words.
A star athlete disappeared from public view this month after she accused a former official in her home country of sexual assault. Which of the following is true about her?
ON this day 100 years ago, November 27, 1921, John Keegan from Ballinagore, Kilbeggan put pen to paper in Carmarthen prison, Wales.

The prisoner wrote two letters  one to his brother, Br Frank Keegan, a Christian Brother, and another to his cousin Tom Cowley.

Yes it looks like well spend this [Christmas] also in Durance Vile. Well it's no use worrying about it, better meet everthing with tranquility, better times must come sooner or later, he wrote to his brother.

Referring to the ongoing talks with the British Government, he told his cousin: Well, the conference is still going on apparently we were just as near a settlement in July as we are now.

He added: It is disappointing things are so slow  at least it is to us, but it looks as if there'll be no more fighting when the Internees are being released. I had hoped that when the truce was signed we'd at least get political treatment, and I had hoped also that we criminals (word 'criminals' underlined) would be released whenever internees would be released, but apparently I'm hoping against hope.

John Keegan, a blacksmith and member of the Irish Volunteers who was born in 1895, had been caught 13 months earlier with a revolver by the RIC near Ballinagore, Co Westmeath.

He was arrested on October 27, 1920, sentenced to two years of hard labour with remission of three months, and shipped to Carmarthen via Wormwood Scrubs prison in London.

Records of his involvement in the IRA are kept by one of his grandsons, Tom Keegan, and they refer to his active service in the attack on the RIC barracks in Clara and an attempted attack on Black and Tans in Monaghanstown, near Castletown-Geoghegan, Co Westmeath.

John Keegan brought bombs to Ballinacarrigy for a planned attack on the barracks there on February 2, 1920 and on April 3 the same year, he was on sentry duty at the customs and excise office at the county hall in Mullingar where the IRA were destroying documents.

He also recorded details of the raid on Mullingar railway station on June 29, 1920 where the Volunteers punctured drums of petrol destined for the RAF aerodrome in Oranmore, Co Galway.

His luck ran out four months later and the circumstances leading to his incarceration are detailed in extensive police and military documents, retrieved by this writer in November, 2020.

A summary of the evidence prepared by RIC Constable Edward Churchill reveals how the police were searching the Castletown-Geoghegan area at about 9pm on October 27, 1920 when they came upon John Keegan and another man.

The police were led by Captain VD Corbett, district inspector at Kilbeggan RIC barracks and the written report before the civilian court martial said: I saw accused (identified) with another man approaching us. I called on them to halt. I was searching accused when he broke away. I followed him [and] took him by the coat.

In a dramatic moment, the constable said he then saw the man draw his right hand across his body and said to the other police: This man is trying to shoot. A fellow constable came up and held the accused with his rifle.

That fellow constable was named as EA Chandler and a search was carried out by G Wilson.

The police said they seized a five-chambered revolver and four rounds of live ammunition and Constable Churchill notes Keegan saying: I did not mean to shoot. I wanted to throw the revolver away.

An empty round case was also found and according to the RIC driver at the time of the arrest, named in court documents as G Vivian, it smelt of cordite and had been fired. Vivian's evidence was that while two constables were holding Keegan's arms he reached into his coat pocket and found the gun and rounds.

Captain Corbett told the court that the empty case had been discharged but he added: It might have been discharged on any day.

With John Keegan arrested, the police continued by searching his homeplace at Derryroe, Balllinagore at about 10.15pm and Constable PR Jack said he found a revolver holster under a pillow, along with more ammunition.

Keegan's three brothers, Patrick, Joseph and Bernard Keegan, were also held on suspicion of possession of ammunition and there are documents from the authorities at General Headquarters in Dublin dated up to February 4, 1921 where a lieutenant colonel is writing to the infantry brigade in Athlone enquiring about their case. The three men were released.

Following his detention by the Leicestershire Regiment in Athlone, on November 12, 1920, Keegan was convicted of having firearms which were not under effective military control. The court documents indicate he said that as an Irish Volunteer he was entitled to carry arms. He declined to cross examine any of the prosecution witnesses.

The sentence handed down, he was moved to Mountjoy first and then to Wormwood Scrubs before joining other IRA detainees in Carmarthen.

As his letters home indicate, he was unhappy at being designated a criminal and longed to return from a prison he described as Hotel De Carmarthen in one letter and Durance (perhaps a play on the word 'endurance') Vile in another. At the same time however, he was using his blacksmith skills to plot an escape.

A warden had broken a master key for the outer doors and Keegan, who was labouring in the prison workshop, offered to repair it. While doing so, he made a copy. He also studied the governor's master key for the cells and made a duplicate.

According to Kilmainham Gaol Museum, Dublin, where the keys are kept, his release on the general amnesty in 1922 meant he never used the keys but he did hide them in his shoes when leaving.

In his letter to his brother Frank in October 1921 he concluded with the words hoping it wont [sic] be long until I see you again in old Dublin.

His wish was granted on January 13, 1922 following his release.

The family believe that five years later he returned to the prison as a visitor, tried one of the keys and was delighted to find that it worked.

The keys, which are not yet on public display, were recently released for inspection by John Keegan's daughter, Sr Theresa Keegan, a resident of a nursing home in Chapelizod.



John Keegan married Bridget Daly, a widowed mother of one, and had eight children, four of whom entered religious life like his brother Frank. Two of his daughters became nuns, one son, Tom, joined the priesthood and lived in Australia, and another son Frank became a Christian Brother in Dublin. Another son, Sean, was a Fianna Fail TD for Longford/Westmeath between 1977 and 1982, while two daughters, Dill and Bridie, married and lived in Co Westmeath, and another daughter, Ita, married and lived in Dublin. He died in 1976 at the age of 81 and was buried in Horseleap cemetery with military honours. Along with his daughter Sr Theresa, formerly of Rome and Florence, he is survived by another daughter, Sr Gemma, Sisters of Mercy, Tullamore, and formerly of Kilcormac. His grandson Gearoid Keegan is Deputy Editor of the Tullamore Tribune.
Two Offaly-based charities and community organisations have become the latest beneficiaries of Aldis Community Grants programme, with each receiving a 500 grant from the Aldi store teams in County Offaly.

500 grants were presented to KS Food Appeal and Laois Offaly Families for Autism.

Aldis Community Grants programme helps fund local charities and community organisations that contribute vital work and services in their local communities. Each local charity supported is chosen by Aldi employees, enabling them to help the good, local causes they are passionate about.

The Community Grants programme has supported 850 donations to local charities to date. By the end of the year, the programme will have donated over 450,000 since its inception in 2016.

Commenting, John Curtin, Group Buying Director, Aldi Ireland said: We are proud to continue supporting local charities across the country through the Aldi Community Grants programme and were pleased to see the impact of our donation in the local communities for County Offaly.

The Community Grants programme is one example of how Aldi is committed to investing and partnering with local communities and charities across Ireland and we look forward to continuing this engagement into 2022.
Work will commence on a new community centre in Offaly in 2022.

Killeigh Community Centre Development Association have ambitious plans to commence the construction of the new centre in early 2022.

To raise finance to ensure the project can be completed, a massive fundraiser was launched in June 2021. Win a House Enfield has been organised by the committee and a draw for a newly built A rated 3-bedroom house in Enfield to the value of 355,000 will be won by one lucky winner.

In October the committee have decided to give the lucky winner of the draw the option of taking a cash prize of 300,000 OR the house. The committee feels this would widen the interest in the draw and maximise the returns for the community centre.

Enfield is an excellent location in the commuter belt around Dublin and was selected as it is attractive to a wider population in hoping to maximise sales of tickets. The large A rated 3-bedroom house is situated within walking distance of the village of Enfield, Co. Meath. Royal Oaks Estate delivers the very best of both worlds. A host of village amenities, the peace of the breath-taking Co. Meath countryside, community life which is at the heart of the thriving village of Enfield, alongside the convenience of being so close to Dublin which will appeal to many commuters. So the winner will truly win an exceptional prize.

Tickets are priced at 100 and open to all to enter. The draw will run until January 3, 2022. Tickets sale are limited to 15,000. All details can be found on www.winahouseinenfield.com or @facebook Win a house in Enfield. Also visit their own page www.killeighcommunity centre.com or @facebook Killeigh Community Centre Development Association for regular updates.

This 13 person committee first came together in November 2017 with the main aim to provide a community centre for the village. In addition, the committee conducted a local needs survey within the community and listened to the community and local businesses, realising the need of a community centre in order to enhance economic and social life in Killeigh and its surrounding area.

The proposed Community Centre is located on the site of the former Macra Hall, and was opened in 1965, by the local Macra Na Feirme branch.

Sadly the premises has become a little run down in latter years, but as a community centre located just on the outskirts of the village, it can again become the centre and heart of the community.

Killeigh is a village in Co. Offaly located 8km south of Tullamore on the N80 national secondary road. The village is located in the parish of Killeigh which is the 2nd largest parish in Ireland. The community represents all that is good about rural Ireland insofar that it takes pride of it surrounding areas and there is a strong sense of unity amongst each other.

The project here is to further enhance this community spirit. We recognise that the biggest asset that a community has is its people and losing them is the biggest drain to the area in terms of economy, sociodemographic and future development, said committee PRO, Martina Gorman.

The committee has worked hard over the last four years to make this project a reality. They have put a formal structure in place for the committee by setting up as a Company Limited by guarantee and obtained charitable status. They have successfully put all the legal and statutory requirements in place regarding ownership of the site and building, planning permission, fire safety and disabled accessible certificates. The design is finalised, the drawing and specifications are completed and the project is shovel ready once the funding is secured.

With regard financing the project, this will be in the region of 850,000 to complete phase 1. They were delighted to be approved for Leader Funding and with monies already raised had plans to continue fundraising in 2020/2021 to start the build his year. However Covid put these plans on hold. Also having been unsuccessful in securing monies under the 2020 Rural and Community Development programme (which they are revisiting this year), the committee were then faced with a shortfall of funding. Sometimes when one door closes one looks at other avenues and thats exactly what this committee did and they went back to the drawing board .They have spent the first quarter of 2021 planning this large-scale fundraiser and it is likely to be the biggest fundraiser any of this 13 person volunteer committee will ever likely to be involved with. The ultimate goal if all goes well is to commence Phase 1 build in early 2022.

The Community Centre development is in 2 phases; this is to ensure they can get a fully-functioning multi space centre open first. They see this as a realistic goal, and feel if the project were to drag on for longer, they would lose peoples confidence in being able to deliver what they promised. Once Phase 1 is completed and the centre is open, they will then reflect again on what the community needs, what is economically viable and what is happening in the wider community.

The PR Group (a sub- group of the committee) has also been actively involved in the People of Killeigh & Beyond series that has been running over the past number of weeks where people from the local community have been sharing their stories about growing up and living in Killeigh and the surrounding area. Each story is published weekly on the facebook page and the Tribune and is getting fantastic feedback.

While each story is very different, what links each one is the contribution each person makes to their local community and how that contribution enriches not only their own lives but also that of the community they live and work in. In Killeigh, the committee are more determined than ever to get their own Community Centre up and running so as to have a focal point for village life and to serve the community needs. They would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have taken part so far and anyone still wishing to do would be very welcome to share their story.

If you would like to learn more about the development of the proposed Killeigh Community Centre and how you may be able to assist please visit the website www.killeighcommunitycentre.com
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Alexandra Xanthaki, UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

Alexandra Xanthaki was appointed UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights in October 2021.

Alexandra Xanthaki is Professor of Laws at Brunel University London, United Kingdom. A leading expert on cultural rights, Alexandra has over 50 publications varying from cultural rights of minorities and indigenous peoples to cultural diversity, cultural heritage, balancing cultural rights with other rights and interests, and multicultural aspects of international human rights law.

Alexandra is Greek and completed her law degree in Athens Law Faculty and qualified as a lawyer. She then moved to the United Kingdom and completed a Masters degree (LLM) in 'Human Rights and Emergency Law' at Queen's University, Belfast. She pursued a doctorate at Keele University, UK, on the 'Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations' under the supervision of Patrick Thornberry. Her work on cultural rights of non-state actors is well-known and has been cited repeatedly in international documents. She has worked on issues relating to human rights with NGOs and civil society. Before taking up the mandate, Alexandra has worked closely with several mandates at the United Nations and has advised several States on human rights issues. She has also taught civil servants and lawyers in several parts of the world, including the Ukraine, Vietnam, South Africa and Malaysia.

Alexandra is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (London) and member of the Summer Human Rights Faculty in Oxford. In Brunel University London, she leads the Brunel side in an EU funded project of 13 partners on employing technology to push forward the integration of migrants. She has also worked with colleagues and NGOs to develop a prototype of an online game to advance the rights of children and their integration. Ms. Xanthaki is well known as the founder of the awarded Athens Refugee Project, where students have volunteered since early 2016 with refugee civil society organisations

Former Special Rapporteurs

Ms. Farida Shaheed

(2009-2015)

Ms. Karima Bennoune

(2015-2021)
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Alan and Gail Christensen are celebrating their 50th anniversary. They were married Nov. 27, 1971. They have four children, Susan, Lisa, Brian and Elaine.

Alan graduated from Midland High School in 1965. He then attended Central Michigan University, graduating in January 1970 with a B.S. degree in business administration. He was immediately drafted into the U.S. Army and spent the majority of the next two years in DaNang, Vietnam as a finance specialist. On discharge from the Army he rejoined the then Chemical Bank where he spend the majority of the next 37 years, retiring as vice president and senior mortgage loan underwriter in 2007. He then joined Delta College as an adjunct instructor, teaching various business administration classes for the next six years.
MANISTEE COUNTY  Legislation aimed at improving maritime commerce in Michigan could benefit lakeside communities like Manistee, according to the bills sponsor, Rep. Jack OMalley (R) Lake Ann.

House Bill 5291 would establish a Port Facility Improvement Grant program for the expansion and creation of public and private ports within the state. It also creates the Maritime and Port Facility Improvement office within the Michigan Department of Transportation  devoting a specific office to Great Lakes commerce.

OMalley chairs the House Transportation Committee. The second-term legislator underscored the need to focus on maritime activities, just as the state does for roads, bridges, aviation and railways.

Appropriations would still be needed to address the grant process, but OMalley maintains that establishing a framework for the program is a necessary first step.

Michigan really does nothing to support its maritime community, OMalley told the News Advocate. When you look at the amount that the other states are doing: Ohio is cleaning our clocks. Billions of dollars are going to Toledo and Cleveland because Michigan just hasn't supported things.

Michigan has around 36 ports in operation, but Great Lakes freighters often arrive at ports in places like Wisconsin and Ohio, which have similar legislation already in place, according to OMalley.

We've all heard and seen the Tim Allen Pure Michigan commercial where he talks about sitting on the shore watching the Great Lakes freighters slide by. The problem is that boat doesn't stop in Michigan. It's going to Duluth, it's going to Milwaukee, it's going to Chicago, it's going to Cleveland  it's going somewhere else. They really don't stop anywhere in Michigan, OMalley said.

Michigan is basically considered passive in our assistance to the maritime and shipping community in the Great Lakes region. We're the last to the table and we've got to change that, he continued.

While Great Lakes freighters still arrive at cities like Manistee and Ludington, O'Malley said that creating a new maritime office and grant program would open up state and federal funding for local port authorities to improve their facilities.

In particular, O'Malley highlighted a port in Muskegon which he said is "a good sized port" that could still "grow a lot."

"What that means is a port facility could ask for a grant that could then be used as the local portion of paying down to a match with a federal grant (and) it would open us way up to federal monies and other grant processes that we don't have access to right now because there's no money to back them," O'Malley said. "So it would be a grant process and ... Manistee, Muskegon, Ludington if they wanted to build up their port facilities, this grant would help them do it."

Port officials who spoke in support of the bill when it was under consideration in the House Transportation Committee, said the legislation was needed to make the state a water transportation hub. This includes Kyle Burleson, director of operations at the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority and Paul LaMarre III, Port of Monroe director, according to a press release from OMalleys office.

When (the bill) was in the House, and we had testimony on it, no one spoke in opposition  everybody was in favor, OMalley said. That includes every chamber of commerce from around the state (and) the port associations.

The bill passed Nov. 10 in the Michigan House of Representatives by a vote of 94 to 11, and has gone to the state senate transportation committee for consideration. If passed, OMalley said that places could start applying for grants to build or improve their ports within a year.

We are the Great Lakes State, let's utilize it and let's get some of those freighters stopping in Michigan, he said.
MANISTEE  A new Manistee store is giving residents another reason to shop local this holiday season.

Randoms Thrift and More lives up to the name with an eclectic selection ranging from jewelry, artwork, consignment, books and home goods to more exotic curiosities, one-of-a-kind and other hard to find items.

Randoms owner Sarah Magee said her shop is more than a typical thrift store, and could be the perfect resource for people looking to find a unique gift this Christmas.

When I say Randoms it really is random  it's not just the thrift, Magee said. That's why we decided on that name, because there's all different kinds of fun stuff to look at.

The shop opened Sept. 27 in the historic red schoolhouse building, located across from the Manistee fire station at 284 First St. For Magee, it was the culmination of a decades-long passion.

My mom had a (consignment) shop when I was a little girl and I remember being in there and absolutely loved it my whole life, Magee said.

I always knew that it was gonna happen eventually, she continued. But when we had six children that was the priority, obviously.  Weve talked about it through our whole marriage, what we wanted to do, and then the opportunity came up and were like, yep.

Randoms is also a family affair, with Magees husband James and older children, Abigail, Madelyne and Ozzy contributing their skills and interests to the thrift shops expansive collection.

James is an artist who does framing and woodwork. Abigail, who goes by Nersabeast Art online, is a digital artist available for commission work. Madelyne, or Madelynesrandoms is a photographer, artist and jeweler that makes specialty crafts and Ozzy, or Ozzysrandoms is an artist who provides gag gifts, self-defense accessories and other oddities to the shop.

Unlike other stores that may be struggling to stock shelves this year, Magee is able to fill not only the main storeroom, but also an expansive storage area with items.

We go everywhere in Michigan to find some of these pieces to bring back. We had to paint them, sand them, re-screw them to make them (into) refurbished thrift, she said.

Randoms is hosting its first ever Holiday Bazaar this year on Dec. 5 to coincide with the Manistee's Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend.

The event takes place from noon until 3 p.m. in coordination with neighboring business, Beyond the Mirror which will be hosting a Ladies Holiday Bazaar with Santa as a special guest for attendees to take pictures with.

Randoms Thrift and More is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, twilight hours from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Follow Randoms Thrift and More on Facebook at /RandomsofManistee. Call 231-299-1165 or email randomsmanistee@gmail.com for more information.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch government made a public apology Saturday for a now discredited and scrapped law that required transgender people to undergo surgery and sterilization if they wanted to change their gender on their birth certificate.

Nobody should have experienced what you have experienced. I am truly sorry that it happened," said Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science Ingrid van Engelshoven in an emotional speech at a ceremony in the historic Knights Hall in the Dutch parliamentary complex.

The law was in place for nearly 30 years until being scrapped in 2014.

For decades, people underwent medical procedures that they did not want at all. But they knew they had no other choice," Van Engelshoven said. "Others have waited because of this law; they were forced to postpone becoming themselves for years.

She said that standards about what a body should look like do not belong in a law and a law should never force people to undergo an operation. And today I make our deeply sincere apologies for this on behalf of the full Cabinet.

Transgender Network Nederland welcomed the ceremony, saying the Netherlands is the first country in the world to make such an apology, but said that it took the government too long to scrap the law and that compensation of 5,000 euros ($5,650) offered to people affected by the law was too low.

It said hundreds of people were faced with an impossible choice. They could indeed choose for papers that aligned with their gender identity, but for a price that was far too high.

Willemijn van Kempen, who campaigned for the apology, said in a statement that the government structurally disadvantaged and damaged transgender and intersex people for almost thirty years. It is important that it now apologizes."
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tess DeGayner.

Monday, Nov. 22

9: 36 p.m.  Officers assisted EMS near the 4900 block of Artcrest Drive.

7: 53 p.m.  Officers responded to an animal complaint near Iowa and Colorado streets.

7 p.m.  Officers responded to a false alarm near the 200 block of Cambridge Street.

6:31 p.m.  Officers responded to a crash that resulted in property damage in the area of Whiting and Naegele drives.

11:29 a.m.  Officers responded to a civil matter near the 300 block of Townsend Street.

9:42 a.m.  A deputy responded to Hope Township after a 29-year-old Hope Township male started a verbal altercation with the driver of a garbage truck. The 29-year-old was upset his garbage cans were knocked over after they were emptied. The deputy told the male to take up his issues with the driver's manager and to not confront the driver again.

8:42 a.m.  Officers responded to an assault near the 1400 block of Fournie Street.

8:12 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched regarding a possible intoxicated driver on M-20 near 7 Mile Road. A deputy located the vehicle and made a traffic stop in Midland. The driver, a 33-year-old Grand Rapids man, was tired as he had been driving from Grand Rapids for work. The man was given a warning and spoken to about safe driving habits.

7:45 a.m.  A Hope Township resident reported an unknown suspect cut and stole the catalytic converter from his work van sometime during the past weekend. The sheriff's office did not confirm whether this incident is still under investigation.

6:56 a.m.  A property management representative contacted the sheriff's office because one of her tenants called because the neighbor was being loud. Deputies checked on the neighbor who was awake early due to a newborn, subsequently they helped establish communication with the tenant and the representative.

6:37 a.m.  Officers responded to a civil matter near the 4400 block of Quincy Drive.

1:31 a.m.  A deputy responded to a Lee Township neighborhood for a report of a suspicious pickup truck. The deputy checked

the area and the truck had left prior to the deputy's arrival.

1:23 a.m.  Officers responded to a report of criminal sexual conduct and domestic violence near the 900 block of Elgin Street.
United Mine Workers representative Bob Butero talks about the significance of the Ludlow Massacre Memorial site as he stands at the top of the stairs leading into the cellar where the women and children died during the 1914 violence in Pueblo, Colo. (Shanna Lewis/KRCC News via AP)
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All 3 Killers of Ahmaud Arbery Found Guilty of Felony Murder

By James Field | Politics | November 26, 2021 |

On Wednesday afternoon all 3 white men responsible for the death of Ahmaud Arbery were found guilty of multiple counts of felony murder. Gregory McMichael was found guilty of 4 counts; William Bryan Jr. was found guilty of 3. Travis McMichael, Gregorys son and the man who attacked Ahmaud Arbery and shot him multiple times for the crime of jogging through a building site while Black, was found guilty of 5 counts of felony murder and an additional charge of malice murder. Malice murder is a different charge because Travis McMichael acted with the intent to kill Arbery, whereas felony murder exists for people who, like G. McMichael and Bryan, deliberately committed felonies that led to the murder of an individual.

In addition, the 3 were found guilty of multiple felony assault and false imprisonment charges. The murder convictions come with mandatory life sentences, and prosecutors told reporters theyll be pressing for no chance at parole at the hearing, the date for which is still undetermined. It seems certain that the McMichaels, at least, will die in prison.

Despite being unarmed and having committed no crime apart from entering a building site without permission  something I and every kid I grew up with did on numerous occasions out of simple curiosity  it felt like Ahmaud Arbery has been on trial since his killing on February 23, 2020. The McMichaels saw him exit the building site and, after arming themselves, gave chase. Bryan joined in when he saw the action, with the mindless enthusiasm of hounds chasing a deer. Arbery repeatedly sought to avoid confrontation, only turning to face his pursuers when they pinned him with their trucks. Travis exited his truck with shotgun in hand and Arbery defended himself. In the struggle, he was shot multiple times and killed. Travis, whose truck proudly displayed the traitors flag, then called Arbery a f*cking n- before police arrived, according to William Bryan Jr. There were also numerous social media posts and text messages from Travis McMichael and Bryan with similar racial slurs suggesting their bigotry predisposed them to violence against a Black man like Arbery. Despite this, and thanks to the pervasive influence of white supremacy as well as Gregory McMichaels past employment as a local cop and investigator, the 3 men faced no charges for 10 weeks after the shooting, and its almost certain theyd have gotten away with it had the footage of Arberys shooting not been leaked. The local prosecutor recused herself because G. McMichael previously worked for her - and is now facing charges of her own - and the next to examine the case, George Barnhill, wrote a letter to Glenn County police arguing the McMichaels and Bryan should not be charged with a crime because of Georgias citizens arrest law, which allows citizens to affect an arrest if they believe a crime has been committed. The idea that 3 armed white men can chase an unarmed Black man down the street with no evidence of lawbreaking apart from entering a building site is  insane, and the law has mostly been repealed as a result of this tragedy.

Race was almost never mentioned at trial. The prosecutors no doubt wanted to avoid complicating things for the 11/12ths white jury by giving them a political excuse to avoid a guilty plea. The defense, meanwhile, never specifically mentioned anyones race for obvious reasons. Their own actions, however, reflected their clients racial animus. The crux of their defense rested on claims the three white men chased and killed Arbery because of frequent local burglaries. Theres no evidence that there was much crime in the area, or what a man not visibly carrying anything might have taken from a job site. Power tools and bags of cement are difficult to hide in ones pockets. It also turns out that despite the defendants claims, there were no local burglaries in all of 2019.

Attorney Kevin Gough requested the judge bar Black civil rights leaders from entering the courtroom, telling the judge We dont want any more Black pastors coming in here. These statements did not go down well with either the judge or the public. Three days later the defense lawyers asked for a mistrial because Mr. Arberys mother broke down crying in the courtroom. This reasonable display of emotion, they argued, might bias the jury against their clients. During closing arguments Laura Hogue, lawyer for Gregory McMichael, shed what little illusion remained about the defenses opinion of Mr. Arbery, telling the jury Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices that he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails. It prompted outrage both inside and out of the courtroom. Jurors returned their guilty verdicts after about ten hours of deliberation.

It is not a surprise that three white Georgians felt empowered to chase down a jogging Black man. It shouldnt be a surprise or cause for relief that the three were found guilty of all charges, yet here we are. A slamdunk case almost never came to trial thanks to local influence and bigotry. The defendants and their lawyers used every trick in the white supremacist playbook to justify their crimes. They were defending the neighborhood. They were afraid Arbery would overpower and kill them after they hunted him down. He was dirty and poor and had no business being there. These excuses and more failed to work, but only just. Had the video of the shooting and another of officers body-cam footage showing they knew of Gregory McMichaels past in law enforcement never surfaced there is no doubt that both McMichaels and Bryan would be free men today.



 Demi Lovato, JFK Jr and QAnon Walk Into A Bar... | A Defensive Dave Chappelle Lashes Out at High School Students at his Alma Mater 

Image sources (in order of posting): Getty Images, Sean Rayford; pool; Sean Rayford
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Manfi, Saturday reaffirmed the Council's support to the youth and their initiatives to be the backbone of the political process, through their active participation in the electoral process
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With the combined schedule of a working nurse and a full-time mom, you know just how difficult it can be to balance work and family commitments. With the never-ending demands of growing children and a continuous need to put food on the table, it may feel as though there is little room for career advancement. In fact, some working moms wrongly regard putting their own needs first, such as career progression, as selfish. However hard it may seem, placing focus on your career can result in many advantages for your family. Your household can benefit from a motivated, productive mom, a higher income to play with, and a well-adjusted parent who is happy at home and work. So, whether you are a registered nurse with vast experience or you have recently graduated, here is a comprehensive guide to help you take the next step in your career while juggling commitments at work and home.

Continued Education

As a working nurse, you probably already know that lifelong learning and continuous professional development is a given in your line of work. There are many studies that associate excellent patient outcomes with well-trained nurses. Nowadays, higher education for nurses has become the norm, and many organizations require registered nurses (RNs) to possess a BSN at the minimum. In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN) states that 64.2 percent of nurses have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree or a Ph.D. Continuing education is a surefire way to accelerate your nursing career besides keeping up with recent trends and staying updated on the latest medical and healthcare news. Further education gives you the ability to go for a huge range of nursing jobs that are unavailable for nurses lacking in qualifications. With continued education, you can earn a higher salary, and you will also benefit from job security.

Get Qualified Online

Continuing your nursing education may feel impossible for working moms, but with an online degree, it can be a cinch. Getting your education at home enables parents to learn in their spare time. You can fit your studies around your social life and your work schedule too. There are plenty of high-quality degree programs out there offered by top-rated educational institutions. When choosing a course, make sure it is accredited by a reputable organization such as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Choose a Career That Complements Your Lifestyle

Nursing professions are often associated with unpredictable hours and long shifts, and this can result in an unhealthy work-life balance. Although the routine of a typical nursing professional can indeed be chaotic, there are certain roles that can complement the life of a working parent. When considering career progression, it is important to think about the type of position you wish to fulfill in the future and the types of shifts that will suit your lifestyle.

Part-Time Roles VS Full Time Roles

Part-time nursing roles can provide more flexibility for busy parents with young children. Hours can often be negotiated with the employer so that you can fit work around your family commitments. Unfortunately, a part-time role equals a part-time wage. Not to mention, they are often more difficult to come by than full-time positions. Although it can be difficult to fit in full-time nursing roles around your family, certain work settings, such as an educational environment, will allow you to do it. However, it is important to consider the nature of the role. A strenuous job that involves physical activity that keeps you on your feet all day can be exhausting. Coupled with a hectic home life, this can be an energy-draining option.

Shift Type

The type of shiftwork a job role entails is important. As mentioned previously, a full-time role can be incredibly strenuous for working parents, but it can be beneficial in certain environments. For example, working in an educational setting, such as a school, often means that you can benefit from working the same hours as your children. In addition, a nursing role in a doctor's office will likely come with regular 9 to 5 hours. Furthermore, homecare nurses often have the autonomy to work through their list of patients as they see fit. In turn, this gives nurses the flexibility to create a visitation schedule that suits them.

Suitable Nursing Professions For Parents

Picking the right nursing profession to suit your needs can make a huge difference to working moms. Parents who need a lot of energy to manage their household will benefit from a role that is less physically demanding, while a role with flexible hours will suit a mom with an unpredictable home schedule.

Nurse Practitioner

Responsibilities Include:

Assessing, diagnosing, and managing patients

Prescribing medication

Ordering diagnostic tests

Providing treatment

According to the U.S. News & World Report, the nurse practitioner (NP) role is the second-best healthcare job in the United States, and it ranks as third overall. Nurse practitioners benefit from a higher average annual salary than registered nurses. A qualified NP can expect $117,670, while a registered nurse can expect $75,330 per year. In addition to the increased earning potential, NPs have a favorable career outlook with a 45 percent growth rate from 2019 to 2029, which far exceeds the national average for other job roles. Furthermore, with the projected deficit for physicians in the United States and a need for healthcare due to an aging population, there is a huge demand for certified nurse practitioners. This opens up doors of opportunity for NPs, and in some states, they act as primary and preventative care providers and can even practice independently.

How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

NPs are considered advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and must follow a specific educational route if they wish to practice legally. Registered nurses must gain relevant field experience and obtain an MSN or a DNP. With an advanced degree, NPs then need to pass a national certification exam and then obtain the correct state licensure. There are many degree programs for RNs to choose from depending on the type of NP you wish to become. For example, you can obtain an online DNP that helps registered nurses gain the right experience, knowledge, and skills to become an expert family nurse practitioner. These programs are achieved online and provide clinical placement services.

Home Care Nurse

Responsibilities Include:

Assessing and monitoring patient health at home

Administering medication

Assisting with personal needs

A home care nurse is responsible for providing one-to-one care in patients' homes. Patients who require this type of care are usually elderly, have mobility issues, or are experiencing chronic conditions that prevent them from leaving their homes. This profession can be physically demanding; however, schedules can be consistent, and homecare nurses have the flexibility to work through their list of patients autonomously.

School Nurse

Responsibilities Include:

Assessing and treating school children

Prescribing and administering medication

Assisting children with special needs (physical and emotional)

Alerting authorities when child abuse is suspected

Assisting neglected children and dealing with socioeconomic issues

Generally, nurses that work in a school setting have a lower median wage than other registered nurses. On the other hand, they have a higher job satisfaction rate. The role of a school nurse can be rewarding in many ways. Working with kids is a joy for some parents, and helping children can truly give meaning to a nurse's career. Additionally, school nurses benefit from working similar hours to other school staff members. In turn, they can enjoy regular hours, free weekends and evenings, and long vacation breaks. This type of nursing profession is excellent for working parents with children of school age as they can easily fit their work schedule around their kids-and take advantage of all the free time together too.

Consultant

Nursing consultants can benefit from a working from home environment. They can set their own hours and forgo the long, inflexible shifts that other nurses are subjected to. This is good news for parents who need to ferry their kids around their extracurricular activities. In addition to this, consultants can pick the type of work they want, which means that they are more likely to feel fulfilled in their job role. Consultants are able to negotiate a high rate. Medical consultants earn an average annual salary of $70,594, while legal nurse consultants can expect an annual median pay of $76,503.

Nurse Professions in an Office Environment

Nurses who work in an office environment can enjoy regular downtime and consistent scheduling. These roles exist in private practices and physician's offices, and they provide working moms with the opportunity to spend their mornings and evenings with their children. Nurses working in this type of work setting are able to meet up with friends and family who share similar work hours.

Reliable Childcare

All working parents should have someone they can trust their kids with. People who lack reliable childcare will risk worrying about their kids while they are meant to concentrate on work. Moms who have a desire to progress their nursing careers need to focus on professional goals while at work. Unfortunately, entrusting your kids to people who may let you down can have a severe impact on career progression. Ensuring your kids are cared for properly when you are busy can help you focus on your career. Nurses who live with a partner, or have close family nearby, can make suitable childcare arrangements. After-school clubs and daycare centers are also effective childcare choices. Alternatively, you can seek out reliable options in the form of babysitters and other childcare services. Just make sure you do your research before entrusting strangers with your children.

Social Support System

A working social support system with excellent communication is key to maintaining an efficient work-life balance. As a living, nurses provide care and support to benefit the lives of others. It is just as important for you to have a support network you can rely on in your personal life. A social support system can significantly impact your mental health, and your network should consist of people you trust. Whether it is combatting daily challenges, facing crisis situations, or helping you get through life's difficult moments, you need a good social support system you can rely on when times get tough. Your social support network can include your live-in partner, your family, and close friends. Whoever you choose, make sure you keep an open dialogue with them. Let them in when life becomes a drag, and allow them to celebrate your victories too. Speaking up about issues you are experiencing will give them the best chance to support you properly.

Excellent Work Relations

For a healthy lifestyle and a chance of career progression, effective communication is vital both outside and inside of work. Maintaining good relationships with your peers and superiors can improve your work environment and help you get assigned favorable shifts. Being honest about your career aspirations at work can also expose you to more career opportunities. Your superiors are much more likely to keep you in mind when a promotion is on the horizon, and colleagues who know you wish to progress are also more likely to inform you about relevant positions that have opened up.

Mentorship

In addition to maintaining good work relations, networking with other healthcare professionals and seeking out a mentor can also benefit your personal and professional life. A mentor is an experienced professional who you trust and respect. They should be knowledgeable in the field you wish to progress in, and you should be completely comfortable in their presence. In a mentor, you will gain a professional confidante you can turn to for work-related matters, be that if you need emotional support, a pep talk, or even some guidance and education so that you can perform your job at a higher standard.
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By guest blogger, Bukkokuji monk, Kogen Czarnik

Living in the 21st century, it is hard to be an optimist about the future. With mass extinction of species, disappearance of ice caps, rapid loss of rainforests, and more  we have plenty to worry about. There is another extinction taking place, that admittedly might not be as urgent a problem as those mentioned above, but nevertheless, for us Zen practitioners, an important one to notice. It is the dying out of the Zen tradition in Japan, which has been happening for some time already, but has accelerated very much in recent years, and has now become an undeniable reality during the pandemic. Right now in the entire Soto School there are only 4 monasteries with more than 10 monks. If you dont know much about Zen in Japan, I can assure you that it is a shocking number. Just over a decade ago there were at least a dozen temples that size. So how did we get here, what is the situation and why does it matter?

Probably anyone who reads Doshos blog is by now familiar with the challenges that Buddhism in Japan encountered during the Meiji era. (1) 20,000 temples were destroyed between 1872-76, lands were confiscated, monks were forced to become regular citizens and embrace family life etc. The latter change was in the long run the most consequential. When an abbot of a temple has a family and children, naturally he wants his children to inherit the temple from him and spend his last years in retirement taken care of by his family. (2) The result is that over 95% of all Japanese priests nowadays are born into priesthood, not called to it because of the great matter of life and death. The Soto School makes a survey every 10 years, and this data shows that each time there are less and less priests who practice zazen at all; running a temple is just a job for them.

Secondly, there are socio-cultural reasons behind todays crisis. Of course secularisation of societies is happening all around the globe, not only in Japan. In 1995, 55.5% of people in Japan reported their household being Buddhist. In 2001 it was 39.3%. (3) I have no 2021 numbers but I doubt they went up. Japan also has one of the lowest birth rates on earth, and adding to that, the trend of younger generations moving out from the countryside to the cities, means less and less parishioners are attending temples in the deserted rural areas. This has led to the situation where many priests are unable to support their family from the money received through the temple, and they have to get a second job. There is a nice article about this in the Guardian here. Please note that it was written before the pandemic, and for the last two years the biggest yearly revenue of every temple  the obon chanting in parishioners houses for their ancestors  has been cancelled. Many of the monks are afraid that people will not want to go back to regular obon observances after the pandemic is over. This will only further speed up the decline in temple numbers.

Lastly, Japan is also changing culturally. The caste system was officially abolished only in 1871. In 1960 still the majority of marriages were arranged. Being able to choose ones destiny was an idea embraced only gradually in Japan. But now more and more sons of priests are not giving in to the pressure to ordain and inherit the family business. It seems that the number of monks is shrinking even faster than the number of parishioners, and it is not uncommon to hear about a temple with hundreds of member families desperately looking for a resident priest and not being able to find one.

So what is the situation now? Some years ago a survey conducted by the Japanese Agency of Cultural Affairs showed that the ratio of monks to temples was 1.14 to 1 for the Soto School, and 1.02 to 1 for the Rinzai School. Now with the pandemic and the developments mentioned above, it is likely less than that. So there might already be more temples than monks, and many temples even now are without a resident priest. In the Soto School there are only four monasteries that have ten or more monastic residents. (4) Those are the two main temples, Eihei-ji (120 monks) and Soji-ji (60), and then the Eihei-ji Tokyo branch, Chokoku-ji (20) and Tosho-ji (in Okayama prefecture, 15). Next is the nunnery Aichi Nisodo Shobo-ji (7 nuns) and in the rest of the training monasteries (senmon sodo) there might be somewhere between zero and five unsui. Recently the Soto School decided to close down ten out of thirty of their training monasteries , among them Hosshin-ji, Hokyo-ji and Daijo-ji, three famous training temples. (5) If you are practicing Soto Zen in the West there might be a 50% chance that your Zen Center belongs to Sogaku Harada Roshis lineage. This lineage, mostly through the prominent Yasutani line (and its Maezumi, Kapleau and Yamada branches), but also through Tangen Harada and Tetsugyu Ban lines, is greatly influential in the West. Sogaku Roshi took over Hosshin-ji in January 1922, almost exactly one-hundred years ago, and since then it has given birth to many wonderful teachers. Now the devils dojo famous for its strict practice is becoming just another temple whose primary function is holding funerals and memorials for its members. Even other training monasteries which retained their official status are in reality mostly empty.

From a purely Dharmic point of view, the biggest problem is that many teachers have passed away without a successor, and many lineages that were very vital even a few decades ago are now dying out.

Zen teachers and students have been repeating the phrase Zen in Japan is dead for decades already, so what, you may ask, is the big deal? Why would it matter for practitioners in the West? Interestingly, this phrase was coined by Japanese teachers when Japanese Zen was still pretty alive. A BBC documentary from 1977 on world religions captures a memorable moment in which the reporter asks Yamada Mumon Roshi, head of the Myoshin-ji sect of the Rinzai School, and president of Hanazono University, about his declaration that Zen is dead in Japan, and should be reimported from America. Mumon Roshi replies with spontaneous laughter, Indeed, thats how it has become. (6) Mumon Roshi attended the opening ceremony of Daibosatsu Zendo and visited Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and he must have loved the fact that lay people were coming not for priest certification or out of familial obligation, but purely for practice. There was a freshness in it that had already been lost in post-Meiji Japan. But at this time, when Zen was just beginning in the West, there were still dozens of great Zen masters teaching in Japanese monasteries with lively and intense practice. Each of the Japanese teachers who came to the West had undergone some of this traditional training.

Over the next forty years, a couple of generations of Western practitioners were still able to go to Japan to immerse themselves in the fire of traditional practice, rarely found in the West, before returning to their home countries. For some, those were the most formative years of their practice. Many of the teachers currently sharing the Dharma in the West, or their teachers, had undergone some training in Japan and found a great value in it. Others might have found all they needed for realization in western settings, and that is great. I am writing from the perspective of someone who trained for over a decade in monasteries in Japan (and South Korea), and found traditional monastic training immensely valuable.

Not only was the intensity of practice on a whole other level from what I experienced in the West, but there was also a quality of becoming and acting as one body with the entire community  especially helpful for people from the individualistic West. Forgetting personal preference, opinions, understandings, and just surrendering to the relentless sucession of forms and practices designed to point continuously to true nature, has great power. Of course, everybody who participates in a sesshin in any Zen center can have this experience to some extent, but in traditional monastery life it doesnt end with the end of sesshin. It is a way of living that permeates ones whole being, demanding continual surrender of self-centered perspectives. At my home temple, Bukkoku-ji, under Tangen Roshi, we were not allowed to read, write, go outside the gate or talk unnecessarily to each other. 365 days a year, every single morning started with zazen and chanting, all meals were formal and silent, every night there was zazen from 6:20-9pm. (7) We did everything together. When we washed dishes, after drying a plate that belonged to a cupboard on the other side of the kitchen I could hand it out and let go of it with closed eyes, being sure that some other hand would pick it up in silence and put it in the right place. Without personal space or time, we did zazen, takuhatsu (begging), ate, slept, prostrated, worked and chanted as one. I knew almost nothing about my Dharma brothers  their education, where they were born etc  but we knew each other intimately, like the left hand knows the right.

Unlike at Bukkoku-ji, at many other training monasteries the majority of monks were sons of priests who would drop practice after leaving the sodo, yet still they were providing a container into which a genuine seeker could enter, train, awaken, do post awakening-training, and later teach others. Now however these monasteries are struggling to survive, and soon the traditional training might not be available at all for the seekers called to it, and we will have only the modified options we have created for ourselves in the West.

Some people seem to think that the sapling of this old dying tree was already transplanted to new soil and is growing strong. But is it? Most of the older Zen centers in the West have fewer students than at the time of their founding teacher. Many western Zen students are baby boomers, and there are not as many young people who choose to practice Zen. Some teachers are concerned that in Western lineages Dharma transmission has lost its meaning, that becoming a Zen teacher is just a career path in some cases, and that students dont sit zazen and sesshin as much as they did back in the early days. This sounds eerily similar to the observations made about the state of Zen in Japan, as if in the West we have repeated the cycle that happened in Japan over 800 years in less than 80. Will we be able to avoid the sad fate of our mother tradition? Will our practice be that authentic, our vow that firm and our realization that deep to produce here in the West enough clear-eyed teachers to carry on the lamp of Dharma without the fuel of inspiration brought here by Asian teachers, and without the lamp-shade of traditional monasteries that protected it from the winds of the world for the last 2500 years? The answer to that question is in our hands.

(1) Meiji era, 1868-1912.

(2) Most of the few nuns in Japan remain celibate, so I will proceed with male pronouns only.

(3) Data from publication by Soto School Priest, his role and challenges , 2008 .

(4) As each of the sects of the Rinzai School is governed separately, it is more difficult to get information without calling each of the over 40 senmon sodos. The numbers in them tend to be more evenly spread, as temples belonging to each sect are sending their monks for training to the sodo of their sect, unlike in the Soto School, where over 50% are gathered in Eihei-ji. But to briefly illustrate, Myoshin-ji presently has 12 monks, Ryutaku-ji has 5 monks, and Shogen-ji has 9. In comparison, when Sogaku Harada Roshi practiced at Shogen-ji in the 1890s, there were close to 100 monks in training (unsui) there.

(5) The remaining ones are: Myoko-ji, Kosho-ji, Saiyo-ji, Kokoku-ji, Chokoku-ji, Daiei-ji and Myogon-ji.

(6) I recommend watching the full documentary here, it includes rare footage and interviews with Mumon Yamada Roshi, Nanrei Kobori Roshi and Sogen Omori Roshi. Mumon Roshis interview starts at 45:00.

(7) The only exception was at the end of winter ango at the winter solstice night where dinner was informal and instead of evening zazen there was a celebration, all together eating and singing.
A Commercial Court in Accra has threatened to issue a warrant for the arrest of former chief executive officer of the defunct Capital bank, William Ato Essien, over delay tactics.



The court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, says it will be forced to act as the first accused person and his lawyers continue to delay in the presentation of his [Ato Essiens] evidence in chief to the court.



Ato Essien, opened his defence on the 4 November 2021. He subsequently appeared before the court on the 11 and 18 November 2021 to continue his evidence in chief.



However, he failed to appear today (25 of November) to continue same.



Doctors Letter

Lawyer for Ato Essien, Baffour Gyau Ashia Bonsu, presented a letter from the doctors of his client indicating to the court that Ato Essien was suffering from sleep Apnea  a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.



The condition is believed to be more common in men.



Request for Adjournment

Essiens lawyers to this end, asked the court for a two-week adjournment to allow their client to recover from his medical condition.



However, Justice Eric Kyei Baffours court did not consider the excuse of the first accused person tenable. The court indicated that in order to avert the delay, it is forced to make specific orders with regard to the case.



I have been shown a letter purported to have emanated from one Dr Rex Kwame Bonsu of Korle Bu Teaching hospital. In the said letter, it is claimed that the witness before the court who is the first accused in the case has been diagnosed with what the doctor claims is obstructive sleep disorder, (Sleep Apnea). The letter proceeds to state that the blood pressure of the first accused is also flatulating Justice Kyei Baffour said in his ruling.



Having opened his defence in respect of the charges against him which provides for anxious moments, these symptoms are natural products and I dont see it as a good basis for the first accused being absent from court. Beyond this, the court has observed the snail pace approach that has been adopted in the delivery of the examination in chief of the first accused the court further said .



Orders of the court

To avert further delays, the court in the exercise of it powers and discretion intends to ameliorate any medical condition that is afflicting the 1st accused by giving the following orders.



1. First accused person as well as all the other accused persons are to file their respective witness statements intended to be used as evidence in chief before the court.



2. The witness statements are to have all the necessary attachments by way of documents that the accused persons intend to tender as exhibits before the court.



3. The accused persons shall also file witness statements for all the intended witnesses that they intend to parade before the court.



4. In the alternative, if any of the accused persons intend not to give a sworn testimony but a statement from the dock, they are to indicate so and file that statements.



The accused persons are afforded a period of 12 days to comply with the orders of the court. The order must be complied with on or before Tuesday the 7th of December 2021 Justice Kyei Baffour ruled.



The court subsequently adjourned sitting to the 9 December 2021.



Background

In all, the state has called 17 prosecution witnesses throughout the case.



Among the witnesses were Vish Ashiagbor, one of the receivers appointed to wind up Capital Bank; Michael Kwame Amoako-Atuobi, a former relationship manager for Capital Bank; Emmanuel Kontoh Arthur, a former general manager in charge of Treasury at Capital Bank; Sharon Okwaa Boateng, a former supervisor of the Cash Management Unit at Capital Bank; Benone Yaw Asihene, a former Special Assistant to the Executive Committee; Donatus Kwesi Freitas, an officer of the Bank of Ghana; Daniel Gaikpah, the former chief banking officer in charge of Operations with Capital Bank; and Lawrence Otoo, a banker.



The rest are Felix Koranteng-Asante, a businessman who dealt in installation of CCTV cameras; Peter Amadu Iliasu, the former Chief Executive of All Time Capital Ltd; Aseye Seyram Komla Akotia, a former vice-president in charge of Investment with All Time Capital Bank; Kwame Acheampong Kyei, a former chairman of Sovereign Bank; Edem Bart Williams, a former chief executive officer of Nordea Capital; Ali Seidu, chief executive officer of Maripoma, Volta and Impex Ltd; Teddy Friko, assistant to Ali Seidu; Chief Superintendent Ernest Frimpong of the Special Investigations Team; and Joseph Oppong, the investigator.



Facts of the case

According to the facts sheet, The first accused person, William Ato Essien, was the majority shareholder of Capital Bank Limited (Capital Bank), a wholly owned Ghanaian Bank which previously operated as a microfinance company.



The second accused person, Tetteh Nettey, was the managing director of MC Management Services, a company established by the first accused person purposely for the promotion of the incorporation of Sovereign Bank, another brainchild of the first accused person.



The third accused person, Fitzgerald Odonkor, was the managing director of Capital Bank from June 2015 to August 2017 and the fourth accused person, Kate Quartey-Papafio, is a businesswoman and chief executive officer of Reroy Cables Company Limited.



The facts further state that: Between June 2015 and November 2016, pursuant to an application by Capital Bank, the Bank of Ghana (BOG) provided a total sum of GHC620 million as liquidity support to Capital Bank to enable it meet its capital adequacy ratio and to enable it service its maturing debt obligations.



In October 2015, the first accused person, aided by the 3rd accused person, caused a transfer of a sum of GHC120 million of the liquidity support amount to All Time Capital Limited (All Time), an investment management and advisory firm. At the instance of the first, second and third accused persons, GHC100million of the GHC120 million which had been transferred to All Time, was further transferred to MC Management Services while GHC20 million of the amount of GHC120 million was transferred to Pronto Construction and Supplies Limited (Pronto Construction).



The sum of GHC100 million which was transferred to MC Management Services was subsequently represented by the second accused person to BoG as initial capital of Sovereign Bank while the GHC20 million that was transferred to Pronto Construction was used by the managing director of Pronto Construction, ostensibly to purchase shares in Capital Bank.



Again, at the instance of the first and third accused persons, GHC65 million out of the BoG liquidity support of GHC620 million was transferred to Nordea Capital Limited described as an investment bank. Of the amount of GHC65 million, the first accused person, aided by the third accused person, caused GHC30 million to be transferred to MC Management Services which was represented to BoG as additional initial capital of Sovereign Bank by the second accused person.



The facts further state: With the aid of the third accused person, the remaining GHC35 million of the GHC65 million was paid into a Fidelity Bank account of Brietling Services, a company also established by the first accused person. At the request of the first accused person, the amount of GHC35 million which was transferred into the account of Brietling Services was subsequently transferred to Capital Africa Group, a company owned by the first accused person.



The total amount of GHC130 million which was represented as initial capital of Sovereign Bank was eventually channelled by the first and second accused persons into Capital Africa Group, the first accused persons company, less bank charges. The monies transferred into Capital Africa Group was eventually dissipated by the first and second accused persons.



Between June 2015 and October 2016, the facts further state, the first accused person, with the support of the 3rd accused person, appropriated a total of GHC27.5 million of the liquidity support which was conveyed in jute bags to the first accused person and purportedly used as payment for business promotion.



In June 2017, in furtherance of the conversion of portions of the GHC620 million liquidity support, the first accused person caused a sum of GHC100 million to be paid into a Capital Bank account held by the Managing Director of the following three companies: Maripoma Enterprise Limited, Hardwick Limited and Volta Impex Enterprise Limited opened purposely to receive the amount.



The GHC100 million was to be used by the managing director of the three companies, ostensibly as payment for 30% shares in Capital Bank. As a cover-up of the conversion, the first accused person prevailed on the managing director of the companies to submit copies of Government Payment Certificates of the three companies valued at GHC135 million to be discounted to GHC105 million by Capital Bank, to be used as collateral for the purported loan of GHC100 million.



The first accused person then caused GHC70 million out of the GHC100 million that had been previously paid into the managing directors account at Capital Bank, to be transferred to the fourth accused persons account with Calbank Limited.



The first and fourth accused persons subsequently caused the amount of GHC70 million in the Cal Bank account of the fourth accused person to be further transferred into a personal account of the fourth accused person purposely opened at Capital Bank to receive the amount.



The facts sheet sums up as follows: Some time in 2017 after Capital Bank had gone into receivership, the fourth accused person, even though fully aware that Capital Bank had gone into liquidation, attempted to withdraw the whole amount of GHC70 million which had been lodged in her personal account with capital bank but was however prevented from doing so by the receiver.



Defence lawyers after the state closed its case indicated that they were desirous of making a submission of no case to answer for the charges levelled against their clients.

Source: asaaseradio.com









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Featured Video
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Executive Chairman of KGL Group, Mr. Alex Apau Dadey, has been conferred the board chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, GIPC. This comes off after he was in January 2018, appointed onto the Governing Board of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) by the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in recognition of his contribution towards the promotion of investment in Ghana.



Mr. Alex Apau Dadey has over 30 years experience working across multiple industries and sectors such as Fintech, Logistics, Agric, Property Development and Commerce around the globe, with major focus of his practice in the United Kingdom and Ghana.



As part of his responsibilities as Board Chair, he will be responsible for leading the Board and focusing on strategic matters, play a pivotal role in overseeing the Centres business as well as setting high governance standards.



Most recently, Alex Dadey established the KGL Group  a wholly owned Ghanaian group, consisting of six subsidiaries operating in several jurisdictions and multiple sectors including Fintech, Logistics, Agric, Property Development and Commerce, where he serves as Executive Chairman.



Underpinning Alexs three-decade track record of success is his commitment to building an inclusive financial environment that provides high-value partnerships for small business to thrive and succeed across Ghana.



Mr. Alex Apau Dadey is married with 3 beautiful kids, a proud product of Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, and holds a BSc. (Admin) degree from the University of Ghana Business School, Legon.



Alexs formative career began in the United Kingdom in 1986 where he progressively moved up the ranks from Export Sales Supervisor to Export Sales Director at the Gordon Richman Textiles Limited overseeing key accounts in ten countries spread across Europe, Middle East and Africa.



In 2001, Alex set up a joint venture - Qualitexx Limited, with DCD Finance Group PLC., based in the city of London. As Executive Director, he was instrumental in developing the companys trade finance and venture capital businesses across the globe. This included providing financing for several local Ghanaian businesses through the DCD Finance Group. Since then, Alex has become renowned as a strong advocate for the inclusion of the Ghanaian diaspora in the political and socio-economic transformation of Ghana.



He functions in various c-suite capacities and serves on boards of multiple institutions including Ecom Agro Industrial, Premier Textiles Group in the United Kingdom, Birchfield Investments Limited in Jersey, Channel Islands and Dubai, KGL Capital (UK) Limited and Dominion Direct (UK) Limited to name a few.



He is credited with initiating the Ghana Diaspora Homecoming Summit in 2017 and the Ghana Investment and Opportunities Summit UK in 2018, both of which are now held biennially.



Among his many achievements, the ones that stand out are.



Excellence in Organizational Leadership, 2017, awarded by the Ghana Diaspora Homecoming Summit Committee for the successful Execution of the Ghana Diaspora Homecoming Summit.



Diaspora African Forum Excellence Award, 2017, awarded at the Ghana Diaspora Summit for his prominent role in ensuring a successful summit.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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The 6th edition of the annual meeting of the Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO) was held in Accra, Ghana on Thursday, November 25, 2021, after successful previous editions in Morocco, Ethiopia, and Ivory Coast.



The meeting dubbed "Connecting African Special Economic Zones to Global Value Chains in the African Free Trade Area Era" was attended by members from over 40 African countries.



Speaking at the event, Amb. Michael Oquaye stated that the Ghana Free Zones Authority remains the anchor for Ghana's Industrial Park and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) plan.



He further posited that, for the first half of the year 2021, the Free Zones enterprises generated total export revenue of US$1,096.77 billion with a capital investment amounting to US$174 million.



He added that job creation would continue to be a critical factor for the Authority and its partners and was therefore happy to report that more than thirty thousand jobs have been created so far.



On the development of a policy framework to govern Ghana's Special Economic Zones, he indicated that the Ministry of Trade and Industry continues to work with key partners and stakeholders to see to its completion by the end of 2022.



He also emphasized that if we are united, we are stronger so if we are able to put our inter-trade together we can achieve more in Africa.



"We are looking at the various agencies under the ministry of trade and come together to be able to take advantage of a more connected Africa. Because we need to rely on ourselves more to help with the supply chain especially in the covid-19 era and that is the more reason why we are having this conference.



"We are here to talk about how we will get the lands ready, anybody who wants to produce need lands, raw materials, our challenge is how to get industrial lands in an economic zone, demarcation, roads, electricity, water, and how to make the place business-friendly and ready in a competitive manner to be able to work under Africa Continental Free Trade Area and to also learn from each other in terms of best practice and to compare this new trade dimension in a competitive business era," he further stressed.



The colorful event saw the attendance of Mr. Fouad Brini, Honorary President of AEZO, H.E Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of AfCFTA Secretariat, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, H.E. Mrs. Carmen Ndaot, Minister of Investment Promotion, Gabon, Mr. Ahmed Bennis, Secretary-General of AEZO and other high-profile individuals

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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The school that would win this years National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) walks away with a grand prize of GH80,000 in addition to an Excellence Award of GH40,000 by Absa Bank.



According to the Managing Director of Primetime Limited, Nana Akua Ankomah-Asare there are lots of prizes to be won by the contending schools.



She told JoyNews that the main prize for the finalist schools; Prempeh College, Keta Senior High Technical School (Keta SHTS), and Presbyterian Secondary School (PRESEC) is sponsored by the Ghana Education Service (GES).



GH80,000 total going to the first place school. GH40,000 to the school, GH20,000 to the students, and GH20,000 to the teachers. Its an annual affair for the school and the team that wins it.



The first runner-up is set to take home GHS30,000 to the school, GHS17,000 to the team of students, and GH17,000 to the teachers. So thats GH64,000 total.



The school that would place third is to receive, GH50,000. GH20,000 to the school, GH15,000 to the students, and GH15,000 to the teachers.



Mrs. Ankomah-Asare also disclosed on the AM Show that partner-sponsor of the contest, Absa Bank Ghana Limited would also be awarding the contestants who made it to the finale.



We have Absa Bank giving us the Excellence Awards, which is sort of like a complement to the main one, which is GH40,000 to the winning team. So it goes to the team. GH20,000 to the teachers, GH20,000 students.



And then GH30,000 to the second place school which is GH15,000 to the teachers, and GH15,000 to students. And then GH20,000 to the third place team, to be shared Gh10,000 to the students, GH10,000 to the teachers.



Meanwhile, contestants for the three schools scheduled to compete in this years National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) finals have vowed to deliver another action-packed contest on Friday, November 26.



The finale is set to take place at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology at 2pm.



Mrs. Ankomah-Asare hinted of a new award for the most influential jama base.



There is an award for that. Goil is sponsoring that. Its a new award. But they want it to be decent. Thats the catch, Jama, yes. But decent.





Source: Joy News









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Ghanas number one urban radio , Y102.5FM has gifted an amount of GH2500 to Francisca Lamini, the only female contestant in the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) who represented Keta Senior High and Technical School.



The gift was presented by Y102.5FMs presenter Naa Dzama when the contestants from Ketasco appeared on the PickNPlay show hosted by Naa Dzama.



In presenting the gift to Francisca, Naa Dzama made known that the gift was a way of commending the only female contestant for her impressive performance at the NSMQ competition.



This is GH2,500 and it is a gift from all of us at Global Media Alliance to you saying well done. Meanwhile, we are proud of all three of you, she said.



Francisca Lamini who represented Keta SHTS in the 2021 NSMQ is the first female to contest in the finals of the competition in the last 8 years.



Ketasco made history when they qualified for the finals of the NSMQ. The school represented by Francisca Lamini, Bright Senyo Gadzo and James Lutterodt battled against six times champions Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) and Prempeh College.



The school is also the first SHS in the Volta Region to have qualified to the finals of the NSMQ competition.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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In his capacity as African Union Gender Champion, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 25th November 2021, attended the inaugural conference on violence against women and young girls, held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.



The Conference was hosted in partnership with the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) under the leadership of its patron, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former President of the Republic of Liberia, with the support of UN Women.



Men in various leadership diversities were mobilized to play a key role in supporting and driving efforts towards the eradication of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) on the continent.



Held on the theme "African Men Leaders Engage in Positive Masculinity Approaches to End the Scourge of Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa", the conference sought to mobilize commitment and galvanize action by men in leadership to accelerate the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls in Africa at all spheres and at all levels.



The mens conference was also aimed to secure commitment to creating enabling environments to ensure an increase in the numbers of women in leadership at all levels, including as heads of state, government and other sectors to take this agenda forward while also creating political ownership of the AU Campaign on ending VAWG at the national level.



Leaders representing governments, business, youth, traditional and religious sectors, among others adopted a declaration with concrete actions and strategies to enhance mens leadership and role towards ending VAWG, in their various capacities.



The declaration is meant to inform the engagement of African men and boys going forward.



Speaking at the event, Nana Akufo-Addo urged participants at the conference to be guided by the fact that discrimination and inequality have unbearable burdens and costs on economies, societies and the development of the African continent.



Let us all stand together to create a bold, visible force for gender equality, saying no to acts and threats of violence against women and girls, he stated.





Source: kasapaonline









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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.
The Fixing The Country Movement notes with great consternation and disappointment the behaviour of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin in Parliament over the 2022 budget approval sitting.



Matter of factly, the Finance Minister's presence in Parliament was with a prayer to have the opportunity to accommodate the comments made by the minority into the budget. Sadly, the same minority who made the requests and the speaker refused to give the minister the opportunity to incorporate their requests.



While refusing the minister the opportunity, the speaker went further to ask the finance minister whose budget is being debated, to leave the chamber.



This singular action of the Speaker was done in bad faith and it showed the partisan side of the Speaker.



Again, the Speaker chose to pose questions that required the majority of the House to vote in favour, constituting not less than 138 members. Article 104 of the constitution and Order 109 of the standing orders of Parliament state that the Speaker requires 138 members at least before he can put a question. He may have a quorum to take questions and statements but he needs 138 to put a question.



We view this as a troubling departure from conventions and laid down due process. It is also an attempt to undermine our democratic freedoms and rights as enshrined in the fourth Republican constitution and weaken the institution of parliament.





On this score, we deem it prudent to infer that any decision that was taken with less than 138 people in the chamber is void. We, therefore, urge the good people of Ghana to disregard the claim that the budget is rejected.



On the more substantive matter, the 2022 budget happens to be the most progressive ever.



The minority simply chose to engage in shenanigans, cat-calls, and propaganda in an attempt to deny the good people of Ghana the lofty objectives that the budget primarily seeks to achieve.



In fact, Ghanas fiscal crisis began in 2012 under Mahama, with huge pay rises offered to government employees, without a clear plan to increase government revenues in step. Between 2014 and 2016, the national wage bill increased 47%, eventually rising to consume more than 70% of tax revenues.



The reality is that the Akufo-Addo government over the last 5years has done more than enough to clean Mahama's mess.



It, therefore, makes no sense for the minority to connive with the Speaker to attempt to derail the President's economic policy for 2022.



As Britain's Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher once said, "Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction."



Let the Speaker and his cohorts on the minority bench take consolation in the words of Margaret Thatcher, return to Parliament on Tuesday and do what is right and appropriate before the law.



Meanwhile, we call on the rank and file of the NPP to remain calm, resolute, and unfazed.



Long live Ghana!!



(Signed)

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu, Political Strategist /Convener- Fixing The Country Movement

Source: peacefmonline.com









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Countries around the world are racing to introduce travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain a new variant of Covid-19, called Omicron.



The moves come after the variant was officially named by health officials.



Early evidence suggests Omicron has an increased re-infection risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.



Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers arriving in Amsterdam from South Africa were tested for the new variant.



Some 61 people on two KLM flights tested positive for Covid-19 and have been quarantined at a hotel near the airport while they have further tests, Dutch officials said.



Passengers travelling from Cape Town to Manchester via Amsterdam told the BBC that they were held on the tarmac at Schiphol airport for four hours, before eventually disembarking.



The Netherlands is currently struggling with a record-breaking surge in cases. An extended partial lockdown comes into force there on Sunday evening.



The new Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on 24 November.

It has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.



Travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini will not be able to enter the UK unless they are UK or Irish nationals, or UK residents.



US officials said flights from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi would be blocked, mirroring earlier moves taken by the EU. They will come into effect on Monday.



A host of other countries have also announced restrictions, including the following:



-Australia announced on Saturday that flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi, and Mozambique would be suspended for 14 days. Non-Australians who have been in those countries in the past two weeks are now banned from entering Australia



-Japan has announced that from Saturday, travellers from much of southern Africa will need to quarantine for 10 days and take a total of four tests during that time



-India has ordered more rigorous screening and testing for travellers arriving from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong



-Iran will ban travellers from six southern African countries, including South Africa. Iranians arriving from the region will be admitted after testing negative twice, state TV says



-Brazil also said it was restricting travel to the region from six countries in Africa



-Canada is barring all foreign nationals who have travelled through South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini or Mozambique in the last 14 days



-Thailand is also banning entry by travellers from eight southern African countries



The WHO said the number of cases of this variant initially named B.1.1.529, appeared to be increasing in almost all of South Africa's provinces.



"This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning," the UN public health body said in a statement.



It said, "the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November".



The WHO said it would take a few weeks to understand the impact of the new variant, as scientists worked to determine how transmissible it was.



A top UK health official warned that vaccines would "almost certainly" be less effective against the new variant.



But Professor James Naismith, a structural biologist from the University of Oxford, added: "It is bad news but it's not doomsday."

Source: BBC









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Cargill has completed a US$13 million expansion of its cocoa processing facility in Tema, expanding the company's cocoa-grinding capability to match growing consumer demands for cocoa powder.



In recognition of the achievement, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo attended the ceremony as the Special Guest of Honour and was received by an executive team led by Harold Poelma, President of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate.



The multi-million-dollar investment took sixteen months to complete and increased the plants grind capability by 20%, bolstering its annual production capacity to 90,000 tonnes.



The initial nameplate capacity of 65,000 tonnes was pushed to 75,000 tonnes through the efficient management by the Ghanaian team, giving room for this expansion. The facility upgrades will also support hundreds of new direct and indirect jobs.



This latest investment is the culmination of Cargills 13 years of operational presence in Ghana, during which the direct and indirect employment at the plant grew from 400 to 530.



Cargills Harold Poelma explained that the project, which was sparked by the growing global demand for cocoa, also supports the companys long-term commitment to continuously invest in the cocoa sector and create more opportunities within the value chain.



This kind of investment can serve as an engine to jump-start new economic activities, Poelma said.



It is part of our ongoing effort to build sustainable, local agri-food businesses, diversify revenue streams and support a thriving cocoa sector.



The plant expansion project aligns with the government of Ghanas vision to accelerate economic progress through agricultural industrialization whilst improving the welfare of farmers and solidifying the countrys position as one of the worlds largest producers of cocoa.



President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo highlighted this point in his keynote address.



I want to congratulate the management and staff for their significant contribution to the success of this company, he said. The commissioning of this expansion today underscores the importance of the private sector to governments industrial transformation program.



He further reflected on the impact that Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate has made in the country in creating a more sustainable cocoa sector and acknowledged that the plant expansion will present an avenue for economic development.



Im of the firm conviction that industrialization of private sector development is a great opportunity to expand the economy and create more jobs, particularly for our young people. I also believe that for this country to develop rapidly, there is the need for deliberate attempts to add value to our natural resources.



Its against this background that I would like to commend Cargill for what they are doing in our cocoa sector, the President said.



Plant Manager, Mr. Richard Adjei in a short address, praised the highly skilled Ghanaian team who run the Plant.



I am happy to note, ladies and gentlemen that this Plant which is now the biggest cocoa processing Plant in Ghana is run and managed 100% by Ghanaians. Our staff here is the reason we are where we are today and Cargill Ghana is an example of Ghanaian expertise and efficiency and by that our staff earned the right to grow the plant, Mr Adjei remarked.



Alongside the commissioning of the Tema processing facility, Cargill highlighted other efforts to support sector transformation and social impact, in partnership with state agencies such as COCOBOD and other key stakeholders such as CARE International and Safe Water Ghana.



In 2021 alone, Cargill invested about GHc12m in supporting local community projects to build solar water systems and add school classroom blocks.



In addition, Cargill provided funding and support for nearly 70 other community-identified projects.



Speaking about the importance of working with partners, Aedo van der Weij, Managing Director, Cargill Ghana, said; Establishing close partnership with government agencies, technical partners and local community leaders enables us to make meaningful impacts in the communities where we do business. They share our vision and help guide our efforts in creating a sustainable cocoa supply chain. Working together, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone.

In that spirit, Cargill continues to drive progress in the areas of farmer resilience, community well-being, environment, and transparency, delivering lasting impact across the value chain.



With the use of GPS polygon mapping and a Cooperative Management System (CMS) through its CocoaWise digital platform, it has achieved 100 percent traceability and accountability in its Ghanaian supply chain from farm to factory.



Its reputation as a leading and reputable player in the cocoa industry is strengthened by its commitment and efforts to address complicated issues such as child labour and deforestation.



In attendance at the event held at the Plant in Tema was the US Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Stephanie Sullivan, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Hon. Michael Okyere Baafi.



The current Board Chair of COCOBOD, Mr. Peter McManu and the immediate past one Hackman Owusu Agyemang, the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahene Aidoo and his deputy Dr Emmanuel Opoku, as well as executives from the Free Zones Authority and Cargill partners and stakeholders such as CARE, Solidaridad were also present.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policies and Research (INSTEPR), Kwadwo Poku says Ministries and other state-owned agencies who do not pay their own electricity bills should be made to do so.



This, according to him, will help reduce the countrys current energy sector debt.



Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, November 27, 2021, the energy expert who was concerned about the high rate at which the debts are accumulating, was of the view that these institutions make money hence, they can afford to take care of their bills instead of burdening the government with such cost.



He was contributing to discussions on the Energy Sector debt which is projected to hit $12.5million if measures are not instituted to check the rate at which the debt is accumulating.



Highlighting the possible causes, he mentioned that intersectoral debts within state institutions and electricity theft through illegal connections are major setbacks.



so ECG owes GRIDCo, VRA owes this institution, Ghana Gas owes somebody in the sector so its more or less an intersectoral debt that goes like a merry-go-round. Thats also a big factor, he said.



He added that debts owed by state institutions including Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) also account for the majority of the cost.



When PDS was to happen, the government went to Parliament and ring-fenced certain sectors and certain Ministries that were not to be part of prepaid meters. Consequently, some government institutions dont pay their electricity bills. That included Education, Health, Finance, Interior Ministries, etc.,



Now all these Ministries and institutions under them, dont pay their electricity bills, so government becomes the highest debtor.



The Energy expert contends that these Ministries and State-Owned enterprises should be made to cater for their own bills since they are money-making institutions.



He, thus, entreated the government to ensure that these institutions pay their own bills if indeed, it wants the problem resolved.



Its a problem where government needs to sit up because, it [government] is the number one cause of the problem. So if government wants to resolve this problem, we should put prepaid meters on all MDAs, barracks, schools, hospitals, and institutions not paying their bills, he said.

Source: Joy News









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A pro-NPP group, Fixing The Country Movement, is calling on Parliament to approve 2022 Budget proposal for the government to succeed.



In a statement signed by its convener, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, the group said, "The budget primarily focussed on expanding on Ghana's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as creating a climate-friendly entrepreneurial state to address unemployment and import substitution."



The group further stated that "The government is looking more of stabilisation as about revitalization and transformation of the economy and there's investment in health, education, youth entrepreneurship and the digital economy."



Read the full statement below;



After a careful reading and studying of the 2022 budget statement, the Fixing The Country Movement deems it fit to add our voice to the call by well meaning Ghanaians for the august house of Parliament to approve the budget proposals in the national interest.



The budget primarily focussed on expanding on Ghana's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as creating a climate-friendly entrepreneurial state to address unemployment and import substitution.



A cursory look at the breakdown of the tax components and proposals shows that the Akufo-Addo government is building a resilient economy with a brighter future for the Ghanaian people.



The 2022 budget also heralds a greater fiscal policy where job creation remain sound, whereas the expansionary fiscal policy, among other things, is clearly aimed at boosting jobs.



For instance, the Ghc1billion YouStart INITIATIVE comes on board as a New Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.



The government is looking more of stabilisation as about revitalization and transformation of the economy and there's investment in health, education, youth entrepreneurship and the digital economy.



It was the Former Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie who remarked that, "We pay a price when special interests win out over the collective national interest"



Parliament ought to put this Chris Christie quote into right perspective and allow Ghana's national interest to win above partisan politics.



We call on both the majority and minority groups to do the needful approve the 2022 government economic policy with ease.





Long live Ghana!!



(Signed)

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah

Political Strategist, Convener- Fixing The Country Movement





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the recently announced Electronic Transactions Levy by government is just a means to fund the President's luxurious foreign trips.



According to Mr Nketia, that particular tax will surely impose furrher hardships on the already suffering Ghanaian masses.



He told NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie that government will sure use the Momo tax to pay for the US$14,000-an-hour LX-DIO aircraft so President Akufo-Addo can travel in his usual luxurious Russian-oligarch-style.



"....i am disappointed in this Nana Addo-led government....the public show of opulence at the expense of the poor Ghanaian taxpayer is insulting...he has failed to be frugal with our monies when it comes to his foreign trips," Mr Asiedu Nketia slammed.



Listen to interview





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Several hours after parliament was scheduled to convene for final debate and approval of the 2022 budget, the majority side of the house is yet to report into the chamber.



While all 137 MPs from the minority side had taken their seats by midmorning, none of the 138 members from the majority side have entered the chamber as at midday. Following this development, the minority has held a press conference to call out the majority for holding the house hostage.



Government is the responsibility of serious minds and responsible people. If they are not in the position to run this country, they should state so and let serious minds take over the running of the state. But parliament cannot be held hostage by the majority. Our leadership in the minority is ready, the members are ready, Ningo Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey told the media.



Ahead of the budget approval, the members of the minority had served notice of their resolve to vote against the budget saying it is insensitive to the economic conditions of Ghanaians.



The member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, and the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adjoa Safo, are reported to be out of the country.





Sam Nartey George, a member of the minority caucus appears to have suggested the government is chattering a flight to bring the MPs back into the country for the session.



The make-up of the 8th parliament has made policies requiring voting to be contentious, especially when there is a disagreement between the two sides of the house.



The majority with 138 MPs has only one seat more than the minority side which has 137 members in the house.



Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh has however, refuted the claim that their side is deliberately stalling the process.



Addressing the media in parliament following the development, the MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri rubbished the allegations of government using a chartered flight to bring the MPs back into the country while maintaining that his side is poised to win a vote on the budget.



He insisted that their delay in coming into the chamber of parliament is only as a result of a caucus meeting his side has been engaged in.



Caucus meeting is something normal that we do in this house. So for anybody to have the temerity to come and address you and to say that we are engaging in ferrying our members with chartered flight and I am told all manner of stories. I mean treat it with the greatest level of disrespect and disdain, the Majority Chief Whip said.





Source: ghanaweb.com









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The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged members of the majority in parliament to join the minority side in voting against the 2022 budget.



The NDC Secretary who made this call on the Friday edition of Okay FMs morning show said rejecting the budget is a sign of patriotism.



I am in full support of the position taken by our minority MPs and I will use this opportunity to appeal to NPP MPs who are in favour if the development of this nation to see this as not a matter about just NDC, this concerns Ghana and so they should come on board and join us vote against the budget today, he stated.



Debate on the 2022 budget presented in parliament by the finance minister on November 17, 2021, is set to be concluded Friday, November 26, 2021, after which approval voting is expected to be held.



Ahead of the voting the minority side of the house has served notice it will be voting against the approval owing to issues the side has with some policies contained in the budget.



For the minority, policies such as a proposed 1.75% levy to be imposed on electronic transactions is insensitive to the economic conditions of Ghanaians.



Opposition Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa last Friday indicated he will be voting against the approval of the budget.







Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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While it is presently no news that the Majority in Parliament staged a walkout on Friday, what is unclear is the reason for that unprecedented action.



Unprecedented because, it is hardly the practice in Ghana for the party that holds majority of seats in Parliament, for whatever reason, to refuse to come to the House to debate issues of national concern.



Particularly so, when the House is on the cusp of reaching a decision on an important motion; approval of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.



But Peacefmonline.com has uncovered the very reasons which led to Friday's uncommon action.



Painstaking investigations reveal that three reasons culminated in the action by the Majority; and all have a bearing on what the group felt was the partisanship conduct of the Speaker, Rt Hon Alban Kinsford Sumana Bagbin.



According to Peacefmonline credible sources, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, reported to the House with a request to have the opportunity to incorporate some viewpoints made by the minority into the budget.



Key among them were;



- request to include allocations made for phase two of the sea defence project in Keta



- request to adjust the e-levy.



Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who moved the application on behalf of Ken Ofori-Atta argued the move is to afford the minister the chance to address the above concerns of the minority in order to secure consensus.



Peacefmonline.com is reliably informed these requests, amongst others, were mooted by the Minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, and would have required consultation and costing if the minister was to include them in the budget.



However, the Majority had the shock of their lives when the same minority who made the requests, appeared unwilling to accede to the request of the minister.



The Minority's stance was unfortunately, also backed by the Speaker, Peacefmonline can confirm.



The speaker ruled the minister can only address parliament after the minority was done with the debate.



Why Sack Ken And Allow Gen Mosquito?



While refusing him the opportunity, the Speaker went further to ask the finance minister to leave the chamber since he was not a Member of Parliament.



But perhaps what really gored the Majority was the presence of Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC General Secretary, in the House.



Bad Faith



Additionally, Peacefmonline is informed that the Speaker's attention was drawn to the presence of other "strangers" in the Chamber and public galleries who as required by law, had no right to be present at that material time. But the repeated calls on the Speaker to compel these people to leave fell on deaf ears.



The Majority thus came to the conclusion that the Speaker is acting in bad faith and partisan in his decisions.



Budget Is Not Rejected!



"The majority is of the view that it cannot counternance an order by Mr Speaker for Marshals to take the Finance Minister out. The majority consequently walked out," a leading member of the Majority who wants to remain anonymous told Peacefmonline.



"Order 109 says the Speaker requires 138 members at least before he can put a question. He may have a quorum to take questions and statements but he needs 138 to put a question.



"Any decision that is taken with less than 138 people in the chamber is void. Ghanaians should disregard the claim that the budget is rejected," the source from the Majority side added.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Honourable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has finally returned to Ghana.



Agyapong was in Ghana for the debating and voting on the governments budget statement for the upcoming fiscal year.

Immediately on arrival in Ghana, Agyapong reportedly stormed Parliament to take part in the deliberations surrounding the highly controversial budget. The MP has been in the United States for the past several months.



Reports allege he was in the U.S to seek medical help after suffering a medical emergency.



Ghanaians have been watching out for when Agyapong would return and he has finally done so.



Photo of Agyapong in Parliament yesterday









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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After seven years of fundraising, Children's Place is going to break ground on a new facility following a generous donation from a local couple.

On Oct. 29, Rob and Pam Johnston gifted Childrens Place with a $1.5 million donation.

"I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude by this incredible gift that will change the trajectory of Childrens Place and make a brighter future for our children, families and staff, said Peggy Ford, executive director of Childrens Place. I am even happier since this gift comes from a family known for recognizing strong businesses with a strong future."

Rob Johnston, an Aiken native, owns First Communities, a large privately-held apartment company headquartered in Atlanta.

Over the past several years, I have spoken with many Aiken friends inquiring as to their opinion and assessment of Childrens Place," Rob Johnston said. "Every person spoke glowingly of this organization and the critical assistance it provides to children and families in need."

The nonprofit's total donations have now reached $3 million, according to Ronnie Maxwell, chairman of the Childrens Place capital campaign.

The dream to serve more children and families in a new, larger facility is going to become a reality and that is really special and exciting for our community, Maxwell said.

Childrens Place is a child and family development center focused on strengthening and healing families.

After seeing success in Aiken, Ford said Children's Place has simply outgrown its current space.

"The new, more functional building will triple the size of the long-outdated, crowded, high-maintenance facilities now housing approximately 50 staff and 60 children; and it will enable the United Way agency to expand the number of children and families it serves," according to a Children's Place release.

Children's Place plans on breaking ground in May 2022. The new facility is planned just a few blocks from its current location.

The nonprofit is still seeking donations for furnishings, increased air ventilation and sanitization systems, a playground and an additional classroom.

I encourage other community members to join me in supporting this very deserving organization, Rob Johnston said. Together, we can make a difference in building stronger children and families and save them from a life of despair and misery. If not us  then who? If not now  when?

Ford said words cannot express her appreciation for the unwavering support she has received from donors.

People have truly wrapped their arms around Childrens Place and made it possible for us to wrap our arms around children and families who need us the most, she said.

For more information on the Children's Place capital campaign, call 803-641-4144 or visit childrensplaceinc.org.
Currently in South Carolina to become a CNA a person must complete a minimum of 60 hours of classroom work and 40 hours of hands on work inside a long-term care facility. The trainee must also pass an exam to become certified.
SUMMERVILLE  A nearly 150-year-old Wisconsin home-goods company is expanding its reach to Summerville, where it will distribute furniture and other decorative products.

DHI Corp., which does business under the brand name Design House, announced that its $627,000 capital investment will create 40 jobs, according to a statement from the S.C. Commerce Department.

Founded in 1872 as a supplier to the building trades, the Mequon, Wis.-based company said it sells an array of products "for any room," including furniture, lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, bathroom accessories and kitchen cabinetry.

Its new East Coast distribution center is at 300 Trade Zone Blvd. in Summerville, between Jedburg Road and Nexton Parkway. It is fully operational, DHI said.

For the most part, it's heavily e-commerce-based," said Mike Oberlander, Design House's vice president of global operations.

The Charleston region offered "the perfect combination of proximity to many U.S. online consumers," a new building and an expanding port system, he added.

"We wanted to come closer to the consumer. That was the attraction to get the East Coast.  It gives us some clearer logistics and helps us, too, with speed to market, Oberlander said.

The company's e-commerce supplier relationships include tie-ins with national big-box retailers, such as Lowe's and Home Depot, and some of the fulfillment centers where Amazon.com fills and delivers orders.

Oberlander said the online business has benefited from the skyrocketing demand for housing "that's led some people to stay where they are and fix up their homes."

The Commerce Department said its Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved a $100,000 grant to Berkeley County to offset expenses associated with the expansion.

Design House is leasing about a third of the 520,000-square-foot warehouse that the Silverman Group completed earlier this year. The property has landed at least one other tenant. County officials met in July to discuss New Jersey-based BlueArrow Warehousing & Logistics LLC's plan to take about 225,000 square feet and create 40 full-time jobs.

The Design House deal is the latest boost for the region's home-furnishings distribution industry, which has suddenly become a growing source of cargo coming through the Port of Charleston.

Two other companies from the sector recently announced plans to set up warehouses in the Summerville area. Twin Star Home of Delray Beach, Fla., and Commerce, Calif.-based Sagebrook Home will occupy a combined 1.5 million square feet of space at the Charleston Trade Center, across Interstate 26 from the Design House site.

The expansions will triple Twin Star's warehouse capacity in the Charleston region and give Sagebrook its first East Coast distribution outpost.

Furniture and furnishings now top the list of the fastest-growing imports at the national level and at the Port of Charleston  up 50 percent and 55 percent year-over-year, respectively.

Some of the growth is being driven by the pandemic-induced home-improvement frenzy. But the industry also is recognizing the importance of being closer to the Southeast's population growth and its expanding consumer market.

"These furniture distribution centers build on Charlestons centrality to the furniture and home goods segment," Jim Newsome, CEO of the State Ports Authority, said in a statement last month.
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GOOSE CREEK  Dan Guzman had been involved in retail and logistics at the corporate level for more than three decades when he moved to the Lowcountry in 2014.

He had worked as a grocery store manager in the retail sector in California before making the jump to the aerospace industry as a procurement and program manager.

As successful as hed been in the corporate world, Guzman and wife, Christina, wanted out of the lifestyle. They yearned to create something of their own and decided to start a small business.

For 20 years, Christina had always dreamed of owning a coffee shop, Guzman said.

Guzman liquidated his retirement account and put nearly $200,000 of his own money into the business and Ra Coffee Co. was born.

We took a leap of faith without a parachute, said Guzman, who named the business after the family's cat. We were all in.

As well-versed in labor costs and supply chain issues as Guzman was, he knew he would need help getting his idea off the ground.

Guzman, like many budding local entrepreneurs, turned to the South Carolina Small Business Development Center in North Charleston for help in navigating the pitfalls of starting a small business.

I knew the baseline stuff, cost of goods versus labor, inventory flow, hiring employees, but starting your own business is so much more than that, Guzman said. I like to think that without their help, we could have succeeded, but theres no way wed be where we are today without them.

In October 2018, Ra Coffee opened its doors on the south end of Goose Creek along U.S. 52 with three employees and double drive-thru windows. In just three years, the small company has expanded to three stores  two more on Joint Base Charleston  with 27 employees.

The SBDC was our compass, they were like guard rails and kept us focused on our ultimate goal, Guzman said. They have been instrumental in what weve built.

For more than 40 years, entrepreneurs have looked to the center for help in starting a new enterprise or expanding an existing business.

The SBDC has 20 locations across South Carolina, including a new satellite office in Goose Creek that opened in the summer, that help 6,000 clients every year.

Since 2006, the SBDC has assisted the startup of more than 500 new ventures and helped generate more than $383 million in capital formation. In the past five years, SBDC consultants have assisted in bringing more than $1 billion in government contracts to small companies in South Carolina.

In 2020 alone, the SBDC has helped bring to life 143 new businesses, created or retained almost 4,000 jobs and obtained more than $77 million in financing.

Most of the SBDC consultants have been entrepreneurs themselves or have been involved in the financial sector. The assistance they offer is free.

What we try to do is take entrepreneurs through the process on how to start a new business, said Tom Lauria, an export and manufacturing business consultant with the Charleston center. We want to help them take their dream and turn it into a sustainable business.

With the population booming in Berkeley County, the SBDC was getting more and more clients from Goose Creek and Moncks Corner. Opening an office in the area seemed like a logical move. Once a week, a consultant with SBDC will meet with clients in the citys municipal office.

Weve kind of become the epicenter for business in Berkeley County, said Matt Brady, Goose Creeks economic development director. The SBDC is such a great resource for anyone looking to open a small business.

Genesis Wernham discovered just how crucial the SBDC could be to her success when she was looking to expand her day care business.

Wernham had been operating the Olive Tree Childrens Center out of her Ladson home for about a year and wanted to expand into a larger facility. She had her sights set on a nearby building and was just about to sign a lease when she called the SBDC.

I talked with Tom (Lauria) and we went over the numbers and realized that the building was way overpriced, said Wernham, who had worked as an elementary school teacher in New York. He saved me. If I had signed that lease, I would have been in deep, deep trouble and it would have taken me years to get out of it.

Wernham is in the process of getting a lease for a building that she hopes to open within a year.

Guzman and Wernham agreed that the SBDCs help with developing a business plan was crucial in their endeavors.

Id written business plans in college, and Id been involved with business plans throughout my career, Guzman said. Christina put together what I thought was a great plan, but we ended up going through four drafts. They wanted it to be perfect and that was a huge help because thats your playbook, thats your blueprint for success.
Some of the changes made in South Carolina during the pandemic to help restaurants and their customers  particularly the expansion of outdoor dining  are becoming permanent.

When COVID-19 kept people out of restaurants either by law or by choice, many cities quickly moved to relax rules about the use of sidewalks, parking lots and even public streets for dining.

"It felt like a big change," said Brooks Reitz, owner of Charleston restaurants Leon's Oyster Shop, Little Jack's Tavern and Melfi's. "Little Jack's wouldn't have been able to survive."

Like virtual meetings or permanently working from home, what began as temporary, emergency responses to the pandemic are becoming permanent.

The city of Charleston alone issued three dozen temporary permits to restaurants for outdoor dining where it hadn't previously been allowed.

They were essentially letting businesses take pictures on their cellphones of what they were doing outside and email them to the planning department," Charleston City Councilman Ross Appel said. Generally speaking, weve gotten much more permissive in terms of sidewalk dining."

Certainly in the beginning it was driven by restaurants because they were closed inside and we were looking for ways to keep them afloat," he added.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it turned out lots of people liked dining outdoors and many restaurants liked being able to put out more tables without having to buy or lease more space.

In Spartanburg, the city closed a block of West Main Street at Morgan Square to vehicles starting in May 2020, creating outdoor space for businesses and more room for pedestrians.

Spartanburg has now decided to keep it that way, at least through the summer of 2022. Some retailers objected but surveys showed residents support the move.

One of the things that I think is driving it is people love to see people," Chris Story, Spartanburg's city manager, said. "The best thing we can do to make our downtown more attractive is to have it full of people."

He said what began as a way to allow safer outdoor activity and dining in the heart of the city evolved after some intense debate into the current situation in which vehicles are prohibited on the one block along the square.

City studies found restaurant sales were higher in May and June 2021 than they had been during those same months in 2019 before the pandemic in and around the area where the road had been turned over to pedestrians.

To us, that was a compelling illustration that the pedestrianized block had become a destination," Story said. We literally have folks dining on what was a paved asphalt roadway.

The use of sidewalks, streets and parking lots can be a source of conflict in cities. Retailers and residents want readily available parking. Pedestrians need uncluttered places to walk and that's particularly an issue for people who need mobility devices.

Businesses are typically required to provide certain amounts of parking and that parking is reduced when tables and chairs are in the parking lot or blocking the parking lot.

At Little Jack's Tavern, for example, Reitz said a patio was created for outdoor dining and it blocked access to a parking area for the restaurant. Charleston officials allowed it but objected to an event-style tent that protected the patio from the elements, he said.

While there are still plenty of rules about what restaurants can and can't do in Charleston, Reitz said getting permission for outdoor dining was easier than getting the approvals he needed to paint the restaurant building years earlier.

"It's a huge boost to small businesses," he said. "It's free space that you're not leasing."

For a small number of businesses, the same is true for parking spaces on public streets.

In two cases in Charleston, on-street parking spaces became drinking and dining areas because there wasn't room on the sidewalk. The city's sidewalk dining rules require at least 10 feet from the property line to the curb.

Pete Poore, a spokesman for the S.C. Department of Transportation, said the department agreed to allow a temporary "parklet" at 11 Cannon St. The restaurant Baba's on Cannon then used that space to serve customers.

"The verbal agreement we had with the citys transportation director was that it was a temporary measure and permissible only during the governors declared state of emergency," said Poore.

Robert Summerfield, Charleston's planning director, said the city is working to see if DOT will agree to allow the situation to continue. The same is true for a second so-called parklet on Bogard Street outside a small corner bar called Cutty's.

In some states, cities have allowed widespread use of parking lanes for restaurant dining. In Philadelphia, they call them "streeteries" (like, eateries on the street. Many involve semi-permanent structures, and the City Council there has been moving to allow them indefinitely.

That's despite an incident in which eight people were injured when a car struck a Philadelphia streeterie, WHYY reported.

Atlanta, New York, San Francisco and other cities have also been considering legislation to allow some temporary outdoor dining measures to become permanent.

With the exception of the two spots in Charleston and a block-long street section in Spartanburg, the bulk of South Carolina hasn't been turning streets into dining areas and has focused on sidewalks and sometimes restaurant parking lots.

I think this exercise has shown us that some policies were more restrictive than they needed to be," said Scott Slatton, director of Advocacy and Communications for the S.C. Municipal Association. It turns out, we could have done some of this all along."

He said some cities didn't need to take new measures because they were already allowing extensive outdoor dining.

Downtown Greenville has had an outdoor dining allowance for years," he said.

Summerfield said it's a little more complicated than just agreeing to allow dining on the sidewalk. Restaurants that add seats must have facilities, such as bathrooms, suitable for the higher capacity, for example.

And restaurants that were temporarily allowed to expand into their own parking lots may not be able to keep doing that in Charleston unless they already provided more parking than the city required, Summerfield said.

Were already meeting with businesses that took advantage of that provision, and working out how to modify it so they can move forward," he said. As you might imagine, customers  particularly during the warmer-weather months  enjoyed having more opportunity to sit outside."

The main factor that will determine if Charleston restaurants can continue to have sidewalk dining, Summerfield said, will be the width of the sidewalks. Charleston City Council members deferred any action on Nov. 23 to updates of the city's sidewalk dining ordinance.
COLUMBIA  It was 2:45 p.m. on a Wednesday in early November, and the truck carrying a shipment of meat to Halal International was late.

Owner Ulfat Shagiwall paced the length of his market: down the crowded aisles, behind the butcher counter, into the refrigerator, through the stock room and out the back door. But still, no meat.

Halal International, its shelves stuffed full of Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian goods, sat largely empty. Shagiwalls customers had memorized the typical delivery window  Wednesdays, between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

The weekly drop-off was the best chance for many Muslims in South Carolina to purchase the freshest halal meat.

Halal is a term describing an action or thing permissible under Islamic law; it is the opposite of haraam, which is forbidden. When halal is specifically applied to meat, it means the animal has been prepared for consumption according to Islamic law.

An Arabic phrase thanking God must be recited before slaughtering the animal. There is also a specific way in which animals should be killed: a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe, helping it quickly lose consciousness. All blood inside the animal must drain before further processing.

While there is a basic understanding of halal meat among all Muslims, the religion is old and vast, leading to some variance in practice and personal preference. Modernity and colonialism have also changed how people think of halal meat, said Garrett Davidson, professor of Arabic and Muslim world studies at the College of Charleston.

Some stores, including a few local markets and Costco, sell frozen halal meat, as well as meat from animals killed by a machine. The Quran, the Muslim holy book, also permits consuming meat killed by Christians and Jews. Accessibility constraints could influence how Muslims interpret halal.

Shagiwalls customers, however, will travel from all over the state, including from the Charleston area, for a particular kind of halal meat.

He purchases it from three U.S. suppliers, all of which employ Muslim butchers at their slaughterhouses. The meat is guaranteed to be fresh and hand-killed, and is sold at some of the best prices, Shagiwall said.

These are the factors which keep have kept customers coming back in the three years hes owned the place. Good prices and a dependable, predictable meat supply.

Shagiwalls phone blared again  another customer wanting an update on their meat order.

Come in a few hours, he said.

Grown in Lowcountry

The Charleston areas Muslim community has exploded in growth in the 35 years Dr. Ghazala Javed has lived here. What started at a handful of Muslim families has expanded to what must be about 500 now, she estimated.

The number is expected to only get higher. Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, the Pew Research Center reported in 2017. Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060, the group found.

Javed, who considers herself a moderate Muslim, cooks only halal meat at home, purchased from Halal International and similar stores in Charlotte.

The local Muslim community is tightknit, and families coordinate trips to Columbia or even Atlanta to stock up on meat to distribute back home, Javed said.

Its very, very convenient now, but not like going into a store and getting your pick of meat, she said.

It was around 3:30 p.m. when the truck, caught in traffic delays on its way down from Charlotte, finally pulled into the back of Halal International.

Shagiwall stood at its opening beside a huge plastic bin, chucking in full-bodied goats and lamb, their hooves sticking up every which way.

An employee approached him, telling Shagiwall a customer had arrived, ready to pick up the meat order shed placed earlier in the morning.

It was as if a switch turned on  suddenly, a line formed in front of the butcher counter. Six people filled the space behind, shouting, slicing and unloading the meat as customers patiently waited.

Srinivasa Kothury doesnt practice Islam but makes the 40-minute drive to Columbia from Orangeburg every three weeks so he can stock up on meat for his family. Its fresh and one of the only stores that sells goat meat, he said.

Nasir Waheed, who lives around 12 miles from the store, comes more often. Halal International is the only option when it comes to halal meat, he said, loading several filled bags into his cart.

Javed is hopeful a store like Halal International will come to the Lowcountry soon.

The growth in South Carolinas Muslim population and the addition of several restaurants in the Charleston area serving halal meat make for promising signs, she said.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina's 2022 African American History Calendar celebrates the health care contributions of Black trailblazers since the late 1800s, educating the public about civil rights strides in the lifesaving industry long before COVID-19.

The health care theme was chosen as a way to "help recognize and uplift those that have given so much during a worldwide time of need," state education Superintendent Molly Spearman wrote in her letter accompanying the annual calendar distributed to classrooms, churches and community centers statewide.

"I hope this calendar motives you as we work together to rebound from the pandemic and make our state a better place to work and live," she said.

Beyond giving health care history every month, the calendar features 13 Black individuals and an entire family honored for improving the lives of people in South Carolina and beyond through education, business and  in the case of Sgt. Isaac Woodard Jr.  surviving a shocking injustice after returning to the U.S. from World War II.

They also include a prominent leader in the state's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The month of February recognizes Dr. Linda Bell, the state's chief epidemiologist, for educating the public on how to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, as well as shedding light on the longstanding health disparities that caused Black residents to suffer disproportionately.

"I think my role as an African American in public health gives me a unique opportunity, perhaps, to be a slightly different voice that will better serve communities of color, recognize the disparities they have experienced and recognize the need to prioritize those problems," she said in an interview played at the calendar's unveiling ceremony in Columbia on Oct. 6.

"I hope in some ways I might inspire others to recognize that whatever they set their sites on can be accomplished," she said, noting her husband is a cardiologist. "I want to acknowledge what we as a population, as humanity, have gone through together."

Another widely known South Carolinian is featured for March: The late Chadwick Boseman, the actor who portrayed Jackie Robinson and James Brown but is arguably most famous for his role as the "Black Panther" superhero. The Anderson native died in 2020 of cancer.

Others in the calendar might not be household names  at least, not yet. The goal is to enlighten the public about South Carolinians who may not make the news but should be recognized, said Spearman's spokesman, Ryan Brown.

Honorees include Saundra Glover, an Orangeburg County native who was the first associate dean for health disparities and social justice for the University of South Carolina's public health school. Last month, President Joe Biden appointed her the U.S. Department of Agriculture's South Carolina director.

Those honored posthumously include Thomas Ezekiel Miller, who was born in 1849 and attended illegal schools in Charleston for free Black children. After the Civil War, he was elected to the Beaufort County school board, then the state Legislature and later the U.S. House. He was also the state Republican Party chairman and first president of South Carolina State University, which he helped found.

Woodard, who fought in the Pacific during WWII, was on his way home to Winnsboro on a Greyhound bus when he asked to use the restroom, resulting in the Batesburg police chief gouging out his eyes. The story shocked the nation and led to President Harry Truman ordering the desegregation of the U.S. military.

In 2019, 27 years after Woodard died, officials in Batesburg-Leesville dismissed the charges and dedicated a historical marker to the Blinding of Isaac Woodard on the site of the old jail, in an attempt to right, as best as possible, the 73-year-old horrific wrong.

The calendar "aims to share the rich and varied stories of African Americans who have shaped, changed, and enriched the lives of all South Carolinians," said Julian Williams, the University of South Carolina's vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.

It's an "opportunity to shine a light on individuals who are part of South Carolinas living history. Black history is American history and South Carolina history," he continued. "Despite facing systemic racism, sexism and other forms of oppression, all honorees through their strength have found a way to be undeterred, unflinching and successful in their endeavors.  You will discover 12 months filled with rich histories."

The calendar's daily blocks also provide short explanations for important moments in South Carolina history. For example, the 11 entries for January include that on Jan. 6, 2017, Donald Beatty was sworn in as chief justice of the state Supreme Court; and on Jan. 31, 1961, students from Friendship Junior College who became known as the Friendship Nine were arrested for a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in Rock Hill.

It's the 33rd edition of the calendar, first created in 1989 by Southern Bell (which later became part of AT&T), as a way to boost African American history in K-12 schools. The state Department of Education has written lesson plans yearly to accompany the calendar's use in classrooms in each grade level. Spearman was asked to take over the effort several years ago.

More than 25,000 calendars were printed this year, available to requesting schools, organizations and anyone who wants one, until they run out. A minimum order for the free calendars is 10, and you pay for shipping. The calendar can be downloaded or ordered online at scafricanamerican.com. Lesson plans accompanying calendars dating to 2012 are also available online.

Contributing sponsors include AT&T and Dominion Energy, which cover the cost; the University of South Carolina, whose professors help with the nominations and provide the research and fact-checking; South Carolina Educational Television, which provides video; and WIS-TV, which profiles an honoree monthly.
It wasnt technically my first COVID-era social gathering with people outside my social pod: There had been a couple of outdoor weddings, where I was able to remain largely on the fringes. But our parish decided this month to experiment with a return to fellowship, so this would be my first indoor event centered around a meal. Even though the state's positive test rate was hovering below 5%  remarkably low for South Carolina  and I was 24 days past my booster and knew there was plenty of room for the 22 expected attendees to space out, I was still a little apprehensive.

I had gotten a decidedly unreceptive response from my priest when I mused earlier in the week about how nice it would be to know who was vaccinated and who wasnt, so on the drive over, my friends and I assembled our list of the people we knew were attending and then of potential attendees and, this was the point, what we knew about their vaccination status.

One friend suggested the four of us sit together at dinner, and away from anyone we werent sure about. I suggested what I hoped would sound like a chatty way to disguise an inquisition: So, have you been able to get your booster shot yet?

One of my first conversations was with a medical student who told me how blessed she felt that all of her relatives were vaccinated, something no one else in her social group could say. She recalled a recent wedding she attended where three of the 100 guests were unvaccinated: I wish we could have told them how much they spoiled everything for the rest of us.

Just before dinner, the hostess confided to me that she had wanted to limit the event to the vaccinated but didnt think that would be right. So we repeated the whos vaccinated and whos not exercise, and between us were able to assure ourselves that everyone was.

This was days before DHEC said South Carolina's rate of infection had stopped falling, and before a worrisome new variant appeared in South Africa. But even if we have to climb back inside our COVID cocoons, we know by now that this spike and fall pattern is just as much a part of COVID as the spike protein. And the recurring theme at the pre-spike party suggested that Im not the only one struggling to navigate social gatherings in the age of COVID. So I reached out to an etiquette expert. And I'll warn you that if your approach to COVID is anything like mine, you're probably not going to find her advice entirely satisfying. Still, I think her perspective is useful.

Pamela Eyring is president of The Protocol School of Washington, which despite its name has its administrative headquarters in Columbia, along with offices in Washington and Dubai. She started the conversation by saying theres nothing easy about COVID etiquette because its new, a lot of people are either frightened or angry and its politicized.

If youre hosting an event, youve got lots of options. If youre a guest, you have two: Attend, or don't. Well, thats an oversimplification, but hold that thought while we talk about hosts and hostesses.

The most important thing is to make the rules clear up front so vaccinated and unvaccinated alike know what to expect. That could mean letting everyone decide for themselves what to do, requiring everyone to wear masks or  and this is the trickiest but probably what most vaccinated people would prefer  telling people they have to be vaccinated. Ms. Eyring suggests softening that by telling guests they need to either wear a mask or bring proof of vaccination, which tells them if you dont have a vaccination card, dont come, but in a nicer way than saying, Id love to invite you, but you arent vaccinated.

Checking vaccination cards feels heavy-handed for social events, but an unenforced requirement might tempt people to lie, and that can create a false sense of security for people who expect your gathering is relatively safe.

Now, for guests: Ms. Eyring cautions against asking anyone whether theyre vaccinated, for the same reason my friends and I couldnt bring ourselves to do it: It feels confrontational, and nobody I want to socialize with wants a confrontation in a social setting.

She does, however, suggest an indirect way to gather the information: You could say 'I just got my booster,' or 'Im not looking forward to getting my booster but Im going to get it.' This way youre putting it on yourself. Theres no guarantee that the people youre talking to will share, but if they do, That might spur more positive conversation.

If they dont share, you might want to find an excuse to get away from them  my advice, not hers.

She also offers this suggestion, which I need to hear multiple times a day: Dont assume that anti-vax means jerk. And dont assume unvaccinated equals anti-vax, or COVID denier; it might just mean people are afraid of needles or side effects or havent had enough exposure to people who were vaccinated without problems. You might be able to reassure them, as she recently did with her housekeeper, who was limiting her exposure to others and wearing a mask but just really afraid of getting vaccinated.

And this is a good time to remember the goal when were socializing in the midst of a pandemic (and the rest of this is me, not Ms. Eyring): First and foremost, its to stay safe. Also important, though, is using any opportunities we have to convince others to get vaccinated. That's how we make everything safer for everyone.

Finally, whether youre vaccinated or not, if you have a fever or a cough or a runny nose or any other viral symptoms  or if you just dont feel well  stay home. We've always known that; we just haven't always practiced it.
These blue St. Andrews Public Service District garbage cans are placed along Dupont Road, one of many West Ashley streets where only some of the properties have been annexed into the city of Charleston. Robert Behre/Staff
On Nov. 8, South Africa reported just 116 new COVID-19 infections. That was a bit of an aberration, but the 7-day average for the country of 59 million was just 264. Ten days later, on Nov. 18, the 7-day average was still below 300. Then the spike: 586 new infections on Monday; 1,275 on Wednesday; 2,465 on Thursday.

Concentrate less on the raw numbers than on the rate of increase. That sort of surge  its not exponential yet, but it soon could be  has always been a warning sign to public health officials. By now it should be to all of us, as we begin to come to terms with the fact that COVID is likely to be with us forever.

Eventually, it probably will become either much less contagious or much less deadly  a virus cant be both for long, because itll kill all of its possible hosts. But until that happens, everybody who has no immunity from either vaccines or infection serves as what one reporter described as kindling in a dry forest.

Scientists blame a worrisome new variant for South Africans sudden rise in infections  a variant that seems to spread more easily than the delta variant and that might be more resistant to our vaccines. News of the Wednesday and Thursday increases sent financial markets into turmoil Friday morning, because the only thing thats more reactive than a viral spike is a financial market. Still, the investors are not wrong to recognize the disruptive and deadly potential.

Its still early days, and its still possible that the omicron variant will peter out; it's also possible that travel bans the United States and some European countries rushed to impose Friday will contain it in a way we havent been able to contain any of the other variants.

But whether its omicron or another variant thats already out there or that hasnt emerged yet, were almost certain to encounter a more contagious variant at some point. And even without that more contagious variant, were going to continue to experience periodic, perhaps seasonal, spikes. Indeed, infections, hospitalizations and deaths are climbing again in several parts of this country, and DHEC warned this week that infections were no longer declining in South Carolina.

All of this means that those of us who are vaccinated need to be watching the numbers closely, and be prepared to step up our precautions as soon as our numbers cross the threshold from no longer dropping to increasing rapidly: Go out less, increase our social distance and be extra vigilant about those masks. Because the more prevalent the virus is in a community, the greater our chances of coming into contact with someone whos infected. Thats simple math.

Being vaccinated means were tremendously less likely to die or get seriously sick from COVID and significantly less likely to get infected or to transmit an infection to others. But it doesnt mean were risk-free; no vaccine works 100% of the time, and certainly not a COVID vaccine, since even being infected doesnt protect you from being infected again.

And its just one more reason for people who havent been vaccinated to get the shots. Each new wave makes it clearer that were not going to wake up one morning and say, Whew; glad that's over  and clearer that at some point everyone will be either vaccinated or infected.

Your odds of surviving are much better if youre vaccinated.
Officials are concerned that the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is already among us - even if official tests havent yet confirmed it. Read more
Joe Biden has ordered a ban on travel from eight African countries due to the emergence of the latest coronavirus variant. The countries from which Biden is cutting off travel are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

When Donald Trump banned travel from China in the early days of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, Biden called the move xenophobic. I suppose that makes Bidens travel ban racist by similar reckoning.

Speaking of Trump, Biden, and covid, the Wall Street Journal points out that deaths in the U.S. from that virus since Biden was inaugurated exceed the number of deaths that had occurred when, during a 2020 campaign debate, Biden proclaimed: Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as President of the United States of America. At the time Biden proposed this disqualifier from holding the presidency, the U.S. had recorded 220,000 covid deaths, according to the Journal. Since inauguration day, it has recorded 350,000. And counting.

The comparison isnt apples to apples. When Biden made his statement during the debate, the pandemic had been raging in the U.S. for about six and a half months. Its been about ten months since the sad day Biden became president.

On the other hand, we had no vaccine during almost the entirety of Trumps presidency. Weve had one  developed and distributed during Trumps presidency  throughout the time Biden has occupied the Oval Office.

Furthermore, as the Journal reminds us, Biden promised to shut down the virus, not the country, and he claimed to have a plan to accomplish this. This was BS.

So was his statement that if [Trump] had done his job, had done his job from the beginning, all the [220,000] people would still be alive. Has any presidential candidate ever defamed his opponent so flagrantly on a matter of policy? If so, I dont recall it.

Heres another comparison between Trump and Biden on the pandemic  one thats closer to apples to apples. During the debates, Biden slammed Trumps performance by claiming that Europe had done much better in limiting covid deaths than the U.S. At the time, however, the number of deaths per capita in the U.S. was in line with four major European countries it made sense to compare us with  the UK, Spain, France, and Italy. Like the U.S., these nations had reliable data, large populations, and lots of foreign visitors before travel was restricted.

As Trumps presidency drew to a close, per capita deaths from the virus in the U.S. were about at about the midpoint of per capita deaths in these countries  nearly identical to the UK, a little lower than Italy and Spain, somewhat higher than France.

What about now? Today, per capita deaths attributed to the virus are higher in the U.S. than in all four of the comparator nations. Currently, the U.S. has recorded 2,393 deaths per capita from the virus. France, Spain, the UK, and Italy come in at 1,814, 1,880, 2,113, and 2,213 respectively.

The U.S., therefore, has lost ground to these four countries in terms of covid deaths under Joe Biden. This, despite the fact that the U.S. (under Trumps leadership) was considerably faster off the mark than France, Spain, and Italy in getting the vaccine approved and into arms. (The UK, free from EU constraints, was a little faster than the U.S.)

Personally, I dont think presidents should be judged based, without more, on how many Americans die during a pandemic. But Joe Biden based much of his case for the presidency on precisely this criteria. In both debates with Donald Trump, he led with that case. His pitch was as effective as it was crude.

By Joe Bidens crude metrics, he has failed abjectly in dealing with the Wuhan coronavirus, both in absolute terms and in comparison to Europe. By his rhetoric, Biden should not remain as President of the United States of America.

Im glad the Wall Street Journal has called Biden out on this. Dont expect to read about it elsewhere in traditional media.
Back in the sixties Ronald Reagan liked to quip, A liberals idea of being tough on crime is giving longer suspended sentences. Todays liberals dont even bother with lenient sentences; instead, in our current defund the police, empty the prisons mania, they dont even bother charging many crimes or applying significant bail, as we saw in Wisconsin a few days ago, where an SUV committed murder.

This week Lucretia and I decided to go back to the classics on this issue: James Q. Wilson, Edward Banfield, Heather Mac Donald, and . . . Aristotle (because of course everything needs to go back to Aristotle whenever you can), though Lucretia offers a zesty side dish of modern social contract theory. (Short version: When it comes to crime, Governmentyou had one job!)

The main theme is that were repeating all of the mistakes of the 1960s that led to soaring crime, and which waseventuallycorrected with great difficulty. The core of the problem is the lefts sentimental progressive belief, derived from Rousseau and other sources, in the perfectibility of human nature and social institutions, along with its patronizing race-consciousness. Conservatives know better: the root cause of crime is criminals. Increase the incentives for crime (the result of leniency) and you will get more of it. Like everything else in life, incentives matter.

Will the cycle of self-correction repeat itself? Here Churchills observation comes into play: America will always do the right thingafter exhausting every other possibility. Were still in the exhaust every other possibility phrase of the matter, but there are early signs the tide is slowly turning. Refund the police!

In the spirit of the holiday, I give thanks for no supply-chain interruptions of Laphroaig imports, and Lucretia gives thanks for her new puppy (left).

You know what to do now: listen here, or dodge the muggers on your way over to our hosts at Ricochet.
Babatunde Omidinas dark face loomed in the shadows, but his presence brought light and laughter to our faces. In Erin Keeke, the sitcom of the 80s, he limped through the whole gamut of performing arts. Music. Drama. Dance.

He even intoned comic melodies, although he did not sound like a sultan of sound. But like the multi-talented Lanre Fasasi a.k.a Sound Sultan, he thrived in comedy performances. He would excel in that genre, becoming king. So lets indulge in no merry-go-round, and simply hand him his crown: Mr Omidina was Sultan of Comedy.

For those who knew him quite well, Babatunde Omidina was no same character as Baba Suwe. There was a gulf between the man and the actor. The man cherished the serious ambience of life away from the klieg lights, ignored fans that craved comic dramas behind the cameras, courted controversies, and was misunderstood by his Ikorodu neighbours. The actor garnered fortune and fame from tomfoolery, made high art of mere mischief, and became a household delight.

Babatunde Omidina prinked at social events, danced to Kwam1s talaso music, made love to his women, rarely smiled, preened like a peacock, and drove through Lagos in his SUVs with royal grace. Some said he cuckolded some other men. We may never know, even though the venerable Baba Olofa-Ina gave life to that myth in a recent misadventure. But Babatunde Omidina himself was a blend of myth and irony anyway, and at the height of his glory, many clothed him in the robes of arrogance.

Baba Suwe on the other hand was the eternal fool, mischievous interpreter of proverbs, Opebes ally, Jide Kosokos nemesis, Mr Latins rival, Bola Tinubus phantom brother and eternal hailer, and everyones favourite entertainer.

He was Obelomo, Oyinlomo, Adimeru, Oko Safu, Maradona, Oluaye Marose, Jor Jor Jor, Omo na Bouncing, Kosomona, and related vanities. He was no Baba Sala, the other king whose sun eclipsed along with the tragedy of Orun Moru. Neither was he Baba Mero, or Baba Sabiko, or Dejo Tunfulu, or Baba Ijesha of the teenage rape scandal.

He was no James Idepe, or LAwori, or Ojoge, or Otolo, or Aderupoko, or Pa James, or Pappy Luwe. But he was king. When he met Bayowa of Hello Olodumare fame, he became Larinloodu, Omo Alapata, Alani Debe-debe etc. Baba Suwe never died in movie plots, and he had an eternal smile planted on his face, even in moments of tragedies.

So for decades, Nurudeen Babatunde Omidina switched roles. He was Baba Suwe on movie sets, and Babatunde Omidina behind the camera. A comic fool in the day, a never-smiling disciplinarian at night.

Its the stuff of tragedy that at the twilight of his life and career, both characters disappeared into thin air, leaving the man in the lurch. And so when death loomed, he was neither Babatunde Omidina of the regal airs, nor Baba Suwe of comic vanity. He became a frail-looking Nurudeen, his face a pitiable blur. He didnt smile, neither was he fierce-looking. He exuded distress. The foolish theatrics, the sardonic humour, the stern looks, the airs of grace were all gone.

I once wrote on this page that Yomi King a.k.a Opebe, the king without palace, was the yin to Baba Suwes yang. But Moladun Kenkelewu was indeed his partner, both on screen and in the other room. The other day at his burial, Thompson of the Mr Deinde fame said that Babatunde Omidina died before he finally died. He died, first, in 2009, immediately Moladun died. But we may never know.

Many said the ghost of Moladun haunted him, and there were tales of complicity and cover-ups. There was also the myth of a homicide. We may never know. But what we do know is that if at all he died after Moladuns death, he indeed resurrected. He even made plans to jet out of the country two years later. But he met a dead end at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.

The men of the NDLEA claimed he had cocaine in his bowels, but the actor said he had no such contraband. So they forced him to defecate, to discharge the drugs from his nether region. He disagreed, and then protested, a la Odunlade Adekola of the You Wanna Sheyeye Mi fame, who recently shone in a viral show of idiocy. The NDLEA wanted him to reel in his own vomit. He never did. In the wake of the circus show, Yoruba newspaper headlines screamed Oyagbeti!, and his poop took on a separate life of its own. Many wanted to know the colour, the texture, the shape. Fela Kuti would have called it Expensive Shit. He was later released, and then he obtained another victory in court pronouncements. He was awarded N25m, but he never got the monetary award. His lawyer, the great Bamidele Aturu, passed on, and Baba Suwe sucked into the shadows of the silence of the courts.

It would appear that Babatunde Omidina began to die the moment NDLEA commandeered him to defecate. Ceaselessly. It was one slow and painful death staged in the full glare of the law. But it was death all the same, dramatic in its newsworthiness, spanning about a decade. Its one death that played out before our eyes. On the pages of newspapers, in radio and TV bulletins, in the face of rights activists, in Mama Esther Ajayis cathedral of saints, in movie theatres, even in the temple of justice.

Its the sort of tragedy novelist Teju Cole would have called Death in the Browser Tab.

II

Sound Sultan, no blueblood of the Sokoto caliphate, inspired hope. He was one artiste whose works we all held in awe in our sitting rooms, but we didnt acknowledge with similar energy outside.

When he burst onto the scene with Jagbajantis on the cusp of the millennium, we admired the genius he brought to bear in arty marriage of mathematics and politics. Then came Koleyewon, a reflective take on the state of the nation. And then came Campus Queen, the love magic birthed in collaboration with the great Tunde Kelani. When he sought greener pasture at Kennis Music, and warned about the vanity of exile in Ajo o da biIle, his voice sent shivers down our spines, and we cowered in the safety of our homes. We all echoed his brilliance, but we never rewarded it well enough.

The popularity of Twitter has brought about too many ahistorical banalities. And thats why many poo-pooh the legacy of Sultan and his peers: 2face, Faze, Baba Dee, Tetuila, Trybesmen, and even the Olympic-Touch-bearing Eedris Abdulkareem. When it was time to have a handshake across the Atlantics, Sultan and peers were there as guards. Their efforts birthed a number of projects, many of which defined the success of todays stars. 2face had a duet with Bennie Man and Reggie Rockstone, and another controversial one with R. Kelly. Tetuila created a monster hit with Tic-Tac. Sultan, Faze and 2face made magic with Haiti superstar Wyclef Jean. It was all a big deal at the time. That was long before the Dbanj-Snoop Dogg collabo materialised, or even the P-Square-Akon duet, which many now tout as the watershed moment in Nigerian artistes peep into the global space.

At the twilight of his life and career, Sound Sultans name rarely materialised anywhere on Twitter trend lists, unlike Wizkid and Davido and Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage. But he wasnt locked in battles with obscurity either, unlike Eddy Montana and Tetuila and Azadus and Rasqui and Lexy Doo and Mr Kool and Jazzman Olofin. So he was right there, midway between obscurity and limelight, mature and courteous, serving as inspiration to younger artistes. He ran his race with the grace of royalty, free of scandals. Not for him the vanity of instagram clout, nor the theatrics of Twitter vayolence. Like Wyclef boasted in King of My Country, a sequel, suicide is for cowards and Lanre Fasasi died with his honour. In that sense he was Sultanthe king of sound.

Sultan died in America, after a battle with throat cancer. Baba Suwe died in Ikorodu, after his struggles with diabetes and related ailments. Babatunde Omidina and Lanre werent exactly friends when they were here, but they both brought joy into our homes. Just like Rachel Oniga, Chico Ejiro, Earnest Asuzu etc.

Lanre Fasasi was king of sound; Babatunde Omidina Sultan of comedy. Lanre did stand-up comedy and was quite brilliant. Baba Suwe attempted comedic music in movies and came out a lovable fool. Both men are now united in both kingdoms, as king and Sultan, preening like peacocks. May they find genuine rest in that space, far away from earthly vanity.
Voting buying has become a disturbing feature in elections in Nigeria, as observed most recently in the November 6 Anambra governorship election. However, speaking with PREMIUM TIMES a few weeks before that election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers State, Obo Effanga, says the phenomenon also indicates an improvement in the electoral process. Follow his argument and other observations in this excerpt from the first part of the interview.

PT: The 2023 general election is just over a year away. Is INEC up to date in the preparation for that election?*

Mr Effanga: Yes, there are various stages leading up to the main election proper, and we are on track with the things we are doing. Right now, we are doing the continuous voters registration and we are cleaning up the voters register to ensure that those who are qualified to vote are on the register and they are also where they can vote. Because, from the last registration process to now, there are people who have moved from where they were staying and need to transfer to new places. So we are allowing them to do that. There are also people who were not up to 18 or were not able to register then and are trying to register. That is going on smoothly.

PT: At what point are you going to close the register?

Mr Effanga: This is supposed to end sometime next year in June, I think it is 30th, I am not sure. From that point, we will close the registration.

PT: Recently, INEC created new polling units across Nigeria. How is that going to impact the preparations for the elections?

Mr Effanga: If you recall, the last time polling units were created was in 1996. We just created new ones 25 years after. Within that time and now, a lot of things have changed with the geography, population movement. Let us look at Abuja for instance. The population of Abuja as of that time, if you look at the census record for 2006, I think the population of Abuja was less than one million. Now, we have more than that. More importantly, we have new settlements, a lot of the estates you have now never existed. And that is also true across the country. There are a lot of places where people were not living but people are living there now. Up till now, if they have to vote in an election, they go a long distance to be able to vote. But with the creation of new polling units, we will ensure that they are closer to the people. And we used a scientific method and that is why it worked this time, not that the electoral commission had not tried to create new polling units before now.

If you recall in 2014, before the 2015 general election, there was an attempt to create polling units, but they ran into a hitch when it was politicised, so they had to suspend it. Before now, the plan was that a polling unit would have like 500 registered voters. So what we were doing before now, like in the 2015 elections, any polling unit that had up to 750 registered voters, we had what you call voting points created out of the polling unit. It is part of the polling unit. So when we now needed to create more polling units, all we just had to do was that every voting point would be converted to a polling unit. So that way, it was very easy to manage the system.

We engaged the civil society groups, we engaged the political parties, we engaged the security agencies, we engaged the media and explained to them. So if you have a polling unit, say 3000 registered voters, you just divide after the first 750, how many more voting points exist, and convert this to polling units. And when you convert them, you will now decide where you site these polling units.

PT: Are you using the new units in the next elections?*

Mr Effanga: Yes, elections will be held in those new polling units.

PT: How many new units do we have overall?

Mr Effanga: Before now, we had 119,000 polling units in the country. Now, we have about 170,000 plus polling units.

PT: The National Assembly has now passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. One of the provisions allows INEC to transmit election results electronically. Do you think you have the capacity and facilities to do so?

Mr Effanga: Yes. The commission has actually come up with a paper on that. They made the argument and said this is what we are capable of doing. We have done it before. For instance, what we did with elections, from last year, you would see that there is a process of transmission that has happened, electronic transmission of results. Because, once an election is concluded at the polling unit, the election result is entered in an appropriate form, a photograph of the result is taken with the device we are using. Once the results go for collation at the ward collation centre, once that result has been admitted, it is uploaded into a portal that anybody, anywhere in the world can see the results.

Interestingly, in 2011, I remember that I was outside the country, I was about to come back from my masters study, and I was following the election in Nigeria, and then I saw the process in the presidential election, where the results were now brought physically by the resident electoral commissioners and the state collation officers to the national collation centre, and they were reading out the results one after the other. And at a point, they would say they are waiting for other states to arrive. I found it very ridiculous, that we will wait till that point of people bringing results physically for you to do the collation when once an election has ended at the polling unit, or even if you do the manual collation up to the state level, why do you need somebody to bring it physically? At that point, it is already known to everybody, everyone already knows the result of that state.

Why must somebody bring the result physically? You can as well transmit it, even if it is to snap it. And now with all the technology we have, you can send it by email and then people at the other end can pick it. The kind of drama I see when an election comes, everybody acts as if the world is coming to an end. So if I decide to keep my phone here, someone can say, why did he keep his phone here? That I must have kept it here because I am giving a signal to someone. All sorts of crazy desperation comes in, and then people want to dispute everything. I find it a very uncomfortable situation. It is like everything you do, people dont want to believe it.

PT: Is it because the electoral process has not earned the trust of the people*?

Mr Effanga: I agree that a lot of things have happened in the past that shows that the electoral process has not been as accurate as we may want it to be. Like I also said, the election is a reflection of who we are. The success of an election does not only depend on INEC. In fact, what INEC does, may be an infinitesimal part of what makes it a success. I do tell people, on election day, after all the planning, after all the discussion, negotiation, explanation briefing with different stakeholders, it looks as if it is the entire system that is against INEC. Sometimes, even with officials, you cannot be sure of the people who are within the system. For instance, sometimes, you may not be sure of the security agencies, whether they are working for the success of the election or not, and we have seen it happen a number of times.

Who are the people who conduct the election in the real sense? It is not INEC staff but ad hoc staff. We dont have control over them, to a large extent. Apart from the money we are going to pay them, we do the training. So if each person who is involved in the process, if I am or if I am a youth corps member involved in this, and I see this as an important process in the country, that my action goes a long way in sustaining the country that I belong to, then I will act honestly.

Then you also have the collation officers who are brought in from the tertiary institutions, mainly the universities. There is a level of expectation you would have in a normal society about somebody who is a lecturer in the university; that the person acts with the highest level of integrity, especially when it comes to election which determines who gets elected and governs.

So you have all those people, then you have the political parties, who are the number one beneficiaries of the electoral process. A lot of times, they act in such a way that they want to muddle up everything. And it is in their best interest that things are seen as being done properly. But they would want to muddle up things so that if they lose, they will say we knew this thing wasnt going to work out, because look at all the things that happened, the manipulation. But when they win even after all that, they will see victory for democracy! So you have the political parties and the politicians who are working against the interests of a credible election, many of them.

And then you go to a community where the election would be conducted. Even a regular voter, who should be interested that things are properly done, finds a way of causing confusion. We have gone to conduct an election, sometimes, or carry out activities of INEC, and some young people in the community, saying they wouldnt allow the election to go on or the process to go on until they are settled by the politicians. And the community would actually tell us that, sorry, please just give us time, let us try and manage these people, you know, then we will discuss! We had a situation before the last election, you know what, when we finished all these registrations, there was a time that we went and pasted the list of voters in the units in the wards for people to come and check. Maybe there was a mistake in your name or something, what we call the time for claims and objections. We wanted to do this and it was going to last about four days.

In one community, I got information that when our staff went there to conduct that, the young people said they were not going to do that activity unless the community elders settled them. And the community elders actually told our staff to beat a retreat until when they sorted it out, they would invite them. So you ask yourself, who benefits from that? These are the same people who would complain that some other people have more votes than them. And this is an opportunity that benefits you. So sometimes, I think that there is a detachment of the people from the electoral process, not realising that what happens there eventually affects the quality of governance they have.

PT: You must have followed the last local government elections in Kaduna State. What do you think about the use of electronic voting machines?

Mr Effanga: That was the second time that they were doing that. I noticed the first one and I thought that was a very good development. They continued again this year. In 2017, I was part of a delegation from Nigeria, on the invitation of the Electoral Commission in Venezuela that invited us to participate in the election. So I was in the country for the presidential election, and I saw the process. They used the electronic voting machine too. It is very effective and it is something we can do in Nigeria. And I know that eventually, that will happen. I remember that immediately before or soon after the last general election, the Commission had actually opened up on that and some vendors of electronic voting machines had made presentations to the Commission. So the Commission has options of which one to use eventually when we can do that. It is something that we can use.

But you see, what I also tell people is that there is so much that technology can help you achieve  it is definitely better than manual. But at the end of the day, the success of it will also depend on the humans who are involved in the process. And the humans would include the electoral officials themselves, the political parties, the security agencies and the attitudes. I dont want to sound like I am looking at doom. But when you see people who are desperate to manipulate an electoral process, I tell you, there is nothing they cannot do to ensure that that happens.

So even if you have an electronic voting machine, I might even suggest something like the ATM that we have now, you will be shocked to hear that

people deliberately went to destroy that machine or it has to do with some other methods, just want to manipulate. Or even if they cant do that, what stops them from stopping people physically from going to vote? And we have seen this happen sometimes when people want to suppress votes. It has happened. So, how would that be addressed?

PT: Last year, INEC launched several platforms such as Z-pad. How effective have these initiatives been?

Mr Effanga: Yes. In Edo, Ondo and all the other elections, that is what we have been using. But now, the new device that we are using is more sophisticated and faster. And I will explain to you immediately how we can confirm that. Last week, INEC announced the number of registered voters in Anambra elections and also announced that, with the new device we are using, it is faster to do cross-checking to pick out multiple registrations. And in Anambra State alone, we have identified 62,000 multiple registrations. So by the time we do this across the country, you will be shocked at the figures. So there is improvement in the process and the technology we are using.

PT: In Anambra and most parts of the South-east, INECs and other public facilities have been destroyed by insurgents. To what extent are you

feeling such in Rivers?

Mr Effanga: We have not had any in Rivers after the last general elections. We have not had any such facility attacked. And I hope that we would not have such situations.

PT: So the environment is conducive for your preparation for the next elections?

Mr Effanga: So far, we are doing well. If there is any problem, it would just be the general security situation that could happen, not necessarily linked to politics. For instance, the day we started the physical aspects of this registration in the first quarter, there was an incident in Rivers State where some youth were protesting the delay in the construction of the East/West road. So for local governments that you have to pass through that area to go and start, it was delayed. We eventually started that same day, but in some of those places, it was later in the day. So those kinds of things could happen and then we have to find a way of reacting to them.

PT: What level of control does INEC have over military personnel deployed to cover elections?

Mr Effanga: In terms of conduct of elections, deployment of personnel and materials to location, that is an INEC decision. We let them know the locations we are going to use and they now inform us of how many personnel they are going to deploy to those places. Now, at a polling unit, lets start from there. At every polling unit, the person that calls the shot is the presiding officer. He determines how the arrangement is made and who comes to vote, so he manages all of that. And the presiding officer there is usually the youth corps member. So he can ask the security agents to address any situation or if somebody is unruly, you can ask the security teams to please take the person out, for instance. But you see, some of the things you see, may not necessarily happen in the polling unit.

Because this issue of too many arms in the polling unit led to an understanding that at a polling unit, nobody should be there armed. So even the security personnel assigned to polling units are not armed, they dont carry firearms. Then outside the polling unit, there is a wide area where you can now have armed policemen and all these other security agencies that sometimes include soldiers. Their work is to be there, if there is a need to move in and provide safety, if theres violence, they can move in. But it is not to be policing polling units. And then after the election, you now go for collation, the ward coalition, local government coalition, depending on the level of election, and those places too are supposed to be secured as much as possible. You will have armed people trying to secure the outer perimeter, but inside should as much as possible be left for civilians and people who are working in the civil manner.

PT: So, what level of responsibility should INEC bear in this, keeping in mind allegations of interference by security personnel?*

Mr Effanga: You know there is this committee that INEC set up, the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security. At the national level, it is chaired by the INEC Chairman and co-chaired by the Inspector General of Police and all the security agencies sit in that meeting. At the state level too, it is chaired by the REC with the police commissioner as the co-chair, and then we have the representatives of the security agencies. So we have regular meetings to discuss these strategies for the election. But you see, the truth of it is that those people, what I would call the rogue security people that get involved in this manipulation, sometimes are not within the immediate control of even the representatives of these security agencies in this committee. You will have some politicians that are influential and try to bring in a special unit of the security agencies to come and undermine the election. So, that happens. And it is not something that INEC can address. Of course, we dont have a supervisory authority over security agencies, they have their command structure.

And then when this is identified, we expect the command structure to be able to deal with those. So when we had the election in Rivers State, the last governorship and House of Assembly election in Rivers, the violence became so much after the election and we had to suspend the process. And then eventually, when they were going to continue and there was going to be some supplementary election, where election could not be held, one of the things that INEC did was to identify some of the security officials that from our records and from reports, we had cause to believe that they were not working in sync with us to deliver on credibly or that they were involved in those acts of violence, we told the heads of the security agencies that this particular person, we dont want him involved in the process, and they made sure that happened.

PT: How is INEC addressing this issue of vote-buying?

Mr Effanga: There are two ways I like addressing this issue. The first point to make is that the reason we have an increased number of vote-buying is because more and more, the votes are counting. If you recall, before now, politicians wouldnt even bother whether there is an election or not when they know that they can just write the result. We have passed that stage of just writing results. Because the result has to reflect the number of people who voted and the number of people who voted will depend on what the smartcard reader recorded as people who were accredited to vote. So the votes are counting and now the politicians see a shortcut route to getting people to vote for them is, why would you waste your time trying to explain to people why they should vote for you when you know people are hungry? So, just pay that money? So I wrote an article once where I referred to our system as transactional. So at every point, people just want what would this cost to pay you off and all that. Now when we talk about vote-buying, a lot of times, people are focusing on what I will call the retail end, the individual that goes to vote and they give money. But what about the bigger people in the vote-buying value chain? So when an influential person in a state, or the governor of a state tells a presidential candidate, dont worry, in my state, we have 1.5 million registered voters, I assure you, that you will get this. We hear that said. So those people would have given some money to these influential persons, huge sums of money to go and work in their states, or go and work in your local government. Go and deliver your local government or in your state, or your ward, or your polling units to this party. What do you think that delivery means? How are they made to deliver? They are given huge sums of money to try to use it to buy votes. So before the election, you see a lot of largesse being distributed: rice, cooking oil, even for some people wrappers, or even wearing T-shirts and caps at rallies. For a lot of people, that could mean the reason for voting.

But I also tell people that the responsibility of the electoral umpire is to provide an opportunity for voters to come and vote. Nobody has a right to ask you when you come and vote why are you voting for this person? You may have 1001 reasons. It could be because the person is your friend or your brother. It could be because the person assists you monetarily at different times, or has promised that he will assist you. So at the end of the day, it is the individual voters choice how he or she wants to put whatever the reason for that. But what becomes obscene is when on Election Day at the polling unit, or the environment, people actually come and pay people to vote. So now that becomes not a problem of INEC as such, but its a societal problem. On Election Day, the key responsibility of the election officials is that people come and vote and he counts that vote. So when people say, but there was vote-buying, are you saying that you would prefer that election officials not concentrate on the people who have come to vote and run after people trying to buy votes or sell votes? At best, what you can do is to draw the attention of the security agencies, let them handle that.

PT: You have drawn a line saying this is not our responsibility. But it is your responsibility based on the Electoral Act.

Mr Effanga: I remember I said there are different levels of vote-buying. But when people focus on what I call the retail, the last point, at that point, the most important duty for the election official is for the people to vote and he or she counts the votes and records them. Not the reason they voted one way or another. Because there will always be 1001 reasons, including the fact that

PT: So how are we going to stop that obscenity?

Mr Effanga: That is why I said it is a societal problem. How do we determine who we support for anything? Do I support someone mainly because we went to the same school? I support him because we attend the same church, or we are of the same faith? It will rely on a lot of civic education for people to know that who eventually occupies a position of authority in governance will affect a lot of things, including the cost of living, and then they try to make the right choice. But not to limit the votes to who pays more.

PT: INEC has shown a lack of capacity or lack of willingness to enforce the campaign financing law. Why?

Mr Effanga: You know what my personal opinion on this cap on campaign financing is? We are running away from reality. Even if you say one trillion, or it is as low as one million, how is it possible to track all the spending related to elections? A lot of the money that is spent during elections may not come through the political party or the candidate. You are a candidate in an election, somebody who was your classmate in secondary school is putting banners and posters saying that this guy was a head boy and he is the best student from our school, support him. Your brother-in-law is campaigning, the best brother in law in the world. The community where you live, youths are giving you awards and money is spent in having these events. This is part of what is going to campaign financing even if they dont call it that. Media houses are giving awards to politicians. Governor of the year, Minister of the year, everything of the year. All of these build up to issues of campaigning. Or the governor decides that close to election time, that is when he wants to visit all the local government areas and thank them for all the support they had given. How do you track all this?

Also, look at the number of political parties. To what extent can anybody who wants to try, be able to track all those things to the last limit? So truly, when I see those things, it is just like we are wasting our time, because some of these rules they place in the Electoral Act, in the practical application of it, it is just like when they would say, monitoring the activities of political parties. And you have like, now we have 18 political parties. Very few of them are very strong and have structures. Have you ever asked yourself how some of the presidential candidates in the last election emerged as candidates of their parties?

They didnt follow any process? Even Nigerians are not bothered about it.

They are only looking at the major political parties. I know some people who were for all times they were in this political party tried to get the ticket, when they did not get it on the last day, you heard that this other party has given him this ticket. What primaries were done for that person to emerge? So, I think that, as a lawyer myself, I also think that you dont make law for just making sake. If laws cannot be implemented, then you are just wasting quality time to make these things. And interestingly, these politicians making these laws know that they will not work. So they come with all sorts of difficult to implement kinds of laws.

PT: Are you saying we should not limit campaign spending?

Mr Effanga: There is an issue about it. But Im just wondering, just like the examples given, it will be so difficult.
The Nigerian government has directed civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below to resume work effective Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

The workers have also been directed to get vaccinated before resumption.

The directive, which is contained in a circular signed by the head of service of the federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, noted that beginning December 1, all federal government workers are requested to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours.

The circular, a copy of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday night, is dated November 26.

It will be recalled that as part of the measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 Pandemic, Officers on GL 12 and below were directed to work from home. Following the advice of the PSC on COVID-19, this category of Officers are expected to resume duties on Wednesday, 1st December 2021, the circular reads in part.

It would be recalled that federal civil service workers on grade level 12 and below were directed to continue working from home following a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.

The directive was extended three times, as part of measures to curtail the spread of the virus and also to enable workers get vaccinated with the approved COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

Compulsory vaccination

The chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, had earlier announced that beginning December 1, 2021 all federal government employees will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative PCR result to gain access to their offices.

In line with this, Ms Yemi-Esan said all public officers yet to be vaccinated are advised to visit designated health facilities for vaccination.

Furthermore, in line with the recommendation of the Committee on COVID-19, Mr. President has approved the vaccine mandate policy. All Federal Government employees would therefore be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours, she said.
Since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, discussions on improving local government administration have touched issues ranging from autonomy to creation of local governments and the poor electoral system under the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

Council polls have virtually become a charade with the norm now being for the ruling party in the states to sweep the council polls, producing the chairmen and councillors for every council.

In the July elections in Lagos State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won the chairmanship seats in all the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas. It won 375 out of the 377 councillorship seats.

In Ogun State, the elections returned the ruling APC as winners in all the 17 local government areas, while on April 17 in Rivers State, the PDP won all the chairmanship seats and the entire councillors positions.

In October, the APC also won all the 17 chairmanship and 325 councillorship seats in Plateau State.

The only notable exception was in Kaduna State where the opposition PDP managed to protect councils in its stronghold in the southern part of the state from the clean sweep of the ruling APC.

That exception is attributable to Governor Nasir El-Rufai allowing the use of electronic voting machines for the elections.

Anomaly

To address this anomaly of state governments manipulating the council electoral system through their appointed SIECs, the House of Representatives is considering transferring the conduct of council polls to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A bill sponsored by Musa Bagos (PDP, Plateau) seeks to amend Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution. The proposed amendment provides broad functions of the local government and empowers INEC to conduct the elections.

Mr Bagos alteration seeks to delete the entire Section Seven in the Constitution and provide a new section of functions of the council, election, process of removal of the council and other sundry matters relating to the local government system

Section 197 of the Constitution establishes for each state, State Independent Electoral Commission, while the Third Schedule Part II establishes the functions of SIEC to include:

The commission shall have the power to organise, undertake and supervise all elections to local councils within the state.

Also, Item 22 of the Exclusive Legislative List excludes elections into the local government from duties of the federal government.

Bagos Proposal

The proposed Section 7(1) e reads: An election to the office of the chairman shall be held on a date to be appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

By implication, the proposed Section 7(1) e, if passed, will delete the State Independent Electoral Commissions, as the commissions will no longer have any role, since the only responsibility they have is conducting elections into the local governments.

Hence, Section 197(b) will be deleted, item 22 in the Exclusive Legislative List will also be amended by including local government election in the functions of the central government

Not the first time

This is not the first time such a move is being made.

In the 8th Assembly (2015-19), the Senate passed an alteration that sought to achieve this same purpose.

Then, the Ike Ekweremadu-led Constitutional amendment committee had made 32 recommendations. Dino Melaye, who represented Kogi West in the Assembly, moved an amendment that SIEC should be abrogated.

According to Mr Melaye, local government autonomy will mean little if SIEC continues to conduct elections.

That amendment was passed by the upper chamber. But it was not concurred by the House, hence it died in the course of that alteration.

Restructuring vs effective local government system

While lack of credibility has generally bedevilled local government elections, some states are notorious for using caretaker committees to run local governments in breach of Section 7 of the Constitution which provides that the system of local government by democratically elected local government is guaranteed.

Governors often rely on the rider that, ..Accordingly, the government of every state shall, subject to Section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.

Governors have used this proviso to justify the sacking of duly elected council officials.

The Supreme Court in a landmark ruling in May, declared the sacking of 33 local government chairmen by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, illegal and fined the state N20 million for the act.

Governor Makinde had sacked all the elected officials, who were elected in 2018.

Interestingly, Mr Makindes predecessor, Abiola Ajimobi, only conducted the elections one year to the end of his tenure. Mr Ajumobi was elected in 2011. When the election took place in 2018, his party, the APC, had cleared all the seats.

This is similar to the case in Osun State. Throughout the eight-year tenure of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, local government elections were only conducted once. Instead, the state appointed caretaker committees to run the council.

Renewed interest

Mr Bagos bill has reignited the conversation between an effective local government system and the call for restructuring, which entails the centre handing off responsibilities that the states can more effectively perform. This call is for items on the Exclusive Legislative List to be reduced.

But Obo Effanga, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers State, said Mr Bagos bill will make a mockery of the call for devolution of powers to the state.

In the same country we are asking for everything to be decentralised, including policing, in the same breath, we are saying we should take the responsibility of local government elections and give it to INEC, he said.

To him, the focus should be why state electoral commissions are unable to conduct credible elections. He noted that the standard set up by INEC was the same for SIEC.

The standard for setting up the state independent electoral commission is the same as the Independent National Electoral Commission. You are to appoint persons who are non-partisan, persons of integrity, so how come at the state level, they appoint anyone into the state independent election commission and those people see themselves as beholden to the state governor, he noted.

Cynthia Mbamalu, the Programmes Manager of YIAGA Africa, agrees with Mr Effanga.

He said the focus should be on strengthening the capacity of the SIECs to be able to conduct credible elections.

He said this can be done by removing the main impediment to their independence. For her, the alteration of the constitution needed is to ensure that the autonomy of the local governments, both administrative and financial, is guaranteed.

According to her, INECs recent credibility could be linked to intentional efforts to ensure the independence of the electoral body, noting that the INEC of 2007 is different from the INEC of 2021.

In all of these conversations, I will not propose the scrapping of SIEC, rather a review of the amendment of the constitution, to grant autonomy to the local government.

Amend of the constitution to guarantee autonomy to local governments. The Autonomy would be for both administrative, governance and financial purposes. Once they are financially autonomous, it means they are no longer subject to the dictates of the governors, and that would also influence the way people see the local governments.

The second is building the capacity of the SIEC. This is very important. The INEC of 2021 cannot be compared to what we have as far back as 2007 or 2003. The elections in 2003 and 2007 were fundamentally flawed and failed every integrity test.

Post 2007, there was a conscious effort to amend the electoral law to empower INEC to be more independent and to create clear laws that would guarantee credible elections. It has taken a lot of work for INEC to be where it is today. Even as it stands, we are still making efforts to amend the Electoral Act, to among other things, guarantee INEC financial autonomy.

Rather than scrapping, we should review the constitution to better empower SIEC to be truly independent and autonomous. Financial autonomy would include getting their funding from federal allocation.

She also charged election monitoring groups, the media and CSOs to pay attention to local government elections. According to her, the lack of scrutiny is constantly explored by state governors.

The idea of federalism is that each state is independent. The moment you scrap SIEC, you have totally centralised election management in Nigeria. INEC is already overburdened because we conduct elections every year because of off-cycle elections and by-elections. Scrapping SIECs will create more problems, instead of solving, she added.

Effective local government system trumps federalism concerns

Ernest Ereke, a lecturer at the University of Abuja, said considering the bastardisation of the local government system and the crucial role of the tier of government in economic development, giving the responsibility of conducting credible elections to INEC trumps the concerns of devolution of power.

According to Mr Ereke, the lack of credibility is depriving the local government of the needed human resources that could play significant roles at the local level. More so, the level of confidence by the people in the system is at the lowest ebb.

He stated that if state governors had allowed credible elections at the local level, this conversation or the bill would not get any traction, considering the call for restructuring in the country. He noted that the bill borders on the bastardisation of the elections.

The bastardisation has ensured that you dont find many professionals wanting to go to the local government to contest elections because the governor would handpick, and the state electoral commission will only confirm what the governor has done. So not many people will want to participate in those elections. If you have a bill that seeks to restore peoples confidence.

For me, given the place of local government, because indeed, the local government is the government the people know, it is the government closest to the people, it is the government the people feel, it is the government that they relate with, I will be on the side that restores peoples confidence in that system. I will be for anything that ensures that professionals who have credibility, who have capacity get into that system and begin to deliver the goods to the people.

Kaduna: Tiny ray of hope

Despite the negative news surrounding local government elections in Nigeria, Kaduna State remains the single ray of light in this dark world.

The state has been able to conduct two elections (2018 and 2021) that have been hailed by observers as credible. Also, the use of electronic voting machines for the polls has been commended by many.

At the last elections in September, in Kaura Local government, the opposition PDP won the seat by polling 19,511 to defeat the candidate of the ruling party. In fact, the ruling APC lost in the polling unit of the governor of the state, Nasir El-rufai.

Bagos bill

The bill was first introduced on September 25, 2019 and read for the second time after the debate on its general principle on December 10 that year. It was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Constitution amendment.

The bill still has several hurdles to cross. First, the committee must recommend the amendment to the committee of the whole.

Secondly, it must be supported by two-thirds of the entire members of the House, in accordance with section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution. It must also be concurred by the Senate with the same two-thirds of senators giving support.

Thirdly, if it scales through at the National Assembly, it must be supported by 24 state Houses of Assembly and assented to by the President.

The Houses of Assembly would be the tricky part for the bill, as lawmakers at state level are oftentimes subservient to their governors.

What is clear is that there is an ongoing conversation on having efficient local government systems and continuing on the path towards true federalism through devolution of powers.
A new report has revealed that about 40 per cent of all pesticides in use in Nigeria are dangerous substances that have been banned or heavily restricted in European markets.

The report by the Alliance for Action on Pesticide in Nigeria was launched Thursday at a two- day conference on pesticides regulation and use in Nigeria, hosted by the AAPN and Trade Network Initiative, and supported by the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS), in Abuja.

40% of all the pesticide products registered in Nigeria have been withdrawn from the European market or are heavily restricted, the report says.

The report, a product of studies conducted in Kano, Oyo, Ebonyi and Benue States, noted that the 40 per cent represents 57 active ingredients in 402 products that are still in use in Nigeria. Many of those belong to the group of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) that are especially dangerous for human health, animals and the environment.

The report said 25 registered products in Nigeria have been proven carcinogenic, while 63 to be mutagenic, and 47 are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Also, 262 products show neurotoxicity and 224 show clear effects on reproduction.

The report stated that 65 per cent of the active ingredients (26 out of 40) used by farmers in Nigeria as sampled in the field study belong to the group of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs).

2 of these pesticides were found to be carcinogens and 2 are mutagens, 5 are known endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs), 11 are proven neurotoxins and 12 are proven to affect the human reproductive system, the report made available to participants showed.

It explained that human and environmental impact of this situation is evident, as a recent incident of pesticides toxicity in Benue State claimed the lives of 270 people due to the poisoning of a river with a pesticide banned in Europe.

The AAPN report said the most frequently used active ingredients by far are the insecticide chlorpyrifos, the fungicide mancozeb and the herbicide glyphosate, which all have been classified as highly hazardous.

In his remarks, Jochen Luckscheiter, Head of Office, Heinrich Boll Stiftung, said the instruments to reduce the countrys high use of pesticides and even alternatives that do not depend on the use of toxic inputs at all do exist.

These alternatives, he said, exist in the form of integrated pest management strategies, good agricultural practices, biopesticides and organic farming methods.

But for them to play a relevant role in the sector they need to be actively promoted and incentivized, as is currently the case with conventional farming methods, relying on artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides, Mr Luckscheiter said.

He added that with the aforementioned, it means we have choices before us whose implications, pros and cons, as well as the interests behind them, we have to carefully weigh against one another.

Barriers hindering pesticides regulation in Nigeria

During a panel discussion session, Ahmed Munir, a House of Representative member, who represented Muntari Dandutse, chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production and Service, and spoke on Update on Nigerias Pesticide Regulations; Accelerating Processes and Actions said there is a need for more effective cooperation among relevant intergovernmental agencies in order to fully tackle the negligence in pesticide usage in Nigeria.

Our active, inactive and delays are truly claiming lives and properties, he said.

Also speaking on the barriers hindering regulatory agencies of pesticides in the country, Spanny Embiemu, assistant director, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said issues of funding for compliance monitoring, porous borders and lack of effective synergies among regulatory agencies continue to affect regulatory processes.

Whenever it is time for us to come together for work, its not always effective, and this tends to impede the process, coupled with conflicting policies, she said.

On his part, Oyeleye Abdulrazaq, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said in all the value chains in the ministry, they have extension workers who are to go round to educate farmers in pesticides usage but that the problem is that how far can these workers go?

He said to control the usage of sniper, a toxic pesticide among farmers, the ministry is replacing sniper usage with organic pesticides to keep their grains intact.

Our problem in Nigeria is that we saddle most of our regulatory agencies with responsibilities they cannot handle, he said.

In his submission, Daniel Ugwu, Head of Department, Science Laboratory Technology at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ebonyi State, said aside looking at the toxic effects of pesticides usage on application to food stuffs, it is important to look at the chronic implications of pesticides on farmers who dont always put on the required personal protective equipment during pesticides application.

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Every chemical is a potential poison. It is important to look into the beneficial effects of pesticides on beneficial microorganisms, he added.

Key recommendations

The communique of the two-day dialogue recommended that the leadership of the National Assembly, specifically the Committees on Agriculture, Public Health and Environment and Habitat, should summon NAFDAC, NAQS, NESREA on the challenges regarding pesticide use and regulation in the country.

It said as part of this, the NASS should set up an investigative committee to look into the gaps in pesticide regulation in Nigeria, ensure harmonisation between existing role players and apply pressure to accelerate the review of existing policy frameworks and practices.

Also, it called the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC ) to immediately make public and accelerate the review of its lists of banned pesticides in Nigeria and ensure that all active ingredients are not approved in markets with strong food safety and environmental protection standards such as the European Union are included.

G.B Ayoola, a professor of Agriculture Economics, in his submission said the problem of pesticides toxicity can be solved through the agroecology model of farming.

He said practices that can help reduce pesticides usage in Nigeria include: engaging influential champions to push best practices among farmers, Joint prioritization on urgent issues across agroecology, Acquisition of adequate resources, and shared measurements of agricultural outputs and development of a common agenda, as well as continuous communication.
At least over 151, 380 people, mostly peasant farmers, were displaced by the activities of bandits in the last two years in Niger State, the state government has said.

The Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, who addressed a press conference in Minna on Tuesday, said the states emergency agency compiled the figure.

However, Mr Matane said the figure could be higher as many displaced persons who took refuge with their relatives could not be captured in the displaced persons register.

He said although the state has two official permanent internally displaced persons camps, most of those registered were at temporary camps opened following incidents of attacks.

Mr Matane said the displaced persons were registered in 13 local government areas of the state, with Rafi council area neighbouring Zamfara and Kaduna topping the chart with 28,987 displaced persons.

In Shiroro Local Government Area, 27,678 persons were displaced in the last two years, while in Munya 19, 712 persons were displaced.

There were 11,678 in Paikoro, 22,754 in Mariga and were displaced 8,913 in Kontagora.

The register also has 998 in Magama, 8,907 in Mashegu, 2,010 in Wushishi and 5,809 in Rijau.

Mr Matane said the state has spent over N300 million on the displaced persons within the period, while individual donors and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs also expended millions of naira in support.
In the early hours of Wednesday, January 17, 2018, Nigerian businessman, Walter Wagbatsoma, was jailed and disqualified from being a company director for six years in the United Kingdom.

Before his conviction, Mr Wagbatsoma had been locked up for three years and six months for his part in an international conspiracy that swindled more than 13 million pounds from public services including Lincolnshires mental health NHS trust.

Earlier in June 2016, while travelling through Germany, he had been detained on a European Arrest Warrant and subsequently extradited and charged with conspiring with others to launder the proceeds of fraud through his business interests in the U.K.

Leicester crown court said Mr Wagbatsoma personally benefited to the tune of 480,000 pounds from four fraud schemes, which saw him and his co-conspirators ring up hospitals, councils, schools, and housing associations posing as owners of a legitimate building firm that was owed money by the organisations.

The conspirators then claimed their bank details had changed and instructed the organisations to put the money into a different account instead. The money was subsequently moved around several accounts in a bid to make it untraceable.

Tagged Operation Tarlac, Lincolnshire Polices four-year investigation into the fraud ring began in 2011 after Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust was cheated out of 1.28m.

At the time Mr Wagbatsoma was convicted in the United Kingdom, he was on a separate trial in Nigeria over fuel subsidy fraud.

The pieces of information about the businessmans several brushes with the law came from Pandora Papers, the landmark investigation into the vast amount of previously hidden offshore records of the super-rich and powerful, coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, ICIJ.

The leaked records came from 14 offshore services firms from around the world that set up shell companies and other offshore nooks for clients like Mr Wagbatsoma, who seek to conceal their financial activities.

The investigation, which is the biggest collaboration of investigative journalists in history, involved 151 media outlets and more than 600 journalists from 117 countries who sifted through nearly 12 million leaked records, tracked down sources, and reviewed other public records.

The Man, Walter Wagbatsoma

Named Walter Omagbitse Wagbatsoma, the businessman and oil dealer was at a time an ally of arguably Nigerias most influential minister of petroleum in recent history, Diezani Alison Madueke.

Mrs Alison-Madueke, believed to have moved to the United Kingdom after her exit from public office in Nigeria, ran the petroleum ministry that superintended over the opaque Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) between 2010 and 2015.

She served under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and has been named in a number of corruption trials since she left office.

Her name has featured either as the main defendant or an accomplice in some cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to his Linkedin account, Mr Wagbatsoma bagged a bachelors degree in accounting and obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Lagos.

He worked as a member of the Integrated Audit Department at Shell between 1991 and 1993 before joining Zenith Bank where he worked between 1993 and 2001.

He also worked at FSB International Bank Plc between 2001 and 2003 before becoming executive vice-chairman of Ontario Oil and Gas Limited.

Mr Wagbatsoma and his companies

Documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES dated November 4, 2010, showed that Mr Wagbatsoma founded and became sole director of Ontario Resources and Trading Limited. The location of the companys registered office was set out in the Companys Memorandum and Articles of Association as Suite 15, 1st Floor Oliaji Trade Centre, Francis Rachel Street, P.O. Box 1004, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles.

Later in 2011, Mr Wagbatsoma became sole director and secretary of Mamlakah Energy Company Ltd, a company existing and operating under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

Mr Wagbatsoma and Subsidy Fraud

On Wednesday, August 1, 2012, the EFCC arraigned Mr Wagbatsoma and other suspects implicated in the fuel subsidy scam before the Lagos High Court.

Others arraigned alongside the businessman were Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer, Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele, and Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.

They were charged with obtaining property by false pretences, altering, forgery and conspiracy.

The case had been scheduled for a hearing a month earlier but was postponed due to Mr Wagbatsomas failure to appear in court.

At the hearing, the EFCC informed the court that Mr Wagbatsoma had earlier fled the country to evade arrest upon learning of the charges filed against him. All efforts to arrest him were unsuccessful after he refused to honour invitations by the EFCC.

The EFCC said charges were first filed against Mr Wagbatsoma on July 20, 2012, but he claimed to have travelled out of the country on June 17, 2012, returning to the country on July 3, 2012, only to take off again on July 20 when he got wind of a charge filed against him before the court.

A letter was received by the EFCC from the defendants company, Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited that he was out of the country for medical check-up and will be available the moment he returns to the country. But that letter was dated 18th July 2012. So he was still very much in the country. These are some accounts of the deceit he employed to confirm that he was evading arrest. Up till now, we have not been able to obtain his statement. He left Abuja for France by 9 pm on the 20th July 2012 having got wind of this, the EFCC said at the time.

In May 2017, after a five-year trial, Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sentenced Mr Wagbatsoma to a minimum of 10 years in prison for the six-count charge brought against him by the EFCC.

In her judgment, Justice Okunnu sentenced the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas Limited, Adaoha Ugo-Nnadi, to 10 years in prison for defrauding the Federal Government of N754 million in oil subsidy transactions.

At the time of that verdict, Mr Wagbatsoma was facing trial over a 12 million National Health Service (NHS) Trust fraud in the United Kingdom.

Reported and Dumped

After considering the crime-related controversies involving Mr Wagbatsoma and his companies, Alcogal, on June 5, 2013, wrote to the controversial businessman informing him that it was resigning as the registered agent for his companies. He was given 90 days to find a replacement.

Alcogal also wrote BVI financial investigations agency of its decision to withdraw from managing Mr Wagbatsomas companies -Pacesetter Trading Limited, Mamlakah Energy Company Limited and Alcamo International Limited.

The secrecy provider said associating with the tainted companies presented higher risk to our office than the risk tolerance levels currently set by our risk-based approach methodologies.

It is unclear if the businessman was eventually able to find another registered agent for his embattled firms.
Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources with some of the worlds finest stones traceable to the country.

With an estimated 200 metric tons of proven reserve, gold is listed as one of the seven strategic minerals set to unlock the potentials of Nigerias mining sector.

Apart from oil and gas, gold is the most valuable mineral resource in the country. Nigerian gold is said to have gained popularity within and outside the region. For example, reports show that the Maru gold from Zamfara State is identified by sight and called Zamfara at the Dubai gold souk by gold merchants.

However, despite its potential to catalyse the nations economy for growth and development, it has been a sad tale of resource-curse for gold, whose mining, usually done by artisans, is marred with a lot of vices including but not limited to illegal exploitation, smuggling, child labour, killings, health hazards, among others.

Ugly statistics

In 2018, a total of 315 gold titles were issued and eight states, according to NEITI, produced 1212.77 ounces of the mined gold in the country with Osun and Niger states contributing 70.36 per cent of the total production.

Out of the N2.5 billion royalty generated in 2018, the seven strategic minerals mined contributed N1.07 billion representing 49.7 per cent of the total royalty. But gold contributed a paltry N7.36 million, representing only 0.34 per cent of the total royalty generated.

In 2019, a total of 2,586 were the valid mineral titles for the seven strategic minerals. Gold accounted for the highest issuance of 1,141 licences, representing 44.12 per cent of the total valid titles.

During the year, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said only 43 mineral buying centres had 325 valid licenses with an official gold output quantity of 1,212.77 ounces estimated at N11.69 billion, with a gross royalty payment of N6.46 million by 31 companies.

But golds poor contribution to royalty payment is blamed largely on illegal activities in the sector, a development with reports indicating that Nigeria annually loses $9 billion to smuggling, among other shady deals.

More revelations

Reacting to the development, the Senate whip, Orji Kalu, once moved a motion calling for the investigation of the alleged revenue loss to the government.

Mr Kalus motion was triggered by a public hearing called by the Senate committee on solid minerals, mines, steel development, and metallurgy. At the hearing, the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah, had blamed the challenges experienced in the mining sector on the alleged connivance of security operatives with illegal miners, lack of adequate manpower, low-level technology, even as he accused private jet owners of conniving with illegal miners to smuggle gold out of the country.

Dangerous consequences

Apart from revenue loss, gold mining is also said to have fuelled banditry especially in the northwestern states where kidnapping and violent terrorism are daily on the rise. Illegally mined gold is reported to be exchanged for arms by the criminals.

A report by EnactAfrica shows that 6,319 deaths were linked to mining-related conflicts in Zamfara State between 2011 and 2019.

Zamfara State is known for notorious illegal mining operations which were believed to be fueling insecurity in the state and its environs. This made the President place a ban on mining activities in 2019 and in 2020 declared a no-fly zone on the state as a measure to curb insecurity.

In 2010, an outbreak of lead poisoning was discovered in Zamfara State by an aid group where over 400 inhabitants, mostly children under the age of five, died of contamination from lead poisoning which originated from gold mining.

Also in 2015, 28 children were reported dead from lead poisoning-related ailments in Niger states.

Hope rises

Piqued by the rot in the gold mining and marketing subsector, the Nigerian government said it is ready to rewrite the story.

And if the plans are followed with the required action and commitment Nigeria may well be on the verge of becoming an African gold mining hub, especially with the recent groundbreaking foundation laying of the first-ever gold market, otherwise known as souk in the Northwestern state of Kano.

When completed, Kano Gold Souk (KGS) would be arguably the first of its kind in the whole of Africa. This by implication could be a game-changer for the sector, thereby turning the country into a gold destination just like the world-famous Dubai souk in Deira.

Ganduje, Ogah meet

During a courtesy visit to the Kano State Governor Umar Ganduje in October, the Minister of State, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Uchechuwku Ogah, described the gold souk as a timely intervention to fulfill the mandate of bringing prosperity to Nigerians and to create a home for key people.

He said: There will be a lot of critical investment and articles of artisanal miners, and the value creation that will come to them. Over the years, they have fallen into the hands of bandits and evil people but we are going to have a formalised way, a structured way that the state and federal will be involved and this will help in bringing further prosperity especially to the women.

The minister, while making a request for an extension of the land from the host state, said the vision of the government is to make the souk a one-stop shop for gold merchants in the country and the African region as a whole.

For us, we are looking at the entire value chain that will come into place. We want the private sector to come in and we expect that there is going to be a foreign direct investment into that place. So we want the situation whereby at the end of this project, people will see the vision and focus of Mr President in creating the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative, Mr Ogah said.

In response, the ecstatic governor pledged the states support for the growth and development of the sector and by implication, the people.

He said: Pertaining to mining, we have mining areas in the southern part of Kano where white men used to settle, and up till now, you can find the pits and even the local miners are always entering that place trying to get gold and other minerals in that area.

So you can see that its not new, the only thing is the modernisation. I think we are also ready to benefit from that with the policy the federal government has made. That is why immediately you requested for land extension, we made the land available to you. Since I am also intoxicated in the music of mining, I will also join you to twist, the governor said.

Reform

The mining sector currently contributes less than 1 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) despite having a robust legal framework believed to be one of the best in the world. The Nigerian economy is believed not to have benefited financially from the sector even with the mineral abundance.

However, in a bid to foster growth and development in the sector, the federal government came up with several initiatives, including the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI).

PAGMI is geared towards integrating artisanal mining into a formal system, thereby reducing the illegality surrounding gold mining.

In 2020, the first artisanally mined, processed and refined gold bars were presented to the President and purchased by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This was done to create awareness on access to markets for the artisanal miners through a National Gold Purchase Program and the deployment of enhanced mining methods at artisanal and small-scale mining sites.

Recently, Thor Explorations, a Canadian mining company began a large-scale gold mining in Nigeria and is set to pay its first royalty to the federal government, as said by its CRO, Segun Lawson at the just concluded 5th annual mining week.

This is considered a major breakthrough for the sector as the success is expected to attract other investors.

Murmuring

As the government makes efforts to right the wrongs of the past, some stakeholders have alleged the government of neglecting them.

Shortly before his sudden death a few weeks ago, the President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kabiru kankara told PREMIUM TIMES that his association, despite its significant role in the mining business, was not carried along in the ongoing gold market planning and execution.

He said: To some extent, we are not in the picture of everything. Maybe for security reasons but we are the miners and producers of the gold. So we advise that they bring us on board. Let us sit down at the drawing table and come together with a structure or formula where everybody will be comfortable doing their business transaction and the government can collect royalty and everyone including buyers go home happy.

He, however, lauded the intervention, saying; It will go a long way in showcasing what we have in Nigeria and attract markets from the neighboring countries.

Similarly, while interacting with this reporter in Kano, the states chapter chairman of MAN, Yahya Kulo, tasked the government on transparency and emphasised the need for collaboration.

He said: We need the government to tell us who and who are going to sit in the market so that we can sit with them and discuss some issues which the miners are going through.

For Usman Abdullahi, a gold seller at the Rimi Market, even though the gold souk is a welcome development, his concern is the insecurity in the state and the nation as a whole.

He said for obvious reasons, he takes his goods (gold) at the end of each day to the bank for safety. He, therefore, charged the government on the need for quality and adequate security to keep the market safe from criminals.

Poor awareness

However, there seems to be a lack of awareness and sensitisation among the marketers as most of them claim they are not aware of the gold souk.

But the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to Kano State Governor on Solid Minerals, Balaraba Ahmed, said the state is planning on creating awareness before inaugurating the souk.

On insecurity, she said the state government is already making arrangements with the security agencies to ensure maximum protection.

She said: We have security agents. The office of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is very close to the market. There is that arrangement by the government with security agencies to see how many security agents will be needed from morning till night and then there will be shifts. Kano has no record of violent attacks or bloodshed, we are a peaceful people. But we pray that anywhere there is insecurity God will give us peace.

Meanwhile, the director of the federal ministrys artisanal and small-scale mining department, Patrick Ojeka, said the government would be providing infrastructure as an intervention.

He said; Historically, we know that Kano has been in the Sub-Saharan trade sector and people come as far as Senegal to buy jewelry even till the modern-day.

There is a renowned female gold jeweler in Kano who is known as far Germany, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Dubai and people come from all over the places to buy gold from her in Kano. If such a person tomorrow is at the market it will definitely boost the confidence of a lot of operators and marketers.

The director also assured the prospective sellers and buyers at the market of the governments support for maximum security.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Ojukwu, has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Mrs Ojukwu made the plea while speaking at the 10th memorial anniversary of late Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, organised in Owerri on Friday.

She urged the President to consider the plea made by some Igbo leaders during their recent visit to the State House, Abuja, asking for Mr Kanus release.

She said that Mr Kanus release would demonstrate Mr Buharis magnanimity, adding that the clamour for secession is a direct consequence of perceived inequality in distribution of resources and political appointments in the country.

She, however, urged governors of the South-east geo-political zone to remember Mr Ojukwu just as the convener of the event, Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

Kanus release will further buttress President Buharis commitment to healing the wounds inflicted by the sense of marginalisation felt by the Igbo nation, she said.

Speaking, Ahamefula Ojukwu, chairman of the occasion and son of the late Igbo leader, thanked Mr Uwazuruike for conducting the affairs of the entire Igbo nation in unity.

He urged Igbo people, especially those privileged to occupy positions of authority, to preserve the legacies of his late father whom he described as an embodiment of selfless service and sacrifice to the Igbo cause.

Earlier in an address, Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor of Anambra, decried the use of violence in the quest for self determination.

He implored Igbo people to be united and fight diplomatically so as to achieve a set objective.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by various Igbo groups from the South-east and South-south geo-political zones of the country.

A highlight of the event was the cultural dances and traditional masquerade performances by various troupes. (NAN)
The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) is set to begin demolition of substandard buildings across FESTAC Town in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Francisca Michael-James, FHAs Head of Town Planning, South-West Zone, made the disclosure on Friday when she led an FHA delegation to FESTAC Town.

The FHA delegation was accompanied by a Lagos State task force.

Mrs Michael-James told NAN that efforts to stop encroachments and building without approval in FESTAC had failed as the encroachers ignored stop work orders and eviction notices.

She said the last demolition notice served on illegal occupants in the town elapsed 21 days ago; hence, the proposed mass demolition.

Mrs Michael-James said that substandard buildings under construction on the encroached portions were on swampy land and risked collapse because of the soil type and its behaviour.

She said that the whole of FESTAC Town was sitting on the same kind of delicate soil but gave assurance that engineering solutions were applied to estates built by the Federal Government to achieve quality and durable construction.

Anytime from now when our management gives approval and the task force is ready for us, we will swing into action.

We are going to demolish especially structures that are on our major roads; the buildings lack structural integrity because they (owners) never came to us for any approval.

Our professionals did not supervise the constructions, we dont even know the integrity of structures that they are building on site in this era of building collapse.

She said that FHA had the title document for the total land of 2,24.6 hectres in the FESTAC master plan.

She said that encroachers were building on Federal Government land.

According to her, there is an edifice being constructed on a major road in FESTAC, and after the property was served a stop work order and demolition notice, the owner continued building and started painting.

She said that apart from substandard buildings on illegally-acquired land in FESTAC Town, houses were being constructed on road setbacks, drains and other infrastructure.

She said the demolition would begin from 7th Avenue and 9th Avenue and would later be extended up till 11th Avenue.

Explaining the principles of Raft Foundation, FHAs South-West Zonal Head of Engineering, Kunle Olaniran, said it could be likened to pilling to a particular height using iron rods to achieve thickness for specific loads before construction

Mr Olaniran said that the underground work required professionalism because of varying calibrations needed on plots with varying soil behaviours.

Alaba Omoniyi, FHAs South-West Zonal Head of Legal Department, ruled out regularising the areas encroached upon because of the integrity of the buildings constructed on wrong foundations and land gradients.

He said that some the houses were below the level of the road and could eventually collapse because of soil settings.

The Head of the Survey Unit of FHA, Lawal Umar, recounted how his team was attacked severally on construction sites by some encroachers.

He said that it made it difficult for the team to work without security operatives (NAN).
The story Hakkina (My Right) by Aishatu Dalil has won this years BBC Hausa short story contest for women.

Aishatu an 18-year-old, 100 level student of English and French said she began writing in 2018 and has a passion for writing about womens issues.

Her story Hakkina tells the story of a young woman, Fatima, who is raped by her stepfather and is threatened by her mother not to tell anyone about the abuse. She locks Fatima in a room despite the injuries she sustained during the assault.

To Fatimas mother, silencing her daughter not only covers for her husband but also protects her daughter from the stigma faced by victims of rape in the Hausa society.

In an Interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the excited winner said her mother was her motivation and inspiration.

My mother was my motivation. I like to write short stories but when this opportunity came, my mother and elder sister insisted that I put it up for the competition, and I did.

When I got a call from the BBC that my story was among the winning stories I was ecstatic. I quickly got down on my knees to give thanks to Allah. I was not expecting to win as Im a new writer and the competition is known to attract great writers. My family is very proud of me and winning the competition is one of my biggest achievements.

Miss Dalil is currently studying English and French at the Umaru Musa University, Katsina.

The first runner-up is a story written by Nana Aicha Hamissou Abdoulaye.

Titled Butulci (Betrayal), it is about a young couple whose new marriage and pregnancy is marred by the sudden horror of kidnapping. The title of the story stems from the events that led up to the kidnapping and the unexpected revelation of the person involved.

She also told PREMIUM TIMES that she was excited when she got the call from BBC Hausa.

I was in Maradi, Niger when I put up for the competition and when I got the call from BBC that I made the final stage, I could not hide my joy because I put up for the competition last year but did not make it to the final.

Aicha is a masters degree student from Aboubakar International University in Maradi, Niger Republic.

The second runner-up is Ramat by Zulaihat Alhassan.

Titled after the protagonist, Ramat is a revered policewoman whose husband is also in the police force. She is caught in a family scandal where she has to choose between her only son and her job.

Miss Zulaihat is in her final year at the College of Health, Tsafe, Zamfara State.

The BBC Hausa womens short story contest was introduced to give female writers a platform to tell and share their stories.

Editor of the Hausa Service, Aliyu Tanko says: As the competition enters its sixth year, it is satisfying to know that women have accepted it as an avenue to stir conversations in the region through their writing. Weve seen set after set of remarkable writers emerge from Hikayata competition and this is truly what weve always aimed to achieve.

Lead judge Dr Hauwa Bugaje said: This year we have seen an absolute shift in the thematic preoccupation of these stories. It is obvious that women writers in northern Nigeria are becoming aware day by day, of the most pressing issues faced by women in the region. The themes centre around rape, domestic violence, kidnappings, and career choices. The characters this year have been created to represent strong, bold women.

The winner got a cash reward of $2000 and the runners up were awarded $1000 and $500 respectively.

The occasion which held at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja was attended by the governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru, among other invited guests.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said it has received over 139,780 complaints of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) between 2020 and March 2021.

Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the commission, disclosed this in a statement as Nigeria joins the rest of the international community to mark the 2021 international day for the elimination of violence against women (IDEVW).

According to Mr Ojukwu, the rise in the number of SGBV cases in recent years has been compounded by COVID-19, which led to lockdowns in different parts of the world, including Nigeria.

Mr Ojukwu said during the lockdowns, peoples inactive behaviour tended to manifest more, sadly causing an alarming increase in the countrys and possibly the worlds occurrences of SGBV.

He, therefore, urged concerned parties to place a greater emphasis on public education or awareness of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as the implementation of existing laws and regulations that could help to establish a culture of accountability around gender issues.

Mr Ojukwu also urged civil society organisations (CSOs), traditional authorities, and religious leaders to take the lead in combating the scourge of SGBV.

He called for more grassroots sensitisation for people to become more aware of the importance of protecting and enforcing their rights, as well as the consequences and punishments awaiting any perpetrators.

The commission has carried out various programmes and activities including holding public hearings in the six geopolitical zones of the country to address the upsurge of Sexual and gender-based violence cases. The 36 state offices of the NHRC and headquarters have continued to grapple with these cases on daily basis, and we can rightly say that there is hope of changing the ugly narratives, Mr Ojukwu added.

16-day activism against SGBV

At the commemorative event of elimination of violence against women on Thursday, Mr Ojukwu said that this years theme, Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now! expressed hope that the gender violence trend, particularly against women and girls, could be reversed.

He added that the 16 days of activism, which started on Thursday, November 25 to culminate on December 10 (the International Human Rights Day), is a turning point towards addressing the SGBV scourge across the world.

As part of the commissions activities to mark the 16-day activism, Mr Ojukwu said the NHRC state offices, including the Abuja Metropolitan Office, are carrying out a series of activities, including advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders, with the goal of reminding each of them of their role in stopping the scourge.
The Police in Lagos have arrested a 34-year-old man, Godwin Iroro, for allegedly raping his friends 10-year-old daughter.

The commands spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, made the disclosure in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

Mr Ajisebutu said that the suspect was arrested on November 25 following a complaint at the Ajegunle Divisional Police Headquarters by the victims father, Chukwudi Chime.

He said that Mr Chime, who noticed the unusual and awkward movements of his daughter, probed to know what happened to her.

The little girl when questioned, disclosed that her fathers friend, a father of four who also lives in the same house at 5, Iyalode Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, had carnal knowledge of her when her father was not at home.

Preliminary investigation revealed that both men are separated from their wives. While the victim lives with her father at the above address, the suspects four children live with their mother in Asaba, Delta State.

The suspect, upon interrogation, confessed to the crime but blamed it on the devil. He also confessed to have sexually abused the little girl only twice before the evil was uncovered.

Angered by the beastly attitude of the paedeophile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, immediately directed that he should be transferred to the Gender Unit of the Police Command for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.

The CP warns such licentious men who would not keep their restless manhoods in check to desist from such contemptible act or face the grave consequences, he said.

(NAN)
A former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and a former senator from the state, Kabiru Marafa, have denied a social media report on Saturday that they had quit the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The report had cited a meeting of the two men with a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at a wedding in Kaduna on Friday.

But Ibrahim Muhammad, a media aide to Mr Yari and former Zamfara Commissioner of Information, told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that the report was fictitous.

Mr Muhammad alleged that the report was orchestrated by the political enemies of Mr Yari.

Also denying the report through a statement, Mr Marafa described it as the wishful thinking of minions who are intimidated by our continued presence in the APC.

Mr Marafa noted that the reports on social media stated that he and Mr Yari were joining the Peoples Democratic Party following the intervention of Mr Saraki.

He said: it is our constitutional right to meet, attend, discuss, fly, drive with anybody we wish. Yes, we flew to Kaduna with Saraki to attend Sheik Bala Lau daughters wedding, is that a crime?

When the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar attended the wedding Fatiha of Yusuf Buhari in Bichi, did that amount to decamping to APC?

We were senior architects, engineers and planners in the project team that designed, built and maintained APC from inception to date; so it will be irrational for anybody to think maltreatment, injustice or wicked rumours will make us abandon our project to some overambitious members, Mr Marafa said.

Messrs Yari and Marafa are angry over the ceding of the leadership of the APC in Zamfara State to Governor Bello Matawalle, following the governors defection from the PDP.

Ironically, it was an intractable dispute between both men that led to the disqualification of the APC from the 2019 general elections in Zamfara, paving the way for the award of the governorship to Mr Matawalle.
Shunning discrimination against one another irrespective of tribes is one of the ways to ensure law and order in Nigeria, a former FCT minister, Aliyu Modibo, has said.

Mr Modibbo said it was, therefore, incumbent upon us to think deeply about how to entrench peace rather than destroying the country with dangerous narratives.

Yes, things are not going well, but we have to use this period to reflect to bring law and order, he said.

Mr Modibbo said this as his contribution to the panel discussion at the launch of the book, The Sokoto Caliphate, authored by Murray Last and published by Premium Times Books on Tuesday.

He said the book launch will help trigger other exploration and debates.

These debates, he said, are needed to emphasise that without a peaceful Nigeria, everyone is at risk.

Be it the Benin or the Kanuri, it is incumbent to reflect on this, to bring law and order.

Efforts to tackle fake news

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Nasiru Danu, also praised Premium Times for its efforts to tackle fake news after the publishing arm of the newspaper launched the The Sokoto Caliphate.

Mr Danu said the book was timely in helping put the history of the Sokoto Caliphate in proper perspective.

He applauded PREMIUM TIMES for being one of the most credible platforms Nigerians can source their news from amidst numerous purveyors of fake news.

While we are living in the era of fake news, Premium Times newspaper is one of the most credible newspapers in Nigeria and Africa, he said.

One of the biggest problems we have today is also by the media because almost every Nigerian in this hall today is also a victim of fake news. But then, I know, we have bad media and good media, the businessman, who is also the Chairman of Casiva Limited, said.

Today, one of the most honourable media we have in this country is Premium Times, Mr Danu added during his address as the book presenter.

Its so special for Nigeria in particular but as well as northern Nigeria. This book is so special. This book is not just about history but integrity.

Mr Danu pledged to purchase copies of the book for the 36 states in Nigeria and the FCT as well as copies for all the local government areas in his state, Jigawa.

The Book

First published 54 years ago by Longmans, Green Co in 1967, The Sokoto Caliphate is the product of groundbreaking research which had Professor Murray Last, while he was a PhD student at the University of Ibadan, learn Arabic, live among the descendants of the caliphate and travel across territories formerly under the Caliphate.

He took a historical dive into the 19th-century emirate which evolved out of the jihad led by Uthman dan Fodio, a 19th-century Islamic cleric. It exhumed and assembled manuscripts, letters and pamphlets, many of which were written in Arabic and its transliteration and scattered all over.

Before the invasion by the Europeans, especially the British and French, the empire had a east-west reach extending from present-day Cameroon into Burkina Faso, and a north-south stretch from Agadez to Ilorin.
On Friday, Nigeria recorded 41 additional coronavirus infections across six states of the federation.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), disclosed this on its Facebook page Saturday morning, noting that the countrys fatality toll from the disease remains at 2,975, as no fatalities were reported.

The centre added that the latest figure of confirmed cases has increased Nigerias infection toll to 213,924, among which the active cases are 3,833.

Lagos State, the epicentre of the disease, reported 17 new cases, followed by Plateau State in the North-central with 10 cases.

While the trio of Bauchi, Kano and Rivers States reported four cases each, Niger State ranked the last on the log with a backlog of two cases for November 21, 2021

The NCDC also noted that 207,114 people have been successfully treated and discharged nationwide.
The Federal Government has lifted the ban it placed on Emirates Airline from flying into Nigeria without conditions.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja in a statement by James Odaudu, Director Public Affairs in the Ministry of Aviation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had barred Emirates from flying into Nigeria over discriminatory policies on Nigerians as regards to COVID-19 protocols by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to Mr Sirika, the move came in response to the yearnings of Nigerian travelers and after painstaking negotiations with the UAE, the Emirates Airlines home country.

The minister further said that the UAE had also removed all travel restrictions on Nigerians.

We have received communication from UAE removing some of the conditions of travel of which we had concerns about.

Having done so, we feel we should lift the ban on the suspension of Emirates Airline.

All the impediments on Emirates have been lifted and that the airline can now operate in Nigeria, he said.

Mr Sirika lauded the understanding of Nigerians in spite of the hardships experienced as a result of the spat between the two countries.

Also speaking, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, noted that Nigeria recognised that UAE had a responsibility to protect the lives of her citizens.

He added that whatever measures the UAE had taken was for the best interest of her citizens.

He said that the negotiation that led to the renewed relationship was a balanced one and was a win-win for both countries.

Mr Onyema, who reiterated that though Nigeria had always had an excellent relationship with UAE, added that the negotiations had made the relationship even stronger.

On his part, the National Incidence Manager of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Muktar Mohammed, commended the leadership provided by members of the Committee in ensuring resolution of the impasse.

Mr Mohammed also disclosed that the Committee was watching closely the developments within the Southern African regions with regards to the discovery of a new variant of the virus.

He added that necessary measures to prevent its entrance into Nigeria would be done. (NAN)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Command, says it has trained 2,000 students and 300 teachers on school security and personal protection in the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by Hammed Abodunrin, the State Commandant of NSCDC, on Saturday in Akure.

Mr Abodunrin explained that the training was part of the efforts to proffer solutions to the rising cases of abduction, banditry and kidnapping of school students and teachers in the country.

As Ondo State NSCDC Command promised to train students on security tips, we have started the schools security training at the Federal Government Girls College, Akure.

And no fewer than 300 staff members comprise teaching and non-teaching and 2,000 students have been trained on School Security and Personal Protection.

So, during the training, NSCDC distributes free First Aid Kits to staff and students of Federal Government Girls College, Akure, to make them first aid responders during emergencies.

While, officers, who delivered lectures as resource persons were drawn from Training Department, Disaster Management Department, ICT, Anti-human Trafficking, Illegal Migration and Gender Unit of the Command, he said.

Mr Abodunrin explained that the command had educated the female students and staff of the school on basic security tips to enhance personal protection both within and outside the schools terrain.

The best form of security is the one provided for oneself as only those who wear the shoe knows where it pinches, he added.

He called on the school management to provide detective gadgets such as CCTV cameras, metal detectors, alarm systems, and lightning in all paths, as criminal acts thrive more in dark areas.

Mr Abodunrin, therefore, called on teachers, parents and guardians to imbibe the culture of educating their wards on personal security protection.

He said this would broaden their knowledge on security and ameliorate the menace of insecurity in our environment.

The principal of the school, Adenike Lawal, lauded the management and personnel of the command for their pragmatic approach in tackling insecurity in the state.

Mrs Lawal stated that the security training had positively impacted her, saying that the school would continue to partner with security agencies to make Ondo State a safe haven for all dwellers. (NAN)
The upsurge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has seemingly unleashed upon us a world of digital impossibilities. From the excitement of employing social media handles like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn et al to the possibilities of a digital economy, a digital era has dawned upon us.

Sadly, in Nigeria, the gains of digitalization seem in reverse gear. With digital authoritarianism as a culprit awaiting sentence in the court of public opinion, a junta in civilian toga has superintended over Twitter ban without qualms. Even the foot-soldiers of Lekki tollgate in their greenhorn and we move slogan cannot change the narrative.

To be sure, the digital authoritarianism in place has a sister by name, Protection Against False Accusations Decree No. 4, of March 29, 1984. Described as the most repressive press law in Nigeria, it saw Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor of The Guardian on trial. That media houses were shut down and the press suppressed was a rehearsal for the grand orchestra by the same Maestro.

With the anthem of repressing and manipulating both local and foreign populations, an erstwhile analogue dictatorship suddenly graduated into a repentant digital overlord who carries out the oversight function of suppressing traditional and social media amidst the traffic of digitization. No thanks to the current digital linear regime, the press is gagged as media trial of alleged looters hold sway.

Only last year, the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press broke the news that Chinese technicians from Huawei were collaborating with government forces in Uganda and Serbia to experiment with digital authoritarianism. China was mentoring the two countries with spotty human rights records on how to install advanced facial recognition cameras for purposes of surveillance.

In an unprecedented manner, and sadly too, Nigeria has joined the ranks of countries which supply repressive technology. Through ideological and Hi-Tech colonisation, Israel, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia indulge in digital manipulation using hacking software, censorship filtering applications, location-tracking spyware and hi-resolution video surveillance.

Although the introduction of The Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2015 is commendable, its sister bill, The Anti-social Media Bill which was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa and brought before the floor of the Senate on 5 November 2019 could not see the light of day. Nigerians saw the allegedly plagiarized bill from Singapore as an attempt to criminalize unsuspecting social media users.

Perhaps undeterred by failed attempts to sanction social media in the country, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration went ahead to suspend the operations of the micro-blogging platform, Twitter on 5 June 2021 after it deleted tweets made by the President warning people of the South East about the danger of a repeat of the 1967 Biafra Civil War due to activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Because of internet access, online and offline free speech policy, Twitter chose Ghana as the destination to open its African office. Like the law of cause and effect, Digital Authoritarianism has dire consequences on socio-economic development. For example, The Punch of 8 October 2021 reported that Nigeria lost N309.26bn to 124-day of Twitter ban. Expectedly, in the domain of digital authoritarianism is policy somersault.

Isnt it worrisome that a government which has a Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, uses Treasury Single Account (TSA), employs Digital Address System (DAS) and other ancillary platforms turns around to be digitally authoritarian? Perhaps the witch will kill her child since electronic voting is still in the labour room. In a nation which makes noise about e-banking, e-commerce and digital learning, we seem to have a penchant for being way out in the woods.

That a 61-year-old man is crawling without teeth is disturbing. Amidst the miseries of Nightfall in Soweto comes the tale of the Giant of Africa groping helplessly with the words: PHN has interrupted power supply. Content with real darkness, the dictator snatches the torchlight of civility. With a biting economy, country men and women are still relishing the gossips of BBNaija as if Whitemoney will share his bounty.

Indeed, digital authoritarianism has taken us back to 1956 when the Trinidadian author, Samuel Selvon portrayed Captain as a metaphor for Nigeria in his enthralling novel, The Lonely Londoners. Captain, a Nigerian is described as a spendthrift, dishonest and crafty young man. He is always indebted and double-speaks.

65 years later, this story fits into the narrative of the political class in Nigeria. Can any Chatham House speech change the skin of the chameleon? Well, the Khaki boys, now adorned in civilian apparel are still singing an expired piece of reggae. With money-bag politics, over-borrowing and lack of political will, the nation is on author-pilot.

To survive this tsunami, the Diaspora community, civil society groups and the Nigerian press must speak up. Under dictatorship, freedom is not given, it is taken. Lets re-echo the timeless song of nonviolent resistance by Martin Luther Jnr and Mahatma Gandhi. Since digital authoritarianism requires digital solutions, lets Soro Soke with computers and smartphones. The time is now. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Justine John Dyikuk is a Lecturer of Mass Communication, University of Jos, Editor  Caritas Newspaper and Convener, Media Team Network Initiative (MTNI), Nigeria.
we have never had a client-relationship with the Nigerian Army, since the emergence of General Tukuru Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff in 2015. The Nigerian Army is NOT our client but one of the stakeholders in the brand of journalism we practice.

You have started again! You should know that PR is not a licence to support atrocities. Innocent persons (at Lekki) were deliberately murdered by your clients (Nigerian Army) and for you, profit is more important than those souls.  Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of SaharaReporters.

The above was a text message sent to me by my good friend, Omoyele Sowore, after PRNigeria published a 204-page book titled, 101 Fake News on EndSARS and commenced the serialisation of some of the blunders and inconsistencies contained in the recently submitted report of the Lagos State EndSARS panel chaired by Retired Justice Doris Okuwobi.

In fairness to Sowore, he has been consistent in his brand of activism through citizen journalism. But in our many debates, I have always explained to him that the public relations approach through fact-seeking and efforts at mutual understanding are better ways of managing difficult situations.

I have received similar concerns from people of goodwill and even from unknown individuals, who claim I am on the payroll of the Nigerian Army, and that all the things we do at PRNigeria are for pecuniary gains. I am therefore compelled to clear the erroneous impression about PRNigerias relationship with the Nigerian Army and our position on the EndSARS panel report.

First, while PR is a profitable business in the communications practice, in which a practitioner legitimately deserves a remuneration, we have never had a client-relationship with the Nigerian Army, since the emergence of General Tukuru Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff in 2015. The Nigerian Army is NOT our client but one of the stakeholders in the brand of journalism we practice.

In fact, PRNigeria has never been engaged, directly or indirectly, by the Nigerian Army in the last six years, but we enjoy the fact of having access to authoritative and sometimes sensitive information from credible authorities and reliable sources in the sector, to authenticate our reports.

Having had a good working relationship with all the Army spokespersons, from Brigadier Generals Sani Kukasheka, Sagir Musa, Mohammed Yerima to the incumbent, Onyema Nwachukwu, they are living witnesses to the professional integrity of our communications outfit.

Some public commentators have accused us  not a few times  of excessively defending the Army, especially General Buratai, the past Army Chief, who is now the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic. They ignore the fact that objective reportage is not about defending anyone but providing accurate, timely and credible information. While we objectively reported the clearance of Buratai over the Dubai properties saga and highlighted his earlier successes in decimating Boko Haram terrorists and institutional accomplishments, we were yet very critical of the Nigerian Army over the Zaria massacre of 2015, the unjust retirement of the Army 38 in 2016, the closure of the offices of Daily Trust newspapers in 2019, the killing of Police officers by soldiers in Taraba in 2019, and the tenure elongation of military chiefs in 2020, among others.

Just as the critics attack us, so do the apologists on the other side. For instance, some Army media consultants sponsored a number of articles in several media houses claiming that we are financiers and masterminds of the Boko Haram insurgency. Not only did we report them to the security and intelligence services, but we also sued the accusers in a court of law, to clear our names.

Our support for the military and intelligence services, especially the Nigerian Army, is our own way of showing patriotism in the defence of national interests, when doing so could deny us of securing grants from foreign interests. Our editorial policy does not glorify the activities of enemies of the state. We deliberately censor their propaganda by supporting the gallantry of Nigerian security against violent agitations, banditry, terrorism among others.

the EndSARS panels attempt to redefine the meaning of the words massacre and genocide was faulted by the professional opinions of pathologists, forensic experts, ballistic specialists, legal practitioners, among others, as contained in the report itself.

The Chief of Military Intelligence and now Chief of Defence Intelligence, General Samuel Adebayo, can testify to the fact that while we were not engaged to provide any crisis communication component of the Nigerian counterterrorism strategy, we never felt bad about this. After all, General Buratai only demonstrated his detribalised nature by engaging other firms for the Armys PR services.

Meanwhile, we are equally not unmindful of the fact that the lack of patronage by the Nigerian Army and few others is likely due to the fact that we had worked closely with a consummate spymaster on the national security architecture during the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nevertheless, while we had no pecuniary relationship with the Nigerian Army, General Buratai was gracious enough to have acceded to our interventions on the plight of some journalists and media houses in critical moments, and he even delegated officers to attend our programmes.

Still, with all sense of modesty, if the Nigerian Army were indeed our client, they would not have committed the communication harakiri of initially denying the presence of troops at the Lekki Toll Plaza during the height of the EndSARS protest of October 20, 2020.

The armys blunder, which is also cited in the book, 101 Fake News on EndSARS, is among the reasons for the public mistrust of the security services and lingering distrust of the government since that incident.

Meanwhile, the EndSARS panels attempt to redefine the meaning of the words massacre and genocide was faulted by the professional opinions of pathologists, forensic experts, ballistic specialists, legal practitioners, among others, as contained in the report itself.

Interestingly, the author of the book on EndSARS, Dahiru M. Lawal, was an early supporter of the EndSARS movement, until the peaceful protests turned violent. The decentralised mass movement against police brutality was unfortunately hijacked by hoodlums, leading to violent attacks, including killings and the destruction of property worth billions of naira.

For instance, the initial video of a policeman allegedly shooting a civilian in Ughelli, Delta State, which triggered the EndSARS rallies, and other similar reports, turned out to be fake.

As chronicled in the book, notable personalities, including the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, had to issue written and record video rejoinders respectively, to deny the fake inciteful statements attributed to them during the crisis.

While some of the media refrained from offering unreserved apologies for misleading the public, a diligent web search reveals that a number of pages that had initially carried the fake news have since dropped them, and these are no longer online.

Similarly, politicians like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had to address the press on falsehoods fabricated against them, which could have inflamed situations then.

Some spokespersons to public officials, Femi Adesina and Funke Egbemode, both incidentally former Presidents of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), were also victims of the mischief of fake news merchants.

These peddlers of illicit information, apart from impersonating celebrities, also lied against religious bodies by grafting the images of Catholic Bishops on their false narratives, claiming that these distinguished clerics were marching in support of EndSARS, while this was blatantly untrue. In another misleading contrivance, some female Muslims were also said to be protesting in Katsina State, while no such thing happened.

However, some of the credible, traditional media platforms that published fake stories and footage from that series of protests have since dropped these unfortunate contents from their sites. One of the national broadcast stations Arise TV that quoted the famed witness, DJ Switchs claim that snipers were shooting protesters from the Access bank building, had to tender an apology after the management of the bank issued a statement saying the people located on the tower of their head office were staff members carrying out maintenance work on the building, and not Nigerian Army snipers who had been drafted to kill protesters.

While some of the media refrained from offering unreserved apologies for misleading the public, a diligent web search reveals that a number of pages that had initially carried the fake news have since dropped them, and these are no longer online.

I strongly believe that media platforms should be harnessed as effective tools in swiftly countering false information, especially if this is defamatory, discriminatory, malicious, uncorroborated or clearly dangerous.

We must find a way of protecting our ethnic and religious diversity in Nigeria, which is a source of strength, so that our fault lines are not exploited by undesirable elements bent on setting citizens against each other.

Government must find a way of regaining the needed, but already eroded, confidence of the public/masses of Nigerians, due to the high wave of distrust of and cynicism about its officials, statements, and actions.

Also, the Nigerian security services should always display utmost professionalism in the course of discharging their statutory responsibilities, while also eschewing the temptation to be corrupt, high-handed and lawless, especially in their interactions with regular Nigerians.

Yushau A. Shuaib is author of An Encounter with the Spymaster and Crisis Communication Strategies.

www.YAShuaib.com
Come Saturday, November 27, 2021, Adamawa State and indeed the great Ganye Chiefdom will stand still as six illustrious sons and daughters of the chiefdom will be turbaned by the paramount ruler of the Chiefdom, Adamu Umaru Sanda, the Gangwari Ganye II.

Among the six persons to be conferred with different titles that day are two illustrious sons of Adamawa State  Adamu Atiku Abubakar, the Commissioner of the Adamawa State Ministry of Works and Energy Development, who also sits on the Board of Trustees of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), and Maxwell Gidado, the Chief of Staff to Governor Umaru Fintiri. Mr Gidado, a professor and distinguished academic and legal luminary, is a member of the AUN Governing Council.

These titles hold great significance to the holders, the chiefdom, the traditional council, and the state. For a society in search of role models, the turbanning ceremony on Saturday must be situated in its proper context. Both Mr Adamu and Professor Gidado are men of great accomplishment and have distinguished themselves in public and private service. It is, therefore, a case of the worthy sons receiving the recognition and honor they richly deserved.

The title of Sardauna traditionally translates to the defender of the Gangwari and commander of his army. The Ganye Chiefdoms Sardauna title was first held by the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri Adamawa and father to Adamu Atiku. Atiku Abubakar relinquished the title to his son in 2020, making him the second Sardauna.

The Ganye Sarduana title has an interesting anecdote. Some years back, while Atiku Abubakar was serving as VP, and the Gangwaris throne was threatened, Atiku fought valiantly for him to retain the throne. He is often noted as one of the people who played very crucial roles in defending the Gangwaris throne and title. This act led to the creation of the title for him by the then Gangwari Ganye I, father to the present Gangwari.

Before his appointment as Commissioner for Works & Energy Development by the Fintiri-led administration in 2019, Adamu Atiku distinguished himself with INTELS for over 18 years and rose to the rank of Ag. Deputy Managing Director.

He expertly handled diversified roles in supply base activities, terminal base operations, shipping activities, stevedoring services, business development, and client relations.

In his current role as commissioner for works and energy development in Adamawa State, he has supervised the urban renewal agenda of the administration, which has led to the construction of many roads and bridges, not just in urban areas but also in various local governments of the state.

His sterling performance as the chief supervisor and driver of Adamawas Urban Renewal Agenda of the Fintiri-led administration has fetched him the recognition of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers, which inducted him into the body as a Fellow (FNICE).

Triple-A (as he is known to his admirers) is not just an accomplished administrator and public servant; he is also a philanthropist. He is the Founder and President of the Adamu Atiku Foundation (AAF), a community-based non-profit organization focused on healthcare, education for all (EFA), good governance, and community development, among others.

The new Sardaunan Ganye obtained his first degree (B.A Marketing & Management) and Masterss degree (M.Sc Supply Chain & Logistics) from Irwin College Leicester Middlesex University, Hendon, United Kingdom Central England, and Birmingham, United Kingdom, respectively. He belongs to many professional bodies like the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Institute of Transport & Logistics.

He has sat on many company boards as a member and Chairman, including the Priam Group of Companies before joining public service.

The title of Danmasanin Ganye II traditionally means someone who has excellent knowledge of the environment and its happenings. The first Danmasanin Ganye, who is now deceased, also worked hard in helping to retain the Gangwari title and throne.

Among other committee members, he worked and produced documents to prove why the title should remain with the then paramount ruler. In Professor Maxwell Gidado, the title is being bequeathed on an erudite and accomplished legal luminary, a scholar of repute, a thoughtful and calm administrator with a proven track record.

Professor Gidado was conferred with the prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2015 in the academic category. He was a member of the Legal Expert Team, which successfully untangled the internal boundary dispute case between the Republic of Cameroun and the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the International Court of Justice, Hague.

The famous Bakassi Peninsula Case is remembered for many things but often not mentioned is the fact that Nigeria won a lot of land area in the northern border of the country.

A former Senior Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Danmasanin Ganye II has helped establish five Faculties of Law in Nigeria and nurtured them to attain partial and full accreditation. He has also taught and mentored over 1000 law students in some of Nigerias top universities, including AUN, University of Jos, and Bingham. Some of his students are now court of appeal justices, high court judges, magistrates, and khadis.

Professor Gidado has authored many books, notably Province of Legal Methods in Nigeria, a book of reading in all faculties of Law in Nigeria. He has served as a member of notable committees, including the Oil & Gas Reform and Review of the 1999 Constitution.

To be presented for turbaning also are Abdulmumuni Mapindi as the first Durbin Ganye, Aliyu Abubakar as the first Jakadan Ganye, Lilian Stephen Nabe as Mi Woba Ganye, and Rasheeda A. Mustapha as Jakadiyar Ganye.

The Ganye Chiefdom comprises three local governments, namely: Ganye, Jada, and Toungo.

The chiefdom is located in the southern part of Adamawa State. It is bounded by Gashaka, Bali, Jalingo, and Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State in the west; the republic of Cameroun to the south; Fufore LGA of Adamawa in the east, and Mayo Belwa LGA of Adamawa State to the North.

Ganye Chiefdom has eighteen districts inhabited by many tribes, the majority of which are Chamba, Hausa, and Fulani. Each district is headed by a District head who all report to the Gangwari Ganye, the first-class traditional ruler and Chairman of the Ganye traditional Council  made up of four permanent members and twenty-five title holders.

The chiefdom is one of the agricultural hubs of the state with fertile soil for produce like maize, sorghum, yam, rice, groundnut, beans, sesame seeds, sugarcane, mangoes, cocoa, and so much more, which are cultivated in commercial quantities. It is regarded as the Food Basket of Adamawa State. Ganye is richly blessed in solid mineral deposits, the most common being beryl, gypsum, kaolin, magnesite, gold, and gemstones, among others.

As friends and associates of Adamu Atiku and Maxwell Gidado converge on the Ganye Chiefdom this weekend to honor their friends, the beauty and security of Adamawa state come into focus. Adamawa is indeed the land of beauty, blessed with natural scenery and resources and a hospitable people.

Adamawas relative security and safety must also be appreciated by all visitors going into Ganye this weekend. Compared with most other states in Nigeria, north or south, east of west, Adamawa comes tops as the safest state in the country. Credit must go to the Government of Fintiri for finding Adamu Atiku and Maxwell Gidado worthy of appointment into prominent positions and providing the ambiance for the peace and security which the state currently enjoys.
Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has dismissed the declaration of armed bandits as terrorists as mere political expediency, saying it will come to no effect.

A federal high court in Abuja made the declaration on Friday in a case brought against two violent criminal groups.

But Mr Gumi said the declaration will have no effect as a similar pronouncement by the federal government on the Southeast secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Islamic cleric noted that although the declaration of IPOB as a terrorist organisation was also backed by a court order, the international community did not accord it recognition.

His response came a day after the Federal High Court in Abuja declared the activities of bandits groups as acts of terrorism.

The verdict strengthens the call on the federal government to declare bandits ravaging the North-western and the North-central regions of Nigeria as terrorists.

Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Federation, had filed an ex-parte application seeking to prohibit the activities of the bandits.

While moving the application on Thursday, Mr Abubakar informed the court that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the declaration of bandits as terrorists.

In his ruling, the judge, Taiwo Taiwo, held that the activities of Yan Bindiga (Gunmen) and Yan Taadda (terrorist) bandit groups constitute acts of terrorism.

According to court documents, the federal government based its decision on security reports, which confirmed that the bandits were responsible for the killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings, in northern Nigeria.

Responding to the court judgment, Mr Gumi in a statement by his media aide, Tukur Mamu, said declaring the herdsmen bandits as terrorists is a decision taken for political expediency.

The federal government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country, he said.

Mr Gumi said the decision by the government will not have any practical value because even before the declaration, they are being fought and treated as terrorists. So is just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on ground.

If you can remember, IPOB was also declared a terrorist organisation. The declaration was even backed by the order of the Court. But as you can see even the international community did not recognise FGs declaration of IPOB.

So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results. They have not been banned from travelling to other countries while their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that?

I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism, Mr Gumi said.

He argued that very few herdsmen are bandits.

I hope this declaration will not give the license to people to be profiling herdsmen in general as terrorists and taking laws into their hands against them. It will cause more mayhem.

The declaration will not change anything, it will not change the dynamics. Already the military is engaging them. It didnt stop them from kidnappings and killings. The declaration will not end their aggression against the society.

The Fulani banditry is a socio-economic problem. We have seen it, we interacted widely with them. We told the federal government the way out. It can only be won through engagement, dialogue, and justice.

That is why today there is relative peace in the Niger Delta because government have accepted the painful reality of rehabilitating and empowering them. There has to be equitable distribution of wealth in Nigeria and justice for everyone.

People dont want to accept it, before the issue of banditry that now affects all of us, the Fulanis have suffered so much. They have lost their legitimate means of livelihood, I mean their cows through cattle rustling and extortion by security agencies.

That has to be addressed as a means of genuine reconciliation and integration. They should have (a) sense of belonging, Mr Gumi said.
The manager, Kiyawa Primary Healthcare Facility, Kiyawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Northwestern part of Nigeria, Muhammad Kani, has confirmed the rising cases of pneumonia among children under five years in the third quarter of 2021 in the local government area.

The official told reporters in the state that the number of pneumonia cases was hitherto undetected because health workers were unskilled to detect the disease.

Mr Kani said in Kiyawa LGA, in the first quarter there were 10,448 antenatal care cases registered, but this increased to 11,138 in the third quarter.

He said in the quarterly register, numbers of pneumonia cases were detected by health workers after they acquired skills on how to identify pneumonia among children under five.

The official added that in the first quarter of 2021, though there was less detected pneumonia cases but there was 12.6 per cent of infant mortality rate of the numbers of children that visited health facilities with different health problems.

While in the third quarter, despite the high record cases of pneumonia among children, the infant mortality rate dropped off at 3.9 per cent. That could only be because pneumonia is being detected and treated with simple antibiotics at the health facilities, Mr Kani said.

Kiyawa LGA in Jigawa central zone has a high prevalence of pneumonia cases among children out of the 27 council areas in the state following a survey earlier conducted, Mr Kani said at an event to commemorate the world pneumonia day on November 12, in the state.

Mothers experiences

The event, organised by Save the Children International, took place at the palace of district head of Kiyawa community, hosting hundreds of residents and rural women and community volunteers who narrated experiences about the prevalence of pneumonia in the council area.

Fatima Muhammad, a volunteer, said several rural women are being educated on how to prevent children from pneumonia as well as detecting the disease at household levels and how to treat it.

Mrs Muhammad said, We now understand that pneumonia disease is not a spiritual issue because we used to think the disease is associated with jins because I experienced how children under five are facing difficulty in breathing and even fainted.

But following enlightenment campaigns by the organisation- Save the Children International, we now know what it is.

Also, Amina Awaisu, a member of the Federation of Women Muslim Association, (FONWAN) said many Women in Kiyawa do not know about pneumonia, however, with consistent enlightenment, the trend is now changing for better.

Mrs Awaisu, a trained volunteer, said at community level they were able to educate mothers on how to prevent, detect and cure the disease.

Disease burden

Experts have said almost a third of all pneumonia deaths are caused by air pollution, noting that the climate crisis is a child rights crisis and poses a serious threat to childrens health and well-being.

Mercy Gichuhi, the Country Director, Save the Children International Nigeria, said; This years World Pneumonia Day reminds us of our collective responsibility to take action and confront one of the greatest threats to our existence.

Ms Gichuhi, at an event to mark the World Pneumonia Day on November 12, in Jigawa State, said air pollution is not only changing the environment; it is denying children the chance of celebrating their fifth birthday and we must not allow this to continue. We all must work together to protect the future, by ensuring that children born today survive their fifth birthday.

With the theme: Pneumonia and Air Pollution, Ms Gichuhi said the World Pneumonia Day 2021 focuses on one of the greatest risk factors of pneumonia.

She said according to the Global Burden of Disease survey (2019), air pollution is responsible for almost a third of all pneumonia deaths.

Ms Gichuhi said available data have shown that global vaccination rates have dropped to levels which have not been recorded in a decade, with 3.5 million more children not receiving vaccines at all in 2020, compared to 2019.

Also speaking, the Chief of Party, INSPIRING project, Save the Children, Adamu Isah, a medical doctor, said Our experience from the field has shown a clear relationship between air pollution and pneumonia.

He said this years World Pneumonia Day aptly reflects one of the reasons pneumonia continues to be the leading childhood infectious disease in Nigeria.

To defeat pneumonia, we will need to confront the underlying factors such as air pollution and ensure families modify and change practices that expose children to indoor air pollution, Mr Isah said.

The district head of Kiyawa, Adamu Aliyu, an educationist, expressed dismay over the governments policy on inducing mothers with material gifts to accept routine immunisation in the state.

Mr Aliyu said, It is improper and encourages bribery and it discourages immunisation coverage in the state especially if immunisation workers cannot afford to provide some incentives to the household.

The traditional ruler said it is the responsibility of the government to provide basic healthcare services to citizenry and make children immunisation compulsory by sanctioning any defaulting households.

Meanwhile, the director, Public Health, Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Namadi Abdullahi, said the government will ensure access to healthcare in the 27 local council areas of the state.

Mr Abdullahi said the state has earmarked N72 million monthly to treat children under five and pregnant women and other vulnerable groups for free.

He said the funds are for the care of children with killer diseases including pneumonia.

Mr Abdullahi said the state government has also reached the national target of having health facilities in every ward in terms of functionality and operational for 24 hours.

He said the state has also benefited from the federal government project, the basic healthcare fund which is now available at 279 health facilities in the state, noting that vulnerable groups have registered and received treatment for free.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has conducted a supervisory tracking of the constituency and executive projects in Lagos and six other states.

The post-project tracking supervision is to enable the agency to conduct a second check on projects appropriated for in 2019 and 2020, which were earlier tracked by ICPC officials.

The supervisory tracking exercise, which was held in Lagos on Thursday, was led by Jimoh Sulieman, Assistant Director, Constituency, and Executive Project Tracking Division of ICPC.

According to Mr Suleiman, the supervisory exercise is being conducted in Lagos, Kano, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Osun, and Ondo.

It is a follow-up exercise to the third phase of its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Exercise, held in September, where the execution of projects appropriated for in 17 states and the FCT were tracked.

1,024 constituency and 227 executive projects, summing up to 1,251 projects, appropriated for in 2019 and 2020, were tracked during the exercise.

Projects were selected randomly for the post-project tracking supervision exercise and the goal is to check some of the projects earlier tracked and reported by the ICPC staff, to know if the reports match what we have on ground.

Mr Suleiman said the supervisory tracking is also a feedback mechanism and one of its objectives is to engage beneficiaries of the constituency projects to take ownership of them.

The Thursday supervisory tracking exercise, which was held at Surulere and Shomolu local government areas, where the ICPC visited the newly constructed link road at Babs Animashaun-Orile-Bode Thomas.

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The team also inspected the construction of Sanitation and Hygiene facilities by the Ministry of Water Resources in 12 locations in Surulere local government.

The provision of ICT equipment for youth empowerment in Somolu and Bariga areas was also monitored.

The ICPC earlier conducted Constituency and Executive Project Tracking in Lagos between September 1 and 12.

Three teams were earlier deployed to Lagos State to track 123 zonal intervention projects in 20 local governments areas and three senatorial districts of the state.

The tracking exercise was done by ICPC staff, quantity surveyors, accountants, civil society organisations, the media, and grassroots community development associations.

The agency said the tracking exercise would enable it to make recoveries on projects/contracts confirmed to have been inflated to those whose quality had been compromised.

It also seeks to investigate fraudulent procurement practices in the award of contracts for constituency and executive projects and prosecute erring officers.

The first phase of the exercise was held in 2019 across 12 states and the FCT and saw the tracking of 524 projects.

The second phase, in 2020, had about 822 projects tracked in 16 states.
NEW YORK,, Nov. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) announced today that it will implement a 1-for-20 reverse split of its outstanding MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs due January 8, 2038 (the "ETNs"), expected to be effective as of December 6, 2021.

The table below indicates the ETNs that will be subject to the reverse split, their trading symbol, their current CUSIP number, and the CUSIP number that they will receive after giving effect to the reverse split:

ETNs

Ticker Symbol

Current CUSIP /

New CUSIP MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse Leveraged

ETNs due January 8, 2038

FNGD

063679666 /

06367V204

The reverse split will be effective at the open of trading on December 6, 2021. Each ETN will begin trading on the NYSE Arca on a reverse split-adjusted basis on that date. Holders of an ETN who purchased that ETN prior to December 6, 2021 will receive one reverse split-adjusted ETN for every 20 pre-reverse split ETNs.

In addition, investors that hold a number of ETNs that are not evenly divisible by 20 will receive a cash payment for any fractional ETNs remaining (the "partials"). The cash amount due on any partials will be determined on December 13, 2021 and will equal, for each remaining ETN, its closing indicative value on that date. Bank of Montreal will pay these amounts on or about December 16, 2021.

The closing indicative value of each ETN on December 3, 2021 will be multiplied by 20 to determine the reverse split-adjusted closing indicative value. Following the reverse split, the ETNs will have a new CUSIP, as set forth above, but will continue to trade under their current ticker symbol.

The reverse split will affect the trading denominations of the ETNs, but it will not have any effect on the aggregate principal amount of the ETNs, except that the aggregate principal amount will be reduced by the corresponding aggregate amount of any cash payments for the "partials."

Illustration of a Reverse Split

The following table shows the effect of the 1-for-20 reverse split on the hypothetical closing indicative value of the ETNs. The closing indicative value of an ETN is not the same as its principal amount (currently, $500) or the trading price of that ETN.





Number of

ETNs

Hypothetical

Closing Indicative

Value

Aggregate Closing

Indicative Value













Pre-Reverse Split

100,000

$10.00

$1,000,000













1-for-20 Post-Reverse Split

5,000

$200.00

$1,000,000

None of the other exchange traded notes issued by Bank of Montreal are affected by this announcement.

The ETNs are senior, unsecured obligations of Bank of Montreal.

Investment suitability must be determined individually for each investor, and the ETNs may not be suitable for all investors. This information is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon as providing accounting, legal, regulatory or tax advice. Investors should consult with their own financial advisors as to these matters.

The leveraged ETNs discussed in this press release are intended to be daily trading tools for sophisticated investors to manage daily trading risks as part of an overall diversified portfolio. They are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis. The returns on the ETNs over longer periods of time can, and most likely will, differ significantly from the return on a direct short investment in the index underlying those ETNs.

Bank of Montreal, the issuer of the ETNs, has filed a registration statement (including a pricing supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus) with the SEC regarding the ETNs discussed in this press release. Please read those documents and the other documents relating to the ETNs that Bank of Montreal has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Bank of Montreal and the ETNs. These documents may be obtained without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Bank of Montreal, and any agent or dealer that participated in the offerings of the ETNs, will arrange to send the applicable pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus if so requested by calling toll-free at 1-877-369-5412.

About REX Shares

Founded in 2015, REX Shares ("REX") is an independent provider of exchange traded products based in Fairfield, Connecticut. As ETP architects, the REX team creates investment vehicles that solve for a range of specific challenges in investor portfolios. The firm is rooted in decades of structuring and building inventive exchange-traded product solutions.

For more information, please visit www.microsectors.com

Follow REX on Twitter @msectors

REX Media Contacts: [email protected]

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $971 billion as of July 31, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

BMO Media Contact: Kelly Hechler, [email protected], (416) 867-3996

Bank of Montreal ETNs: [email protected], +1-877-369-5412

Internet: www.bmo.com

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Related Links

www.bmo.com


The conference is the most influential national conference since China launched large-scale hydrogen biomedical research in 2011. The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), directly under the State Council of China, represents the country's highest honor in the field of science and technology. The five academicians of this conference are delivering the speeches simultaneously at the conference, indicating that hydrogen biomedicine has been fully recognized by the scientific community and will become a new direction of medical research in China in the future.

Since 2020, Chinese medicine has drawn wide attention from the international community thanks to its outstanding performance in fighting COVID-19. During COVID-19 period rampaged in China, a Hydrogen Oxygen Generator with Nebulizer produced by Shanghai Asclepius Meditec Co., Ltd., with output of mixed gas 3L/min containing 66.6% hydrogen; and 33.3% oxygen, has been included in China National COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for three times. Taking it as an opportunity, hydrogen biomedicine as a new force of Chinese medicine has come into the public eye.

According to China's anti-pandemic expert team, molecular hydrogen has the functions of anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, scavenging malignant free radicals, dispersive oxygen and enhancing human immunity, which has obvious effects on the treatment of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.During the pandemic in China, more than 3,000 patients adopted "oxygen and hydrogen inhalation" to relieve dyspnea, cough and chest distress. Among them, after "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" a large number of severe patients significantly alleviated their symptoms. The discharge time is significantly shortened as well.

The World Health Organization has found that even if those who have strong immunity get infected with the novel coronavirus, they will only become asymptomatic infected patients, with relatively little impact on health. Therefore, China's anti-pandemic expert team has recommended "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" for COVID-19 prevention and rehabilitation.

Hydrogen oxygen medicine is a medical method enriched with Chinese philosophical thinking. Hydrogen oxygen mixed gas is produced from natural water molecules, which is more green, environmentally friendly and harmless compared with modern medicine with side effects. Chinese scientists have broken through the technical bottleneck of flammable and explosive character of hydrogen oxygen mixed gas, and widely applied the therapy to COVID-19 treatment, which can be called the pioneering work of modern medicine. According to a report titled "Strategies and Progress in Combating Novel Coronavirus in China" published in the Journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, "hydrogen and oxygen inhalation" therapy is currently the only treatment with "unknown side effects" other than convalescent plasma therapy.

Taking the efforts of Chinese scientists in the past decade as its foundation, Shanghai Asclepius Meditec Co. Ltd., a pioneer in the field of molecular hydrogen medicine in China, has obtained the certification for Class III medical device by China NMPA, which is not only the first in China, but also the first one over the world.

On November 27, the 7th National Conference on Hydrogen Biomedicine, to be held in Shanghai, China, will be broadcast live worldwide. Global live link (English version): https://www.ascleway.cn:1316/center/

SOURCE Asclepius Meditec
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Independence Holding Company (NYSE: IHC) to Geneve Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Independence will receive $57.00 in cash for each share of Independence that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ihc/ to learn more.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


Laderach will continue its retail expansion in North America with the announcement of new store locations through March 2022. Each Laderach store or boutique delivers the ultimate fresh chocolate experience with more than 85 varieties of fresh, artisanal chocolate delivered directly from Switzerland to awaken the five senses (sight, sound, touch, scent and taste).

Upon arrival at Laderach, chocolate lovers are greeted by the iconic FrischSchoggi (fresh chocolate) counter, featuring multiple varieties of chocolate slabs that can be snapped by hand and sold by weight. Additional fresh chocolates include a wide selection of pralines & truffles, single-origin tablet bars, chocolate popcorn, seasonal collections, and the coveted Masters Collection. The Masters Collection includes the chocolate bonbon mandarine, a miniature masterpiece created by Elias Laderach, which won first place in the praline category and helped him win the 2018 World Chocolate Masters. Elias Laderach leads production and innovation, and all chocolate is made from bean-to-bar in house, finished by hand, and brought directly to its 100+ stores worldwide. Because the company controls the entire production and distribution channel, Laderach's product freshness is second-to-none.

"The demand for premium fresh chocolate continues to grow in North America, and it's even stronger when it can awaken all the five senses and bring joy to everyday moments in life," said Nathanael Hausmann, president, Laderach North America. "It's what drives us at Laderach to create the freshest and highest quality chocolate possible and bring it to life in a memorable experience, especially as society returns to shopping this holiday season."

According to The National Confectioners Association, consumption for premium chocolate grew from 23-27% and for fine chocolate, consumption grew from 5-7% between 2018-2021. Additionally, engagement with fine chocolate is growing. Among Americans who consume fine chocolate at least on occasion, 19% consume fine chocolate frequently or almost exclusively. This is up significantly from 11% in 2018.

Laderach started its western expansion in November 2019 with an entry into New York City, Toronto and London. In December 2020, Laderach opened its largest and 100th global store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. On Valentine's Day in 2021, Laderach announced an asset purchase agreement to assume the leases of more than 30 Godiva locations in the US from coast-to-coast.

Laderach's success and momentum to expand is only possible through the passionate drive of its diverse 1,300 employees, from over 50 countries who represent various backgrounds, beliefs and lifestyles. Mutual respect, diversity, inclusiveness and freedom of expression, and transparency are at the heart of Laderach amongst its employees to make the best chocolate possible.

About Laderach  chocolatier suisse

Operating since 1962, Laderach  chocolatier suisse is a family-owned, premium Swiss chocolate company dedicated to creating sweet moments of joy in everyday life. As the largest chocolate retailer in Switzerland with approximately 1,300+ employees representing more than 50 nationalities and over 100 stores worldwide, Swiss quality is reflected in Laderach's control of the entire value chain from bean-to-bar-to-shop. Laderach uses only the best ingredients through strong relationships with the finest suppliers. Laderach produces over 100 varieties of chocolates, including over 20 varieties of FrischSchoggi (extra-large tablets of fresh chocolate), more than 50 different pralines and truffles, dozens of confectionery specialties, and a large selection of seasonal creations. To learn more, visit www.laderach.com.

CONTACT:

Ryan Bowling

+1 650 245 7945

[email protected]

SOURCE Laderach - chocolatier suisse
SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LATAM Airlines Group S.A. ("LATAM") (SSE: LTM) and its affiliates in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and the United States today announced the filing of a Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"), which reflects the path forward for the group to exit Chapter 11 in compliance with both U.S. and Chilean law. The Plan is accompanied by a Restructuring Support Agreement (the "RSA") with the Parent Ad Hoc Group, which is the largest unsecured creditor group in these Chapter 11 cases, and certain of LATAM's shareholders. The RSA documents the agreement between LATAM, the aforementioned holders of more than 70% of parent unsecured claims and holders of approximately 48% of 2024 and 2026 U.S. Notes, and certain shareholders holding more than 50% of common equity, subject to the execution of definitive documentation by the parties and the obtaining of corporate approvals by those shareholders. As they have throughout the process, all of the companies in the group are continuing to operate as travel conditions and demand permit.

"The last two years have been characterized by hardship across the globe  we have lost friends and family, colleagues and loved ones. And we have reeled as global aviation and travel were brought to a virtual standstill by the largest crisis to ever face our industry. While our process is not yet over, we have reached a critical milestone in the path to a stronger financial future," said Roberto Alvo, Chief Executive Officer of LATAM Airlines Group S.A. "We are grateful to the parties who have come to the table through a robust mediation process to reach this outcome, which provides meaningful consideration to all stakeholders and a structure that adheres to both U.S. and Chilean law. Their infusion of significant new capital into our business is a testament to their support and belief in our long-term prospects. We are thankful for the exceptional team at LATAM that has weathered the uncertainty of the past two years and enabled our business to keep operating and serving our customers as seamlessly as possible."

Plan Overview

The Plan proposes the infusion of $8.19 billion into the group through a mix of new equity, convertible notes, and debt, which will enable the group to exit Chapter 11 with appropriate capitalization to effectuate its business plan. Upon emergence, LATAM is expected to have total debt of approximately $7.26 billion1 and liquidity of approximately $2.67 billion. The group has determined that this is a conservative debt load and appropriate liquidity in a period of continued uncertainty for global aviation and will better position the group going forward.

Specifically, the Plan outlines that:

Upon confirmation of the Plan, the group intends to launch an $800 million common equity rights offering, open to all shareholders of LATAM in accordance with their preemptive rights under applicable Chilean law, and fully backstopped by the parties participating in the RSA, subject to the execution of definitive documentation and, with respect to the backstopping shareholders, receipt of corporate approvals;

common equity rights offering, open to all shareholders of LATAM in accordance with their preemptive rights under applicable Chilean law, and fully backstopped by the parties participating in the RSA, subject to the execution of definitive documentation and, with respect to the backstopping shareholders, receipt of corporate approvals; Three distinct classes of convertible notes will be issued by LATAM, all of which will be preemptively offered to shareholders of LATAM. To the extent not subscribed by LATAM's shareholders during the respective preemptive rights period:

Convertible Notes Class A will be provided to certain general unsecured creditors of LATAM parent in settlement ( dacion en pago ) of their allowed claims under the Plan;

) of their allowed claims under the Plan;

Convertible Notes Class B will be subscribed and purchased by the above referenced shareholders; and



Convertible Notes Class C will be provided to certain general unsecured creditors in exchange for a combination of new money to LATAM and the settlement of their claims, subject to certain limitations and holdbacks by backstopping parties.

The convertible notes belonging to the Convertible Classes B and C will therefore be provided, totally or partially, in consideration of a new money contribution for the aggregate amount of approximately $4.64 billion fully backstopped by the parties to the RSA, subject to receipt by the backstopping shareholders of corporate approvals;

fully backstopped by the parties to the RSA, subject to receipt by the backstopping shareholders of corporate approvals; LATAM will raise a $500 million new revolving credit facility and approximately $2.25 billion in total new money debt financing, consisting of either a new term loan or new bonds; and

new revolving credit facility and approximately in total new money debt financing, consisting of either a new term loan or new bonds; and The group also used and intends to use the Chapter 11 process to refinance or amend the group's pre-petition leases, revolving credit facility, and spare engine facility.

Additional Information

The hearing to approve the adequacy of the Chapter 11 Disclosure Statement and approve voting procedures is expected to be held in January 2022, with specific timing dependent on the Court's calendar. If the Disclosure Statement is approved, the group will commence solicitation during which it will seek approval of the Plan from creditors. LATAM is requesting the hearing to confirm the Plan be held in March 2022.

For more information, LATAM has created a dedicated website: www.LATAMreorganizacion.com , where stakeholders can find additional key information about this announcement. The group has also established a hotline for Chapter 11-related inquiries, which can be accessed at:

(929) 955-3449 or (877) 606-3609 (U.S. and Canada )

) 800 914 246 ( Chile )

) 0800 591 1542 ( Brazil )

) 01-800-5189225 ( Colombia )

) (0800) 78528 ( Peru )

) 1800 001 130 ( Ecuador )

) 0800-345-4865 ( Argentina )

It also has a dedicated email for inquiries related to the reorganization at [email protected].

LATAM is advised in this process by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Claro & Cia. as legal advisors, FTI Consulting as financial advisor, and PJT Partners as investment banker.

The Parent Ad Hoc Group, which is led by Sixth Street, Strategic Value Partners, and Sculptor Capital, is advised by Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, Bofill Escobar Silva, and Coeymans, Edwards, Poblete & Dittborn as legal advisors and Evercore as investment banker.

The above referenced shareholders consist of (a) Delta Air Lines, Inc., advised by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Barros & Errazuriz Abogados, and Perella Weinberg Partners LP as legal counsel and investment banker, (b) the Cueto Group and the Eblen Group,2 advised by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Cuatrecasas as legal counsel, and (c) Qatar Airways Investment (UK) Ltd., advised by and Alston & Bird LLP, Carey Abrogados, and HSBC as legal counsel and investment banker. Certain of these shareholders are advised in their individual capacity by Greenhill & Co., LLC and ASSET Chile, S.A. as co-financial advisors.

About LATAM Airlines Group

LATAM is the principal group of airlines in Latin America with a presence in five domestic markets in the region: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, in addition to international operations within Latin America and between it and Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean.

The group has a fleet of Boeing 767, 777, 787, Airbus A321, A320, A320neo and A319 aircraft.

LATAM Cargo Chile, LATAM Cargo Colombia, and LATAM Cargo Brazil are the LATAM Airlines freight subsidiaries. In addition to having access to the passenger cargo holds of LATAM Airlines Group, they have a fleet of 11 freighters, which will gradually increase to a total of up to 21 freighters by 2023.They operate on the LATAM Group network as well as international routes that are solely used for shipping. They offer modern Infrastructure, a wide variety of services and protection options to meet all customer needs.

Forward Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements. Such statements may include words such as "may" "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "believe" or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on LATAM's current plans, estimates and projections and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of LATAM's control and difficult to predict. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors and uncertainties include in particular those described in the documents we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them, whether in light of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contacts

Ximena Ossa, Head of External Communications LATAM Airlines Group

Rachel Chesley / Ana Heeren, FTI Consulting

[email protected]

Investor Contact

Tori Creighton, Head of Investor Relations LATAM Airlines Group

[email protected]

____________________ 1 Total debt expectation cited is on an "as converted" basis and excludes convertible debt. 2 The Cueto Group consists of Costa Verde Aeronautica S.A. and Inversiones Costa Verde Ltda y Cia. en Comandita por Acciones, and the Eblen Group consists of Andes Aerea SpA, Inversiones Pia SpA and Comercial Las Vertientes SpA.

SOURCE LATAM Airlines Group S.A.
NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Rollins, Inc. (NYSE: ROL) resulting from allegations that Rollins may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Rollins securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2215.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On October 28, 2020, Rollins disclosed that a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation had been initiated and believed the SEC's focus to be how accruals and reserves were established at period ends and their impact on reported earnings going as far back as January 2015.

On February 26, 2021, Rollins announced that an internal investigation into the same matters found "a significant deficiency in the Company's internal controls relating to the documentation and review of accounting entries for certain reserves and accruals."

Then, on October 29, 2021, Rollins stated that it "has initiated discussions with the SEC staff regarding a potential resolution of the investigation" and "recorded an accrual related to this matter in the third quarter of 2021."

On this news, Rollins stock fell $1.02, or 3%, to close at $34.03 per share on November 1, 2021, damaging investors.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueVine , the leading provider of innovative financial services for small businesses, today announced the launch of its Small Business Resilience Program , which is designed to celebrate small businesses that exhibited exceptional leadership, innovation, and grit throughout the pandemic. Small businesses are the emotional center of the American economy, and they have been disproportionately impacted by the events of the last eighteen months. In honor of Small Business Saturday today, businesses can self-nominate for taking initiative while showcasing exceptional leadership and optimism over the last year. Nominations can be submitted through the BlueVine website and will close on December 31, 2021.

Photo courtesy of BlueVine.

"Small businesses are the heart of BlueVine and the pandemic tested them in ways we could have never imagined," said Eyal Lifshitz, CEO and founder of BlueVine. "These small business owners everywhere have overcome incredible obstacles and they deserve to be recognized. We designed our Small Business Resilience Program as a way to shine a light on the incredible stories of small business owners across the country and give back."

One winner will be awarded a $10,000 prize and all other finalists will be recognized on BlueVine's blog and social media. To apply, applicants must be the owner/operator and/or authorized agent of an eligible for-profit small business, must be at least 18 years or older, or the legal age of majority in their state of residence; applicants and their business must be located in the United States, must have started their business prior to January 1, 2020 and operated their business throughout the pandemic, must currently be operating, and must have at least 2 employees and no greater than 250 employees. Applicants will be judged on their responses to the following questions:

Leadership (400 words max) : Articulate and provide examples of how you showed exceptional leadership. For example, did you go above and beyond for your staff and customers? Did you inspire your staff during a time of uncertainty? Did you communicate updates regarding shutdowns, COVID restrictions, or layoffs calmly and clearly?

: Articulate and provide examples of how you showed exceptional leadership. For example, did you go above and beyond for your staff and customers? Did you inspire your staff during a time of uncertainty? Did you communicate updates regarding shutdowns, COVID restrictions, or layoffs calmly and clearly? Innovation (400 words max) : Did your business find new and exciting ways to stay connected with staff or customers during the pandemic? Did your business' leadership implement new and original ideas to stay connected? Share examples or anecdotes to help our judges understand the impact of the innovation.

: Did your business find new and exciting ways to stay connected with staff or customers during the pandemic? Did your business' leadership implement new and original ideas to stay connected? Share examples or anecdotes to help our judges understand the impact of the innovation. Grit (400 words max): In the face of so many obstacles, how did you prevail? What are some examples of perseverance that demonstrate your grit?

Judges will include Eyal Lifshitz, CEO & Co-Founder of BlueVine, and Zack Miller, Founder and Managing Editor of Tearsheet. For a full list of rules and conditions, please review the Official Rules .

As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated across the U.S., hundreds of thousands of small businesses temporarily closed or underwent layoffs. At the heart of the Small Business Resilience Program are the unique stories of small business owners across the country, who, in the face of innumerable challenges, showed resourcefulness, flexibility, and left a positive impact on their communities. If you are a small business owner who meets these criteria, BlueVine encourages you to apply on BlueVine's website and help bring awareness to the amazing work that small businesses are doing.

About BlueVine

BlueVine provides small and medium-sized businesses with fast and simple access to financial services built with them in mind. BlueVine's advanced online platform offers an intuitive, convenient solution designed to meet the banking and working capital needs of today's business owners with a suite of products designed to serve your small business needs. Based in Redwood City, California, BlueVine has provided small and medium-sized businesses with access to more than $5 billion in financing and is backed by leading private and institutional investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, 83North, Citi Ventures, ION Crossover Partners, SVB Capital, Nationwide Insurance, and M12 (Microsoft's Venture Arm).

For more information, please visit https://www.bluevine.com/ or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter .

Media Contacts:

Christina Cole

Director of Communications & Brand, BlueVine

650-252-1980

[email protected]

SOURCE BlueVine
Wrap up Native American Heritage Month by looking at why their numbers lag on college campuses. Tweet this

"People just don't understand the sacrifices you have to make to pursue a doctoral degree," explains Dr. Brooks. "The perception is you don't need college. I believe there is something college gives you that is above and beyond a job. It gives you critical thinking skills and provides networking opportunities. It's socializing. It's a way of thinking that makes you a better person and gives you a way to see the world in a more open way than before."

The PhD Project was founded upon the premise that advancements in workplace diversity could be propelled forward by increasing the diversity of business school faculty. Today, its expansive network of supporters, sponsors and universities helps Black/African Americans, Latinx/Hispanic Americans and Native Americans attain their business PhD and become the business professors who will mentor the next generation of leaders.

"I call the PhD Project the best kept secret in America because based on our name, not many know we're connected to a diversity initiative, racial equity or the corporate world," said Blane Ruschak, PhD Project President. "Since 1994, we've more than quintupled the number of diverse business professors in the U.S., from fewer than 300 to more than 1500 today. We are making a difference on university campuses and in the business world."

The PhD Project just wrapped up its flagship event, an annual conference for potential doctoral students that took place November 17  19, 2021. At this 3-day conference, attendees networked with other doctoral students, business school representatives, professors, and sponsor organizations. For more information on the PhD Project, visit www.phdproject.org.

###

SOURCE The PhD Project
NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Zhangmen Education Inc. (NYSE: ZME) in or traceable to Zhangmen Education's initial public offering conducted on or about June 8, 2021 ("IPO"), pursuant to the IPO prospectus (the "Prospectus") and Form F-1 registration statement, as amended (together with the Prospectus, the "Registration Statement"). If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 18, 2022.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Zhangmen Education securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Zhangmen Education class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2213.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 18, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the IPO's Registration Statement made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Chinese authorities were in the process of implementing sweeping new regulatory reforms on the private education industry in China including, among others, prohibitions on: (a) profit-making by private education companies, (b) engaging in core-curriculum tutoring on weekends and vacations, and (c) capital-raising by companies like Zhangmen Education; (2) the known risks, events, and uncertainties noted in the Registration Statement were reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on Zhangmen Education's business; and (3) based on the foregoing, the statements in the Registration Statement concerning Zhangmen Education's historical financial performance, market demand, and industry trends were materially incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading.

To join the Zhangmen Education class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2213.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

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Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

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The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

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TAIPEI, Nov. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the inspiring opening speech, "Future Perspective of Cancer Immunotherapy," delivered by Nobel Prize and Tang Prize laureate Prof. Tasuku Honjo at the 14th Asia Pacific Federation of Pharmacologist Conference (APFP) on November 26, the 2020 Tang Prize Laureate's Lecture for Biopharmaceutical Science, co-organized by the Tang Prize Foundation and The Pharmacological Society in Taiwan, took place at the 14th APFP at 1:30 p.m. (GMT+8) on November 27. Co-hosted by Dr. Wen-Chang Chang, chair of Taipei Medical University's board of directors, and Dr. Yun Yen, chair professor at Taipei Medical University, this special session featured lectures delivered by three winners for the 2020 Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science, Drs. Charles Dinarello, Marc Feldmann, and Tadamitsu Kishimoto, providing valuable informaiton on the role cytokines play in inflammation and the COVID-19 disease as well as possible treatments.

The first lecture by Dr. Dinarello, titled "Interleukin-1: The Prime Mediator of Systemic and Local Inflammation," began with his purification of leukocytic pryogen from human white blood cells in 1971. It then took him six years to identify two fever-producing molecules, later named IL-1and IL-1. In 1977, the research outcomes were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and for Dr. Dinarello, "that was an important step in the history of cytokine biology," because many people in the field of life science were encouraged to study the immune system's influence on human physiology. As a result, cytokine biology expanded rapidly. He also talked about how after the early experiments in humans, "the history of cytokines being used as a treatment changed dramatically," and the focus was shifted to "inhibiting cytokines, such as IL-1, such as TNF, such as IL-6." To help the audience understand the complicated network constituted by the pro-inflammatory molecules of the IL-1 family, Dr. Dinarello elaborated on the signal transduction of IL-1 family members, their pro- and anti-inflammatory characteristics, and the symptoms of different inflammatory diseases, so as to ease the way for the audience to get a proper grasp of the second half of the lecture which centered on "the clinical application of Il-1 blockade." IL-1 overproduction, as Dr. Dinarello remarked, is a common cause of many diseases. IL-1Ra, on the other hand, can inhibit Il-1and, and block the IL-1R signaling. Anakinra, a recombinant human IL-1Ra has been produced. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and can also prevent glycemic disorders in type 2 diabetes. Moreover, canakinumab, an anti-IL-1monoclonal antibody successfully developed by Novartis, has been approved in a variety of diseases, ranging from rare hereditary diseases, rheumatic diseases, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, to cardiovascular diseases. The most exciting news involving canakinumab is the clinical trial, CANTOS, which unexpectedly proved that canakinumab has an important role in treating cancer. Therefore, Dr. Dinarello believes that blocking IL-1 can usher in the dawn of a new cancer treatment.

The second speaker, Dr. Feldmann, shared his views on "Translating Molecular Insights in Autoimmunity into Effective Therapy." The emphasis of the first half of his lecture was on how he discovered that anti-TNF can be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Administrating either high or low doses of this drug can block TNF while also rapidly reducing the production of other inflammatory mediators. In their earlier experiments, Dr. Feldmann and his team demonstrated that around 50% of people with rheumatoid arthritis responded to the combination therapy using anti-TNF and the cancer drug methotrexate. That led him to believe that "we've got a long way to go before every patient is cured." During the second half of the talk, Dr. Feldmann informed us that "TNF is a very unusual meditator, because it has two different targets: TNF receptor-1(TNFR1), which drives inflammation, and TNF receptor 2, which does the very opposite. So if you block all of TNF, you block of receptors. You block inflammation, but you also prevent the body's attempt to dampen down the inflammation." Therefore, he and his colleagues are "in the process of generating tools" and has already blocked TNFR1 without change the function of regulatory T cells. In addition, Dr. Feldmann mentioned the potential of anti-TNF for addressing many unmet medical needs, such as treating fibrosis of the hand by injecting anti-TNF into the palm. However, he pointed out the two obvious disadvantages of the anti-TNF he first developed: it was cost-prohibitive and "it was an injectable drug." Thus, to develop "cheaper drugs that could be delivered by mouth" would bring greater benefit to the society. Throughout the lecture, Dr. Feldmann kept bringing up many people with whom he was or is collaborating for different projects and experiments, as he tried to drive home the message that what he had learned from these experiences was "how to work effectively with others" to ensure continuous breakthroughs in their research. It has been the hallmark of his career to find "talented people to work with," and, "together with them," to achieve much more "than we could alone."

Presenting the third lecture on the topic "Interleukin-6: From Arthritis to CAR-T and COVID-19," Dr. Kishimoto drew the audience's attention to how IL-6 was discovered, why IL-6 is a pleiotropic molecule, and why IL-6 "is responsible for both antibody production as well as inflammation induction." He also shed light on IL-6's effects on autoimmune diseases and how IL-6 can trigger cytokine storms. Early on in his talk, Dr. Kistimoto made clear that the overproduction of IL-6 has found to be associated with many diseases, such as cardiac myxoma, Castleman's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic onset of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). To tackle the inflammatory responses provoked by IL-6 overproduction, Dr. Kishimoto and his team tried to treat patients by blocking IL-6 signals. Subsequently, tocilizumab, a recombinant humanized anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, was successfully developed and has been approved for use in more than 100 countries for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and JIA. With regard to how the production of IL-6 is regulated and why IL-6 overproduction often occurs in chronic inflammatory diseases, Dr. Kishimoto explained that the stabilization of IL-6 strongly depended on its messenger RNA. To rescue patients suffering from CAR-T cell-induced cytokine storms, many in the medical profession now will use tocilizumab to cushion the side effects of this therapy. In view of this example, Dr. Kishimoto and his team speculated that tocilizumab can also be effective in helping seriously-ill COVID-19 patients combat cytokine storms. Several large-scale clinical trials proved that it can lower the possibility of requiring invasive ventilation or the risk of death. For this reason, the US Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have both issued an Emergency Use Authorization for tocilizumab for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. In this lecture, Dr. Kishimoto gave us a comprehensive overview of the research on IL-6 he led his team in carrying out over the past 50 years. It was a journey that took them from basic research to drug development and clinical application.

These three lectures by the 2020 Tang Prize laureates in Biopharmaceutical Science will be premiered on the Tang Prize YouTube channel from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (GMT+8) on November 27. To watch the complete version of the "2020 Tang Prize Laureate's Lectures for Biopharmaceutical Science," please consult the schedule below.

Dr. Charles Dinarello - Interleukin-1, the prime mediator of systemic and local inflammation

11/27 16:00 Taipei time (GMT+8)https://youtu.be/gVXKCkTKkcg

- Interleukin-1, the prime mediator of systemic and local inflammation 11/27 16:00 time (GMT+8)https://youtu.be/gVXKCkTKkcg Dr. Marc Feldmann - Translating Molecular Insights in Autoimmunity into Effective Therapy

11/27 17:00 Taipei time (GMT+8)https://youtu.be/_M3R9WFtDt4

- Translating Molecular Insights in Autoimmunity into Effective Therapy 11/27 17:00 time (GMT+8)https://youtu.be/_M3R9WFtDt4 Dr. Tadamitsu Kishimoto - Interelukin-6: From Arthritis to CAR-T and COVID-19

11/27 18:00 Taipei time (GMT+8)https://youtu.be/93rNLo5QMQc

SOURCE The Tang Prize Foundation
For the first-time ever, Charlie Parker's prolific and historic first three trips to Los Angeles have been collected together as Bird In L.A. , a 28-track collection of mostly unreleased and incredibly rare recordings that is being released on 2CD or 4LP black vinyl via Verve/UMe , exclusively as an RSD First for Record Store Day Black Friday, November 26 th . The albums will be available at participating independent record shops or available to order online from select retailers. Visit recordstoreday.com to find participating locations.

Recorded between 1945 and 1952, the performances collected on Bird In L.A, and presented chronologically, are highlighted by the only known recordings from Billy Berg's on December 17, 1945, three previously unknown JATP recordings from the Shrine Auditorium on November 22, 1948 and the complete recordings of the legendary July 1952 party at Jirayr Zorthian's bohemian Altadena ranch. The collection includes comprehensive track info detailing recording dates and personnel and is rounded out with illuminating liner notes by the album's producer, John Burton, who provides an in-depth history of Bird's fruitful time in L.A. as well as the significance of these incredible recordings.

Although Bird and Dizzy performed at Billy Berg's for a two month stretch, no recordings of the performances have ever surfaced until now, despite being broadcast live on local radio. These recordings, capturing a cross-section of the December 17th program, presented here for the first time in their entirety and mastered from the original discs, come from a pair of homemade 10-inch acetate discs discovered by Bird detectives extraordinaire Bob Bregman and Norman Saks, aka "Yardbird, Inc." As Burton exclaims in the liners, "What follows is, in my opinion, among the most incredible of all Parker recordings, alone worth the purchase of this set. Instead of the rapid unison line 'Ornithology,' Gillespie and Bird play the traditional 'How High the Moon' theme, but in a call and response fashion that is quite rare in their recorded collaborations. Bird begins his solo with staccato notes that are like the stomping of a foot to get attention before he unleashes a perfectly executed flurry leading into a lyrical solo blown with such strength that one hears the distortion as the home recorder red-lines. At the end of the first chorus Gillespie exhorts 'Go, go, go, go!' and Bird takes another chorus before a chorus by Jackson and then a fiery solo by Gillespie, cut short at the end of its first chorus when the cutter ran out of space."

The first half of Bird In LA also includes recordings from Parker and Gillespie's performance for the Armed Forces Radio Service "Jubilee" show in December 1945; a compact arrangement of "Salt Peanuts" from NBC's nationally broadcast variety show "Drene Time," sponsored by Proctor and Gamble to promote Drene shampoo; five songs recorded at The Finale Club in Little Tokyo with the Charlie Parker Quintet, featuring Miles Davis and Joe Albany; a blistering version of "Cherokee" recorded for the AFRS "Jubilee" in March or April 1946 with accompaniment of the Nat "King" Cole Trio and Buddy Rich; and concludes with three previously unknown recordings of Bird at The Shrine with Jazz At The Philharmonic. While the performance has been widely panned for being substandard for Parker, it is included here for historical reasons or as Burton explains, "Because they are Bird. Every surviving fragment by this giant should be available for study. Off nights such as the Shrine help us appreciate and understand his greatest achievements all the better."

The second half of this riveting musical time capsule captures two performances from Jirayr Zorthian's ranch in Altadena: the now infamous July 14, 1952 party where it's alleged Parker, his bandmates and most of the audience stripped off their clothes at a rowdy late night gathering at Zorthian's 27-acre hilltop ranch, located in the foothills above Pasadena, and a second performance two weeks later, with a young 22-year-old Chet Baker on trumpet, in one of his first recordings. Zorthian, an eccentric artist who passed away in 2004 at 92 following a life that included surviving the Armenian genocide as a child and graduating from Yale, loved to talk about that fateful fete. As he once personally regaled Burton, the party was held on a Monday when the musicians were not working and Bird who arrived characteristically late insisted on skinny dipping in the ranch swimming pool before playing. Several songs into the band's performance, which included spirited version of "A Night In Tunisia" and "Ornithology," Zorthian yells out "take it off" and Bird obliges, leading to many others to disrobe and making a wild party even wilder. The performance was recorded by the brother of Bird's friend, the artist Julie McDonald, and it was sourced from Zorthian's personal second-generation tape recording.

The Zorthian party, along with many of Parker's other L.A. adventures are brought to vivid life in Z2 Comics' innovative graphic novel, "Chasin' the Bird," released to widespread acclaimed last year in honor of Parker's 100th birthday. Beautifully told by writer/artist Dave Chisholm and colored by DreamWorks Animation Director Peter Markowski, the novel adapts one of the sunnier, but darker chapters in the life of Bird as it explores Bird's relationship with the characters and events he encountered during his time in L.A. including recording some of his signature songs, a brief but influential stay at the home of famed jazz photographer William Claxton, and many others who found themselves in the orbit of the jazz genius.

Experienced together, Bird In L.A. serves as the perfect soundtrack and companion piece to the graphic novel. On its own, the emergence of the rare recordings on Bird In L.A. represent a major cultural event and a significant addition to the Parker catalog.

charlieparkermusic.com

Bird In L.A. tracklisting:

CD:

Disc One

December 17, 1945

Billy Berg's Supper Club, Hollywood, California

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra Featuring Charlie Parker

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt, Charlie Parker, as, Milt Jackson, vb, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, dr, except 2, Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, pno and vocal, Slim Gaillard, MC, Billy Berg, closing announcement

1. Intro over I Waited for You into How High the Moon (incomplete) 4:11

2. Intro dialogue with Gibson into Handsome Harry the Hipster (incomplete) (no Parker) 4:15

3. Cement Mixer (fragment) into Intro into Blues (fragment) 1:20

4. Dizzy Atmosphere (fragment) (no Parker improvisation) 1:04

5. FiftySecond Street Theme into closing announcement 1:53

Possibly December 10, 17, or 29, 1945

AFRS "Jubilee," NBC Studios, Hollywood, California

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra Featuring Charlie Parker

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt, Charlie Parker, as, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, dr, Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman, MC

6. Groovin' High into announcement 5:47

7. Intro dialogue with Gillespie into Shaw 'Nuff into announcement 4:51

Add Milt Jackson, vb

8. Intro dialogue with Gillespie into Dizzy Atmosphere into announcement 4:36

January 24, 1946

"Drene Time," NBC Studios, Hollywood, California

Dizzy Gillespie Septet

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie, tpt and voc, Charlie Parker, as, Lucky Thompson, ts, Milt Jackson, vb, Al Haig, pno, Ray Brown, bs, Stan Levey, dr, Rudy Vallee and Harry "The Hipster" Gibson MCs

9. Intro dialogue between Vallee and Gibson into Salt Peanuts 3:40

MidMarch 1946

The Finale Club, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California

Charlie Parker Quintet

Personnel: Charlie Parker, as, Miles Davis, tpt, Joe Albany, pno, Addison Farmer, bs, Chuck Thompson, dr, unknown MC

10. Billie's Bounce 3:45

11. Ornithology 5:04

12. All the Things You Are 5:13

13. Blue 'n' Boogie 5:15

14. Anthropology into announcement 2:51

Probably March or April 1946

AFRS "Jubilee," NBC Studios, Hollywood, California

Personnel: Charlie Parker, Benny Carter and Willie Smith, as, Nat "King" Cole, pno, Oscar Moore, g, Johnny Miller, bs, Buddy Rich, dr, Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman, MC.

15. Intro discussion into Cherokee into announcement 4:22

November 22, 1948

Jazz At the Philharmonic, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California

Personnel: Charlie Parker, as, Al Haig, pno, Tommy Potter, bs, J.C. Heard, dr

16. Ornithology 4:11

17. Dizzy Atmosphere 5:39

18. Out of Nowhere 3:35

Disc Two

July 14, 1952

Party at Jirayr Zorthian's Ranch, top of Fair Oaks Avenue, Altadena, California

Personnel: Charlie Parker and Frank Morgan, as, Don Wilkerson, ts, Amos Trice, pno, David Bailey, bs, Larance Marable, dr

1. Scrapple from the Apple (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP, DW. FM, AT] 5:44

2. Au Privave/Dance of the Infidels [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 13:11

3. Night in Tunisia [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT] 7:33

4. How High the Moon/Ornithology [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT, CP, DW] 7:31

5. Party Chatter into Embraceable You [Soloist: CP] 3:45

6. Hot House [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP exchanges with LM] 7:07

7. Cool Blues [Soloists: CP, FM, DW, CP and FM exchange choruses, DW, FM] 12:15

8. March Noodling/Dixie 4:12

Probably July 28, 1952 at Zorthian's Ranch

Personnel: Same as above, but add Chet Baker, tpt

9. Scrapple from the Apple [Soloists: FM, DW, CP, CB, AT, DB,

CP exchanges with LM] 13:14

Probably July 1952, Unknown Location, Los Angeles, California

Personnel: Probably same as above, but omit Don Wilkerson and Chet Baker

10. Au Privave (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, FM] 4:28

LP

LP 1

Side A

December 17, 1945

1. Intro over I Waited for You into How High the Moon (incomplete) 4:11

2. Intro dialogue with Gibson into Handsome Harry the Hipster (incomplete) (no Parker) 4:15

3. Cement Mixer (fragment) into Intro into Blues (fragment) 1:20

4. Dizzy Atmosphere (fragment) (no Parker improvisation) 1:04

5. FiftySecond Street Theme into closing announcement 1:53

Possibly December 10, 17, or 29, 1945

AFRS "Jubilee," NBC Studios, Hollywood, California

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra Featuring Charlie Parker

6. Groovin' High into announcement 5:47

Side B

1. Intro dialogue with Gillespie into Shaw 'Nuff into announcement 4:51

2. Intro dialogue with Gillespie into Dizzy Atmosphere into announcement 4:36

3. Intro dialogue between Vallee and Gibson into Salt Peanuts 3:40

LP 2

Side A

1. Billie's Bounce 3:45

2. Ornithology 5:04

3. All the Things You Are 5:13

4. Blue 'n' Boogie 5:15

Side B

1. Anthropology into announcement 2:51

Probably March or April 1946

AFRS "Jubilee," NBC Studios, Hollywood, California

2. Intro discussion into Cherokee into announcement 4:22

November 22, 1948

Jazz At the Philharmonic, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California

3. Ornithology 4:11

4. Dizzy Atmosphere 5:39

5. Out of Nowhere 3:35

LP 3

Side A

July 14, 1952

Party at Jirayr Zorthian's Ranch, top of Fair Oaks Avenue, Altadena, California

1. Scrapple from the Apple (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 5:44

2. Au Privave/Dance of the Infidels [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT; CP, DW and FM exchange fours] 13:11

Side B

1. Night in Tunisia [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT] 7:33

2. How High the Moon/Ornithology [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, AT, CP, DW] 7:31

3. Party Chatter into Embraceable You [Soloist: CP] 3:45

LP 4

Side A

1. Hot House [Soloists: CP, DW, FM, CP exchanges with LM] 7:07

2. Cool Blues [Soloists: CP, FM, DW, CP and FM exchange choruses, DW, FM] 12:15

Side B

1. March Noodling/Dixie 4:12

Probably July 28, 1952 at Zorthian's Ranch

2. Scrapple from the Apple [Soloists: FM, DW, CP, CB, AT, DB,

CP exchanges with LM] 13:14

Probably July 1952, Unknown Location, Los Angeles, California

3. Au Privave (incomplete) [Soloists: CP, FM] 4:28

SOURCE Verve/UMe
Located in the heart of Auburn's college town, and pedestrian to campus, the Balcony, built in 2015, features a mix of one-, four-, and five-bedroom townhouse-style floorplans with premium stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, walk-in closets, balconies on each floor, and a private garage. The property is currently 100% occupied and 94% preleased for the 2022/23 academic term. The prime location to both campus and college town nightlife and unique, spacious floorplans, position this asset for long-term stability and strong rent growth.

Just down the road is Midtown Auburn, a cottage-style community delivered in 2021 featuring one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom single-family homes and apartments with modern appliances, granite counters, wood-style flooring, walk-in closets, and 9-foot ceilings. Midtown's community amenities include a fitness center, swimming pool, and shuttle service to campus. The community is currently 100% occupied.

"We are excited to expand our proven management platform in the Southeast market," says Jerry Wojenski, CEO at Varsity Campus. "Auburn is a premier educational institution and we look forward to providing the students at Auburn a first-class living experience." In addition to Alabama, Varisty Campus, a leader in student housing management, operates over 5,000 beds of Class A off-campus student housing in Chicago, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

SOURCE Varsity Campus

Related Links

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Fans can bid on one-of-a-kind items, with every dollar raised providing at least 10 meals* to Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization with 200 local food banks and 60,000 pantries and meal programs serving every community. The auction is being produced on eBay by Auction Cause , an online agency specializing in high-profile campaigns for brands, celebrities and nonprofits.

The Stewart-Haas Racing team is auctioning:

2021 Ford Mustang NASCAR raced car, which hit the track at the Kansas Speedway on May 2 and October 24

and Cole Custer race-worn Wow Wow Classic Waffles fire suit

race-worn Wow Wow Classic Waffles fire suit Cole Custer race-worn Wow Wow Classic Waffles helmet, shoes, and gloves

race-worn Wow Wow Classic Waffles helmet, shoes, and gloves Cole Custer autographed race car sheet metal and tire

autographed race car sheet metal and tire Race Day Experience to a 2022 NASCAR Cup race of fans choice

The Troy Lee Designs GasGas Racing team is auctioning:

Three sets of autographed helmets and jerseys (set is one of each) worn at the Highpoint National Race on June 17, 2022

2022 Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team intro and media launch event, including a meet and greet with all three Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Riders on December 16, 2022

An original painting from Troy Lee

Wow Wow Classic Waffles auction details:

Auction runs Friday, November 26 at 5:00 pm PT through Monday, December 6 at 5:00 pm PT

through at All items will start at $1 ; the 2021 Ford Mustang starts at $9,000

; the 2021 Ford Mustang starts at All proceeds from the winning bids will benefit Feeding America

The eBay online auction is part of Wow Wow Classic Waffles' multi-year partnership with Feeding America to donate individually packaged Wow Wow Classic Waffles to food banks around the country, in addition to a $1 million gift that will help provide 10 million meals* over the next three years.

*$1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

SOURCE Marson Foods
Copenhagen, Nov 27 : The Danish Health Authority (SST) recommends Covid-19 vaccination for children aged five to 11 as a "crucial weapon in keeping society open." "We have seen an increase in infection rate among children. This is due to both the Delta variant of Covid-19 and the more open society that we have entered during the autumn," Xinhua news agency quoted Helene Probst, deputy director of the SST, as saying.

The recommendation comes after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently recommended the use of the Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty from Pfizer/BioNTech for children between five and 11 years of age.

The vaccination of children, which Probst said remains "voluntary," could begin as early as Sunday in Denmark.

At the same event, Tyra Grove Krause, acting academic director of the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), called for restrictions on entry into Denmark after Belgium reported the first case of a new Covid variant currently dubbed as B.1.1.529, which was first discovered in South Africa.

According to Krause, the heavily mutated new variant is feared to prove to be resistant to current vaccines and therefore spread far easier.

"It has spread in South Africa, and in many regions where it has been found there has been a large increase in infections," Krause said, adding that the SSI has proposed the tightening of travel restrictions to and from South Africa and six countries bordering it.

In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged the European Union (EU) member states to suspend flight services to countries where the new virus variant has been detected.

"All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant," she said on Friday.

The SSI has registered 4,076 new Covid-19 infections and nine new deaths, bringing the national totals to 470,893 cases and 2,850 deaths.

According to SSI data, 77.5 per cent of the country's population, or 4,553,329 people, have already started the process of vaccination. Of them, 4,447,093 people or 75.7 per cent have been fully vaccinated.
Ramallah, Nov 27 : Palestine on Friday condemned Israel for approving the construction of 372 settlement units in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

The Israeli move "is an extension of the process of deepening and expanding the illegal settlements in the heart of the old city of Hebron," the Palestinian foreign ministry said in a press statement.

The "provocative" move came just a few days after the Israeli approval of building 11,000 units on the lands of the defunct Qalandia Airport in East Jerusalem, also known as the Jerusalem International Airport, said the ministry.

The ministry also condemned Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to the settlement to celebrate Hanukkah, or the Jewish Festival of Lights, where he lighted the festival's candle in the Ibrahimi Mosque, or the Cave of the Patriarchs, Xinhua news agency reported.

Warning against the Israeli attempts "to divert the international attention from the Palestinian cause," the ministry highlighted the damage by the move to the principle of the two-state solution.

"The two-state solution is subjected to the most heinous process of sabotage because of Israel's policy about controlling the Palestinian land during its accelerated annexation of the West Bank," it said.

On Thursday, the Israeli media reported that the Kiryat Arba council in Hebron city approved the construction of 372 new housing units in the local settlement area, including public buildings, educational institutions, commercial buildings, and public parks.

More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to official Palestinian figures.
Brussels, Nov 27 : The European Union will not renew its mandatory approval system for Covid-19 vaccine exports when it expires at the end of the year, the European Commission has said.

This means that vaccine producers will no longer have to request authorisation to export vaccines outside the EU.

The export authorisation mechanism will be replaced from January 1, with a "new monitoring mechanism that will provide the Commission with timely, company-specific, vaccine export data." The Commission said on Friday that the decision is part of the EU's effort to ensure rapid production, and wide and equitable distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines that the world urgently needs, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The EU is the biggest global provider of Covid-19 vaccines, with over 1.3 billion doses exported so far, more than half of its production," the Commission said. "The EU will also donate at least 500 million doses to the most vulnerable countries over the next few months." The 27-nation bloc has fully vaccinated 68 per cent of its population of 445 million, and has ample stocks for booster campaigns. Such campaigns have already started in several member states.

"With new outbreaks of the virus in the EU and the risk of new variants of the Covid-19 virus, there is still a need for transparency of exports of vaccines, which the EU will continue to do under the new monitoring mechanism," the Commission emphasised.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
November 27 : Kartik Aaryan is currently in Delhi, shooting for his upcoming film Shehzada. A bunch of pictures of the actor seemed to have been leaked from the set, which are doing the rounds on on social media.

In the pictures shared by a fan account, the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 actor can be seen wearing a white kurta standing somewhere which is not clear. His hair looked ruffled as if he has just woken up. In one of the pictures, the actor can be seen yawning while in another, he can be seen with a toothbrush in his hand.

On Thursday, Kartik shared a selfie and confirmed that he is shooting in Delhi. Taking to his Instagram handle, the actor posed for a selfie with the Jama Masjid in the background. He shared the picture with the caption, Shehzada in Dilli. The actor, who is baskng in the praises for his recently released film, Dhamaka, is shooting in Old Delhi. The shooting of the film started last month.

In October, the Love Aal Kal actor shared a poster of the film and announced the release date of Shehzada. He shared it on his Instagram page with the caption, #Shehzada Duniya ka Sabse Gareeb Prince (the world's poorest prince.) A few days back, Kartik and the team wrapped the 20-day first schedule at a set in the Film City of Mumbai.

A remake of Allu Arjun's hit film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Shehzada is directed by Rohit Dhawan. The film also stars Kartiks Luka Chuppi co-star Kriti Sanon along with Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Ronit Roy and Sachin Khedkar in important roles. Shehzada is slated to release on November 4, 2022.

Talking about the second schedule, producer Bhushan Kumar said, "Delhi plays a pivotal role in Shehzada. The core of the story lies in the portions of the capital. I am sure Rohit Dhawan and the team will do a terrific job in capturing the essence of the city."

Aman Gill said, "From the prep stage till now Rohit and I have been most excited about shooting the film in the heart of Delhi, its vibrancy brings the true North Indian flavour alive on screen with its old and new structures combined with the early winter weather, which fits perfectly into our film.

Kartik was recently seen in Netflix's Dhamaka. The actor played the role of a news anchor who was caught between getting high TRPs for his channel and saving the city. Critics have praised Kartiks never-seen-before avatar and a convincing performance. Besides Shezada, Kartik has a number of films in the pipeline including Freddy, backed by Ekta Kapoor, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.
Bengaluru, Nov 27 : The Karnataka High Court has fulfilled the wish of a young girl to pursue her studies and gave "protection" from her parents who wanted to get her married.

A Division bench of Justices Sunil Dutt Yadav and S. Rachaiah gave the judgement while looking into the habeas corpus petition filed by the girl's mother on Friday.

The 17-and-a-half-year old girl had gone to her relative's residence in Goa allegedly after being forced by her parents to get married.

After the girl "went missing", her mother had filed a habeas corpus petition to find the girl.

As per the directions of the court, Lakshmeshwara station police of Gadag district tracked the girl and produced her before the court, where she refused to go with her parents.

The counsel for the government submitted to the court that, since the girl was "forced" to discontinue her studies and get married by parents, she had left home.

The girl told the court that she does not want to go with her parents and sought permission to stay outside.

However, the counsel for parents told court that the girl had been kidnapped and the police have hidden this fact.

The counsel further stated that she should be sent along with her parents as they are not forcing her to marry or discontinue studies.

When the court asked for the girl's opinion, she said she would not go with her parents and would stay outside.

The bench opined that the welfare of the girl is of utmost importance and directed the police to send the girl to the government facility to ensure safety.

Until the girl changes her mind to go to parents, she has to be accommodated at the observation home and her continuation of studies must be ensured, the court said.

Whenever she wants to go with her parents, a written submission from parents has to be taken that they will not harm her. The bench also said if the girl wants to see her parents, it should be facilitated.
November 27 : Janhvi Kapoor has wrapped up the shooting of her film Mili, produced by her father Boney Kapoor. This is Janhvis first film with Boney Kapoor. The Dhadak actress has shared several pictures from the film's shoot on Instagram and penned a long note with it.

Taking to her Instagran page, Janhvi shared a bunch of pictures. The first picture shows a clapperboard with Mili written on it, and Janhvi can be seen giving a take behind it. The second picture shows Boney Kapoor and Janhvi, while some pictures give glimpses of the actors character as a waiter at a fast food joint. One picture also feature her co-star Manoj Pahwa.

Its a wrap! #Milli My first film with papa, of whom Ive only heard stories of all my life as a producer. But after working with you, and it feels so cool to say that!! Janhvi wrote.

She further wrote, I finally know what everyone means when they say you give your heart and soul to each film you take up. That isnt the only reason this film is so special to me- its been the most inspiring journey to work with someone so completely consumed by his focus and love for cinema like @mathukuttyxavier sir. Thank you and @noblebabuthomas for your guidance and patience.

Talking about her belief in hard work, the Gunjan Saxena actress wrote, For reinstating my belief that if you work honestly enough and hard enough, however tough the journey is- its still the closest thing to magic. And its worth everything. I hope you guys feel the same way when you see the film! And I hope we make you proud papa thank you for this journey.

Helmed by Mathukutty Xavier, Mili is the remake of the 2019 Malayalam film, Helen. It is a survival thriller and stars Manoj Pahwa and Sunny Kaushal as well, who play her onscreen father and boyfriend, respectively. The Malayalam version starred Anna Ben, Noble Babu and Lal in lead roles. The film had bagged the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Feature.
Geneva, Nov 27 : Calls to arms and violent hate speech by irresponsible leaders are heading Ethiopia to the risk of genocide, the UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu said.

On Friday, she expressed grave concern about the deterioration of the situation in Ethiopia, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speech by irresponsible leaders, the militarisation of society, ethnic profiling, denial of humanitarian access and blockade of food to areas under fighting inhabited by specific ethnic communities and misuse of medical supplies continue, she said.

Nderitu said those leaders "are spiraling the country down to a path where the risk of commission of atrocity crimes, including genocide, is real and must be addressed as a matter of utmost urgency." The special adviser called upon regional and international actors "to intensify their engagement to prevent falling into this abyss." She also reminded parties in the conflict that they are accountable to the citizens of their country, their region and the world under international human rights and humanitarian laws.

While nothing can restore the lives of those lost, Nderitu said, it is not too late to prevent further suffering and end the hostilities through meaningful and constructive dialogue.

"Regional and international actors have provided leaders in Ethiopia with tools and mechanisms to conduct such dialogue," she said. "It is more imperative than ever that they demonstrate their true leadership by immediately committing to taking this path, in words and in actions."
New Delhi, Nov 27 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop flights from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong where new Covid-19 variants have been detected.

"I urge Hon'ble PM to stop flights from those countries which are affected by new variant. With great difficulty, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent this new variant from entering India," Kejriwal tweeted this morning.

His tweet came in the light of a meeting that will be chaired by the Prime Minister on the Covid-19 situation and vaccination, today.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM, PK Mishra, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul will attend the meeting.

With the news of a new Covid-19 variant --Omicron, being detected in South Africa, scientists and health experts in India have said that new waves of infection are anticipated and unless we act quickly and efficiently, the country will possibly see repeat waves.

The variant has also been declared as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In a communication to all states and Union Territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has informed the government that "multiple cases of a Covid-19 variant B.1.1529 have been reported in Botswana (3 cases), South Africa (6 cases) and Hong Kong (1 case)".

"This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country, in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel," Bhushan said.

"lt is, therefore, imperative that ALL international travellers travelling from and transiting through these countries, (they are part of the "at-risk" Country Category of international travellers coming to lndia) are subjected to rigorous screening and testing", the communication said.

"The contacts of these international travellers must also be closely tracked and tested as per MoHFW guidelines."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Nov 27 : The world's first and most prestigious fashion awards and talent development programme, The International Woolmark Prize, has chosen seven of the world's most promising young design talents for the 2022 edition.

The Woolmark Company and an acclaimed team of industry members assessed hundreds of applications to choose the seven finalists in July 2021.

"We're ecstatic to welcome the next generation of creative game-changers to the 2022 International Woolmark Prize," stated John Roberts, CEO of Australian Wool Innovation (parent business of The Woolmark Company). "As the award evolves, our goal is to encourage designers to go beyond today's trends, highlighting Merino wool's inventiveness, versatility, and sustainability as a foundation for emerging technologies to suit the discerning needs of tomorrow's client." Play, the topic for this year's conference, will be a true celebration of forward-thinking design and innovation. Finalists are encouraged to try out new materials, designs, and business strategies in order to spur change and creativity for a better future.

The 2022 International Woolmark Prize finalists are: Ahluwalia, United Kingdom

EGONLAB, France

Jordan Dalah, Australia

MMUSOMAXWELL, South Africa

Peter Do, USA

Rui, China

Saul Nash, United Kingdom

Each finalist will receive a AU$60,000 grant for the development of a Merino collection and will be supported by the program's education and mentoring initiative, the Innovation Academy, which includes mentoring from industry leaders, such as: Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Stylist and Editor, Holli Rogers, Chief Brand Officer, Farfetch, SinAad Burke, Educator and Advocate, Sara Sozzani Maino, Head of Vogue Talents, Deputy Director Vogue Italia and Int Brand, Shaway Yeh, Founder YehYehYeh and Group Style Editorial Director Modern Media Group and Tim Blanks, Editor-at-Large, Business of Fashion.

The awards The seven finalists will present a Merino wool collection for Autumn/Winter 2022 that emphasises transparency throughout their supply chain, as well as develop a sustainability roadmap with partner Common Objective. A prestigious panel of industry experts will choose the winners, who will be announced in April 2022.

The International Woolmark Prize will be granted to one finalist, who will receive AU$200,000 to invest in their business. Another finalist will receive the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, with the winner receiving $100,000. The Woolmark Supply Chain Award will also be given out, honouring a trade partner who has made a significant contribution to wool supply chain innovation.

Through the International Woolmark Prize Retailer Network, all finalists will have the opportunity to be stocked in some of the world's most prestigious retailers.

Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, Emily Bode Aujla, Richard Malone, Angel Chen, Gabriela Hearst, Rahul Mishra, and, most recently, Matty Bovan are among the International Woolmark Prize contenders this year.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Nov 27 : Megastar Rajinikanth called and congratulated Suresh Kamatchi, the producer of director Venkat Prabhu's just-released film 'Maanaadu', featuring Silambarasan, S.J. Suryah and Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead.

Taking to Twitter, producer Suresh Kamatchi, who managed to get his film 'Maanaadu' released despite a number of issues that continued to prevail right till the last moment, said, "Today has turned out to be sweet. A congratulatory call from Superstar has confirmed this film's success. This heart (of yours) that searches for good and congratulates it is what has raised you to the highest seat." Stating that the congratulatory call had strengthened the team, the producer thanked Rajinikanth on behalf of the whole team.

Meanwhile, the team has been overjoyed by the positive reviews that are coming in for the film. Choosing to celebrate the occasion, the producer organised a small cake cutting session, which was attended by actor Silambarasan.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Patna, Nov 27 : A headmaster of a primary school in West Champaran district was arrested in a drunken state, hours after he took a pledge not to consume booze in dry state Bihar.

District police of West Champaran arrested headmaster Kundan Kumar Gaur on Friday night from Piparasi border.

On Nasha Mukti Diwas, 3.5 lakh government and private sector employees had taken oath not to consume alcohol.

Gaur, headmaster of Sri Patnagar primary school, went to Uttar Pradesh to consume liquor.

The police said that Sri Patnagar is located near the Uttar Pradesh border. Hence, a large number of people from West Champaran used to go there to consume liquor. A large number of liquor vends are operational within 500 meter radius from the border inside Uttar Pradesh.

"We have conducted the breath analysis followed by a medical examination of Gaur which confirms that he was heavily drunk," said Rajiv Kumar Singh, SHO of Piparasi police station.

During interrogation, Gaur revealed that he along with other teachers and students of primary school, had taken oath not to consume liquor in future.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : Maharashtra Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Saturday made a startling claim that a conspiracy is underway to frame him in an 'Anil Deshmukh-style fake case', allegedly at the "behest" of some officials in central agencies - but did not identify them.

Talking to mediapersons, Malik claimed that he has acquired some e-mails and WhatsApp chats of officers of Central probe agencies "instigating" people to lodge false complaints against him.

"I have all the evidence with full details of the conspirators... I am going to lodge a complaint with Mumbai Police Commissioner and also Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a thorough probe and necessary action," Malik asserted.

The Minister -- who has launched a crusade against Nartcotics Control Bureau Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede - said that he has acquired solid evidence that "a plot is being hatched to trap him in a false case like that of former home minister Anil Deshmukh, currently in judicial custody." Malik added that for the past couple of months after he started his serial expose on Wankhede and the 'farzi' (fraudulent) rave party raid on the Cordelia Cruise on October 2, he and his family are being "shadowed" by some suspicious unknown persons.

"They are making enquiries about my family, my grandchildren, my own movements, clicking pictures of my home and offices... Last week, when I traveled abroad (Dubai), they had come again, but were given a hot chase by some people in my locality as they took unauthorised photos of my home," Malik said.

Some youngsters on motorcycles pursued the duo in the car and intercepted them near the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, and questioned them.

"They claimed that they sped off in their car as they panicked and feared a beating from the youngsters... Subsequently, after we posted their photos on social media, people voluntarily came forward with details and information on the duo and their car, how one of them has been continuously stalking me and other things. Now, I shall lodge a police complaint against them," Malik said.

The senior Nationalist Congress Party national spokesperson reiterated that he would not be cowed down by any Central agency's officers "attempting to entrap him in a sham matter", and vowed to continue his ongoing campaign on various fronts.

Against the backdrop of his startling revelations in the past couple of months, the state government had recently enhanced the security cover for Malik.
Berlin, Nov 27 : Germany has declared South Africa as a "virus variant area" and decided to ban all flights from South Africa after the detection there of a new Covid-19 variant dubbed B.1.1.529, acting Minister of Health Jens Spahn said.

From Friday night local time, airlines will only be allowed to fly German nationals and permanent residents from (South Africa), according to Spahn. In addition, all passengers, including fully vaccinated people, will have to quarantine for 14 days after entering Germany from South Africa.

He said on Twitter that travellers should now be even more cautious when entering the country. "The newly discovered variant B.1.1.529 worries us, so we act proactively and early here. The last thing we need now is an imported new variant causing even more problems." Germany is currently hit by the country's fourth Covid-19 wave, with the number of daily infections as well as the seven-day incidence rate at record levels. On Thursday, the cumulative number of Covid-19-related deaths exceeded 100,000 since the start of the pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported.

The European Commission also wants to limit travel from southern African region to the EU and proposed to "activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : After making a mark with an International Emmy nomination, Ram Madhvani's 'Aarya' starring Sushmita Sen is returning with its second season on Disney+ Hotstar on December 10.

As the audience eagerly awaits the release of the second season, actor Vikas Kumar recently spoke about one incident when the entire crew was partying in order to unwind after a demanding day at the shoot. The highlight of the night was Vikas shaking a leg with the show's lead Sushmita.

Recalling the party night, the actor said, "An incident with Sushmita that I'll never forget actually happened off set. During one of our parties after a hard day at work, Sushmita was teaching me a few moves from a song of hers in 'Main Hoon Na'. That's the one time I was in complete awe!" "I called out to the crew watching, 'I am dancing with THE Sushmita Sen...Koi record karo yaar! (someone please record)' Sushmita turned me around, 'Khan saab! Look into my eyes, don't ruin the moment!' Bas! Uske baad toh kya hi dance kar paata main! (how could I have danced after that)," he added.

Vikas also spoke about the show's creator and director Ram Madhvani and explained his work process, he said, "Ram's direction is 'invisible'. He rarely 'instructs' his actors. This season, while we were filming the very last shot, after the first take, which everyone seemed to have liked, Ram, in a most unobtrusive manner, came to me and said, 'That was good, but this time, instead of being angry, maybe you could play hurt'. That's it. What came out was more effective and is the take that has stayed in the edit." Lauding the show creator and his co-actor, Vikas says, "Ram and Sushmita are very kind people and ace professionals. Ram as a director/producer and Sushmita as a co-actor, greatly contribute to enhancing your performance. What else could one ask for? I will always look forward to working with them." Produced by Endemol Shine India and Ram Madhvani Films and conceptualised and created for India by Ram Madhvani, 'Aarya' is an official adaption of the hit Dutch series 'Penoza' by NL Film (Banijay Group).

The second season also stars Sikandar Kher, Vikas Kumar, Mayo Sarao, Ankur Bhatia, Akash Khurana and Dilnaz Irani.
Hyderabad, Nov 27 : National Award-winning choreographer Sivasankar Master is fighting Covid-19. The dance master is currently hospitalised and it is reported that 75 per cent of his lungs are infected.

Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi, who came to know about Sivasankar Master's condition, has reportedly extended financial help to Sivasankar's younger son Ajay. Ajay, who reached Chiranjeevi's residence, received a cheque for Rs 3 lakh for Sivasankar's treatment.

Chiranjeevi also assured Ajay that Sivasankar will always have his support. Chiranjeevi also promised Ajay that the whole film industry is always there to support them.

Chiranjeevi has worked with Sivasankar on multiple occasions for some hit songs. Now that Sivasankar is fighting for his life, Chiranjeevi also conveyed that he hopes that he recovers well.

The ace choreographer's current condition is critical and he is undergoing treatment at in Hyderabad.

Earlier, his son Ajay had sought help on social media platforms, as the treatment costs at least Rs 1 lakh per day. Actors like Dhanush and Sonu Sood also came forward to extend financial help to the senior choreographer.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : The currently available vaccines against Covid-19 appear to be effective against the newly detected omicron Covid variant, South Africa's health minister has said.

The new variant, known as B.1.1.529, has been detected in small numbers in South Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday assigned the Greek letter Omicron to the variant.

According to South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla, vaccines are still effective in preventing severe Covid from the variant, CNBC reported.

Phaahla added that the Omicron variant may be more transmissible due to its genetic composition.

Meanwhile, world's major manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines said Friday that they are working to quickly investigate and adapt their shots to a new and highly mutated strain of the virus.

The WHO said the new strain may pose a higher risk of re-infection than past mutations of the virus.

Pfizer and BioNTech said they are investigating the new, heavily mutated variant, the report said.

The companies said they can adapt their mRNA vaccine within six weeks and start shipping batches within 100 days if an escape variant is identified.

Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have also stated that they are investigating and testing the new variant.

Moderna said it will test three booster candidates against omicron, including at a higher dosage level. The company will also develop a booster dose specific to the variant, it said in a statement.

The variant, which emerged in South Africa, has about 50 mutations, more than 30 of which are on the spike protein that allows the virus to bind to human cells.

While the spread of the new variant is still in its early stages, it's not yet clear how severe an infection would be to a vaccinated person.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Nov 27 : The Ugandan government has lost its major airport to China for failing to repay a loan, African media reported.

The government has failed to reverse a loan agreement with the Chinese which had repayment conditions of attaching its only airport, Today reported.

Entebbe International Airport and other Ugandan assets were attached and agreed to be taken over by Chinese lenders upon arbitration of the loan, the report said.

According to reports, President Yoweri Museveni had sent a delegation to Beijing hoping to renegotiate the toxic clauses, the report added.

The visit was unsuccessful as China authorities refused to allow any alteration in the original terms of the deal, the report said.

The Uganda government, represented by the finance ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority at the time, had on November 17, 2015, signed an agreement with Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) to borrow U$207 million at two per cent upon disbursement; with a maturity period of 20 years including a seven-year grace period.

The deal signed with the Chinese lenders virtually means Uganda "surrendered" its most prominent airport to China, the report said.

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) said some provisions in the Financing Agreement expose Entebbe International Airport and other Ugandan assets to be attached and taken over by Chinese lenders upon arbitration in Beijing.

China has rejected pleas by Uganda to renegotiate the toxic clauses of the 2015 loan, leaving Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's administration in limbo.

According to the Daily Monitor of Uganda, the Ugandan government waived international immunity in the agreements it signed to secure the loans, exposing Entebbe International Airport to take over without international protection.

Last week, Uganda's Finance Minister Matia Kasaija apologised to parliament for the "mishandling of the $207 million loans" from the China Exim Bank to expand Entebbe International Airport.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : Music composer Sheykhar Ravjiani's much awaited song 'Rang' is an eclectic mix of soulful melody, heartwarming lyrics and aesthetic visuals.

The track beautifully blends the elements to serve a wholesome treat to the music lovers. Sheykhar recently revealed the process of filming and the time factor that was of essence to the shoot.

Set against the backdrop of old Colaba, Mumbai, the entire video was shot in just 20 minutes! Divulging the details about the filming, Sheykhar says, "While composing the song, I could vision a beautiful video set against the iconic location of Colaba during twilight (sic)." Speaking about the time factor, the music composer said, "To capture the right lighting we only had the time frame of 20 minutes to complete the shoot from start to finish and it is truly commendable on how the team delivered in record time. When you see the video, you will surely know why capturing twilight was important to lend the right feel and vibe for the song." The lyrics of 'Rang' have been penned by Priya Saraiya, who has written the song from a girl's perspective in the traditional language of Brij Basha. The music video has been directed by award-winning director Ravi Jadhav and it features Aishwarya Radhakrishnan and Upasana Madan.

Presented by the South Asian label, Sufiscore, 'Rang' marks Sheykhar's foray into the world of non-film Hindi pop music and is set to release on November 29.
Hyderabad, Nov 27 : Mahindra University on Saturday shut its campus after 25 students and five staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

Tech Mahindra Ltd-promoted university located at Bahadurpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad has sent the students home and announced that online classes will be conducted from Monday.

University sources told IANS that five students, one faculty member and four support staff were tested positive for Covid-19.

The sources said a total of 1,700 students and staff members were tested for the contagion.

Meanwhile, Medchal Makajgiri District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) K. Mallikarjuna Rao visited the university on Saturday.

He said those who tested positive were in home isolation.

The official said university has declared holiday for 15 days.

The Mahindra Group last year launched the multi-disciplinary university, which is spread over 130 acres.

It is the first university in Telangana to be locked down due to Covid after the second wave of the pandemic.

Last week, 29 students of a government-run residential school and junior college for girls in Telangana's Khammam district had tested positive for the virus.
Johannesburg, Nov 27 : South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla has described the travel bans on South Africa and some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries as a knee-jerk reaction that is not based on scientific evidence.

"It does not look scientific, it's a knee-jerk and panic reaction. People want to blame other countries," said Phaahla while hosting a virtual question and answer media session on the new B.1.1.529 variant.

South Africa was hit by travel bans from several countries following the discovery of the new Covid-19 variant this week, Xinhua news agency reported.

Phaahla said the bans are "draconian" and "counterproductive". He called upon countries to work together to fight the pandemic instead of trying to blame others.

"This (travel ban) is not helpful and not constructive. It will make other countries less willing to share information," he said.

Professor Ian Sanne who attended the session together with Phaahla said the new variant is rapidly spreading across the country.

"The variant has spread across the country. The additional element is that we are seeing an increase in case rates so the virus is likely to be more transmissible and is being the dominant type in the country. Now we are speaking of a relatively small number identified although we are seeing a sharp rise in cases." According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), 2,828 new Covid-19 cases were identified in South Africa in the last 24 hours, with 12 related deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,955,328.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Colombo, Nov 27 : A two-day maritime operation between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives to tighten security in the Indian Ocean started on Saturday.

"The Tri-lateral Focused Operations, between India-Sri Lanka-Maldives commenced at Sea from 27-28 November 2021. The exercise under the aegis of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a pioneering effort to collaborate efforts towards the Pillar of Maritime Security," Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.

The CSC Focused Operations are aimed at streamlining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and enhanced interoperability amongst the three navies.

"The Indian Navy is represented by INS Subhadra Offshore Patrol Vessel and P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, whilst SLNS Samudura and MNDF Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Dornier are participating from Sri Lanka Navy and Maldives National Defence Forces respectively".

The two-day operation is to have a platform for a coordinated maritime surveillance in respective Exclusive Economic Zone for counter narcotics, search and rescue at sea, air tracking and establish effective communication.

With the aim to tackle common Security Challenges in the region, the CSC was started during the 4th National Security Adviser Tri Lateral meeting in last November and the Secretariat was established in Colombo in March 2021.
Tripoli, Nov 27 : The Libyan Interior Ministry has condemned the attack on a court in the country's southern city of Sebha.

"The Interior Ministry condemns the attack on Sebha Appeal Court by an armed military group," said a statement issued by the ministry on Friday.

"We warn all the obstructive outlawed parties that we will firmly stand up against any attempt to destabilise the security, frighten the people, attack the government's property, and threaten the national sovereignty," the statement said.

A group of unidentified gunmen attacked the Sebha court on Thursday, when the court was processing a challenge submitted against the disqualification of the presidential candidate Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, local media reported.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi who was toppled and killed in the 2011 uprising, was disqualified on Wednesday along with 24 other presidential candidates by the High National Elections Commission, Xinhua news agency reported.

The disqualification was decided on recommendations of the Attorney General, Criminal Investigation Department, and the Citizenship and Passport Department, the commission said.

The Libyan government has ordered an investigation and tightened security in processing parliamentary and presidential candidacy challenges.
Chennai, Nov 27 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday met Governor R.N. Ravi and urged him to forward the Bill seeking exemption from the medical entrance exam to the President for his assent.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly in September passed the bill seeking an exemption from the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) and making admissions to medical colleges based on the Plus-2 marks scored by the students.

The Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Act-2021 and it was passed by voice vote.

This is the second time a bill for such a purpose was passed in the Assembly. A similar bill was passed by the assembly during the AIADMK regime which did not get the President's assent.

Stalin along with two ministers and officials called on Ravi at Raj Bhavan and urged him to forward the Bill to President Ram Nath Govind.
Rabat, Nov 27 : Morocco has imposed travel restrictions on passengers from South Africa and its neighbours amid concerns over a new Covid-19 variant.

The travel ban covers South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, according to a statement by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued on Friday.

The ministry statement said passengers coming from or transiting through these countries are not allowed to enter Morocco, Xinhua news agency reported.

The decision "is taken to preserve Morocco's achievements in terms of management of the Covid-19 pandemic and to deal with the deterioration of the health situation in some countries," it explained.

A new variant of Covid-19 identified as B.1.1.529 was recently detected in South Africa, which according to scientists could evade the immune system and become more transmissible.

The Moroccan Ministry of Health reported 154 new Covid-19 infections on Friday, raising the total confirmed number in the North African country to 949,532.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : A petitioner has approached the Delhi High Court seeking appropriate directions from its Registrar General and Delhi government to rationally distribute and enhance pecuniary jurisdiction of Civil Judges posted at District courts in the national capital.

According to the plea filed by petitioner Advocate Amit Sahni, it was stated that the pecuniary jurisdiction of District Courts at the level of Civil Judges needs to be amended or increased so that the stagnation faced by the Civil Judges and burden of cases upon District Judges, Additional District Judges can be reduced simultaneously.

Apart from Registrar General and the city government, the Bar Council of Delhi and different Bar associations of district courts are also respondents in the matter.

The High court will hear the matter on December 1, 2021.

The plea said that the pecuniary jurisdiction of Civil Judges in District Courts of Delhi is up to Rs 3 lakhs only and there has been no change in it from 2003.

However, the pecuniary jurisdiction of ADJ, District Judges have increased from Rs 20 lakh in 2003 to Rs 2 crore in 2015, it said, adding that the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court and other District Courts were altered or increased from time to time to suit the dynamics of the contemporary legal scenario.

"The pecuniary jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court has risen from above Rs 25,000 to above Rs 2,00,00,000 within the year of 1969 to 2015 and pecuniary jurisdiction of District Judge level was increased from up to Rs 20 lakhs to up to Rs 2 crore within the year of 2003 to 2018 through Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Ordinance), 2018. The pecuniary jurisdiction of Civil Judge level has not been amended and it is still up to Rs 3 lakhs," the plea said.

The District Courts in the neighborhood of Delhi--Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad enjoy unlimited pecuniary jurisdiction. District Courts in Delhi need to be equated with District courts in adjourning areas of Delhi so far as pecuniary jurisdiction is concerned, the plea stated.

The distribution of pecuniary jurisdiction of Civil Judges was proportionately done on earlier occasions at the time of amendments but from 2003 onwards there is no increase in pecuniary jurisdiction of Civil Judges posted at Delhi District Courts, the plea added.

The pecuniary value of Rs 3 lakh entrusted to Civil Judges of Delhi District Courts is on the extremely lower side and no property in Delhi is worth "Rs 3 lakh" only and the same has led to stern stagnation as Civil Judges of Delhi District Courts are adjudicating Injunction Suits and petty suit for recovery amounting up to 3 lakhs only, it said.
New York, Nov 27 : New York governor Kathy Hochul has signed a sweeping executive order hoping to smash staffing and capacity shortages at hospitals in any post-Thanksgiving spike in Covid-19 cases.

The "Disaster Emergency" executive order allows the New York State Department of Health to limit "non-essential, non-urgent" procedures in hospitals or health care systems with already limited capacity.

The order defines "limited capacity" as below 10 per cent staffed bed capacity, or at the discretion of the DOH "based on regional and health care utilization factors." The order allows state agencies to step in to assist local municipalities if and when "the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately" to a variety of issues that may develop during the continuing pandemic.

"We've taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it's coming," Hochul said.

"The vaccine remains one of our greatest weapons in fighting the pandemic, and I encourage every New Yorker to get vaccinated, and get the booster if you're fully vaccinated." The guv's powers emanate from executive law conceived for a situation that a disaster has occurred in New York State and the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately.

The powers have been used to declare a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York through January 15, 2022.

The declaration, Hochul said, satisfies the requirements that allow the state to utilize the Surge and Flex system, which may include postponement of non-essential elective procedures.

Likewise, provisions in executive law, where the guv can suspend or modify any regulation binding any agency during a State disaster emergency, if the regulation is preventing action necessary to cope with the emergency.

Accordingly, Hochul has modified through December 26, 2021: Sections in the State Finance Law covering additional work, sites, funding, and time to State contracts or to award contracts for relocation and support of State operations under Public Buildings Law and contracts for professional services; or contracts for purchases of commodities, services, and technology. Purchase of necessary commodities, services, technology, and materials without following the standard notice and procurement processes. Likewise, purchase of food, supplies, services, and equipment or furnish centralized services to assist affected local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in responding to the disaster emergency.

(Nikhila Natarajan tweets @byniknat)
Chennai, Nov 27 : Actor Sivakarthikeyan on Saturday congratulated the entire team of director Venkat Prabhu's 'Maanaadu', which released after facing a lot of issues.

Taking to Twitter, actor Sivakarthikeyan said, "Enjoyed 'Maanaadu' thoroughly. Entire team has given their best to make this racy entertainer." The actor then went on to congratulate director Venkat Prabhu saying, he had "nailed it" with his "neat exectution" and appreciated lead actor Simbu for a performance that was "super".

The actor and producer was full of praise for actor S.J. Suryah, who he said had erupted.

He also tweeted, "Big congratulations to entire Maanaadu team. Very happy for you Kalyani Priyadarshan," and went on to appreciate the other members of the cast and crew including the film's editor K.L. Praveen, cinematographer Richard M. Nathan and its producer Suresh Kamatchi.

The actor added, "Let this success continue for our industry." Actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, who plays the female lead in the film, responded to the congratulatory message from Sivakarthikeyan with a tweet of her own.

She said, "So so happy you watched it and that too in theatres on opening weekend. Thanks for always being a positive support that genuinely encourages this industry to grow." It was only a few hours ago that megastar Rajinikanth had called up and congratulated producer Suresh Kamatchi, who managed to get his film released amid great difficulty.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : There has been a 235.72 per cent increase in female electors since the 1971 elections and their participation has exceeded that of men to stand at more than 67 per cent in the 2019 general election, as per Chief Election Commissioner of India.

"India has witnessed a 235.72 per cent increase in female electors since the 1971 elections and after seven decades and 17 General Elections since Independence, women's participation in India has exceeded that of men and stood at more than 67 per cent in the 2019 General Election." "The gender gap, a crucial parameter, which was -16.71 per cent in 1962, has not only closed but reversed to +0.17 per cent in 2019," said Sushil Chandra at an international webinar on the theme 'Enhancing electoral participation of Women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) & Senior citizen Voters' on Friday which was attended by nearly hundred delegates from 24 countries.

Highlighting various initiatives taken by the ECI to enhance women participation, including associating more women as the polling booth officials, Chandra said that a larger number of all women managed polling stations, creche facility at polling stations, separate toilets and waiting area at the polling booths, ensuring ease of registration with women Block level Officers motivating women in their own socio-cultural milieu, amongst others led to it.

During his address, Sushil Chandra also elaborated on the concept of Absentee, voter facilitation, introduced by ECI in 2020 to ensure voting facility at the doorstep especially for 80+ senior citizens, PwDs and Covid-affected voters, adding, "Such postal ballot facility had been successfully implemented across six state Assembly elections, including Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and UT Puducherry, which had a cumulative elector base of 73.6 million." In the last five state Assembly elections, 4.5 times higher electors participated in the electoral process through postal ballots and there is scope for widening the outreach and facilitation efforts, he said, adding that there are around 15 million 80+ electors today in the country.
Film: 'Maanaadu' Duration: 148 minutes (Playing in theatres) Film: 'Maanaadu' Duration: 148 minutes (Playing in theatres)

Director: Venkat Prabhu

Cast: Silambarasan, S.J. Suryah, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Daniel Pope, Karunakaran, Premgi Amaran, Y.G. Mahendran and S.A. Chandrashekar IANS Rating: ***Director Venkat Prabhu seems to have delivered a winner. To his credit, he seems to have managed to make a film that is deeply engaging, despite it having a complex plot that is hard to conceive and difficult to narrate.

The film begins with Abdul Khaliq (Silambarasan) boarding a flight. He sits next to Seethalakshmi (Kalyani Priyadarshan), who he realises is heading to the same wedding that he plans to attend. Her intention is to greet the couple and wish them; Abdul, however, is plotting to help the bride elope with her lover, who's his friend Moorthy (Premgi Amaran).

As they land in Chennai, Abdul meets his friends Moorthy and Syed (Karunakaran) and all four head to the wedding. On their way, they meet a man named Rafiq (Daniel Annie Pope), who is desperate for help, as he looks to get away from someone pursuing him.

A quick series of developments occur and before Khaliq even realises what is happening, the state's Chief Minister (S.A. Chandrashekhar) is assassinated while addressing a rally.

Just when a stunned Abdul starts to believe that things can't get any worse, he gets killed ... only to realise he is back in the plane, seated next to Seethalakshmi.

It doesn't take long for Abdul to realise that he is stuck in a time loop and that every time he dies, the loop begins again from the point he boarded the flight. Abdul decides to use the time loop to his advantage and stop the assassination of the Chief Minister. How he goes about doing it is what 'Maanaadu' is all about.

Venkat Prabhu masterfully narrates a time-loop story in such a way that there is no room for boredom. Right from the time Abdul disembarks from the plane, the story picks up pace and there is no looking back. Venkat Prabhu's narration is so good that you don't mind sequences being repeated.

The first half all about Khaliq -- how the youngster realises that he is in a time loop and how he learns to take advantage of the challenging situation he finds himself in. The second half sees an engrossing battle between Khaliq and Dhanushkodi (S.J. Suryah), the Assistant Commissioner of Police, who is intent on the assassination taking place.

The manner in which both Khaliq and Dhanushkodi think on their feet to outwit each other is immensely enjoyable.

One other reason why Venkat Prabhu must be congratulated is for certain dialogues in the film that show he's got his priorities in order.

For instance, there is a sequence in which Abdul explains to his friends what is about to happen. While doing so, he stresses on the need to stop the assassination, not only because the Chief Minister is about to die, but more importantly, using this as an excuse, some elements would be painting an entire community black. He says the latter is the bigger problem of the two.

Next, the film has two brilliant performances to offer and both come from the lead artistes. Yes, Simbu and S.J. Suryah come up with sterling performances and match each other move for move. It is as if there is a silent contest going on between the two on who will take the honours for this film.

S.J. Suryah, in particular, is outstanding. His dialogue delivery and mannerisms are so delightful that what could have been a boring sequence eventually ends up being a highly enjoyable one.

Yuvan Shankar Raja's background score is brilliant. It intensifies the pace of the plot as and when necessary. But the man who deserves the maximum credit is editor K.L. Praveen for having edited a really complex story and making it a comprehensive entertainer.

'Maanaadu' is a decent entertainer narrated with great skill.
Farah : , Nov 27 (IANS) Police in Afghanistan's western Farah province have arrested 11 persons charged with involvement in criminal activities, a police official in the province said on Saturday.

The arrested men, involved in a variety of criminals ranging from armed robbery to car theft, have been detained and investigation has been initiated to locate more culprits, Mawlawi Edris said, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the official, a stolen car and four motorbikes have been recovered from the possessions of the arrested and have been handed over to their owners.

The Taliban-led government has vowed to stabilise security and ensure law and order in the war-torn Afghanistan.
Mysuru, Nov 27 : Close on the heels of the Covid outbreak in the campus of SDM Medical College in Dharwad and International Boarding School in Bengaluru, 48 nursing students have tested positive for the contagion in Karnataka's Mysuru district.

The district administration has confirmed the numbers stating that the infected students belong to two nursing colleges and contracted the virus in a week's time.

Mysuru District Commissioner Bagadi Gautham said that it is a cluster case and all necessary steps have been taken to contain the spread of the Covid-19. The students will be tested again, he said.

Gautham added that all of them were fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.

Mysuru was one of the worst-hit districts in the state during the second wave. The lockdown there was lifted in the last phase after Bengaluru.

People in Mysuru, the cultural capital of the state and a popular tourist destination, are in a panic over the development.

The number of infections rose to 281 in SDM Medical College situated in Dharwad city of Karnataka on Saturday.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has called a meeting in the evening to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the state.
Bhubaneswar, Nov 27 : The Odisha vigilance department has arrested Santosh Kumar Das, assistant engineer in the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Baripada in Mayurbhanj district, on corruption charges, officials said on Saturday.

The vigilance teams on Friday conducted raids on the properties of Das at 11 places and found disproportionate assets worth Rs 2.80 crore, which is 245 per cent more than his known sources of income.

The anti-corruption wing of the Odisha government said it has seized Rs 41.77 lakh in cash, which is the highest during any raid made by the organisation so far.

Apart from the cash, 659 grams of gold, three buildings, a flat, three plots, one four-wheeler and three two-wheelers were also unearthed during the search operation, the vigilance said.

A case has been registered against the engineer and he is being forwarded to the court of Special Judge Vigilance, Bhubaneswar for possession of disproportionate assets, it said.
Visakhapatnam, Nov 27 : Andhra Pradesh police have arrested five people so far in connection with online marijuana sale racket busted by Madhya Pradesh police with the arrest of two persons who were registered with Amazon as vendors, a top police official said on Saturday.

The investigations so far revealed that one Srinivas Rao acting as the contact point of two men from Madhya Pradesh was supplying marijuana (ganja) from Visakhapatnam to Madhya Pradesh as an ayurvedic medicine to control diabetes.

Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Joint Director S. Satish Kumar told reporters that the gang was active for last 7-8 months and it is suspected that 600-700 kg contraband was supplied through this route.

He said they were widening the scope of the investigations to other e-commerce platforms suspected to have been used by the accused for peddling the substance.

The official said the questioning of Mukul Jaiswal and Suraj Pawaiya arrested in Madhya Pradesh would bring out more facts to light. Bhind police arrested the duo last week and seized over 20 kg dry ganja from them.

The duo had registered on Amazon as vendors to supply stevia dry leaves for sugar control and were using GST numbers of other companies. They had Srinivas Rao as the contact point in Visakhapatnam.

Explaining the modus operandi, Kumar said the two men from Madhya Pradesh used to send invoice to Srinivas Rao, who was paste the same on the package and handing it over to pick-up employees of Amazon.

Srinivas Rao was arrested during vehicle checking in Visakhapatnam on November 21 and the police recovered from him small quantity of ganja. Based on his confession, police searched a house from where 48 kg of dry ganja, packaging material relating to Amazon, a weighing machine and other items were recovered.

The police also arrested Srinivas Rao's son Mohan Raju alias Rakhi, J. Kumaraswamy, B. Krishnam Raju and Venkateswara Rao.

The accused include pick-up associates and driver of a van who were helping Srinivas Rao in the illegal activity.
Chandigarh, Nov 27 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday courted arrest along with the party's core committee members to register their protest against the 'conspiracy' of the Congress government in Punjab to implicate party leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a 'false' drugs case.

Despite heavy security outside, senior leaders of the party overcame barricading to march to the Chief Minister's residence and courted arrest in front of it.

The SAD chief said that state Congress President Navjot Sidhu was resorting to extra constitutional measures by directing the state government to register a false case against Majithia.

"The Chief Minister and the Home Minister have not only agreed to this demand in order to divert attention from the failures of the Congress government, but have also directed the DGP to register the false case. The SAD is very clear in this matter. All such persons will be prosecuted once the SAD-BSP alliance government is formed in the state next year. We will also set up a commission to probe these false cases, including those registered against Akali workers," Badal said.

Badal also made it clear that SAD will not be intimidated by such tactics.

"We will continue to raise our voice in favour of the people and demand fulfilment of the promises made to them by the Congress," the SAD leader said.

He also said that the party would simultaneously continue to fight the repression and acts of vendetta against senior party men and workers alike.

Announcing that the senior party leadership had come to court arrest, Badal said, "The Congress government has constantly politicised both the sensitive issues of sacrilege and drugs. It is with this in mind that its top leaders and the DGP met to conspire and frame me in a false case. The conspiracy was, however, exposed by SAD. Now another conspiracy has been hatched to implicate Bikram Majithia in a false drugs case. We will expose this conspiracy also." Meanwhile, before proceeding towards the CM's residence, both Badal and Majithia talked to contractual teacher Sohan Singh who had climbed atop a BSNL tower near the MLA flats.

They were apprised that the contractual teacher had climbed the tower in protest against the reduction in the salaries of contractual teachers, and the government's failure to regularise their services.
Hyderabad, Nov 27 : Telugu actor Adivi Sesh on Friday paid tribute to the martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Sesh will portray the role of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was martyred during the 2008 Mumbai attacks in the upcoming movie 'Major'.

The actors, Adivi Sesh and Saie Manjrekar paid their tributes to the martyrs at the iconic hotel in Mumbai, which faced a brutal terror attack, 13 years ago. Adivi Sesh met the parents of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, with who he claims to have organically bonded.

"I have met them multiple times even before they agreed to give inputs for 'Major'. For the first 4-5 times, Unnikrishnan uncle did not believe that I will do this movie. Only after he got connected, that he gave in", Sesh explains.

Sesh conveys that he wants to stay in connection with Unnikrishnan's parents even after the movie. Sesh pointed, "Aunty's food, uncle's prompts, everything regarding them makes me feel at home. They have become like a family, which I want to continue even after the movie. In reality, I even forgot that I had met them for a movie".

The 'Kshanam' actor also mentioned that his journey with Unnikrishnan's parents has so far been comfortable, where he learned minute details of the Major's life and hence admires him the most.

"Sandeep Unnikrishnan loved buns from Bangalore Iyengar Bakery. He was an animal lover and even rescued eagles and puppies. I was trying to get a grip over the smallest of details about his personality," Adivi Sesh concludes.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : Sunburn Festival Goa will be making an on-ground comeback with a three-day showcase on December 27, 28 and 29. Grammy-nominated Dutchman, Armin van Buuren will be headlining the event as he will set the turntables on fire with his Trance and Progressive House tracks.

Armin, who has been crowned the World's number 1 DJ five times, and is currently ranked number 3 by genre bible DJ Magazine, is extremely elated on his return to India.

Talking about the event, he says, "I am delighted to be finally returning to India after a long gap, with one of my favourite festivals Sunburn. We have all been through a very difficult period but it's now time for us to come together and celebrate life once again. I cannot wait to close Sunburn Goa on December 29 - see you all there(sic)." The artiste will also be promoting his eighth studio album 'A State of Trance Forever'. This live performance will also mark the first major headlining act to tour India post the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Themed #LifeIsCalling, the latest edition of the hugely popular music festival will be held in a smaller capacity at Hilltop, Small Vagator, Goa.

Percept Live, which is the founding organization behind Sunburn made the announcement recently with regards to the event in a post pandemic world adhering to strict Covid appropriate behaviour for the 15th edition of the festival giant.

The music fest was conducted digitally last year due to the pandemic but, with civil restrictions slowly opening up, the event is gearing up to enthrall the fans once again after a hiatus of 2 years. The 15th edition of Sunburn Festival Goa will feature over 40 international and local artists across 3 stages.

To up the scale of the festival, the promoters have taken a hybrid route where they will be partnering with several popular clubs across India for 'Sunburn Echo', the live stream that will recreate the on-ground festival experience across the country. In addition, 'Sunburn Home' will also give fans the opportunity to watch the live stream of the on-ground festival from the comfort and safety of their homes on Facebook and Instagram.
Bengaluru, Nov 27 : Two South African nationals have tested Covid-19 positive at the Kempegowda International Airport here, creating panic among the health authorities over the new Omicron variant of the lethal virus.

Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner K. Srinivas on Saturday said further test reports would ascertain whether the South African nationals are infected with the Omicron variant.

The test results will take another 48 hours to arrive, the Health Department said.

Both have been sent to quarantine centres, and they will stay there till their test results confirm about the new variant.

Srinivas said that as many as 584 people, so far, have arrived here from 10 "high-risk" nations, and as many as 94 individuals have come from South Africa alone so far.

He also visited the Bengaluru airport to inspect the security and precautionary measures being undertaken by the authorities regarding examining the international passengers who arrive from high risk countries where the Omicron variant has been detected.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : The Income Tax Department has carried out search and seizure operations on two major real estate developers of Ludhiana in Punjab.

Accordingly, the searches were conducted on November 16 at around 40 premises in Ludhiana.

"The major finding emanating from these search and seizure operations of both the groups is about the receipt of unaccounted cash by these groups by way of on-money on property transactions," the Ministry of Finance said.

"During the course of search proceedings documentary evidences in the nature of 'agreement to sale', (popularly known as 'Biyana' in local parlance), for certain properties have been found and seized." According to the ministry, these documents indicate that the 'agreement to sale' for plots has been executed at much higher amount or rate as compared to the consideration disclosed in registered sale deed of the plot.

Besides, the ministry pointed out that incriminating documents such as 'loose sheets, excel sheets' showing calculation of receipt of on-money of certain property transactions, soft data, chats from mobile phones of the persons concerned, etc. have also been recovered.

"A preliminary analysis of these evidence clearly indicates the receipt of unaccounted cash by way of on-money on property transactions. Besides, certain other corroborative evidences supporting the receipt of on-money have also been gathered." Furthermore, investigations revealed that unaccounted cash expenditure has been incurred on construction of residential house of one of the key persons.

"In one of the groups, defaults on compliances for the provisions of tax deduction at source have been detected with regard to payments made to the sellers of the land, etc." "The search action has resulted in seizure of unaccounted cash of about Rs 2 crore besides foreign exchange, and unexplained jewellery of about Rs 2.30 crore."
Los Angeles, Nov 27 : Leena Alam, one of Afghanistan's best-known actresses, is in character as she explains facing an unthinkable choice, reports 'Variety'.

"Who would know better than me how dangerous it is to be an actress with the Taliban? You cannot inflict me with one more drop of fear than I already have," says the California-based Alam as part of a virtual performance of a monologue for the LA Writers Center.

"You offer me death and my children, or life without them? What would you do? I will go home." Tearfully, Alam, who starred in popular shows such as the feminist drama 'Shereen', rocks back and forth on Zoom in front of a backdrop of an airport waiting room with signs for Paris.

The monologue was spun from an interview with her close friend and former co-star Sabera Sadat, another of Afghanistan's top thespians. Earlier this month, in Kabul, Sadat was offered a rare ticket to France, but declined it when it turned out there were no seats for her two young boys.

She and hundreds of other female artistes and journalists are still awaiting evacuation, or else they risk a lifetime of fear for their lives "wearing a hijab and lying to strangers who know [their] face" as figures in the arts and media.

Though the Taliban have told the world they are no longer the same brutal terrorists who reigned decades ago, a new list of eight religious guidelines issued to local media this week shows their dehumanising view of women has not changed, says 'Variety'.

Women may no longer appear in dramas and soap operas on television and women journalists must wear the hijab, says the first missive of its kind from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

Under pressure from the Taliban, Afghan TV stations have self-censored and blurred out cleavage and other female body parts since around 2010, but a ban on the female figure altogether would set the country back decades.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : Senior Congress leader Mukesh Goyal on Saturday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia.

In the 2020 Assembly elections in Delhi, Goyal had lost to Pawan Sharma of AAP from the Adarsh Nagar constituency.

Along with Goyal, 16 other Congress members too joined the AAP. The move came months ahead of the polls to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) scheduled to be held in 2022.

"Today, the Aam Aadmi Party family got one more member in the form of Mukesh Goyal, who has decided to join our party after seeing the work we have done for the people of Delhi in terms of education, electricity, water, among others. The fact that a man of Goyal's stature is joining AAP shows that those who want to work for people are looking at us," Sisodia said during the press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Earlier, AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said during his visit to poll-bound Punjab that 25 Congress MLAs and two MPs were in touch with his party.

Goyal has been the Congress spokesperson besides being a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He is also a three-time former chairman of the United MCD.
Chennai, Nov 27 : Veteran actress Ramya Krishnan will host the fifth season of the popular television reality show 'Bigg Boss Tamil' until the time the show's original host Kamal Haasan recovers from Covid and returns to take over.

Kamal Haasan, who tested positive for Covid-19, is currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Chennai.

On Saturday, the makers of the reality show put out a promo that showed Kamal Haasan speaking from the hospital. The actor introduced actress Ramya Krishnan as a friend who had offered to help him conduct the show without a break.

Interestingly, the promo, in which Ramya Krishnan was introduced, had the music of 'Baahubali' as its background score. The south Indian actress is known across the country for her stellar role as Sivagaami in the blockbuster.

Soon after news broke out that Kamal had tested positive for Covid, there was widespread speculation on social media as to who would host the show in the actor's absence. Rumour mills suggested that actress Shruthi Haasan had been approached by the makers of the show to host the weekend episodes in Kamal Haasan's absence. There were also rumours that Ramya Krishnan and Vijay Sethupathi had been approached for the same purpose.

On Saturday, the speculation came to an end with the promo showing that it would be Ramya Krishnan who would be hosting it.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : President Ram Nath Kovind said on Saturday that it is incumbent upon the judges to exercise utmost discretion in their utterances inside courtrooms, as indiscreet remarks, even if made with good intention, can give space for dubious interpretations to run down the judiciary.

Addressing the valedictory function of the Constitution Day programme organised by the Supreme Court, Kovind expressed happiness as he noted that the Indian judiciary has been adhering to the highest standards.

He said: "There is no doubt that you have set for yourself a high bar. Hence, it is also incumbent upon the judges to exercise utmost discretion in their utterances in courtrooms. Indiscreet remarks, even if made with good intention, can give space for dubious interpretations to run down the judiciary." Citing Indian tradition, he emphasised that judges are imagined as a model of rectitude and detachment, more akin to 'sthitpragya' (a person of steady wisdom).

The President said that India has a rich history of legions of such judges who were known for their utterances full of sagacity and conduct beyond reproach, which have become hallmarks for the future generations.

He said justice is the critical fulcrum around which a democracy revolves, and it gets further strengthened if the three institutions of the state -- judiciary, legislature and executive -- are in a harmonious existence.

"In the Constitution, each institution has its defined space within which it functions. Except for a brief phase of aberration (Emergency period), the journey of our Republic has been glorious," he added.

The President also quoted Justice Felix Frankfurter of the US Supreme Court in the 'Dennis vs United States' case.

Justice Frankfurter had said that courts are not representative bodies and are not designed to be a good reflection of a democratic society, and their essential quality is detachment founded on independence.

The President, citing the US judge, further added that history teaches that independence of judiciary is jeopardised when courts become embroiled in the passions of the day, and assume primary responsibility in choosing between competing political, economic and social pressure.

Expressing his unhappiness at the remarks made against judges on social media, the President said: "It pains me to no end... There have been cases of some disparaging remarks against the judiciary made on social media platforms. These platforms have worked wonderfully to democratise information, yet they have a dark side too. The anonymity granted by them is exploited by some miscreants. I hope this is an aberration, and it will be short-lived." On the aspect of appointment of judges, Kovind said he was of the firm view that the independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable.

However, he asked, "Without diluting it to the slightest degree, can a better way be found to select judges for the higher judiciary?" The President said there can be an all-India judicial service which can select, nurture and promote the right talent, right from the lower levels to the higher levels.

He further added that the idea is not new and has been around for more than half a century without being tested.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : At least 61 new cases of Covid have entered the Netherlands from South Africa, the Dutch health ministry has revealed as fears mount over the spread of the new super mutant variant Omicron, the Daily Mail reported.

Around 600 passengers arrived on two planes in Schipol Airport, near Amsterdam, from Johannesburg -- the epicentre for the new strain that experts fear is 40 per cent more vaccine evasive than Delta -- hours after travel bans were put in place.

Europe's first case of the variant was spotted in Belgium on Friday -- despite the unvaccinated woman who caught it having travelled to Turkey and Egypt, not southern Africa where the strain emerged, the report said.

And Germany and the Czech Republic both confirmed suspected cases on Saturday. Germany's initial sequencing suggests a traveller from South Africa was carrying the virus with several mutations shared by Omicron. Officials are awaiting full sequencing later on Saturday, the report added.

South Africa recorded 2,828 new Covid cases on Friday, more than double the 1,374 recorded last Thursday, but infection levels have yet to skyrocket in the country and no hospitalisations with the new variant have occurred so far.

And Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, one of the Oxford scientists behind the AstraZeneca vaccine, on Saturday expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the variant, the report added.

The US has joined the growing list of countries to close their borders, with President Joe Biden saying the pandemic will not end until global vaccinations are in place. And Australian authorities -- who also banned travel to nine countries in the region -- fear the variant may have already entered the country, the report added.
Seoul, Nov 27 : Director Yeon Sang-ho of the supernatural horror series 'Hellbound' said he was stunned to learn that the film debuted at No. 1 on the most-watched TV programmes list shortly after its global release on Netflix earlier this month.

Yeon, who had directed the hit zombie thriller 'Train to Busan' (2016), also said in a media interview held online on Thursday that the series appears to have drawn global interest because it talks about universal issues like life and death, crime and punishment, and humanity, and shows various human and vulnerable characters, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Since its November 19 release, the series also topped Netflix's official weekly chart for non-English TV programmes with 43.5 million hours of viewing for the week from November 15-21, despite having only three days to count views.

"I was stunned after hearing the news that 'Hellbound' placed No. 1 on the global rankings table when I woke up the next morning," Yeon said.

"When I had discussed this project with Netflix, I thought I would be satisfied with a second-place finish on Korea's daily chart," he added.

Based on the webtoon titled 'Hell', 'Hellbound', co-written and drawn by Yeon and Choi Kyu-sok, depicts social turmoil and unrest after a series of inexplicable supernatural phenomena.

The smoky golem-like creatures, believed to have come from hell, incinerate people who receive divine revelations about being punished, prompting an outbreak of public hysteria and religious zealotry.

The new religion of the New Truth and its radical followers of Arrowhead stigmatise all those who are given decrees as sinners and dare to use violence against them.

'Hellbound' can be categorised in the sub-genre of cosmic horror, Yeon said, adding: "Cosmic horror stories focus on human weakness or strength through the horror of the unknowable and incomprehensible phenomena from the cosmic world."
Hyderabad, Nov 27 : The makers of Nithya Menen and Satya Dev-starrer 'Skylab' unveiled a trailer from the movie. As 'Skylab' gets verified by the Censor Board, the movie is now certified with a 'U'.

'Skylab' team has planned for the pre-release event on November 28 in Hyderabad, as a part of their promotions. Telugu star Nani has been invited to attend the pre-release event as a special guest.

Nani, who is busy working for his upcoming movie 'Shyam Singha Roy', apparently gave a nod to attend the event, as Nithya Menen and Nani share a special rapport.

The 'Skylab' team has also released a special edition of the poster, featuring Nani on a magazine cover. The poster is edited in such a way that it reminds us of the magazine covers during the early '90s.

'Skylab' is releasing on December 4, and stars Nithya Menen, Satya Dev, Rahul Ramakrishna, Tanikella Bharani, and others as the central characters. Helmed by Vishvak Khanderao, the movie is billed to be a period drama dealing with the crash of an experimental lab built in space called 'Skylab'.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : Comedian and social media personality Varun Thakur is all set to host the upcoming MTV reality show 'Anything For Love'.

It will be a game show in which in each episode there is going to have three pairs whose connection will be put on trial and they will undergo several tasks that will test their relationship and ultimately the one who wins these task will emerge as OTP -One True Pair.

Varun Thakur says about the concept of the show and what he liked about it: "When I first heard about the concept of the show, it piqued my interest, for it decodes the relationships of today in the most unconventional yet fun ways. The reality game show puts the participating young couples in bizarre situations to test their compatibility which is something I'm going to enjoy making them do." He adds that today's generation will be questioning and thinking about their relationships after watching the show. "Anything for Love will prove to be a guilty pleasure for Gen Z and millennial audiences who will then surely introspect their relationships and how far they would go for their partners." The reality show 'Anything For Love' will be coming soon on MTV.
Srinagar, Nov 27 : The Jammu and Kashmir police alongwith security forces have arrested two terrorist associates linked with the proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, and recovered incriminating materials including ammunition from their possession, officials said on Saturday.

"Awantipora Police along with 42RR and 130Bn CRPF arrested two terrorist associates linked with proscribed terror outfit HM," the police said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Muzamil Ayoub Bhat, a resident of Shahabad Kharpora Bala Lalgam Awantipora, and Suhail Manzoor Mohand, resident of Shahabad Kharpora Bala Lalgam Awantipora.

"Incriminating materials, ammunition including 383 rounds of AK-47 were recovered from their possession," police said.

Police said the arrested terrorist associates were in touch with HM commanders and were involved in transportation of arms and ammunition, besides providing shelter and other logistic support to strengthen terror networks.

A case has been registered and investigation has been initiated.
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 27 : With the detection of a new Covid variant -- Omicron -- in South Africa, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Saturday the state is mulling quarantine for international passengers arriving to the state.

Speaking to mediapersons here, George said the Centre is in touch with the states and utmost caution has been advised.

The state will follow the directives coming from the Centre, she added.

"So far, things are under control. But in the wake of reports of a new variant, the accepted Covid protocols -- use of sanitisers, masks and social distancing -- have to be strictly observed. With regard to quarantine for those arriving from abroad, the Centre's guidelines are expected and we will also be cautious on that aspect," said George.

The scare of the new variant comes at a time when Kerala for the past few months has been registering 50 per cent of the daily new cases in the country, and has a similar record of having a high percentage of the total number of active cases.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : The Maharashtra government has decided to screen air passengers arriving to the state from at least 10 known countries where the much-feared new Coronavirus variant 'Omicron' has been detected, as per Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's directives, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Saturday.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in consultation with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will make available a list of all the passengers who have arrived from abroad in the past 14 days to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The officials will check the passengers who have arrived here from the 10 'high risk countries' where the new and more dangerous Omicron variant has been detected -- South Africa, Botswana, Brazil, China, Israel, Belgium, Hong Kong, Mauritius, New Zealand and others.

The municipal commissioners and health department heads shall take all possible measures to tackle the potential dangers from Omicron, said Shinde.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said that the passengers arriving here from the 'high risk' nations shall undergo compulsory institutional quarantine, and home isolation would not be permitted under any circumstances.

Kakani also informed about the measures being taken against the background of a possible danger.

If any patient of Omicron is found in any building in the city, the entire building will be sealed as a precaution, Kakani informed.

The minister further ordered all hospitals and their ICUs to inspect and ensure that all the treatment infrastructure is working well, with sufficient number of beds, stocks of liquid medical oxygen and ventilators to tackle any eventuality.

The emergency meeting was attended by top officials, including Principal Secretary U.D. Bhushan Gagrani, Kakani, collectors of Thane, Raigad, Palghar and other districts, all municipal commissioners and civic heads in the state.

The new Omicron variant has already resulted in a global scare with many countries clamping fresh air travel restrictions, world stock markets crashing, and several nations imposing fresh curbs for passengers from the countries where it has been detected.
Srinagar, Nov 27 : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited Famrote village of Gool in Ramban district to express sympathies with the bereaved kin of Amir Magray.

Demanding handing over of the body of the deceased to the bereaved family, he also asked the Government to expedite the inquiry into the Hyderpora killings.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a magisterial inquiry in the Hyderpora encounter in which police said four persons including a Pakistani terrorist and his accomplice Amir Magray were killed.

The families of Altaf Ahmad, Mudassir Gul and Amir Magray killed during the encounter insisted that their kin had no involvement in militancy and demanded that his bodies of the slain persons be returned to them.

Altaf Ahmad and Mudassir Gul's bodies were later exhumed and handed to their relatives.
Agartala, Nov 27 : Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday directed Director General of Police (DGP) V.S. Yadav to review the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) cases lodged against journalists and lawyers, after some communal incidents were reported in the state in October this year.

A Tripura Home Department official said that the DGP, following the directions from the Chief Minister, has asked Puneet Rastogi, ADGP, Crime Branch, to review the cases.

"Attempts were made last month and earlier this month to disrupt the law and order situation in the state by circulating fake photos and videos of burning mosques in Tripura on social media.

"In order to control this, and to maintain peace and communal harmony, the Tripura police filed cases against 102 persons under various sections of UAPA and IPC. The persons include journalists and lawyers, mostly from outside the state," the official said.

The Tripura police had earlier asked Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to provide details of over a hundred accounts from which various fake and provocative posts were made in connection with some reported incidents in the state after the communal violence in Bangladesh in October.

Following the communal incidents in the neighbouring country, more than 50 organisations and political parties, including the All India Imam's Council and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, had organised rallies in different parts of Tripura, condemning the attacks on the minorities in Bangladesh.

After a few incidents involving the minorities, the north Tripura district authorities had promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Panisagar and Dharmanagar sub-divisions as a precautionary measure.
Seoul, Nov 27 : 'Parasite' star Choi Woo-shik will return to the silver screen as an elite police officer in the upcoming crime action film 'The Policeman's Lineage', more than two years after the release of the Oscar-winning masterpiece.

The new movie, a Korean adaptation of the namesake Japanese novel, follows two different policemen, Kang-yoon (Cho Jin-woong) and Min-jae (Choi), who cooperate on a huge crime case that would shake the police organisation, Yonhap News Agency reports.

"Many people liked me in 'Parasite', but I wanted to show a stronger character in my next project," Choi said in an interaction with the media that was streamed online. "I underwent many stunt scenes, as my character acts first before he speaks." It is the first film project for Choi since 'Parasite' (2019), in which he portrayed a wily and quick-witted 20-something son, as the release of 'The Policeman' was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actor said his character, Min-jae, is a wary and determined rookie police officer who works undercover as part of a secret anti-corruption campaign.

He is assigned to gather information on corrupt dealings led by Kang-yoon, who is unrivalled in the number of arrests he has made, but doesn't mind using illegal methods to nab criminals.

"Min-jae is a man of principles. He believes the end cannot justify the means," Choi said. "So he doubts every action and the intention of Kang-yoon during their joint project." Lead actor Cho gave a thumbs-up to Choi, who first looks soft and tender because of his appearance and previous roles in 'Parasite' and the megahit zombie thriller 'Train to Busan' (2016).

"I thought he was gentle. But when the camera was on, he showed his charisma," said the 45-year-old actor. "I made some mistakes just because I wanted to have one more take with Choi." Director Lee Kyoo-man said he wants to depict the beliefs and values of police officers who deal with a number of criminal cases every day in his fifth feature following the crime thriller 'Children' (2011).
New Delhi, Nov 27 : A particular pattern of operation seen in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks -- in which the attackers penetrated deep into the target and then killed as many as possible -- had been seen before in LeT attacks on Indian forces in Kashmir, Rand Corporation had pointed out in a report prepared in 2009 after the Mumbai attacks.

The dispersal of the attackers into separate teams indicates an effort to reduce operational risk. Once the attacks began, the failure or elimination of any single team would not have put the other teams out of action. The only possible point of failure for the entire attack was while the terrorists were still at sea enroute Mumbai, the report said.

While these tactics were a break from the now common suicide bombings associated with jihadist groups, armed assaults have ample precedent in the annals of terrorism, reaching all the way back to the 1972 Lod Airport attack near Tel Aviv, in which three members of the Japanese Red Army opened fire and hurled hand grenades at the arriving passengers. Barricade and hostage situations were common throughout the 1970s. What was new here was the combination of tactics, the report said.

The attackers' purpose, as indicated by the testimony of the surviving terrorist, was to kill as many people as possible.

"However, there is some uncertainty that slaughter alone was the sole purpose of the operation's planners. If we compare the 2008 Mumbai attacks to the 2006 Mumbai train attacks, in which seven bombs killed 209 people, or the 1993 Mumbai attacks in which 257 persons died in 13 bomb blasts across the city, it would seem that bombs would have been more effective if body count were the sole criterion," the report said.

"Indiscriminate bombings, as in the London and Madrid bombings, have been criticised, even by some jihadists, as contrary to an Islamic code of warfare. So it is possible that by relying on shooters, the 2008 attacks would appear to be more selective, even though the vast majority of those killed in Mumbai were ordinary Indians gunned down at random. It also enabled the attackers to eventually engage the police and soldiers in what their supporters could portray as a heroic last stand," the report said.

Security may have been another factor. Based on the pattern of previous terrorist attacks, Indian authorities were focused on truck bombs at hotels. Rail security focused on trying to keep bombs off trains, not armed assailants out of train stations.

"An armed assault might also have been more attractive than suicide bombings to the attackers themselves. Once they opened fire, their fate was sealed, but the prolonged nature of the operation enabled them to engage in a sustained slaughter where they could see the results. Still martyrs in their own minds, they could also think of themselves as being more like warriors than mere button-pushing suicide bombers," the report said.

The Rand Corporation report noted that all the facilities attacked were soft targets. At no point during the attacks did the terrorists attempt to overcome the armed guards. For the most part, the terrorists attacked unguarded targets, and, even in places where they could expect security forces, their reconnaissance informed them that those forces would be only lightly armed.

The main targets included the central train station, the Cama and Albless Hospital, the Leopold Cafe, the Chabad centre, the Trident-Oberoi Hotel, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel - the latter target assigned to the only four-man team.

Other places attacked along the way were targets of opportunity. Putting aside the drive-by shootings, the train station and the two hotels provided the opportunity for achieving a high body count. The Leopold Cafe (a famous site) and the hotels were dramatic venues for the attacks -- providing the "emotional value" sought by the terrorists.

The report said the massacre at the Chabad centre had its own logic. According to transcripts of phone calls between the terrorists and their handlers during the attacks, the terrorists at the Chabad centre were instructed to kill their Jewish hostages in order to "spoil relations between India and Israel".

The attackers reportedly used cellphones and a satellite phone, both their own and others taken from their victims. They also carried Blackberries.

"A thoroughly pre-planned attack, which Mumbai certainly was, would have required no communications between the terrorist operators and their headquarters. According to a dossier released by the Indian authorities, however, the terrorists were in frequent contact with their handlers, presumably based in Pakistan, during the attacks. In the transcripts of these phone calls, intercepted by the Indian authorities, handlers in Pakistan urged the attackers on, exhorting them to kill, reminding them that the prestige of Islam was at stake, and giving them tactical advice that, in part, was gleaned from watching live coverage of the event on television," the report said.

"Despite these exhortations to murder the hostages, some observers believe - and there are reports that the surviving terrorist thought - that the attackers felt that somehow they were going to get out alive. The terrorists called each other during the siege to discuss their routes of maneuver. They also talked to the news media via cellphones to make demands in return for the release of their hostages. This led Indian authorities to think that they were dealing with a hostage situation, which further confounded their tactical response," the report added.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Gandhinagar, Nov 27 : Former Congress legislator from Vadgam constituency in Gujarat, Manibhai Vaghela, quit the Indian National Congress (INC) on Saturday.

In his resignation letter addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi, Vaghela expressed displeasure with the Congress' working style, ideology and "disregard" towards the junior workers.

He also showed displeasure over the former party president Rahul Gandhi's "incompetency" and "immature decisions".

Vaghela, a former member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Vadgam constituency quit from all posts in the Congress party on Saturday.

In his resignation letter, Vaghela said the Congress had promised to let him contest from Vadgam (a Scheduled Caste reserved) seat.

However, the party did not keep its promise and supported an Independent candidate (Jignesh Mevani) in the state assembly election of 2017.

"Despite that, I made all efforts to help Jignesh Mevani win the elections, going along with the party," Vaghela wrote in his letter.

"Being a Dalit, I am also capable of voicing my community's issues. I too have the ability to emerge as a Dalit Neta by giving fiery provocative speeches. However, as per my ideology, the party should not be for any particular cast or community. The party can only be strengthened by supporting all the classes of the society and by adopting a conciliatory approach.

"The efforts are made to harm the self-esteem of old and experienced leaders of the party in Gujarat by giving entries and encouragement the so-called Dalit leaders who generate ill-will among the communities," Vaghela said.

In 2012 assembly elections, he defeated a cabinet minister of the then Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government, winning the Vadgam seat.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : Tiger Shroff, who is shooting for his upcoming action thriller 'Ganpath' in the UK along with Kriti Sanon, recently had a tryst with the sport of ice-skating and for a beginner, his stint on the ice looked 'flawless' without any hiccups.

The actor took to his Instagram to share a video showing how he is spending his days off in the United Kingdom, while shooting for a heavy schedule of 'Ganapath'. In the video, Tiger can be seen flaunting his ice-skating skills. He captioned the video, "Not bad for my first time on the ice".

Tiger's rumoured girlfriend commented under the video, "More and more Cardio hahaa." Responding to her son's first time on ice, Tiger's mother Ayesha Shroff wrote, "Soooooooo cuuuute" in the comments section.

While Elli AvrRam commented, "Wow well done Tiger! Let's do a figure skating movie together now".

In addition, the actor also shared a video of him lifting heavy weights in the gym, on his Instagram story. On the work front, Tiger will be next seen in 'Heropanti 3' and 'Baaghi 4'.
Mumbai, Nov 27 : As the nation celebrated the 114th birth anniversary of his father - renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan - megastar Amitabh Bachchan remembered his dad as he penned a heartfelt note for him.

The actor took to his blog where he poured his heart out and also shared an unseen photo with his father. The image in question is from Big B's wedding in 1973, where the two are caught in a sweet moment as they look at each other.

Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog, "My Father , my all .. November 27th his birth in the year 1907 .. Which makes it his 114th Anniversary .. He is in the heavens, with my Mother and they celebrate .. as do we , in thought word and deed .. (sic). But first." He then posted the picture followed by elaborate paragraphs.

The megastar wrote, "Those rare moments when one would find himself rushing against the winds to prevent the distance between us and to close it down as soon as it can be. The day of my wedding and his expression of fulfilment to not just be in congratulation but instead to be in the face of a belief, a chime, an ultimate season of love and great passion, of the quarries of the fears and conditionings of these deprived gym routines kart ..(sic)".

"This could have been unknown for long facilitating years, to give not expected versions and lastly large scale informations of the insides ; but as time passed by, as does now , they explained purposely, the values of education and similarity .. Be in peace and love .. (sic)", the veteran actor concluded his note.
Johannesburg, Nov 27 : Researchers are racing to track the rise of the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2, which is found to harbour a large number of the mutations found in other variants, including Delta.

The new variant, known as B.1.1.529, has been detected in small numbers in South Africa. The WHO on Friday assigned the Greek letter Omicron to the variant.

Researchers spotted B.1.1.529 in genome-sequencing data from Botswana. The variant stood out because it contains more than 30 changes to the spike protein -- the SARS-CoV-2 protein that recognises host cells and is the main target of the body's immune responses, Nature reported.

Many of the changes have been found in variants such as Delta and Alpha, and are linked to heightened infectivity and the ability to evade infection-blocking antibodies.

"There's a lot we don't understand about this variant," said Richard Lessells, an infectious-diseases physician at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa, at a press briefing organized by South Africa's health department on November 25.

"The mutation profile gives us concern, but now we need to do the work to understand the significance of this variant and what it means for the response to the pandemic," he added.

Genome sequencing and other genetic analysis showed that the B.1.1.529 variant was responsible for all 77 of the virus samples they analysed from Gauteng, collected between 12 and 20 November, the report said.

The variant harbours a spike mutation that allows it to be detected by genotyping tests that deliver results much more rapidly than genome sequencing does, Lessells said.

The researchers plan to test the virus's ability to evade infection-blocking antibodies, as well as other immune responses. The variant harbours a high number of mutations in regions of the spike protein that antibodies recognize, potentially dampening their potency.

"Many mutations we know are problematic, but many more look like they are likely contributing to further evasion," Penny Moore, a virologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, was quoted as saying.

Further, scientists suspect that Omicron could dodge immunity conferred by another component of the immune system called T cells.

But, they are more worried whether it will "reduce vaccine effectiveness, because it has so many changes?'," Aris Katzourakis, who studies virus evolution at the University of Oxford, UK was quoted as saying.

Moore said breakthrough infections have been reported in South Africa among people who have received any of the three kinds of vaccines in use there, from Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Researchers in South Africa also aim to study whether Omicron causes disease that is more severe or milder than that produced by other variants, Lessells said.

It is also unclear whether the variant is more transmissible than Delta, thus they said that countries where Delta is highly prevalent should be watching for signs of Omicron.
New Delhi, Nov 27 : While launching a pilot project on the use of indigenously manufactured drones for delivering medicines in Jammu and its surrounding areas, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, said on Saturday that while Pakistani drones carry explosives to spread terror and threaten human lives, Indian drones have assumed the role of Covud warriors by carrying life-saving vaccine doses and medicines for the safety and well-being of the mankind.

This indeed is the fundamental difference between the two countries, said the minister.

Referring to the first consignment of 50 vials of Covid vaccine, which was dropped by a drone near the International Border (IB) in Marh area, Singh said the 'Octacopter' drone developed indigenously at Bengaluru is truly a massenger of peace, while Pakistan is using drones to disrupt peace.

The Indian drone has carried to the International Border the message of protecting lives from Covid, he said.

On the occasion, Singh, in the presence of Rajeev Bhatnagar, Advisor (Health) to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, formally handed over the first consignment of Covid vaccine doses to the drone operators, who then mounted the same on the drone which took off for its air journey.

Singh said the successful aerial delivery of vaccine doses from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, to the Government Sub-District Hospital, Marh, shows the commitment of the Modi government towards healthcare needs of the masses in remote areas.

The road distance from Jammu to Marh is about 15 km and it takes about 50 to 60 minutes to cover the distance, but the Octacopter delivered the vaccine doses within 20 minutes.

The CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) and CSIR-IIIM have teamed up with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Jammu, for aerial delivery of Covid-19 vaccine doses in the remote areas.

Singh said that delivery of vials of Covid vaccine through Octacopter will go a long way in fulfilling Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign for special house-to-house Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The minister informed that the Octacopter can carry a payload of 10 kg in a range of 20 km, and it can fly at an operational altitude of 500 meters AGL and at a maximum flying speed of 36 kmph.
Hyderabad, Nov 27 : The police in Hyderabad on Saturday arrested socialite Shilpa Chowdary and her husband Tella Krishna Srinivas Prasad in connection with a multi-crore cheating case.

The couple allegedly cheated some people promising them high interest on their investments into real estate business.

Shilpa Chowdary (46), whose real name is Tella Shilpa, and Prasad (56) were arrested after a case was registered against them at the Narsingi police station under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate.

A woman had lodged a complaint with the police, alleging that Shilpa was not returning her Rs 1.05 crore, which she had given a year ago for investment in real estate business.

According to the police, the woman was a friend of Shilpa and used to attend kitty parties hosted by the latter. The complainant told the police that Shilpa was not responding to her calls or text messages. The accused also allegedly threatened her and her family members by employing bouncers.

The police arrested the couple and questioned them. They also checked their bank accounts as part of the investigations.

The police are conducting further investigations, as the couple is suspected to have cheated some others promising them high returns on their investments.

A police officer said that as per their own statements, the couple had taken Rs 5-6 crore from some people.

After learning about the arrest of the couple, 2-3 women approached the police with complaints against Shilpa.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, M. Venkateshwarlu, said they will interrogate the couple to gather more information about those who had given them money for investments.

Eminent individuals, including those from film industry, are suspected to be the victims of the couple's misdeeds. Most of the victims are said to be those who used to attend Shilpa's kitty parties.

The police also learnt during the preliminary investigations that Shipla produced a Telugu movie, but it could not be released due to some dispute.
Abu Dhabi, Nov 27 : Riding on another solid partnership between openers Johnson Charles and Hazratullah Zazai, Bangla Tigers jumped to the numero uno position on the points table in Abu Dhabi T10 with a win over The Chennai Braves on Saturday.

After restricting the Braves to 89, thanks to some fine bowling by Luke Fletcher, the Tigers came out all guns blazing in their chase and wrapped their fifth win of this edition easily. Despite having the same number of wins as Team Abu Dhabi, the Tigers now sit atop the points table courtesy of a better run rate. For The Chennai Braves, who came into the match seeking their first win, it proved to be another forgettable outing as they suffered their seventh defeat of the tournament.

Charles and Zazai have emerged as one of the most threatening opening duos in the tournament and against the Braves bowling attack, they barely broke a sweat in overhauling a target that required them to score at less than 10 an over. As has become the norm, the right-handed Charles started the attack with a four off the final delivery of the first over bowled by Mark Deyal.

The next over belonged to Zazai as he put to sword Munaf Patel's medium pace by scoring 22 from the second over of the chase. There was no respite for the bowling team as Deyal, after bowling a neat first over, was taken to the cleaners in the next, conceding 23 runs.

The openers also showed scant regard for Kevin Koththigoda's mystery spin, finding two sixes and one four from th' bowler's over to take their team closer to a comprehensive win. Charles' dismissal to Roman Walker allowed the in-form Will Jacks to do the finishing, which he duly did by depositing Dhananjaya Lakshan in the stands to finish the chase in the sixth over. Hazratullah Zazai remained stranded on an undefeated 46 with 5 sixes and 2 fours.

Earlier, The Chennai Braves struggled to get going after being put in to bat by Bangla Tigers skipper Faf Du Plessis. They could only score 29 runs from the first four overs, losing opener Toby Albert in the process.

Mohammad Shahzad, who hasn't enjoyed the best of the forms in the tournament, seemed to be getting back in touch when he hit his countrymate for a six and a four. However, Ahmed had the last laugh as he sent Shahzad back for 32.

Post Shahzad's departure, no batsman except Mark Deyal could make an impression. Deyal eventually fell for 28 in the penultimate over and as a result, The Chennai Braves could not go past the triple-figure mark in their allotted 10 overs, finishing their innings on 89/4.

Brief scores: Bangla Tigers 95/1 (Hazratullah Zazai 46*, Johnson Charles 30, Roman Walker 1-11) beat The Chennai Braves 89/4 (Mohammad Shahzad 32, Mark Deyal 28, Luke Fletcher 2-17).
Guwahati, Nov 27 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed on Saturday that a political party -- as part of its efforts to expand its base in the state -- is triggering controversy on the basis of language, and trying to foment rift between different communities.

Hours after Sarma's comments made in Guwahati, the police arrested Barak Democratic Front (BDF) chief convener Pradip Datta Roy from Cachar district after a local organisation filed a case against him.

Cachar Superintendent of Police, Ramandeep Kaur, confirmed that Datta Roy was arrested on Saturday afternoon.

Earlier this week, Datta Roy had given a 48-hour ultimatum to the Cachar Deputy Commissioner to remove a government hoarding written in Assamese, threatening to launch a massive agitation if his demand was not met.

Without naming the BDF, Sarma said that a little-known organisation in the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley region had recently defaced government hoardings written in Assamese with black ink, while another organisation gave an ultimatum to the state government to remove the hoarding.

"Bengali-speaking Hindus are a minority in the Barak Valley. A motivated section is trying to make Bengali Hindus staying in Brahmaputra Valley vulnerable," he told the media.

Sarma said that if these organisations really cared for Bengali people, they would have not done such an act as there are a huge number of Bengali-speaking people living in the Brahmaputra valley.

"Any kind of language-related action in Barak Valley causes corresponding reaction in Brahmaputra valley. BJP leaders in Barak Valley are trying to find details on under whose instructions these people are functioning," the Chief Minister said, adding that "it is not possible to erase Assamese language from our heart".

He, however, hinted towards Trinamool Congress as "the party behind this incident", which is running a "motivated campaign".

"The Congress never indulged in such acts," he said.

Datta Roy, before his arrest, had said that after the historic language movement of 1961 that claimed 11 lives in police firing, Assam's Language Act was amended, making Bengali the official language of Barak Valley comprising three districts -- Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi -- inhabited by more than four million people.

The hoarding on the 'Jal Jivan Mission' had also led to protests in October by various organisations, including the BDF and the All Bengali Youth and Students' Organisation.

Another hoarding of the industry department written in both English and Assamese put up in the neighbouring Karimganj district was removed after the protests in October.

The influential All Assam Students' Union had objected to the defacing of the hoarding, claiming that it was an insult to the Assamese language while demanding the arrest of the individuals involved in the matter.
Islamabad, Nov 28 : Four more persons died of dengue fever in Pakistan's east Punjab province over the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 137 in this season, said an official with the provincial Health department.

A total of 108 new cases of the disease were reported in the province over the last 24 hours, Imran Sikandar, Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department of Punjab, told the media.

He added that during the September-November season, the province witnessed a total of 24,744 cases from different areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

Urban localities of the province had remained the hotspots of the disease, including the provincial capital of Lahore which also reported 82 of the 108 fresh cases over the last 24 hours.

A decrease in daily new cases has been witnessed over the last few days during which the number of new cases dropped to less than 200 from the earlier tally of over 500 in the province.

Consistent preventive and curative activities by the provincial Health department and the temperature drop have contributed to the decrease in new cases of the disease.
According to various studies, pets age seven to ten times faster than humans, especially canines. As they age, their bodies experience drastic changes that require extra attention from pet parents to ensure they remain safe, happy, healthy, and comfortable. The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMA) and Fort Dodge Animal Health center designated October as the National Pet Wellness Month to educate dog parents about the pet aging process and ways to care for them properly.

This year, Purvi and Ruchi, the powerhouses behind theDogHood, a revolutionary dog care platform, took it upon themselves to spread awareness about the importance of routine wellness checkups and making healthier lifestyle choices for dogs. "We initiated theDogHood with a mission to make pet ownership fun and easier while promoting the wellbeing of pups across the globe," shared Purvi, the founder and CEO of theDogHood. The enriching platform that unites influencers, pet bloggers, local businesses, and dog parents has now launched an exclusive app dedicated to streamlining dog care.

Dog parents can download theDogHood App to share, like, and comment on paw some videos, pictures, and posts about dogs in their neighborhood and beyond. "Our Facebook live sessions, the web series, What To Expect When Expecting A Puppy, informative blogs, theDogHood channel, and theDogHood App have so far collectively helped more than 200k dog parents access content related to dog care. From proper dog care guidelines to product recommendations, funny and inspirational stories, tips and tricks, and dog training videos, pet parents can find a whole range of credible resources on the platform to help their pups thrive and live longer with increased vitality," shared a representative from theDogHood.

What started as a means to streamline interaction between dog lovers to help them build lifelong connections during and after the pandemic has now translated into a smart phone app that has revolutionized the dog care industry. The App helps dog parents find local DogHood hubs, vets, dog trainers, dog behavioral specialists, and local pet stores. It has helped numerous newbie pet parents looking for recommendations and seasoned pet parents who have shifted to a new neighborhood or want to explore new options in the area.

Besides helping dog parents with various aspects pertaining to dog wellness and care, the app makes scheduling fun play dates and building a personalized network easier and safer. Regardless of where the App users are within the US, when they share the QR code with another dog lover, they can instantly connect with fellow dog lovers in the area and join them for hikes, walks, and other activities.

Many pet parents use the App to celebrate their pet's milestones, such as birthdays. They create a personalized event on the App and invite other paw rents in the neighborhood to a dog park or any place they deem fit along with their pups. They celebrate their dogs birthday in style by inviting their friends over for a memorable birthday bash with yummy treats and lots of fun things to do.

These parents have also created a social profile for their dogs where they share their adorable photos and videos with other dog lovers on the platform. The women-owned startup, theDogHood, also has an extension known as Hoomans of theDogHood, where influencers, bloggers, and dog owners share unique, inspirational, and funny stories that help readers learn lessons and tips and tricks regarding several topics.

Join theDogHood community or scan the QR code below to download the theDogHood App to help theDogHood succeed in its mission of promoting the health and wellbeing of dogs around the globe.

About the Company

theDogHood is an online platform for dogs and dog lovers, offering a wide range of resources to help you better take care of your dogs. Some of these resources include dog behavioral training videos, smart tips & DIY Tricks for dog care at home & now a mobile app that lets you make your own neighborhood hubs for networking with other dog owners.

Contact Information

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thedoghood-103389975151666

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedoghoodofficial/

Website: https://thedoghood.com/

App Link: https://apple.co/3ySjOtv
Steve Golosin, a software engineer at Actual SEO Media, Inc., believes that a strong team and effective communication are critical for high-quality web development. The most effective teams are those whose members can collaborate well and complement each other's strengths.

Assembling a balanced web development team is a critical step to ensuring that a website will look good and function well. Every project is different, though, and it's important to recruit team members with relevant skills and experience. Actual SEO Media, Inc.'s Steve Golosin, a software engineer with extensive experience building WordPress plugins using PHP and Javascript, offers insight into how companies can ensure that their web development teams are well-rounded and equipped for any project.



Complementary Skills are the Foundation of an Effective Team

A web development team should always be comprised of members who each bring something different to the table. Building a web application is not just about code, for instance, and ensuring that an application looks presentable to users also requires hiring people with experience in both UX and layout design. "No one member is more important than any other," Steve says. "The ability to strategize and work together is what makes a development team the most effective." Depending on a project's requirements, a web development team's members should each specialize in a specific area so they can complement the skills of the other members.

The types of specialists required on a web development team depend on the project they're tackling, though. A company's clients may ask for websites that focus more on aesthetic appeal, while others may emphasize a greater need for functionality. Every project is different, and knowing what a client is looking for in a web application is essential for assembling an effective development team.

Factors to Consider when Building a Team

Before assembling the team that will handle a particular project, it's important to know exactly what that project entails. When it comes to building web applications, for example, what types of functions should the application be able to perform? Remembering the "big picture" and considering the goals of a project will help clarify which types of specialists should be recruited for a development team.

Web applications consist of a front end and a back end, neither of which should be neglected. While an application's back end holds the inner workings of how the application functions, the front end is just as important and can make or break a user's experience. Recruiting members with design and UX experience is a critical step to ensuring that web applications are usable and presentable.

Common Types of Web Development Specialists

Web development teams consist of members who each perform a specific function within the group. Below are a few types of specialists that are commonly found within web development teams.

-Web Developer

Web developers handle both back-end and front-end development, and they also create databases and develop CMSs.

-Solution Architect

The solution architect develops a prototype for the project and analyzes the technology that will be required. They also support project management throughout the duration of the project.

-UI/UX Designer

The UI/UX designer builds the wireframe that helps visualize an application's structure, and they also create prototypes and templates for page structure.

-Project Manager

The project manager creates a plan for development and controls the development process. They also maintain contact and coordinate details with clients.

-QA Engineer

The Quality Assurance engineer tests applications to ensure that they're error-free and functional for users. These specialists write automation tests, report issues to the project manager, and check the compliance of the application's interface.

Web development involves many different processes, and utilizing the appropriate skills is critical for creating a functional product. With the right specialists on board and a clear vision of the end goal, web development teams can operate more cohesively and create well-rounded web applications.

As a leading SEO company in Houston, Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps its clients expand their online presence and fosters a constructive environment where developers can learn and grow professionally. Using Search Engine Optimization techniques, ASM empowers its clients to maximize their scope of recognition and manage their brands online. For more information, follow ASM on LinkedIn or Facebook, contact the office at (832) 834 - 0661, or email them at info@actualseomedia.com.
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Showers and thundershowers likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High near 75F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low 39F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. High 56F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain, possibly heavy at times, ending early. Remaining cloudy overnight. Low around 35F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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.
NORWICH, Conn. (AP)  The mother of a Griswold woman accused of suffocating her 6-week-old son appeared in court on Friday on a charge of risk of injury to a minor in the same case.

During her arraignment, 58-year-old Linda Kennison had a medical emergency and left the court on a stretcher, according to news reports.

Kennison was coughing and wheezing throughout the proceeding and was rolled out of Norwich Superior Court into an ambulance, WFSB-TV reported. Her public defender, Jean Park, said Kennison suffers from thyroid cancer and asthma. She argued that her client should be released on a promise to appear in court, The Bulletin of Norwich reported.

The judge did not release Kennison, ordered her initial bond kept at $250,000 and ordered a medical watch for her. A message was left seeking comment with Park.

Kennison was arrested Wednesday and charged with risk of injury to a minor, two days after her daughter, Crystal Czyzewski, 35, of Griswold, was charged with manslaughter and risk of injury in the baby's death. Czyzewski is accused of killing her infant son by suffocating him with a blanket for 20 minutes and waiting hours before calling 911.

According to the arrest warrant, Kennison eventually admitted to police that she knew the baby was in distress hours before her daughter called 911, describing the infant as limp, not breathing and not crying" and cold to the touch. However, Kennison told police she was scared and didn't know what to do, fearing she would be blamed for the child's death.

Kennison also told police she was initially not truthful with them because she loved her daughter and didn't want her to get into trouble. According to the warrant, Kennison acknowledged what she did was wrong but claimed Czyzewski was suffering from post-partum depression.

Czyzewski is being held on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 13.

Lawyer David Gaccione said he represents Czyzewski in an unrelated criminal case and is not involved in the manslaughter case, which has been assigned to the public defender's office, according to court records. It was not immediately clear which attorney has been assigned to her case and can respond to the charges.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Cory Britton doesnt need a public policy institute report to fully appreciate the costs and benefits of a college education.

He knows what its like to try to make ends meet with dead-end jobs and the anxiety of not having health insurance. Britton also knows what its like to graduate from college with high honors with a bachelors degree in computer science, a credential that is in high demand in the workforce, the Deseret News reports.

Is a college degree worth the time, and the cost?

Heres a glimpse at Brittons lived experience.

Post-graduation only seven months and were experiencing those benefits. We were able to purchase a home that we love. My wife can work part time and spend more time with our kids. Even with some uncertainty with my current employer, not once have we been concerned about unemployment, said Britton, who was in his early 40s when he graduated from Weber State University in the spring.

This is not to say it was easy or that it can be done without significant financial investment.

A new report by the University of Utahs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute shows average tuition and fees at Utahs public colleges and universities more than doubled from 2000 to 2020, climbing from $2,283 to $5,306. Add to that the cost of housing, books, transportation and food.

Britton, a commuter student, said he and his wife, Karin, understood that the cost of his degree would strain their familys budget, but they elected to take the long view of the investment.

We knew without a doubt the long-term benefits of pursuing a degree would far outweigh the temporary discomfort, he said.

While the cost of tuition and fees escalated, the report found that numbers of Utah students who received grant aid likewise climbed. In 2009, 34% of students across the Utah System of Higher Education received grant aid, which had climbed to 42% in 2019.

However, students not receiving aid still face much higher tuition costs, the report states.

The report also shows that students are bearing a greater share of college and university funding.

In 2000, 72% of funding came from state appropriations compared with 50% in 2020. This decline in state investment likely contributes to the rise in tuition and fees seen in recent decades, mirroring the rise nationwide, the report states.

Utahs eight technical colleges receive a significantly larger share of their funding through state tax funds.

In fiscal year 2020, the proportion was more than 90% for all technical colleges, with Uintah Basin Technical College at 97%.

These differences are due in part to differences in mission. Utahs technical colleges focus on providing short-term training that is intensely focused on job placement. Examples of programs include training to become a welder, electrician, truck driver, cosmetologist, nursing assistant or phlebotomist, the report states.

Utahs tuition and fees remain below national averages. In a comparison of average tuition and fees for a four-year degree among 11 Western states, Utahs rates were among the lowest, ranked ninth. Only Nevada and Wyoming were lower.

And when Utah colleges and universities were compared to peer institutions in other states, average tuition and fees were lower in Utah.

According to the report, approximately 80% of Utah high school graduates who pursue postsecondary education attend an institution in the Beehive State, which means tuition rates among in-state institutions are likely a more significant factor than comparisons to other Western states.

The report notes that the state contributes significantly to Utahs 16 public universities and colleges, which include eight technical colleges.

Sixteen percent ($1.3 billion) of state funds were dedicated to higher education in the FY 2020 Utah budget. While these investments are substantial, a previous USHE analysis estimated that every $1 the state invests in public higher education returns $3 in tax revenues due to increased wages of USHE graduates, the report states.

The report, presented recently to the Utah Board of Higher Education, highlights other societal and individual benefits attributed to education attainment.

Individual benefits include increased earning, economic mobility, healthier lifestyles and a higher likelihood of receiving employer-provided health insurance.

Britton said health care coverage for his family is a particularly important work benefit.

In the past, I went years without any health care due to the high cost and my low pay. My degree has taken away so many previous stresses and provided greater happiness, he said.

Societal benefits of higher education also include a higher gross domestic product, decreased crime, increased rates of voluntarism and higher rates of voter participation. Other societal benefits include a lower unemployment rate, reduced reliance on public assistance, reduced health care costs and a decreased poverty rate.

We typically talk about it in terms of a student receiving a diploma as being the benefit to (our) higher education system, but this is a broader approach where we show even the business of conducting higher education in our state provides a benefit to the state, said Carrie Mayne, associate commissioner for workforce and institutional research for the Utah System of Higher Education.

The states 16 technical colleges and degree-granting universities and colleges employ more than 53,000 people and contribute to the creation of companies and inventions through research and innovation.
BRIDGEPORT  A recent report takes a first look at how the pandemic impacted Bridgeports children over the last school year.

The Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition, as part of the local youth nonprofit RYASAP, released its 2020 report on the State of the Child this month. Researchers tackled some of the pandemics most tangible impacts, such as how many students reported positive cases of COVID-19, and how many were able to safely learn in person.

But the paper also outlined data that gives a glimpse at the childrens well-being. It found that students in elementary and middle school were particularly affected by the past year, from their engagement with academics to their sense of belonging.

Their perception of their emotional climate within school has gone down, said Ashley Blanchard-Miller, the director of research and evaluation at RYASAP. Their sense of belonging, academic engagement, has all decreased as the pandemic has occurred.

Health and safety

The report found during the 2020-21 school year, the number of Bridgeport students who reported positive COVID-19 cases at a given school fluctuated between zero and six for most of the year.

The exceptions came at the beginning of 2021, when two schools recorded six positive cases each. That resembled trends across Fairfield County, where the pandemic peaked in schools during the first two weeks following winter break.

Also county-wide, the majority of positive cases were reported when students were learning in school buildings full-time, followed by part-time in-person learning.

Most Bridgeport students, meanwhile, spent the 2020-21 school year on hybrid schedules. Students up to eighth grade started the year in person while high school students were hybrid. All students briefly shifted to hybrid around Thanksgiving, then learned remotely through the holiday season, before returning to hybrid.

That resembles New Haven, which also wrapped last spring with most students part-time in person, but breaks with other city districts like Hartford and Waterbury.

Blanchard-Miller explained toggling between learning models can contribute to a lot of confusion and cause students a lot of difficulty.

Any type of fluctuation is going to be difficult on the students, she said.

And even when school was in session, attendances rates at all Bridgeport schools decreased last year, with the highest drops at elementary and middle schools occurring at Bryant, Waltersville, Barnum and Geraldine Claytor schools, according to the report.

School climate

Researchers also tried to measure how students were feeling during the health crisis and as they toggled between learning modes.

Over the past few school years, Bridgeport has administered a school climate survey twice per year. The exam addresses 10 to 15 indicators of well-being, with several questions each, to gauge student perceptions.

Taking COVID out of the picture, theyve been for the most part on a steady incline, said Blanchard-Miller.

But those strong trajectories took several hits during the pandemic.

We had some areas where we saw after such a great increase, we saw a decline once the pandemic hit, said Carli Rocha-Raes, the school districts director of counseling and parent partnerships.

We saw that in the engagement, and we saw that in attendance, and in some of those social-emotional learning areas like sense of belonging, she said.

According to the data, third through 12th graders in fall 2020 self-reported the highest levels of academic engagement in recent years.

The kids were very excited to have the opportunity to come back to school, the classes were going to be much smaller and there was a lot of opportunities for relationships and social-emotional needs, Marc Donald, the executive director of RYASAP, hypothesized.

But those feelings dropped in the spring for students through eighth grade. Among elementary students, 88 percent of them said they were engaged in the fall, compared to 84 percent in the spring. For middle schoolers, those numbers dropped from 86 to 82 percent.

Donald suggested the oldest students are a lot more autonomous and better prepared to pay attention to screens than their younger peers, who may have struggled with remote and hybrid learning.

That lack of connection, added Blanchard-Miller, seeing their teacher on screen when they had to engage in that type of learning, not having that supervised learning that theyre used to. Well, theyre going to struggle more.

Younger students similarly self-reported the emotional climate at local schools and their sense of belonging decreased over the school year.

High school students, meanwhile, said those indicators steadily increased. Those are often the students with ways of staying connected like cellphones and social media, and long-term friendships.

When youre in ninth through 12th grade, intellectually youre able to come up with ways to connect with your peer groups very creatively, as well as youve established and had those relationships for much longer, Blanchard-Miller said.

She also noted that in the spring, teens ages 16 and up became eligible for the vaccine, and may have been able to socialize more.

Still, just 40 percent of students in high school reported having a positive sense of belonging. Fewer than two-thirds rated the emotional climate positively, too.

The only indicator that did not decline across all age groups was students self-reported personal safety. Roughly three-fourths of surveyed students reported feeling safe last school year.

Blanchard-Miller said that could be due to remote and hybrid learning modes, which meant fewer walks to and from school, and fewer students in the building at a given time.

The metric did plateau slightly last year, but has been on the rise over the past few academic years.
CORDOVA, N.M. (AP)  The treasures hidden inside San Antonio de Padua church in Cordova are about to undergo a painstaking restoration.

The retablos (painted altar screens) and bultos (statues) date to the historic churchs construction in 1832; they depict Catholic saints and events such as the Crucifixion.

The project is being led by Nuevo Mexico Profundo, a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 to raise money to preserve historic churches. Over the next few weeks, it will restore three altar screens and 22 statues created by Jose Rafael Aragon, a master santero, or creator of religious images.

I picked this project because it needed to be done, Frank Graziano, founder and executive director of Nuevo Mexico Profundo, told The Santa Fe New Mexican.

Cordova is a village of around 500 residents between Espanola and Penasco off the High Road to Taos (N.M. 76). Originally called Pueblo Quemado  because of a charred Pueblo ruin nearby  the town established a post office in 1900 and changed its name to Cordova, the name of a local prominent family.

According to historical church documents, San Antonio de Padua church was built in 1832 and constructed of adobe bricks. It includes an altar on the west end and a choir loft on the east end, where two sets of double doors sit below the bell tower.

Theres only a small group of us that use the church consistently, said Angelo Sandoval, who manages the church as its mayordomo. He said its used on occasion for funerals, but it had not hosted a consistent Mass for at least 10 years.

We have Mass on the feast day of our patron saint on the 13th of June or the Sunday closest, he said. San Antonio de Padua was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order who died on June 13, 1231.

The wooden retablos stand behind and on either side of the altar. The center screen is about 10 feet tall and 14 feet wide, and the two side screens are about 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

Painted on the screens in red, green, gold, black and blue are depictions of St. Gertrude the Great, Our Lady of Sorrows, the Franciscan Shield, St. Peter the Apostle, St. Raphael the Archangel, St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady Refuge of Sinners, St. Claire of Assisi and more.

In front of the screens, standing 12 to 20 inches, are 22 bultos including Jesus on the cross, Jesus as a boy, the Virgin Mary, St. Anthony of Padua and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Graziano said he raised $24,000 for the restoration. The primary donors include the Thaw Charitable Trust, Susan Foote, and Anne and Jeff Bingaman. Bingaman represented New Mexico as a U.S. senator from 1983-2013.

The restoration is set to be carried out over several weeks beginning Monday by master santero and restorer Victor Goler, with the approval of the Archbishops Commission for the Preservation of Historic New Mexico Churches.

Assisting him will be master santeros Felix Lopez and Jerry Sandoval (uncle to San Antonio de Paduas mayordomo, Angelo Sandoval).

Goler, 58, lives in Taos, where he creates religious paintings and restores religious artifacts. He grew up in a family of restorers and began working with his father and uncles around age 13, he said.

Goler has worked in La Iglesia de Santa Cruz de la Canada, San Francisco de Asis Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos, Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Arroyo Seco and Saint Anthonys Catholic Church in Questa.

He has also worked as a conservator for the Harwood Museum of Art, the Millicent Rogers Museum and the Tesoros de Devocion (The Larry Frank Collection) at the New Mexico History Museum.

I have a good understanding of the materials that were used, Goler said. Jose Rafael Aragon, his methods were very traditional.

The wood for the screens and statues would likely be Ponderosa pine, and the gesso (primer) would be made from an animal hide glue mixed with white gypsum, Goler said.

As far as the pigments go, they had to crush all their own, Goler said, using minerals, plants and bugs for colors. The artists also would create varnishes by distilling grain alcohol and using it to dilute tree sap.

What we are doing in this conservation effort is were just conserving, he said. The process involves surface cleaning, stabilizing the pigment and sealing the work with a high-quality varnish.

The process includes creating an animal hide glue made from Russian sea sturgeons and gluing the paint back onto the gesso. Goler and his team will use syringes to get the glue behind the chipped paint. He said all the work will be done on the premises and will take around 200 hours to complete.

Sandoval, 43, who lives in Cordova, said he hopes the restoration will preserve the art and reinvigorate the congregation.

I want to make sure that I leave the church in better condition, so that my grandkids and great-grandkids are able to utilize the space for their prayers, for their baptisms, for, hopefully, their weddings, he said.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Michelle L.D. Hanlon, University of Mississippi and Greg Autry, Arizona State University

(THE CONVERSATION) On Nov. 15, 2021, Russia destroyed one of its own old satellites using a missile launched from the surface of the Earth, creating a massive debris cloud that threatens many space assets, including astronauts onboard the International Space Station. This happened only two weeks after the United Nations General Assembly First Committee formally recognized the vital role that space and space assets play in international efforts to better the human experience  and the risks military activities in space pose to those goals.

The U.N. First Committee deals with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect the international community. On Nov. 1, it approved a resolution that creates an open-ended working group. The goals of the group are to assess current and future threats to space operations, determine when behavior may be considered irresponsible, make recommendations on possible norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviors, and contribute to the negotiation of legally binding instruments  including a treaty to prevent an arms race in space.

We are two space policy experts with specialties in space law and the business of commercial space. We are also the president and vice president at the National Space Society, a nonprofit space advocacy group. It is refreshing to see the U.N. acknowledge the harsh reality that peace in space remains uncomfortably tenuous. This timely resolution has been approved as activities in space become ever more important and  as shown by the Russian test  tensions continue to rise.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty

Outer space is far from a lawless vacuum.

Activities in space are governed by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which is currently ratified by 111 nations. The treaty was negotiated in the shadow of the Cold War when only two nations  the Soviet Union and the U.S.  had spacefaring capabilities.

While the Outer Space Treaty offers broad principles to guide the activities of nations, it does not offer detailed rules of the road. Essentially, the treaty assures freedom of exploration and use of space to all humankind. There are just two caveats to this, and multiple gaps immediately present themselves.

The first caveat states that the Moon and other celestial bodies must be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. It omits the rest of space in this blanket prohibition. The only guidance offered in this respect is found in the treatys preamble, which recognizes a common interest in the progress of the exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes. The second caveat says that those conducting activities in space must do so with due regard to the corresponding interests of all other States Parties to the Treaty.

A major problem arises from the fact that the treaty does not offer clear definitions for either peaceful purposes or due regard.

While the Outer Space Treaty does specifically prohibit placing nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction anywhere in space, it does not prohibit the use of conventional weapons in space or the use of ground-based weapons against assets in space. Finally, it is also unclear if some weapons  like Chinas new nuclear capable partial-orbit hypersonic missile  should fall under the treatys ban.

The vague military limitations built into the treaty leave more than enough room for interpretation to result in conflict.

Space is militarized, conflict is possible

Space has been used for military purposes since Germanys first V2 rocket launch in 1942.

Many early satellites, GPS technology, a Soviet Space Station and even NASAs space shuttle were all either explicitly developed for or have been used for military purposes.

With increasing commercialization, the lines between military and civilian uses of space are less blurry. Most people are able to identify terrestrial benefits of satellites like weather forecasts, climate monitoring and internet connectivity but are unaware that they also increase agricultural yields and monitor human rights violations. The rush to develop a new space economy based on activities in and around Earth and the Moon suggests that humanitys economic dependence on space will only increase.

However, satellites that provide terrestrial benefits could or already do serve military functions as well. We are forced to conclude that the lines between military and civilian uses remain sufficiently indistinct to make a potential conflict more likely than not. Growing commercial operations will also provide opportunities for disputes over operational zones to provoke governmental military responses.

Military testing

While there has not yet been any direct military conflict in space, there has been an escalation of efforts by nations to prove their military prowess in and around space. Russias test is only the most recent example. In 2007, China tested an anti-satellite weapon and created an enormous debris cloud that is still causing problems. The International Space Station had to dodge a piece from that Chinese test as recently as Nov. 10, 2021.

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Similar demonstrations by the U.S. and India were far less destructive in terms of creating debris, but they were no more welcomed by the international community.

The new U.N. resolution is important because it sets in motion the development of new norms, rules and principles of responsible behavior. Properly executed, this could go a long way toward providing the guardrails needed to prevent conflict in space.

From guidelines to enforcement

The U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has been addressing space activities since 1959.

However, the remit of the 95-member committee is to promote international cooperation and study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space. It lacks any ability to enforce the principles and guidelines set forth in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty or even to compel actors into negotiations.

The U.N. resolution from November 2021 requires the newly created working group to meet two times a year in both 2022 and 2023. While this pace of activity is glacial compared with the speed of commercial space development, it is a major step in global space policy.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/space-law-hasnt-been-changed-since-1967-but-the-un-aims-to-update-laws-and-keep-space-peaceful-171351.
As the tragic 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks completed 13 years on Friday, citizens paid tributes to the police officers, soldiers and all who battled the terror strikes, with many ending up sacrificing their lives. Tributes and remembrance for the day poured in from celebrities across fields as well, including politicians, sportspersons and actors.

Among them was Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The actor called the tragedy 'terrible.' She remembered the lost lives and prayed for their souls.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas pays tribute to those killed in 26/11 attacks

Priyanka Chopra posted a graphic of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in smoke, an image that become symbolic of the 26/11 attacks. "To everyone we lost in this terrible time, you will always be remembered. Om Shanti," she wrote with a folded hands emoji.

Many other stars of the film industry like Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Sara Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Rohit Shetty paid tributes on social media.

They used words like 'horrific' and that they were remembering all the lives lost in the attacks. They paid tributes to the martyrs of Mumbai Police and all bravehearts who laid their life for the nation.

Mumbai 26/11 attacks

On 26 November 2008, a group of 10 terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba entered Mumbai on a fishing boat that they hijacked from a port in Karachi. Their aim was simple- to kill as many people as they could. What happened in the aftermath, not only shook the entire nation but also left 166 people dead and another 300 critically injured.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only terrorist to be captured alive, was hung four years later on 21 November 2012. While terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the masterminds of the 26/11 case, have been convicted in other cases, the 26/11 trial remains stalled. Virtually admitting to his country's role in this terror attack, Pakistan's three-time PM Nawaz Sharif told a local newspaper in May 2018 that the authorities had allowed non-state actors to kill innocent people in Mumbai. The Centre has consistently promised to make every effort to seek justice for the families of the victims and the martyrs.

(With inputs from PTI)
Scamsters have once again resorted to the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) for duping people. The fraudsters are trying to scam people through phone calls, text messages and emails claiming that they have won Rs 25 lakh in a lottery jointly organised by KBC and Reliance Jio.

"There is good news for you. Your number has won Rs 25 lakh lottery which has been sponsored by KBC and Jio department," the poster, which carries pictures of PM Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan and Mukhesh Ambani, claimed. It also asked people to contact via WhatsApp.

In response, the PIB Fact Check handle called it fake and urged users to beware of such lottery scams. "Do not share your personal information on such calls, emails and messages," it further suggested.

The government's fact check handle also shared a link to Delhi Police's Cyber Cell. The police said that most of these frauds are being run from Pakistan from numbers (most of them starting with +92, the ISD Code of Pakistan).

"When the victim contacts on the mentioned number to claim the amount, the fraudster tells him/her that they need to first pay a certain refundable amount towards the processing of the lottery as well as GST, etc. Once the victim deposits that money, they start demanding more on one pretext or another. The fraudsters insist on communicating only through WhatsApp. They induce the victim to deposit money in various bank accounts and the entire fraud goes on for several weeks and even months for as long as they can keep inducing the victim to deposit money," Cyber cell.

To keep victims engaged and interested, the scammers tell victims that the lottery prize has been increased to Rs 45 lakh, then to Rs 75 lakh and more. When the victim refuses to pay more or insists on getting the money, the fraudsters stop calling and discontinue the WhatsApp number that was being used in the fraud.

In case you come across any such fraud, Delhi Police advises to collect documentary evidence such as screenshots, bank transaction statements, etc and lodge a complaint at the nearest police station.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday called for a meeting of health and disaster department experts to discuss the spike in COVID cases in the state.

"I have called a meeting of experts of health and disaster departments today in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Kerala and clusters in a few colleges in Dharwad and Bengaluru," CM Basavaraj Bommai said.

Dharwad District Collector Nitesh Patil informed that a total of 99 more medical college students and faculty members of SDM college have tested COVID positive in Karnataka's Dharwad on Saturday, taking the total number of affected students to 281.

The state also reported six deaths and 402 fresh COVID cases on Saturday. As per the state health department, the state has 6,611 active cases of COVID infection. Karnataka has registered a total of 29,94,063 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

Adding 277 to the count on Saturday, the state's total recoveries escalated to 29,50,130. A total of 38,193 people in the state have succumbed to the infection. Meanwhile, out of the six deaths reported on Friday, one each was reported in Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Hassana, Kodagu, and Raichur.

Travellers from new COVID variant-affected nations to take RT-PCR: Health Min

Meanwhile, in the purview of reports of the emergence of a highly transmissible variant of the COVID virus in countries in the African continent, also called 'Omicron', Karnataka Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar on Saturday directed people coming from new COVID variant-affected countries to take the RT-PCR test after landing in Bengaluru.

"We are constantly in touch with the Union Health Ministry and have information that this new strain in South Africa, Hong Kong, Israel, and Botswana is very contagious and has overtaken the Delta variant," Sudhakar said.

"People coming from these affected countries will take the RT-PCR once they land in Bengaluru. If found positive, they will stay in and around the airport and will be treated, if needed. The home quarantine will be mandatory after their arrival," added the minister.

Health Minister Sudhakar added that 281 students of SDM College of Medical Science in Dharwad, have tested positive.

"We have tested all 1,788 students of the college, some results are awaited. Also, one international school had reported 34 cases and another 12 awaited. Also, one international school had reported 34 cases and another 12 cases. None of these cases was severe," he said.

(With Inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI, Pixabay
The Government of India is organising grand celebrations at the India Gate to mark the golden jubilee of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to Bangladesh's independence. The celebrations would include a recreation of the war and the participation of soldiers from both India and Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to begin the celebrations, which will take place from December 14 to December 16. Mukti Yodhas (Bangladeshi freedom fighters) will be arriving in the national capital this year to take part in the grand celebrations, along with Indian veterans who fought in the war for Bangladesh's liberation, ANI reported quoting army sources.

According to the media agency, the Army is also planning to recreate the two war fronts which would showcase how the Indian troops crushed Pakistani forces in the war, especially on the eastern front.

PM Modi to be briefed about 1971 battles

PM Modi would receive a briefing on the war's various battles. He'll also meet the Bangladeshi Mukti Yodhas, who were trained by Indian soldiers and agencies to combat genocide, mass rapes, and killings perpetrated by Pakistan Army officials and jawans, primarily in the Punjab region.

During their nearly 24-year coexistence, several leaders of the Pakistani Army looked down on Bangladeshis and viewed them as second-class citizens. On December 16, Pakistani troops surrendered to Indian troops, bringing the conflict to a close. The Indian Army set a record by taking 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, making it the largest military defeat in recent history. On the western front, the Indian Air Force and Army collaborated to halt a Pakistani armoured brigade advance in the Longewala sector, where a small contingent of Indian soldiers and aircraft thwarted a large assault.

'India, Bangladesh relationship beyond strategic alliance': Union Defence Minister

It is worth noting that earlier this week, during his visit to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi to commemorate Bangladesh Armed Forces Day, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that India's relationship with Bangladesh is special and goes beyond a strategic alliance and both the nations have maintained it since Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971.

He added that Bangladesh has continuously proven its opponents and doomsayers wrong and that the country's success over the years is worthy of emulation by other growing economies. According to him, the Bangladesh liberation war was a unique twentieth-century event because it was a moral struggle against injustice, brutality, and oppression.

(With inputs from agencies, Image: PTI)
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday said that after the three farm laws are repealed, farmers should stop their protest and go back home. Pointing out that the intention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the schemes of the Central government is good, Baba Ramdev has urged the farmers to later bring up other issues like Minimum Support Price (MSP), and come to a solution.

"The whole issue MSP needs to be reviewed," the Yog Guru opined. Meanwhile, the farmers' union, on Saturday, postponed the tractor rally which was scheduled to be held on November 29. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions, had earlier this month announced that starting November 29, 500 farmers will participate in peaceful tractor marches to Parliament every day during the Winter Session. The tractor marches were planned in order to observe one year of the protests against farm laws.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar assures panel on MSP

Earlier in the day, the BJP-led Central government promised to constitute a committee for discussion on the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Besides MSP, the to-be formed committee will deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming. Confirming the same, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "This committee will have representatives from farmers' organizations. With the constitution of this committee, farmers' demand on MSP stands fulfilled."

The development comes a week after PM Modi announced his government's decision to withdraw the contentious laws. The Union Cabinet has also cleared the bill to withdraw the legislation, which will be tabled in the Parliament on November 29.

"After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers' agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home," the Union Agriculture Minister said.
With the emergence of the new Omicron COVID-19 strain, the Health Minister of Australia Greg Hunt stated on Saturday that the administration will take extra precautionary measures for border security. During a news conference, the Health Minister announced that presently, Australia would stop all flights departing from nine southern African nations which include South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi, as well as Mozambique. As per ANI, this regulation will be implemented for a period of 14 days as a precautionary measure.

The application of these new restrictions was addressed in a number of discussions including one that took place on Saturday early morning, between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly. Hunt had even stated on Friday that Australia has no intention of shutting its border with South Africa and neighbouring countries but would implement the restrictions for the nine nations, as per The Guardian.

Restrictions in Austalia due to new COVID variant Omicron

As per the restrictions, someone who is not a resident or citizen of Australia, or have been to any of aforementioned nine countries during the previous two weeks, are not permitted to enter the country. Further, Australia citizens seeking to travel back home will be permitted to enter the nation but would be required to stay in a hotel for a period of time. Any individual currently living in Australia and who has travelled to any of the above mentioned countries in the last 14 days, would be required to quarantine and undergo testing.

Less than 100% of entrants in Australia, according to officials, would be entitled to such restrictions. As per The Guardian, only 20 individuals who returned from South Africa were quarantined at the Howard Springs facility in the Northern Territory during the last seven days. One of the cases is positive, but the variant has yet to be identified.

Hunt further noted that while no instances of Omicron had been reported in Australia, preventive steps were necessary due to growing worry about the variant. The administration has taken "strong, swift, decisive and immediate actions, citing Greg Hunt, The Guardian reported. Hunt has claimed that the COVID-related measures would be easily adjusted by scaling up or down, as and when more details would be learnt about the new variant, Omicron.

Furthermore, as the nation battles the third wave of COVID-19 infections, Australia reported over 1,400 new local cases on Saturday morning. The bulk number of new cases were recorded in the country's second-most populated state Victoria, with the capital city Melbourne confirming 1,252 cases and five fatalities. As per the latest figures given by the Department of Health on Friday, 92.2% of Australians aged 16 and above had obtained one vaccination dosage and 86.6% had gotten their second.

Image: AP, Pixabay
The new coalition government in Germany announced on Wednesday that the recreational use of cannabis will be legalised in the country. This would allow adult-use cannabis to be regulated and sold in licenced establishments, as per the reports of Evening Standard. Two months after the country's federal election, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the liberal Free Democrats, and the Greens reached a power-sharing agreement and are poised to depose the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Germany. After 16 years as Chancellor, Angela Merkel will be stepping down.

The coalition government's spokesperson stated last week that they are establishing adult-only cannabis distribution in regulated businesses. The spokesman further said that this will ensure that the quality is maintained, that contaminated chemicals are not transferred, and that minors are protected, according to LadBible.

Luxembourg became the first European country to legalise cannabis

Germany, which has a population of over 83 million people, may become the world's largest cannabis market after cannabis is legalised for recreational use, according to Daily Mail. Luxembourg became the first European country to legalise cannabis for both use and cultivation. Uruguay, Canada, South Africa and Georgia are amongst the countries that have legalised recreational use of cannabis.

Following the coalition's agreement, the SDP's Olaf Scholz will most likely succeed Angela Merkel as Germany's Chancellor. On December 6, Parliament will vote on his nomination. They revealed the agenda in a 180-page plan, which covers far more than cannabis legalisation guidelines, according to Evening Standard. Scholz predicts that members of the three parties will vote on the 180-page agreement in the next 10 days, after which it will become binding.

Germany intends to decrease the voting age from 18 to 16

The government intends to decrease the voting age from 18 to 16. The three potential coalition partners have stated that they are anticipating for Scholz to take the chancellor's seat on December 6th. Olaf Scholz also stated that the incoming government will not seek the lowest common denominator, but the politics of large repercussions, according to Evening Standard. Scholz also emphasised the necessity of a sovereign Europe, friendship with France, and engagement with the US as cornerstones of the government's foreign policy.

Image: AP, Unsplash
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday visited the Bruzgi border crossing to meet hundreds of migrants sheltering in the warehouse. During the address to the cluttered asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East and Asia, Lukashenko encouraged them to continue their attempts to enter Europe, Belta quoted him as saying. At the same time, Lukashenko also clarified that Belarus will also support the repatriation of "irregular" migrants who have "no plans to force their way westward."

If you want to go west, we won't choke, grab and beat you. It is your will. If you go through, go ahead. That's simple. I know that not everyone will like what I say, especially those abroad, but it's the truth, they should know the truth, said Alexander Lukashenko, as quoted by Belta.

Lukashenko's comments come after Belarus opened flight services for migrants to return, transporting over 400 to Iraq last week. On Thursday and Friday together, around 600 were flown to Erbil, the capital of Iraqs autonomous province Kurdistan, as per Politico. Another flight has been scheduled for Saturday this week.

Lukashenko admits Belarus troops may have helped Migrants cross Europe

President Lukashenko during an interview with BBC acknowledged that it was "absolutely possible" that his troops have helped asylum seekers to push through borders and enter Poland. "Maybe someone helps them. I won't even look into this," he told BBC. However, he denied being responsible for the crisis by luring migrants with false promises of assured entry to the bloc.

Migrant crisis at Poland border

The migrant crisis at the eastern borders of Poland and Belarus has dramatically escalated as hundreds of asylum seekers, from mostly the Middle East and Asia, began to set up tents behind barbed wire fences in hopes of crossing into European Union member Poland and further into Europe to claim refuge. As of November 9, Polish authorities blocked at least 2,000 migrants who congregated at the eastern Poland borders, hurling logs of wood at the security forces. Furthermore, several migrants living under harrowing conditions at the border died in recent weeks as temperatures began to slump below zero.

There have been at least 4,500 recorded border crossing attempts according to Polish authorities. In last week, around 1,000 attempted undocumented crossings were thwarted by Polish authorities, leading to detainment and further deterioration of crisis along the border. As per CNN, some migrants were also pushed towards the barriers by Belarusian services.

(Image: AP)
The Portuguese parliament has adopted a law allowing for surrogacy on Friday, which received a lot of praises from The National Council for Medically Assisted Procreation and the Portuguese Society for Reproductive Medicine, as per the reports of Xinhua. The law allows commercial arrangements in which a woman is hired to become pregnant and give birth to a child who would be delivered to others.

The legislation also said that the pregnant lady for hire must already be a mother. The contract will also need to be approved by the National Council for Medically Assisted Procreation, which is a Portuguese body that oversees the entire process. The legislation stipulates that the pregnant lady hired to carry the child may keep the baby until the child's registration, which must occur within 20 days of birth, according to Xinhua. This restriction was added in response to a request from the Portuguese Constitutional Court, which had previously rejected a plan.

Gestational surrogacy became authorised on August 22, 2016

Earlier, in Portugal, gestational surrogacy became authorised on August 22, 2016, and ultimately came into force on August 1, 2017, following a year of regulation, according to Babygest. However, the statute was taken to the Supreme Court in 2018 and was declared unconstitutional until November 2021.

In the meanwhile, new regulations in Portugal have made it illegal for managers to contact employees outside of working hours. Portugal's new labour regulations were passed earlier this month in response to an increase in people working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Workers should have the right to at least 11 straight hours of night rest, which should not be interrupted unless for emergencies, according to Xinhua.

Portuguese parliament approved the legality of euthanasia

Earlier this year, with 136 votes in favour and 78 votes against, the Portuguese parliament approved the legality of euthanasia practised or assisted by health professionals on January 29 which allows a person over the age of 18 to be medically assisted in death. According to Politico, however, the initial bill was halted by judges in March because it was too vague. But for the second time this year, Portugal's parliament voted for euthanasia legalisation on November 5.

Image: Unsplash/@the_heaven_girl, AP
People of Jordan gathered in Amman to protest against the signing of the declaration of intent for an energy-water project with the United Arab Emirates and Israel. Protesters urged the government to withdraw the cooperation deal with the countries. In addition, the people also called on the government to repeal the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty, Xinhua reported. The protest comes after the Jordan Ministry of Water and Irrigation on 22 November, signed a declaration of intent to negotiate the feasibility of the energy-water project.

People also protested in other cities of Jordan where they expressed the view that the deal with these countries would affect the kingdoms sovereignty. Protesters have called on the government to use other water sources. Jordans Ministry of Water and Irrigation on Tuesday, 26 December, informed that the declaration of intent with the countries required feasibility of the implementation of a renewable energy project by the United Arab Emirates company in Jordan, as per the Xinhua report. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation asserted that the agreement would also help Jordan in receiving 200 million cubic meters of water.

Jordan, UAE, Israel sign declaration of intent

Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel on Monday, 22 November signed a declaration of intent to explore the feasibility of a joint energy-water agreement, reported The Jordan Times. The Jordan Ministry of Water and Irrigation informed that the three countries had signed a declaration of intent at the Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Water Ministrys spokesperson Omar Salameh said that the declaration of intent signed between the UAE, Jordan and Israel had a goal to explore feasibility analysis for 2022.

The spokesperson noted that with the agreement the country would receive 200 million cubic meters of water. Salameh further added that the declaration was not a legal or technical agreement and the project will be implemented only after Jordan gets access to 200 million cubic meters of water every year as per The Jordan Times report. The ministry further noted that there is an increase in demand for permanent water resources in Jordan as the people of the country are dependent on industries and agriculture. As per the report, the spokesperson pointed out that each year the country gets 35 million cubic meters of water according to the peace treaty and 10 million cubic meters outside the treaty.

Image: AP/Twitter/@BisherKhasawneh
A leader of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was assassinated in the country's Sindh province on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Rana Sakhawat. He was shot by unidentified attackers inside his rice mill in Qambar district, reported ANI citing Daily Pakistan. The report further stated that Sakhawat was immediately rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The ruling party's leader was also the president of the Rice Mill Association and one of the PTI Sindh chapters' most stalwart workers. Meanwhile, the perpetrators were able to flee the scene after the incident.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh, condemned Sakhawat's murder and conveyed his condolences to his family. Sheikh further accused SSP Shahadatkot of being a "lawbreaker" and a "supporter of criminals" in the distant area, reported the Pakistani newspaper. Earlier in October 2019, Asif alias Chakli, the former president of the PTI's Karachi District Central branch, was shot dead in Azizabad by unidentified gunmen. The 42-year-old leader was killed when was coming out of a mosque after offering prayers, according to a report by The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, on November 20, an 11-year-old Hindu boy was allegedly sexually assaulted and brutally murdered in the Sindh province. According to the minor's family, he went missing on Friday evening (November 19) and his body was found the very next day in an abandoned house in Babarloi town in the Khairpur Mir area of the province. "The entire family was busy with Guru Nanak's birthday events. We do not know how the child went missing. He was found dead in the house at 11 pm. He was a grade five student and was born in 2011," Raj Kumar, a relative of the child, was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

'Minority communities face increasing violence in Pakistan'

According to a rights group in Islamabad, state-sponsored terrorism and the deteriorating state of human rights in Pakistan have reached a "critical juncture." They claimed that there has been an insidious rise of religious extremism against the country's minority community, with restrictions on freedom of expression. Meanwhile, Pakistani scholar Pervez Hoodbhoy stated that Christians, Hindus, and Parsis have fled Pakistan owing to the deteriorating human rights situation and increasing violence against minority communities in the country, reported ANI.

Image: ANI/Representative
As India remembered the horrific incident of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack on Friday, Canada also observed a remembrance day at Dundas Square. According to reports, the Hindu Forum Canada held a procession in several regions of Canada including, Toronto - a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario.

During the protest, the youth had put up placards with various slogans which read, "Canada awaits justice". Notably, on November 26, 2008, in India's financial capital, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists succeeded in killing 170 people, including 26 nationals from 15 countries around the world, and severely injured another 304.

Watch the protest held in Canada here:

In the violent terror attack, two Canadian citizens also lost their lives while another six suffered major injuries. Later, the victims were identified as Dr Mike Stewart Moss and his partner Elizabeth Russel, who were shot dead by the terrorists.

Apart from the two who were killed in the blood bath, several citizens from Canada were also stuck in other locations of Mumbai, which came under attack by the Pakistan terrorists. It included Manuela Testolini, ex-wife of pop star Prince, and middle-aged Canadian couple Larry & Bernie, who barricaded themselves in their hotel room to escape the terrorists.

Remembering 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack



10 Pakistani terrorists attacked Mumbai



140 Indians & 25 foreigners killed

2 Canadians killed & 6 injured Terrorists & their handlers still roam free in Pakistan



Canadians Await Justice



Send message to your MP pic.twitter.com/K9zfswvfFv  HinduForumCanada #HFC (@canada_hindu) November 26, 2021

Meanwhile, on the 13th anniversary, the Hindu Forum Canada appealed to the Canadian authorities to declare November 26 as the Day of Remembrance of the victims of Mumbai terror attack. Also, the non-profit organisation shared videos urging the Canadian Government to pressurise Islamabad to prosecute all the traitors including the state actors so that the families can finally "experience a sense of closure". Also, the Hindu outfit displayed the hashtag 'CanadiansAwaitJustice' at Toronto's busiest place.

Nepal, Bangladesh conducted a motorcycle parade to protest against Pakistan's terrorism backing

Apart from Canada, Bangladesh, and Indias neighbouring country, Nepal also held a motorcycle parade in Janakpurdham to protest Pakistan's backing of terrorism. To mark the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, youngsters organised a motorcycle parade under the guidance of the National Unity Campaign.

They even displayed banners blaming Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. According to ANI, the motorcycles left the local train station and travelled via Yali Bhanu Chowk, Janak Chowk and Shiva Chowk before reaching Janaki Temple.

With inputs from ANI

Image: ANI
Amid the concerns raised over new COVID strain identified in South Africa, India called matters concerning 'Omicron' a "developing story." Responding to a query about the new variant labelled as B.1.1.529 or 'Omicron', Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, said he has "no immediate information" on the steps to be taken, adding that "it is an issue more for our health authorities."

"As regards the issue of the South African warrant, this is a developing incident. We just saw a report of the briefing by the World Health Organisation (WHO). I don't have any immediate information on the steps we are taking. It is an issue more of our health authorities. This is a very developing story," ANI reported, quoting the MEA spokesperson.

WHO warns evidence on 'Omicron' suggests increase infection risk

The World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory panel on the SARS-CoV-2 virus evolution on Friday suggested that the new variant 'omnicorn' has an increased risk of reinfection in the community. The independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus, added that the variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are "concerning." The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021.

In a video released by WHO on Twitter, Spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said after the meeting that the early analysis shows that the variant has a large number of mutations that "require and will undergo" further studies. "It will take a few weeks for us to understand what impact is very and has. Researchers are working to understand more," she added. As per the BBC report, scientists also suggested that the variant has 50 mutations overall and more than 30 on spike protein, which is the key the virus used to slither its way through the body cells.

MoHFW issues new travel restrictions for travellers from these countries

In a bid to curb infection from the new COVID strain, India on Friday added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing for infection. Health Secretary of India Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to health secretaries of all states and Union Territories to conduct "rigorous screening and testing" of passengers travelling from mentioned regions. According to the directive issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Hong Kong, Israel, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, and several European countries, including the UK would need to follow the additional measures on arrival in India, ANI reported, citing MoFHW.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: ANI/Shutterstock)
Nearly a week after a prominent doctor was allegedly abducted and murdered brutally by the Taliban, another doctor was killed by the extremist group in Herat province on Saturday, ANI reported citing the local media reports. According to a report by Khaama Press, the young doctor was identified as Amruddin Noori, who was reportedly killed after he did not stop at a police security checkpoint in the Herat Province of Afghanistan. While speaking to the Kabul based news organisation, the family members of the deceased said that the doctor had a small private medical clinic. He got married recently, added the family members.

This was not the first time when a health care staff was targeted by the Taliban. Recently, a psychiatrist, Mohamed Nader Alemi, was abducted two months ago in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Subsequently, they demanded ransom money to release the psychiatrist. According to his son Roheen Alemi, the family eventually paid them $3,50,000 (Rs 2,60,33,927) after negotiating down their initial demand of more than twice that. Despite paying such a hefty amount, the kidnappers killed the doctor. His son told that the family got a call about the location of the body on Friday. Alemi said his father's body was found in the street. "My father was badly tortured, there are signs of harm on his body," Roheen Alemi said.

Earlier, the Taliban had assured the people of Afghanistan of security and safety of their lives and assets but this kind of incident contradicts the Taliban's claims.

At least eight suspects were arrested by the security forces

Notably, Alemi, a psychiatrist, worked for the governments provincial hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif and also owned a private clinic. As per his son, his father was the first one in the city to open a private psychiatric clinic. Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khosty, said that at least eight suspects were arrested by the security forces. Further, he told the police successfully rescued two out of three other people held by the kidnappers. Among the three, Alemi was also allegedly kidnapped by the same kidnappers and was relocated to Balkh Province.

Law and situation deteriorated after Taliban takeover

According to him, police were searching for two associates of the eight arrested men who were believed to have killed the doctor. "The Islamic Emirate is committed to finding and punishing the perpetrators, he said. The law and order situation of Afghanistan deteriorated since the Taliban ousted the democratic government and took power in mid-August.

With inputs from ANI

Image: PTI/Unsplash/AP/Rep. Image
An unknown hacker group, on Friday, 26 November, defaced several Iranian government websites, including the website of Tehrans Justice Ministry, Centre for Mosque Affairs, and the Computer Research Centre of Islamic Sciences, with captions "death to Khameini, greetings to Rajavi. The hackers referred to Iran's supreme leader and the leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), the Israeli media outlets reported on Friday. MEK is an Iranian opposition movement in exile that battled the Former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the 1960s and was once allied to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Shortly after the incident, Irans Ministry of Justice notified its traffic that the site is being updated, while the government websites compromised immediately took down the controversial message. No individual or group has claimed responsibility, according to Sputnik. A senior Iranian cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda, however, told the IRNA news agency that the cyber attack must have been conducted by MEKs cyber element. Meanwhile, a separate hacker group "Hooshyarane Vatan" had claimed responsibility for attacking Mahan Air's airline database, an airline that has links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The attack comes as Iran gears up for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiations in Vienna in the coming weeks.

US threatens escalation With Tehran as it prepares for JCPOA talks

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Iran earlier this week and told the nuclear watchdogs 35-member Board of Governors that the meeting with Tehran was inconclusive ahead of the JCPOA negotiations. US board members have now threatened to confront Islamic Republic if it does not cooperate. Grossi in his report on verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran told the board members at a meeting that Iran has failed to respond to the IAEAs requests for access to its monitoring equipment and was seriously compromising the agencys technical capability for the verification and monitoring of its nuclear-related commitments. However, Mohammad Eslami, the Head of Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (AEOI), announced at a joint press conference that IAEA needed to resolve technical issues with Tehran "without politicising such matters."
Mexico City, Nov 27 (AP) In a bid to halt migrant trafficking, Mexico has said it will suspend a 17-year-old programme that allowed Brazilian citizens to enter without a visa.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Department Friday said the move came after an uptick in Brazilian migrants travelling to Mexico with the intention of reaching the United States.

This decision was taken due to the increase in irregular (migration) flows and the unfortunate fact that criminal groups make money off Brazilian citizens' interest in migrating irregularly to the United States, by deceiving them, the department said in a statement.

The measure will apply starting December 11, but will not affect Brazilians who already hold valid travel visas for the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada.

Migrants, mainly from Central America, Haiti and Cuba, often cross Mexico to reach the US border. Mexico has largely been aiding the US government in reducing the flow. (AP) MGA MGA

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
On the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, a motorcycle rally was organised in Janakpurdham, Nepal, against Pakistan for supporting terrorism. Under the direction of the National Unity Campaign, youngsters organised a motorbike rally and held posters with various messages accusing Pakistan of supporting terrorism to mark the terrorist assault in Mumbai. The motorcyclists left the local railway station and travelled via Yali Bhanu Chowk, Shiva Chowk, and Janak Chowk before arriving at Janaki Temple, ANI reported.

On Friday, India marked the 13th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack, which killed 174 people, including 20 security officers and 26 foreign nationals, and injured over 300 more. Earlier today, even as the external affairs ministry summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat to seek a speedy trial of those guilty for the carnage in the country's financial centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that India cannot forget the wounds of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The 26/11 attacks have left deep scars in India, PM Modi said in a brief video posted on Twitter by the external affairs ministry. "Now, todays India is combating terrorism with a new policy and new ways. I pay my homage to all those who died in the Mumbai attacks. Many brave police personnel were martyred in this attack. I also pay homage to them," he added.

The 26/11 attacks

On November 26, 2011, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists arrived in Mumbai by ship from Pakistan and carried out a series of synchronised shooting and bombing operations around the city. The attackers targeted prominent landmarks in Mumbai after sailing into the city under the cover of darkness, with the first attack taking place at the packed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station. The attack at this station was carried out by Ajmal Amir Kasab and Ismail Khan, who killed 58 people and injured over 100 more. Kasab and Khan later entered to attack Cama Medical. They killed six police officers, including Hemant Karkare of the city's Anti-Terrorism Squad, in an ambush after leaving the hospital.

The second location of the attack was the Nariman House commercial and residential complex, where a Rabbi, his wife, and six others, including five Israeli nationals, were massacred by the terrorists who had taken them hostage in the first place. Moshe, the Rabbi couple's two-year-old child, survived the attack. Then 'Baby Moshe' became the face of brutal terrorism's innocent victims. The Leopold Cafe was the third target on November 26th, followed by the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower. Four terrorists carried out the attack at the cafe before storming the famed Taj hotel, where they killed up to 31 people over the course of a three-day siege. The Oberoi-Trident hotel was also attacked on November 26th, with another set of two terrorists entering at almost the same time that the other four had entered the Taj.

The siege at the Oberoi-Trident hotel finally ended on the evening of November 28, with up to 30 people slain in the horrible attack. The attack and seizure came to an end on November 29, 2008, when NSG secured the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Over 160 people had been killed and hundreds had been injured by the time NSG commandos gunned down the remaining terrorists who had been holed up in south Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace hotel. Following the attack, it was discovered that 10 terrorists had sailed to Mumbai from Pakistan's coastal city of Karachi.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP/Representative
Observing the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist incidents and to pay tribute to those who were martyred in the horrific violence, a procession was held on Friday in Bangladesh against Pakistan for supporting terrorism. The Bangladesh branch of the Vishva Hindu Parishad had organised the parade wherein the participants were holding signs and placards that said "The Mumbai Terror Attack of 26/11, we will never forget."

The procession's organisers stated that the demonstration was being conducted to denounce the increasing communal conflict among the nation as well as to criticise the Pakistani forces that support terrorist acts and insurgency. The rally was held at Ahsan Manzil in Jashore, where protesters displayed placards reading "Tribute to brave heroes who lost their lives on a tragic day," ANI reported.

Nepal conducted a motorcycle parade to protest against Pakistan's terrorism backing

Further, apart from Bangladesh, Indias neighbouring country, Nepal has also held a motorcycle parade in Janakpurdham, Nepal, to protest Pakistan's terrorism backing. To mark the terrorist attack in Mumbai, youths organised a motorcycle parade under the guidance of the National Unity Campaign. They even displayed banners blaming Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. According to ANI, the motorcycles left the local train station and traveled via Yali Bhanu Chowk, Janak Chowk and Shiva Chowk before reaching Janaki Temple.

26/11 Mumbai attacks

In the year 2011, on November 26, ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists landed in India's financial capital, Mumbai by ship at night from Pakistan and launched a planned series of shootings and bombings around the city, killing 174 people, which include 20 security personnel and 26 foreign citizens, and injuring over 300 others.

The perpetrators attacked prominent landmark sites in Mumbai, with the first strike at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station. The massacre on the station was carried out by Ajmal Amir Kasab and Ismail Khan, who killed 58 people and injured over 100 others. Kasab and Khan later attempted to target Cama Hospital and during an attack after leaving the hospital, killed six police officers, including Hemant Karkare of the city's Anti-Terrorism Squad.

The Nariman House complex was the second target of the attack, when a Rabbi, his wife, as well as six people which including five Israeli nationals, were slain by the terrorists who had previously taken them captive. The Leopold Cafe was the next target on November 26th, trailed by the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower. Four terrorists attacked the cafe before storming the Taj hotel, where they killed up to 31 people following a three-day battle.

During the 26/11 attacks, two terrorists stormed the Oberoi-Trident hotel at around the same period when the other four attackers had entered the Taj. The attack and capture came to an end on November 29, 2008, when the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was seized by the National Security Guards (NSG). Nine terrorists were slain in these heinous acts, while the only survivor, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was apprehended and sentenced to death at Yerwada Central Jail in the year 2012.

(Image: ANI)
Singapore, Nov 27 (PTI) An Indian-origin drug mule from Malaysia, who was granted a stay of execution two years ago, failed in his appeal to start a court challenge against his death sentence, according to a media report on Friday.

Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, 34, was convicted in 2017 of importing 51.84 grams of heroin into Singapore and sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.

After his application for permission to start judicial review proceedings was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, Pranthaman, spoke to his lawyers, Too Xing Ji and Lee Ji En, through the glass panel of the dock, the Straits Time reported.

The trio then bowed their heads in a quiet prayer.

Too, who was in tears, told reporters that his client has not given instructions to file any further application.

The apex courts decision hinged on whether information provided by Pranthaman to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) had substantively assisted the agency in disrupting drug trafficking activities, the report stated.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, drug couriers who are issued a certificate of substantive assistance by the prosecution can be sentenced to life imprisonment and caning instead of the death penalty.

Pranthaman had contended that he had provided information that led to the arrest of a drug trafficker named Zamri Mohd Tahir and argued that he should be issued a certificate of substantive assistance, it said.

On Friday, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said the statute contemplates that the information must have been used by CNB in some way.

He said "used" in this context may mean arrest, apprehension or conviction, or the making of wider strategic decisions such as when to launch enforcement.

The court, which also comprised Justices Judith Prakash and Steven Chong, will issue fuller written grounds at a later date.

After his appeal was dismissed in February 2018, he and his family submitted clemency petitions to President Halimah Yacob, which were rejected.

Pranthaman then sought to mount a challenge against the rejection, questioning the transparency of the clemency process.

This arose from the fact that two sets of letters sent to his family, one from the Istana (the Presidential Palace) rejecting the clemency petition and the other from the Singapore Prison Service stating his execution date, were both dated May 17, 2019, according to the report.

In an affidavit, the President's principal private secretary said he had signed the letters on May 7 but post-dated them by 10 days.

On May 23, 2019, a day before Pranthaman was scheduled to be hanged, the apex court granted him temporary reprieve to seek legal advice on whether he could mount a successful challenge.

In February 2020, the High Court dismissed his application to start judicial review proceedings.

Besides challenging the clemency process, he also sought to challenge the Public Prosecutor's decision not to issue him a certificate of substantive assistance.

Senior State Counsel Francis Ng said in written submissions that the CNB confirmed that information provided by Pranthaman, who failed to identify Zamri when shown a series of photographs by the CNB, did not assist in Zamri's arrest, the report added. PTI GS MGA VM VM VM

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Colombo, Nov 27 (PTI) Sri Lanka will ban entry to most travellers from six southern African countries from Sunday, after a potentially more contagious new coronavirus variant called Omicron was identified in South Africa earlier this week, healthcare authorities said here on Saturday.

With effect from Sunday, arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini are required to undergo mandatory quarantine, a circular from the Director General of Health Services said.

The new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday designated as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which named it Omicron.

A variant of concern is the WHO's top category of worrying COVID-19 variants.

It was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

A number of countries around the world have now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from these six southern Africa nations.

As a new COVID-19 variant called nu has been detected from South African countries travellers with a travel history including transit in the past 14 days to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswaitini (Swaziland) will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka, the circular added.

Irrespective of their vaccination status, travellers aged 12 years and above, who are arriving in Sri Lanka over the weekend from these six southern African nations will have to undergo PCR tests, according to the circular.

Sri Lanka continues to record over 700 cases on a daily basis since a six-week lockdown was lifted on October 1.

As on Saturday, the island nation has recorded a total of 561,059 confirmed cases and 14,258 deaths. PTI Corr VM VM

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A number of representatives of the Taliban led by Maulvi Amir Khan Mottaqi met with Qatar's special envoy for foreign affairs, Mutlaq Al Qahtani, to discuss ways to increase humanitarian assistance for Afghans. The meeting takes place as a Taliban group travels to Qatar, where a new round of talks between the Taliban and the US will begin next week.

As per Sputnik, the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday that the delegations discussed issues such as counter-terrorism, human rights, and humanitarian assistance. Both sides emphasised the necessity of humanitarian aid.

Qatar stressed the necessity to continue to operate schools in Afghanistan and ensure that girls have easy access to education. According to the ANI, the State of Qatar also reaffirmed its commitment to work with all Afghan parties and international partners to strengthen Afghanistan's stability. In the meantime, the Taliban expressed gratitude to Qatar for its support of Afghans.

Afghan Foreign Minister held high-level delegation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar

Taliban spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi posted some tweets. In one tweet, he stated that Maulvi Amir Khan Mottaqi held a high-level delegation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a joint discussion with officials and representatives of various ministries of the State of Qatar. Political, humanitarian, economic, and educational topics were discussed at length at the summit.

Today a senior IEA delegation led by Afghan Foreign Minister H.E. Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi held a joint meeting with officials and representatives of various Ministries of the State of Qatar in MoFA compound of the host country.



Detailed discussions were held about political, pic.twitter.com/MJj31s7pwJ  Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) November 26, 2021

In the following tweet, Balkhi announced that the officials from Qatar have declared that they will continue to support Afghans and provide assistance in the coming months. He also said that Qatar was complimented by the IEA delegation for the help and good contribution in prior negotiations. The Taliban left for Qatar two days ago on November 25.

Interim government frequently requests foreign assistance

Following the Taliban's takeover of the country in mid-August, the interim government has frequently requested foreign assistance to address a growing humanitarian crisis. The United States froze $9.5 billion in Afghan Central Bank assets, impairing the government's ability to function in many ways. The Taliban has also urged the international powers to acknowledge it as a legitimate administration.

(Inputs from ANI)

(Image: Twitter/@QaharBalkhi)
The Solomon Islands was rocked by two days of civil unrest over the country's switching of links from Taiwan to China. At least three persons were killed in the riots that erupted on Wednesday. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators from Malaita after they set fire to the National Parliament and many other buildings in Honiara, as per AP. What began as a peaceful protest was marred by violence and looting of public and private properties.

The protests came after citizens mainly from Honiaras Chinatown and its downtown precinct demanded the resignation of Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare over lack of services, corruption and Chinese businesses offering jobs to foreigners rather than natives.

While PM, in a veiled reference, suggested Taiwanese and American interference in stirring up the protests, some are questioning whether China played any role in fuelling the unrest.

How is China involved?

Inter-ethnic tensions have spurred frequent protests fuelled by violence in the Solomon Islands. China has provided yet another cause for dissatisfaction among the ethnic majority, with PM Sogavares government supporting Beijing and Malaitian leaders supporting Taiwan. As per AP, critics have also blamed Chinese companies in the Solomon Islands for giving jobs to foreigners rather than locals.

Talking to AP, a local journalist, Gina Kekea, highlighted that the foreign policy switch to Beijing was done with "little public consultation" and was one of a myriad of issues that led to the protests. "There were also complaints that foreign companies were not providing local jobs," Kekea said.

Chinese businesses and (other) Asian businesses ... seem to have most of the work, especially when it comes to extracting resources, which people feel strongly about, Kekea added.

Despite the protests, Sogavare on Friday reiterated his stance on embracing Beijing over Taiwan, and emphasising that the "only issue" in violence was "unfortunately influenced and encouraged by other powers."

It is to be noted that Sogavare's move came after he was angered with the US' refusal to provide direct aid worth millions to Malaita, the most populous island, and offered it through the central island. On being upset with Washington, Sogavare decided to ramp up diplomatic ties with China, gradually tilting away from Taiwan in 2019, which infuriated the leaders of the Solomon Islands' most populous province, Malaita.

The leaders of Malaita, who had forged deep ties with Taipei, complained that their island had been unfairly treated and deprived of government investment since the shift of diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China, thus, fuelling protests demanding the resignation of PM Sogavare.

Meanwhile, the issues woven from "abject poverty" and limited economic development have remained warm for decades between Honiara's Chinatown and it's downtown precinct, Jonathan Pryke (Director of the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank's Pacific Islands program) told AP.

Solomon Islands unrest

Ethnic tensions between Guadalcanal and Malaita fuelled since late 1990 after natives of the Guadalcanal launched the campaign of violence and intimidation to drive the Malaitians off the island. In retaliation, Malaita formed a militia named Malaita Eagle Force to protect them in the conflict.

This led the government to declare a four-month state of emergency in 1999, as per AP. Ethnically divided law and order forced Guadalcanal to collapse. Later in 2000, the Malaitian militia kidnapped then PM Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, a Malaitian, accusing him of 'not doing enough' for the community. He resigned in exchange for freedom and Sogavare began his first of four stints as an 'unstable' leader.

It is to be mentioned that with a population of 7 lakh, the Solomon Islands is located about 1,500 kms northeast of Australia. The island is famous for its pivotal Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. The island, earlier a Protectorate, became the Solomon Islands in 1978 with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state.

(With AP inputs)

(Image: AP)
Amid the ongoing violence in Myanmar, seven nations which also include the United States and the United Kingdom, have voiced deep concern over the accounts of persistent human rights breaches and assaults by Myanmar Security Forces throughout the nation. The governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom, as well as the United States have signed a joint statement which reveals that the recent violence has uprooted over 40,000 people in Chin State and 11,000 in the Magwe Region.

According to the press release from the US Department of State, the statement reads, Reports of internet shutdowns and other methods of communication in Chin State and other areas of the country are also troubling. Communities impacted by violence need access to information to keep themselves safe. We also note our increasing concern at armed clashes in Rakhine State in early November.

The Seven nations expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Myanmar

The nations have even expressed worries on the allegations of stocking up of weapons as well as military attacks which include shelling and air raids. The seven countries also talked about the use of heavy weapons, and the deployment of millions of soldiers to what security services claim are counter-terrorism actions, which are disproportionately affecting civilians.

The joint statement further reads that the present crisis and reports by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar raise serious concerns about the threat of violence and atrocities in Myanmar in the coming days. The report further suggests what the global community can and must do to avert such acts of terror.

The countries demanded that the global community should halt all active support for the military Junta and stop supplying guns, material, dual-use devices, and technical help to the military and its officials. "We welcome the Press Statement by the UN Security Council on 10 November, which called for the immediate cessation of violence, protection of civilians, and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access," the statement added.

Furthermore, the nations even urge that human rights should be respected and all human rights violations and crimes, as well as violence against civilians, be immediately stopped. Noting the horrible brutality inflicted against Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2017, the nations demanded on Myanmar Security Forces to instantly halt the atrocities being committed across the country. The seven nations stated that they will keep working closely with ASEAN, the UN, and the rest of the global communities to promote accountability and assist a long-term solution to the conflict and to restore democracy in the nation.

Meanwhile, Martin Griffiths, the UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator expressed grave worry on November 8 about the people of Myanmar's deteriorating situation, which is threatening to turn into a humanitarian disaster. According to Griffiths, rising violence, instability, the COVID-19 epidemic, and a crumbling economy have forced approximately three million Burmese to take life-saving humanitarian help to live.

(Image: AP)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) on Staurday, 27 November postponed its conference of government ministers which was set to commence on Tuesday next week over the spread of the new highly concerning Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 with several mutations. The move was prompted after Switzerland instated new travel bans to curb an event of the variant outbreak within the country via air travel.

The 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) at WTO headquarters in Geneva was scheduled to commence next week to discuss a range of key issues such as the negotiations on the subsidies for fisheries launched in 2001 at the Doha Ministerial Conference to deter the overfishing problem in the global sea. Other key issues to be discussed were the patent waiver and other intellectual property protections relaxations on the COVID-19 vaccines.

On Friday, however, as the countries worldwide scrambled to hold a meeting on the new virus of concern [VOC] Ambassadors from the WTOs 164 member states agreed to cancel the in-person ministerial conference in Geneva. WTO on Twitter updated its decision shortly after Switzerland prohibited flights from southern Africa, and Belgium. The global trade body stated that it was discussing possible alternative arrangements for the now-cancelled conference as new travel restrictions were in place in Switzerland.

"Given these unfortunate developments and the uncertainty that they cause, we see no alternative but to propose to postpone the Ministerial Conference and reconvene it as soon as possible when conditions allow," Amb. Castillo told the General Council. "I trust that you will fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation."

Face-to-face meeting 'impossible'

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stressed that her priority at this time was the health and safety of all MC12 participants --ministers, delegates, and civil society. She emphasised that it was indeed better to err on the side of caution than take risks at the moment. Conference will be convened as soon as conditions allow Dacio Castillo added. With strict travel constraints, she said, it became inevitable for many ministers and senior delegates to have participated in face-to-face negotiations at the Conference and this would have rendered participation on an equal basis impossible. And hence, the WTO conference was called off.

As the in-person conference has been declared cancelled, a virtual meeting at this time was not deemed to be an option, a Geneva-based trade official told ABC on condition of anonymity as he wasnt authorised to discuss the matter publicly. MC12 was due to start on 30 November and run until 3 December. General Council Chair Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) called an emergency meeting of all WTO members to inform them of the situation."This has not been an easy recommendation to make, she stressed, adding that the delegations must maintain the negotiating momentum.
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has disclosed forthcoming changes to the country's military, including a plan to deploy some of the country's tanks to Germany amid reported worries over Russian "activities" on the Ukraine border, reported news agency, Sputnik. The move will bring the British motorised presence there to a full armoured brigade for the first time over the past decade. The report stated that the additional tanks will be stationed at the NATO Forward Holding Facility in Germany's Sennelager Training Area. The UK Defence Ministry, on the other hand, has no plans to increase the number of troops stationed there, the report added.

The shift is likely to allow NATO's eastern flank to be reinforced quickly. As a result, the UK will effectively reverse its 2010 decision to move a portion of its armoured brigade from Germany, which was partially justified by the absence of a direct threat from Russia. UK Defence Secretary Wallace's announcement comes after Whitehall expressed concerns over Russia's purported military action on the Ukrainian border, The Telegraph reported citing an anonymous source. According to the source, London anticipated them as "aggressive" and "worrying."

While addressing the House of Commons, Wallace also stated that the upgradation of the British armed forces was long overdue. He claimed that the current state of the UK's military forces is owing to years of underinvestment. The minister revealed that the government will spend 8 billion over the next ten years to procure new helicopters and armoured vehicles. In addition, the UK Army will receive an "upgrade kit" worth around 40 billion pounds, reported the Russian news agency. The move follows London's decision to reduce its military troops from 82,500 to 73,000 personnel. Nonetheless, Wallace defended Whitehall's previous judgement as correct.

Russia has no intention to invade Ukraine: Peskov

Meanwhile, earlier on November 12, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refuted media reports claiming Russia's intentions to "invade Ukrainian territory." Terming those reports as "false" and "groundless," he blasted such outlets for attempting to stir up tensions between Russia and other countries. Peskov had further said that Russian military movements on Russian soil should not be a source of concern for anyone and Moscow poses no threat to anyone, reported Sputnik.

(Image: AP/Shutterstock)
The death of an overworked Vietnamese teen underscores peril of labor exports to the Middle East.

Vietnamese women who work as domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia hold signs asking the Vietnamese government for help in an undated photo.

HSoan Siu said her 14-year-old sister, HXuan, called from the airport in late 2018 to tell their family she was leaving for Saudi Arabia to work for a family there. HSoan never saw her younger sister again.

HXuan died after being repeatedly beaten by her employer, who also denied her medical care and food, HSoan said.

Her case was noted earlier this month in a special statement from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warning of truly alarming allegations that companies in Vietnam were recruiting girls as domestic workers and lying about their ages to hide the fact they were children.

We are seeing traffickers targeting Vietnamese women and girls living in poverty, many of whom are already vulnerable and marginalised, the U.N. said. Traffickers operate with impunity.

HXuans nightmare began when a woman named Le Thi Toan from VINACO, and international labor export company in Thanh Hoa province, invited her sister to get a passport so she could work overseas, HSoan told RFA.

The family only became aware of this when HXuan called them from the airport, saying that she was about to leave for Saudi Arabia. She said the passport she was given prior to her flight had a wrong birth year, 1996, instead of 2003.

HXuan immediately had misgivings and asked Le Thi Toan to allow her to return home. She was told she could return only if she reimbursed the company the 30 million dong (U.S. $1,324) it had paid for her belongings and accommodation, HSoan said.

Without money, HXuan had no choice but to leave for Saudi Arabia.

In October 2019, HXuan called again to say that she was working for an Arab family.

HXuan called an intermediary named Ms. Nhung for help but received a scolding instead, according to her sister.

The passport of trafficked Vietnamese woman H'Xuan Siu lists her year of birth as 1996 instead of 2003. Credit: VOA





Heart failure

The teenager also contacted Nguyen Quoc Khanh, who was in charge of guest workers affairs at the Vietnamese Embassy in Riyadh, and told him that she could not tolerate the situation it any longer and asked to leave her employers home. The agency would not agree to it, however.

Finally, HXuan told us she would try to stay there some more months and return home when flights were available, HSoan said.

She never made it home.

HSoan said the family lost contact with her sister in July, when a representative from VINACO told them that HXuan had been hospitalized for heart failure. Four days later, the company notified the family that HXuan had died.

Calls by RFAs Vietnamese Service made to Khanh at the Vietnamese Embassy in Riyadh and to VINACO received no reply.

A 2018 report by the Vietnamese National Committee on Crime Prevention and Control identified about 7,500 victims of human trafficking between 2012 and 2017, more than 90 percent of whom were female and 80 percent of whom came from remote ethnic communities.

Vietnamese who fall prey to human traffickers usually come from impoverished and vulnerable families and communities and lack education or awareness of human trafficking.

HXuan was not the only girl who VINACO sent to Saudi Arabia to work.

At least three other young girls were sent to VINACO to Saudi Arabia to work  HNgoc Nie, who returned to Vietnam in September 2020, and Siu HChiu and RMa Nguyet, who remain in Saudi Arabia, said Nguyen Dinh Thang, president of Boat People SOS, an NGO which rescues trafficked Vietnamese.

VINACO Company often targets Central Highland adolescents who live far away from urban areas as in the case of HXuan, who was enticed by Le Thi Toan to visit Thanh Hoa City without her familys knowledge, he told RFA.



HNgoc Nie, who is now 17 and is a member of the E De ethnic minority group, told RFA that intermediaries from Thanh Hoa City came to her village in E HLeo district, Dak Lak province, saying that if they worked in Saudi Arabia they could send enough money back to Vietnam to support their families.

An abused Vietnamese worker shows bruises on her arms from beatings by her employer in Saudi Arabia in an undated photo. Credit: Life Current Media/CAMSA International

No rest

HNgoc said she was also given a passport that falsely listed her birth year to make it seem like she was older than she really was. She arrived in Saudi Arabia in October 2018 and was treated like a slave by the family she worked for and only allowed to sleep three or four hours a night.

I had to work around the clock while they only ate, sat, and did nothing, she said. They ate a lot and never let me have a rest.

Desperate for help, HNgoc said she called VINACOs representative in Riyadh only to be told that she should be able to do what others could do.

At first, she was able to send her mother the salary she earned. But after a year, her employer stopped paying her.

A woman who identified herself as Gam from Vietnams southern province of Long Xuyen told RFA in September that she went to Saudi Arabia for work in 2019 and now lives at the Sakan Center, an entity under the Saudi Arabian government that provides legal assistance to migrant workers.

Gam arrived in Saudi Arabia in September 2019 and was immediately taken to her employers home to work as a domestic aide.

The master family treated me very poorly and without respect, Gam said. I was only allowed to eat left-over food and had only one main meal a day. Sometimes, when I was too hungry, I had to wait until when my masters went out so that I could steal some food and hide it in my room to eat in the evening.

She was also beaten, but when she reached out to her employment agency for help she was ignored.

Gam said she eventually reported the abuse to local police, who allowed to return to Vietnam. But she was stuck in Saudi Arabia because airports and borders were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Then my intermediary office sold me to another intermediary, and that office sent me to a new family to work, Gam said. In total, I have been sold to four different masters.

The intermediary office kept her wages, and that all of her employers beat her black and blue until she decided to escape while the last one was sleeping.

H'Soan Siu (L), sister of trafficked Vietnamese woman H'Xuan Siu, stands beside her mother H'Ger Siu, outside their home in Vietnam in an undated photo. Credit: VOA

Cheated, sold and bought

As Gam was running along a street, a driver stopped to help her contact police. She ended up in the Sakan Center.

I had been cheated, sold and bought. I went abroad to work, but it left me empty-handed, she said.

Hthai Ayun, from Buon Ma Thuot, a province in Vietnams Central Highlands, also worked as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia.

I had to do everything from A to Z, she told RFA. My master did not give me sufficient food. When I got sick, they wouldnt get me to the clinic unless I paid for it.

Hthai Ayun also asked the intermediary office to find another employer for her but was told that if she wanted to work for another family, she wouldnt get credit for the time she had already worked in Saudi Arabia. She would have to sign a new two-year contract.

Unable to return home because there were no flights to Vietnam during the pandemic, she instead sought refuge at the Sakan Center.

I noticed that all of my fellow Vietnamese women taking shelter at the center had been treated badly and beaten up by their masters, Hthai said. They had to escape from their masters homes without either salary or belongings. They have nothing with them.

Hthai and other women at the center made a video demanding that they be allowed to return home.

Three days after the video was posted on social media, Nguyen Quoc Khanh, a diplomat from the Vietnamese Embassy in Riyadh, went to the center to threaten Hthai, telling her that the video contained content against Vietnam. The diplomat said that she was now on a special list kept by the embassy.

This September, the embassy told Hthai that she would be given a free air ticket sponsored to return home. But she asked to stay at the Sakan Center because she feared that the Vietnamese government would punish her for the video.

In September, the Sakan Center had provided shelter for 38 Vietnamese female guest workers who were maltreated by their local employers; 29 of the women returned home early that month. The remainder do not know when they will fly back to Vietnam.

Thang of Boat People SOS said many of the women at the facility had fallen prey to human traffickers.

Almost all of them have completed their two-year contracts but were not allowed to leave their masters home as the Vietnamese government said there were no repatriation flights and their companies/intermediary offices did not want to them to end the contract, Thang said. The intermediary offices forced them to stay further so that it didnt have to feed them or compensate them. This is an involuntary factor.

Thang said files his group compiled on the women were sent to the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Eventually the Human Rights Council of Saudi Arabia helped mobilize the police to intervene and free the women.

We were also referred to international organizations specializing in repatriation, and they provided assistance to the victims that we spoke to, Trang said. Then the Human Rights Council of Saudi Arabia also stepped in, and they mobilized the police for intervention and rescue.

Vietnamese Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said the country's diplomatic missions monitor agencies and firms that that recruit female workers to ensure good working conditions.

"At the same time, the Ministry stands ready to carry out measures to protect Vietnamese citizens and their legitimate rights and interests as necessary, especially those of women and children," she told a news conference last week.

The spokeswoman said that the Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia "proactively" dealt with recent abuse reports in the country and had brought nearly 800 Vietnamese citizens back to Vietnam safely.

Vietnams responsible agencies will continue to work with host countries responsible agencies to organize more flights to repatriate Vietnamese citizens who wish to return or are in extremely difficult circumstances in accordance with citizens desire, the pandemic developments in the world as well as Vietnams quarantine capacity, said Le.

Translated by Anna Vu for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A special U.S. envoy for election reform in Bosnia-Herzegovina has told RFE/RL's Balkan Service ahead of a trip to the region that Washington sees "limited, targeted constitutional change" as a key aspect of a reform push ahead of elections next year.



Bosnia has been in a protracted political crisis as its Serb entity threatens secession and Bosnian Croats complain they are underrepresented in the country's ethnically-apportioned structures.



U.S. officials have been pressing for electoral reforms in time to ensure broad participation in an election scheduled for next October.



"The message that we will be bringing to the leaders of the various political parties and to others is -- now is the time for action," Mathew Palmer, special envoy for election reform in Bosnia, told RFE/RL on November 26.



"Everybody understands the nature of the problems that we are looking at, everybody understands the nature of the compromises that are necessary, and now is the time for leadership, now is the time for difficult choices in order to help Bosnia-Herzegovina move forward towards a European future, Palmer said ahead of his arrival in the Balkan country on November 27.



Bosnia's governing structures remain ethnically divided under a U.S.-brokered peace accord that ended a 1992-95 war.



The Dayton accords created two entities in Bosnia: the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation. The country is governed and administered along ethnic lines established by the agreement, with a weak and often dysfunctional central government.



"This is not a negotiation that has two parties. This is about all of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the future direction of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the integrity of the electoral process across the country. So there are going to be multiple stakeholders," Palmer said.



Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, the Serbian representative in the ethnically-apportioned tripartite presidency, has been threatening to withdraw from state-level institutions, including Bosnia's joint judiciary, military, and tax administration. He has brushed aside international concerns that such an agenda could spark renewed conflict in the ethnically divided Balkan country.



U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has renewed a push for diplomacy to resolve the political crisis, working with European and regional partners to ensure the country's territorial integrity and compliance with the peace deal.



Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote a letter to members of the presidency, calling for a commitment to the Dayton accords and reforms to the countrys election law and limited constitutional reforms.



"One of the key aspects of the [electoral] reform process -- as we look at it -- is limited, targeted constitutional change to help Bosnia-Herzegovina meet its obligations to the European Union and come into compliance with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights," Palmer said.



The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and EU officials have said Bosnia's current, ethnically defined representation is problematic.


The United States has expressed deep concern after security forces in Iran cracked down on demonstrators protesting crippling water shortages.

Security forces on November 26 fired tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators as some 500 people gathered on the desiccated bed of the Zayandehrud River, which runs through the city of Isfahan.

Hassan Karami, an Iranian police general, said on November 27 that police had arrested 67 of the main actors and agitators from the protest. Karami added that between 2,000 and 3,000 "rioters" had taken part in the November 26 demonstration in Isfahan, some 400 kilometers south of the Iranian capital, Tehran.

"Deeply concerned about the violent crackdown against peaceful protestors," State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted. "The people of Iran have a right to voice their frustrations and hold their government accountable."

The riverbed has seen protests against the water shortages since November 9, as farmers and others have gathered there from across the region.

Although the region is experiencing a severe drought, many people blame the authorities for diverting water to neighboring Yazd Province, which has also been affected.

The largest protest, involving thousands of demonstrators, was on November 19.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni has said the water crisis is a top priority for the government.

Based on reporting by AFP and Fars
Iraq is sending more planes to repatriate about 800 migrants stranded on the Belarus-Poland border, adding to nearly a thousand already brought home, the Foreign Ministry said.



Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf said on November 26 that two Iraqi Airways flights would bring back 861 migrants over the next 24 hours.



The flights will bring to 1,894 the number of Iraqis, most of them Kurds, brought home from Belarus on special flights since the operation began on November 18.



One flight on the evening of November 26 will bring 431 people to Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region, followed by a flight on November 27 to collect 430 more, Sahaf said.



Poland and other EU nations accuse Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka of waging a hybrid war by allowing migrants to fly in, then funneling them to the blocs borders in retaliation for sanctions imposed over a sweeping crackdown that has been under way in Belarus since the authoritarian leader kept his grip on power following last years disputed presidential election.

Meanwhile, the EU is readying a fifth package of sanctions against Belarus for orchestrating the migrant crisis.



Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania have put up fences and deployed thousands of border guards, soldiers, and police to seal the border, where thousands of migrants have camped in freezing temperatures during the standoff between Belarus and the European Union. At least 11 migrants have died in recent months, according to aid groups.



In some cases, the frontline states in the crisis have pushed back migrants to Belarus, in a policy criticized by human rights groups.



Returning Iraqis say they have spent thousands of dollars to escape economic hardship or life in displacement camps to start a new life in the EU, only to be mistreated by Polish and Belarusian authorities. Most of the migrants, including minority Yazidis displaced by a genocidal campaign launched by the Islamic State in 2014, are seeking to reach Germany.



Poland says groups of migrants are still continuing to illegally cross the border from Belarus, and has warned against interpreting recent moves by Minsk to repatriate some of the migrants as a de-escalation of the crisis.



Last week, Belarusian authorities cleared makeshift migrant camps at the border and transferred about 2,000 people to a warehouse turned into shelter, while allowing the first repatriation flight to Iraq.



Earlier on November 26, Lukashenka made his first public appearance at the border since the start of the crisis, telling migrants at a warehouse that they were free to choose whether to head to the EU or go home.



"If you want to go westwards, we won't detain you, choke you, beat you," he said in a campaign-style speech to hundreds of migrants. "It's up to you. Go through. Go."



"We won't in any circumstances detain you, tie your hands and load you on planes to send you home if you don't want that," he added.



While Belarus has begun allowing some migrants to fly home, it is pushing for Germany to accept 2,000 people, something the EU has rejected and Germany has denied agreeing to it.



Lukashenka accuses the EU of failing to meet international asylum laws by refusing the migrants entry.



The crisis has added to tensions between Russia and the EU. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who backed Lukashenka as he crushed opposition protests following last year's election, has also backed Belarus in its migrant standoff with the EU.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, Iraqi News Agency, and Kurdistan 24
Voters in Kyrgyzstan return to the polling stations on November 28 for the fourth time in less than 14 months, this time to vote for a new parliament.

The elections are a repeat of the failed parliamentary vote held on October 4, 2020, that was quickly annulled by the Central Election Committee (BShK) amid protests over campaign violations and unfair voting practices on election day.

A referendum held in April 2021 changed the constitution and the structure of Kyrgyzstans unicameral parliament.

The outgoing parliament has 120 deputies, but the new chamber will have only 90.

The system for electing new deputies has also changed, with 54 deputies being chosen from party lists and the remaining seats to be decided in single-mandate districts that were drawn up in September so that each one has some 80,000 eligible voters. Some districts have 17 candidates and one district -- Uzgen voting district no. 12 -- has one candidate.

That requires voters to cast two separate ballots for candidates.

Voters will choose one of the candidates running in their district as well as one of the 21 different parties that are on the ballot.

The party list ballot is also more involved than usual as voters will select a party and also choose a particular candidate from that party by putting a mark in one of the 54 boxes on the right side of the ballot.

Should a voter mark the box for a party but fail to tick a box for a specific candidate, that vote goes to the first name on the partys list.

Of the 21 parties competing in these elections, only five appeared on last years ballot: Ata-Meken (Fatherland), Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan, Yyman Nuru (Ray of Faith), the Social-Democrats, and Ordo (the Center).

The Kyrgyzstan party, which had won seats in parliament in the 2010, 2015, and 2020 parliamentary elections (where it was one of the three winning parties), is not compete in these elections.

A Close Friend Of The President

Kamchybek Tashiev, who is currently the head of Kyrgyzstans State Committee for National Security (UKMK) and a close friend of President Sadyr Japarov, once headed the Ata-Jurt (also Fatherland) party (known now as Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan).

Another party some view as pro-presidential is the Yntymak (Harmony) party, which includes parliament speaker Talant Mamytov.

Mamytov is also a close friend of Japarov and Tashiev. The three were convicted together and imprisoned in 2013 for trying the overthrow the Kyrgyz government.

The Reforms party was an interesting newcomer in the October 2020 elections with the majority of its members being young and many also new to the Kyrgyz political scene.

They joined with Ata-Meken for these elections, and Reforms leader Klara Sooronkulova is among the first names on the partys list of candidates. The Turan, Ak Kalpak (White Hat), and Egemen (Sovereign) Kyrgyzstan parties, and the Kanykey movement have also merged with Ata-Meken.

Only two parties, Ata-Meken (leader Omurbek Tekebaev) and Butun Kyrgyzstan (leader Adahan Madumarov) can be considered openly opposed to the current authorities. They have been strongly criticizing Japarov's policies during the campaign. All of the other parties have some relation to or connection with the government.

Other parties participating in the November elections have new names but are also filled with the members of parties that competed in the October 2020 elections but are not running this time.

Interesting Races

There are some very interesting races in single-mandate districts.

Current deputy Dastan Bekeshev is running in district no. 28 in Bishkek. Bekeshev has been something of the voice of morality in parliament and he has encountered some difficulties campaigning.

Since the start of November, Bekeshev has been called for questioning by the UKMK about schoolchildren taking part in his election campaign and by the military prosecutors office as a witness in the investigation into the Kumtor gold mine scandal.

The campaign slogan for Bekeshev -- who is legally blind -- is I see the truth.

Iskender Matraimov is also currently in parliament. He is the brother of alleged criminal figure Raimbek Matraimov.

Iskender Matraimov is running in voting district no. 9 in southern Kyrgyzstans Kara-Suu district, the same district where his brother Tilek was chief from 2012 to 2020.

Aybek Osmonov, the founder of three political parties -- Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, Yyman Nuru, and Bizdin Kyrgyzstan -- is running in district no. 7 in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Seidbek Atambaev, the son of imprisoned former President Almazbek Atambaev, is running in district no. 25 in Bishkek.

Attorney Nurbek Toktakunov had been one of the most vocal critics of the new constitution and argued before this years presidential election that Japarov should be barred from competing due to his previous conviction for attempting to overthrow the government. Toktakunov is running in district no. 27 in Bishkek.

Shaiyrbek Tashiev, the brother of UKMK chief Kamchybek Tashiev, is running for a seat in district no. 14 in the southern Jalal-Abad Province because, as he said, the people wanted him to do so.

Elmurza Satybaldiev -- who was prosecutor-general when Kurmanbek Bakiev was president and was convicted of involvement in the violence of April as 2010 Bakiev was ousted from power -- is competing in district no. 12 in the Uzgen district. A close ally of the ruling officials, he is assured of winning a seat as he is the only candidate running after all three of his competitors suspiciously dropped out.

Eligible voters will cast their ballots at one of 2,435 polling stations inside Kyrgyzstan or at one of 59 polling stations in 29 countries. Twenty of those are in Russia due to the great number of Kyrgyz migrant laborers working there.

Eligible Voters

Curiously, there are two different figures for the number of eligible voters. According to a preliminary list of voters from the BShK, there are 3,703,420 people registered to vote for parties, and 3,619,292 registered to vote in single-mandate districts.

That is apparently because some migrant laborers cannot vote for candidates in single-mandate districts, only for candidates on party lists.

One of the biggest questions now is how many people will actually cast ballots, as there seems to be some turnout burnout in Kyrgyzstan.

Voter turnout for the October 2020 parliamentary elections was some 56.5 percent.

The turnout for the presidential election and vote on whether the country should have a parliamentary or presidential system on January 10, 2021, was just over 39 percent, and the turnout for the April 11 referendum on a new constitution was less than 37 percent.

Some 730 international observers, 288 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europes Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, are accredited to monitor the elections.

Polls in Kyrgyzstan open at 8 am and close at 8 pm.

RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk, contributed to this report.
BUCHAREST -- A cadre of artsy young professionals moonlighting as online "influencers" is trying to reinvigorate the Romanian capital's cityscape -- and make it chic again. Armed with cameras and curiosity, these urban storytellers and cultural influencers are crowdsourcing tips and using Instagram and other social media to share their appreciation for landmarks and their histories, and hopefully save some architectural treasures in the process. "My goal was, in fact, to turn houses into celebrities on social media," Ana Rubeli, a trained actuary and senior insurance executive, tells RFE/RL's Romanian Service. "I'd like it to be possible for culture to have a place on this stage, and I think there's room for all kinds of influencers. I wanted to contribute to the growth of the cultural area on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and I see that slowly, slowly I have succeeded." Romanians arguably have a lot of catching-up to do. Proud inheritors of a country shaped by the essential roles in European history of the Danube River and the Black Sea, they spent the better part of a century watching their national heritage crumble under communist neglect before the Iron Curtain fell in 1989. In the democratic decades since, Romania's capital has slowly crept up the prosperity ladder. But its cultural and architectural rejuvenation remains hampered by austerity, untransparency, uncontrolled development, and plain old abandonment, according to experts. 'Cultural,' Not Just 'Influencer' A passionate amateur photographer and prolific sharer online, Rubeli lives in her great-great-grandparents' former home in one of Bucharest's "slums," where since childhood she has been fascinated by the memorial plaques attached to many of the facades. Her interest has expanded to landmarks all around the country.

One of hundreds of plaques mounted on buildings in Bucharest, the landmarks that inspired Ana Rubeli's early love for such cultural heritage. "Initially a lot of people wrote to me, 'Ana, you've become an influencer, you launched an invitation to a museum and people came,'" Rubeli says. "It seems like a heavy word to me." Around the world, "cultural influencer" more commonly evokes images of a prodigal Kardashian, 7-year-old Russian-born YouTuber Like Nastya, or South Korean boy band BTS. So Rubeli says she set out to repurpose the moniker to benefit cultural heritage in Romania, which she says "went through several dark decades, decades of communism, in which the focus on heritage was extremely precarious."

In May, Rubeli and her husband founded a digital "cultural storytelling" project called Aici a Stat (Here She Stood) to raise public awareness about Romanian landmarks and the personalities behind them. They describe Aici a Stat as a "virtual museum of collective memoirs" to "capture the beauty of old places," and promote tours and cultural events alongside occasional nods to sustainable local brands. "What do we need to save something? First of all, knowledge," Rubeli says. "You can't save what you don't know. If you're not aware of the value of the house you pass on the way to the office every day, you don't even know that you need to save its wooden carpentry, its original plaster." The result is a rich cache of stunning photographs with painstakingly researched explanations of Romanian heritage objects and, frequently, a history of neglect. It's got nearly 26,000 followers on Instagram and another 7,000 on Facebook, in addition to readers of the Aici a Stat website. They hope to attract domestic and international funding for national heritage objects and other aspects of local culture.

The Art Deco home built by Silvia Serbescu, one of Romania's first internationally renowned pianists . Neglected Landmarks The Council of Europe (CoE) describes Romania's cultural heritage, with a staggering 30,000 listed historical monuments, as a victim of "wars, earthquakes, political decisions, and neglect." It estimates that around 60 percent are "in bad condition." Nationally, the Culture Ministry's National Heritage Institute (INP) is responsible for researching, protecting, and restoring Romania's cultural treasures.

The Press House Compound (former Spark House) in northern Bucharest. "This massive 1950s project shares a universe with the Seven Sisters in Moscow, Prague's Hotel Druzba (today's Hotel International Prague), or the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw," Cristi Radu says. In a recent article for a heritage alliance co-funded by the European Union, the INP bemoaned the state of the national "cultural heritage ecosystem." It described public, commercial, and volunteer heritage-preservation efforts in Romania as understaffed, and noted that the INP itself had "lost half of its staff in the last decade." It also said EU funding helped but the public sector was "severely underfinanced," and that the public and private sectors faced "a shrinking body of knowledge and personnel able to create and manage knowledge" in the field. It noted that Romania's government has so far failed to ratify the so-called Faro Convention, a CoE framework for protecting cultural heritage and the citizenry's access to it that was signed in 2005 and came into effect in 2011. But the country is "gradually embracing" broader participation in its attitude to preservation, it said, instead of the "expert-led, top-down, institutionalized, and centralized" approach of the communist era. Leading The Charge Cristi Radu is at the forefront of that change. He's been pioneering postcommunist "urban storytelling" about Bucharest online for nearly two decades. "In 2021, there are still people who look strangely at people posing [for photos] in front of buildings or posing on the street," Radu says.

He says he was drawn in after seeing a collection of vintage photographs of prewar life that was published in 2000, called Interbellum Bucharest, Victoria Avenue. In 2007, he launched Urban Resistance, "a game that quickly turned into an online platform followed by a community with attitude," to promote Romania's capital. Now it's got about 59,000 followers on Facebook. His more recent projects include a crowdsourced photo project called Bucuresti Realist, drawing more than 11,000 followers on Instagram. But these days, Radu's biggest audience comes for the eye-catching images of facades and other cityscapes on his raidenbucharest page on Instagram, which has more than 1,000 posts and 27,000 followers.

Radu called this 1920s complex "hands down one of the most stunning places I ever uncovered in Bucharest." He has harnessed a community of similarly minded individuals -- architects, urban planners, historians, even anthropologists -- to help identify and document topics, including through films shot in Bucharest or archival photos that are increasingly available online. "The documentation involves an in-depth analysis of the urban fabric -- maybe of a plot on the street, the buildings that line a street, a square, or a shed -- and noticing exactly what's changed there," Radu says. "I've learned to 'read the city.'" With the country and much of the world stuck inside in the coronavirus pandemic, Radu's group tracked the quiet demolition last year of a familiar Bucharest landmark, a 100-meter tower built in the 1980s to test elevators. Many of Bucharest's residents were unaware of the plans. The structure was an eyesore, but Radu characterized it as a "great feat of Bucharest industry" and lamented the loss of "another relevant industrial building" under cover of the COVID-19 lockdown.
A large munitions factory in the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk was rocked by several explosions on November 27.

The Emergency Situations Ministry reported that two workers were injured in the explosions.

A fire ignited by the blasts was later extinguished.

Officials said there was no danger to local residents.

Acting Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Chupriyan was at the site, having traveled to Dzerzhinsk from Kemerovo Oblast where he was overseeing rescue efforts from a November 25 coal-mine explosion there.

Officials said 88 workers were successfully evacuated from the area of the explosions.

A criminal investigation into the incident was opened.

The plant was struck by a series of massive explosions on June 1, 2019, injuring dozens of workers. That incident followed an earlier explosion in April 2019.

According to the factorys website, it is the largest defense-industry plant in Russia. Munitions account for about 30 percent of its output, the rest comprising mostly industrial explosives and chemical products.

In August 2018, six workers were killed in an explosion and fire at the plant, while in July 2020, three workers were hospitalized following a chemical leak.

With reporting by Interfax
A court in Russia on November 27 ordered five people to remain in pretrial detention for two months pending a probe into an explosion at a coal mine in Siberia that left dozens dead.

Russian authorities reported 51 deaths after a suspect methane explosion rocked the Listvyazhnaya mine in the Kemerovo region in southwestern Siberia on November 25, killing 46 miners and five rescuers.

The Central District Court in the city of Kemerovo ruled to jail the director of the Listvyazhnaya mine, Sergei Makhrakov, his deputy Andrei Molostvov, and section supervisor Sergei Gerasimyonok.

They are facing charges of violating industrial safety requirements for hazardous production facilities that resulted in multiple deaths. If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison.

Two officials of the local branch of Rostekhnadzor, Russias state technology and ecology watchdog -- Sergei Vinokurov and Vyacheslav Semykin -- have also been jailed for two months on a charge of negligence that led to two or more deaths, punishable by up to seven years in prison as well.

The two inspectors had issued a certificate for the mine this month but had not actually checked the facility.

Law enforcement officials said on November 26 that miners had complained about the high level of methane in the mine.

In all, 60 people remain hospitalized, four in serious condition, the Russian Health Ministry reported on November 27.

The head of the Kemerovo Oblast settlement of Prokopyevska, Vyacheslav Starchenko, was dismissed on November 26 for organizing a party in honor of his own appointment the previous day at a time when the entire Siberian region was officially in mourning. Regional Governor Sergei Tsivilev announced the dismissal, saying that those who attended the gathering apparently have no heart.

Kemerovo Oblast has declared a period of mourning from November 26 to November 28.

The accident at the mine, located some 3,500 kilometers east of Moscow, was Russia's worst since 2010 when explosions killed 91 people at the Raspadskaya mine in the same region.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
Demonstrators blocked roads and bridges across Serbia on November 27 to protest against new laws they contend favor business.

Police were out in force, especially in the capital Belgrade, where protesters, blowing whistles and chanting We wont give up Serbia, managed to block traffic at several locations.

Huge columns of cars and other vehicles formed at several locations as the demonstrators allowed only emergency services to pass.

Similar actions were organized in several other cities across Serbia, including Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Sabac, and Kragujevac.

Several demonstrators were arrested during the protests in Novi Sad and Zrenjanin in northern Serbia.

Environmental groups and civil society organizations object to the authorities' recent moves to lower the referendum threshold and allow for the swift expropriation of private property if it's deemed to be in the public interest.

Activists argue this will pave the way for foreign companies to circumvent popular discontent over projects such as the bid by the Rio Tinto company to launch a lithium mine in western Serbia.

Serbias authorities have rejected the accusations, saying the new laws are needed because of infrastructure projects. President Aleksandar Vucic said a referendum will be organized on the Rio Tinto mine.

Experts have warned that the planned lithium mine in western Serbia would destroy farmland and pollute the waters.

Rio Tinto has said that it will respect all Serbian laws and denied its project could endanger the environment.

Following decades of neglect, Serbia has faced major environmental problems such as air and water pollution, poor waste management and other issues.

With reporting by AP
Rare protests in Tajikistans remote Gorno-Badakhshan region continued for a third day on November 27, after one protester was killed and five members of law enforcement were injured when a crowd stormed a local government building.

Several thousand people protested in the provincial capital, Khorugh, on November 27. According to unconfirmed reports, police opened fire on demonstrators, several of whom were reportedly injured.

Protests in Khorugh broke out on November 25 after security forces lethally wounded a local man wanted on charges of kidnapping.

Protesters brought the dead body of the man, Gulbidin Ziyobekov, to the town square on November 25, demanding an investigation into the incident, RFE/RLs Tajik Service reported.

Some in the crowd then attempted to seize the building of the regional administration using "firearms, stones, and sharp objects," wounding four members of the security forces and a staff member of the prosecutor's office, the state security service said in a statement.

In response, security forces fired on protesters, killing one of them and wounding several others, sources told RFE/RLs Tajik Service.

According to the regional prosecutors office, Ziyobekov, 29, was "injured" when security forces raided his home in a nearby village on November 25. He and accomplices are wanted for allegedly beating and kidnapping a prosecutor last year. Another man was reportedly injured during the operation and later died in a hospital.

Authorities said Ziyobekov had resisted arrest and opened fire on officers, but they made no mention of his death.

Protest were also held on November 26, when crowds brought the coffins of two people killed the previous day to the central square in Khorugh.

Protests are rare in the tightly-controlled nation of 9.5 million where President Emomali Rahmon has ruled for nearly three decades.

Tensions between the government and residents of the nominally autonomous Gorno-Badakhshan region have simmered ever since a five-year civil war broke out shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

A linguistically and ethnically distinct region, Gorno-Badakhshan has been home to rebels who opposed government forces during the conflict.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Inside the small boathouse at Lake Cuyamaca, about 1,200 small trout busily swim in six aquarium tanks.

They represent a small-scale, fish-farming experiment with lofty goals. If the lakes staff can make it work at Cuyamaca, General Manager Butch Paddock said, perhaps larger lakes in the county with greater resources can do the same, but on a much bigger scale.

In about a month, the two- to three-inch trout will be transferred to a holding pen by the dock. A couple months later, when they are larger, theyll be released into the lake where they are destined to be caught by fishermen or eaten by other fish or fowl.

The lake has a problem thats been getting worse for several years.

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The amount of trout the states Fish & Wildlife Department provides them under the terms of a contract has been declining due to hatchery problems. At the same time, the cost of trout the lake buys from vendors has continued to go up.

A pound of farmed trout used to cost under $2. Now it costs more than $4.

Lake Cuyamaca Ranger Jay Blaylock explains how the trout farming system works. (J. Harry Jones/U-T )

Not too long ago, 40,000 pounds of trout would be dumped into the lake annually. Thats down to about 19,000 pounds now because thats all the lake can afford.

Although located in Cuyamaca-Rancho State Park, the lake is independent of the state park system and gets almost all its revenues from the sale of daily fishing permits.

That severely limits the amount of money they have to buy from fish farming vendors, yet its the trout that fishermen most want to catch at Cuyamaca.

Were looking for ways to augment our trout, Paddock said Tuesday. We used to be a trout mecca. Were trying to build that back up now.

Which is where the fish-farming experiment kicks in. A couple years ago, on a very small scale, the lake began trying to raise its own trout. There were failures at first as they figured out the intricacies.

They got better at it and then early this year they were the beneficiaries of a decision by the owners of Lakeside Bait & Tackle to move back to Texas. They sold everything in the store, including a system to Lake Cuyamaca that included the tanks and filtration system they had used to raise bait fish.

We were very fortunate, Paddock said. They sold everything off. Thats where we got our system and we got it for a song and a dance.

The idea is to raise their own fish, show others in the county that it can be done, and then hopefully inspire others to copy what they are doing.

Up at Big Bear Lake, they are soon going to be putting in their own hatchery, Paddock said. They are going to raise their own trout. They are going to be in a position in another year or two to be able to not only provide themselves with all the trout they will want, but also to distribute trout to other lakes in the area.

In the future I see that happening in San Diego, he said. If our little operation can do what were doing right now, then I believe these larger organizations that do have tax-based revenues  can provide all the trout for all the lakes in the county.

Ranger Jay Blaylock said farmed trout are not a self-sustaining species. They are genetically bred not to reproduce. They grow faster that way, he said.

That means the only way trout can exist in the lake is to put them there.

Paddock said if the experiment doesnt work, the lake may be forced to concentrate less on the popular trout and more on fish that can reproduce and are already in the lake like catfish, blue gill, sturgeon and crappie.

What were trying to do is show what can be done, Paddock said.

All you have to do is be diligent about keeping them clean and keeping them fed, he said. If larger organizations with a few bucks behind them try it, I believe they can absolutely provide fish for many, if not all of the lakes in the county.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Herb Montgomery and his wife, Janet, have lived in Del Mars low-lying Beach Colony just east of Camino Del Mar for 20 years.

He knows the ocean is creeping closer to his property and he says the city has an obligation to protect his home, valued at $3.2 million, from the rising waters.

But considering a strategy that allows for the eventual removal of threatened structures, even as a last resort, would be tantamount to financial ruin for him and other property owners in the small, wealthy coastal city.

It wont work for Del Mar, Montgomery said.

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The mere mention of the strategy known as planned retreat in the citys planning documents will put a cloud of doubt over the future and cause property values to plummet, he said last week. Beachfont homes in Del Mar typically list for more than $5 million, and a new blufftop mansion on Stratford Court sold for $21.5 million last year.

Current owners would be reluctant to invest in improving and maintaining their homes, Mongomery said, and banks would be unlikely to loan money to buy or improve homes that the city has acknowledged could be removed or destroyed.

Many of the citys residents have fought long and hard against including planned retreat as part of their strategy. They say seawalls, sand retention and beach replenishment are better ways to preserve their coastal homes, and that their property values would plummet if they acknowledge that someday their property could be inundated by the sea.

However, the California Coastal Commission requires all coastal cities to have a sea-rise adaptation plan, and to include planned retreat as part of their strategy.

Failure to comply could result in the Coastal Commission refusing to certify the citys plan, thus robbing Del Mar of the authority to approve permits for developments such as seawalls, homes, businesses, roads and other structures. Instead, that authority would fall to the Coastal Commission.

With those possibilities in mind, Del Mar will take another look Monday at the possible inclusion of planned retreat as part of its plan for adapting to rising sea levels.

Planned retreat, also called managed retreat, is a strategy of gradually removing manmade structures such as seawalls, homes, roads and public buildings in advance of the rising sea. Del Mar has about 600 homes within a few feet of sea level, mostly in the North Beach and Beach Colony areas near the San Dieguito River, that could be affected by the strategy.

Climate change has been widely acknowledged by scientists, but predicting the amount of sea-level rise, like the weather, is difficult.

We may see five feet of sea-level rise earlier than previously thought, states a letter dated April 16 to Del Mar Mayor Dwight Worden from Coastal Commission program manager Garbriel Buhr.

The California Ocean Protection Council adopted statewide guidance in March that recommends planning for a 7.1-foot sea-level rise by 2100 for the Del Mar area, the letter states. Seas could rise as much as 10 feet by 2100 if the polar ice sheets melt significantly. And by most accounts, the water will continue to rise for centuries.

Typically, the retreat strategy is used with other planning techniques such as identifying high-risk areas, regulating types of structures, and instituting buy-back programs or financial aid for relocation.

Del Mar residents say no form of planned retreat is practical for them because of the large number of homes involved, the high property values, and the lack of space at higher elevations to move to in the small city.

Montgomery said cities around the world have found ways to hold back the sea.

Look at Holland, he said. They have been below sea level almost forever, and they are dealing with it.

Montgomery said if the state forces the city to include a retreat policy, They better come along with a big heavy bucket of money. People should be remunerated for the investments they made.

Not everyone in Del Mar opposes including managed retreat as part of a multi-faceted adaptation policy.

Global warming is real, and sea-level rise is a fact, said resident Ann Feeney, chair of the citys Sustainability Advisory Board and a professor at The Scripps Research Institute, in a letter to the City Council.

Sand replenishment is great, but will become increasingly difficult, expensive and less productive as the sea level rises, she said. I hope that the council will include managed retreat as a consideration in the adaptation plan, after other strategies become unfeasible.

Del Mar began working on its Coastal Resiliency/Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan in 2015 with the first of two Coastal Commission grants.

The city formed a Sea Level Rise Technical Advisory Committee that met more than 20 times before concluding in January that it was too early to consider planned retreat as an option. The citys Planning Commission agreed in January, and recommended not to include managed retreat as an option for private property.

The City Council took on the topic in April, but postponed a final decision until Monday to fine-tune the language.

The latest version of the citys strategy, modified after the April meeting, states that as part of future plan review and plan amendment, relocation will only be considered if necessary and feasible.

Retreat will only be considered as a last resort, it states.

Given the uncertainties of climate science and the efficacy of adaptation strategies, planned retreat will remain one strategy to be re-evaluated and considered if necessary as part of future planning and plan amendment if the citys favored strategies prove unable to meet the indentified goals, the updated policy states.

Once approved by the City Council, the adaptation plan go to the Coastal Commission to be included in the citys local coastal program, or LCP.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
Next March, a functioning miniature memory village for Alzheimers and dementia patients will open inside a Chula Vista warehouse. The 1950s-style Glenner Town Square, where patients will be able to shop, eat and interact with staff in the elaborate adult day care center, may be the first of its kind in the nation. It wont be the last.

This week, the creators of Glenner Town Square announced a development agreement with a Solana Beach partnership that plans to build as many as 100 more Town Squares in cities around the country in future years.

Michael Larkin, co-managing partner of Village Holdings LLC, said he and his partner, Bob Mueller, plan to open two more Town Squares next year in San Diego County. After that, theyll open about two to three of the $3 million centers each year, starting on the West Coast.

An artists rendering of what Glenner Town Square will look like when it opens in March in Chula Vista. (George G. Glenner Alzheimers Family Centers)

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Larkin said he and Mueller see a huge and growing need for elder-care options. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimers disease, but thats figure is forecast to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimers Association.

Glenner Town Square is the passion project of Scott Tarde, CEO of George G. Glenner Alzheimers Family Centers, a 35-year-old San Diego company that operates adult day care centers in Chula Vista, Hillcrest and Encinitas.

He describes Town Square as the new frontier for care of the elderly with memory-robbing diseases. Using the recognized technique known as reminiscence therapy, staff will move groups of elderly participants through the interactive village for guided interactions that spark and engage their long-term memories.

The 8,500-square-foot village  which will be constructed inside a 20,000-square-foot light industrial building with 24-foot ceilings on Main Street in Chula Vista  will include 13 storefronts surrounding a faux grass-lined park with benches.

Each 3-dimensional building will offer patients interactive experiences. Visitors can watch an old movie while munching fresh-popped popcorn inside the cinema, have a hot lunch in a 50s-style diner, browse books in the library, shop for handbags in the boutique, tinker on a real 1959 Ford T-Bird at the auto shop, cuddle shelter dogs at the pet store, and get a checkup from a real nurse and visit swaddled baby dolls in the nursery at the hospital.

To heighten the memory experience for the visitor, the local Town Squares will have San Diego-specific features, like a roof dome resembling Balboa Parks Museum of Man and an area designated as Old Town.

The interiors of each storefront will feature decor reminiscent of 1953 to 1961. Most of the elderly Alzheimers and dementia patients served by Glenner are in their 80s, and their most stable memories are those they acquired when they were 25-35. For these people, walking through an idealized San Diego from their prime years will generate positive recollections.

Decor inside the Glenner Town Square city hall has a 1950s look, representing the era when most of Glenners elderly clients were in their prime and they may still remember. (George G. Glenner Alzheimers Family Centers)

The first completed storefront, City Hall, looks like the 1938-era San Diego County Administration Center, and inside its doors, visitors can page through a set of leather-bound encyclopedias and tap on an old manual typewriter.

The lightweight but hyper-realistic storefronts and interiors are being built by San Diego Opera Scenic Studio. Since 1965, the operas master carpenters, metalworkers and painters have built more than 100 productions for San Diego Opera and other companies worldwide.

Although San Diego Opera recently announced plans to sell its scenic studio in Barrio Logan, the company said it plans to lease back a portion of the space for special projects like Glenner Town Square and scenery and prop work it does for trade shows like Comic-Con.

Tarde said Thursday that he envisions San Diego Opera building and shipping the scenery for all of the future Town Squares. Most of the sets will be generic, but some storefronts will be designed with memorable architectural features unique to each city.

San Diego Opera spokesman Edward Wilensky said the contract fulfills two major goals  to expand outreach to the community and to provide a stable revenue stream for the arts company, which survived a near-shutdown in 2014.

Glenners partnership with Larkin and Mueller grew out of the nonprofits boards desire to keep its resources focused on senior care rather than fundraising and construction. Under the agreement, Village Holdings will underwrite the expense of buying or constructing the warehouses that will house Town Squares. Glenner officials will lease and staff the centers once they open.

Tarde said Glenner has provided Village Holdings with an initial list of 50 locations for future centers, all but 10 in California. He said these cities were chosen, in part, because of their high cost of living.

People want to stay home longer and their adult children are looking for ways to lengthen the runway of their parents finances. Lots of families, given the choice, will keep their loved ones in their homes if they have a care option for their parents during the days when theyre at work or need a respite, Tarde said.

Larkin and Mueller, who both live in Solana Beach, have worked together on several development projects over the past six years, including a senior living complex thats now in the early stages of planning. Mueller has been in real estate development for 30 years. Larkin specializes in financing. He has worked in the past for Escalate Retail, GERS Inc. and General Electric.

Raising $300 million for 100 Town Square projects is achievable, Tarde and Larkin said, because the concept is so unique and the need is so great.

Once the doors are open, I know people will become believers, Tarde said. Ive seen what happens. Ive seen the reactions people have. Its very powerful.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Coronados beach is routinely ranked among the best in the country. Celebrities and heads of state vacation at its famous hotel. Prince Harry drank beers in the local Irish pub. And Tom Cruise is currently filming the Top Gun sequel there.

Each year, thousands of tourists and day-trippers drive over the 2-mile-long Coronado Bridge from San Diego to enjoy the islands shoreline, dine at the historic Hotel del and browse the shops on Orange Avenue.

But apparently locals are tiring of the increasing number of tourists who they say are having a negative impact on the citys quality of life. That rising anti-tourist sentiment has surfaced as a campaign issue in Coronado.

Perhaps, City Council candidates say, its time to reinstate a bridge toll. Its an idea thats been bandied about over the years for a variety of reasons, most recently as a way to pay for a proposed bike and pedestrian path. Its seldom looked at as a device to discourage tourism.

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Derik Mundt, who is running on a Residents First, Residents Only campaign, praised tourists fiscal contributions through hotel taxes, but has a problem with people crossing the bridge and enjoying Coronado without paying for it.

Its ok to have hotels; the hotels make money that support our city, he said. What is not ok is having day-trippers come over here and use our resources and not give anything back to us.

Coronado had a $1 bridge toll until 2002. The city explored bringing back the toll in 2015, but nothing materialized.

Because the city has so many attractions that it basically is an amusement park, it makes sense to charge admission, said Daron Case, another council candidate.

Its Disneyland and I think we might want to look into charging, he said. Bring back the (bridge) toll.

Tourists contribute more than $14 million in hotel tax revenues a year  more than a quarter of Coronados general fund. They also help seasonal businesses survive the winter lull and account for a large portion of the citys $3 million sales tax revenue, which comes mostly from restaurants and bars.

While locals appreciate tourists financial benefits, they arent exactly fond of the crowds, traffic and parking congestion that comes with it.

For our bands at Concert in the Park, they bring 800 groupies with them, candidate Mary Sikes said at a recent forum. We can get great bands who are dying for a chance to get known and we can cut the head count at Concert in the Park with just simple things like that.

Mundt said the city can kill two birds  summer traffic and large crowds  with one stone by getting the Coronado Police Department to write more tickets during the peak-season, he added.

I dont know if we need more police officers, but in the summer we need to step up enforcement, he said. I think that would solve some of the problem.

Coronado collected about $260,000 from vehicle code and parking fines, and $361,000 from parking meter collection during the 2017-18 fiscal year, according to the city budget.

Anti-tourist sentiment also runs outside of the political arena in Coronado.

Locals commonly refer to summer tourists as Zonies because a lot of them come from Arizona.

Earlier this year, the city celebrated an end-of-summer party on Sept. 21, which coincided with the citys 92118 zip code. Part of the events draw is that it was after the end of the summer tourist season.

The official website had a not-so-subtle message about the intended audience: Who is invited? Residents of Coronado, CA (this will not be monitored, but target audience will be Coronado residents).

This isnt the first time managing tourism has become a campaign issue in Coronado.

In 2016, residents complained about traffic and congestion to the City Council who in turned complained to Discover Coronado, a hotel-funded tourism district that promotes Coronado as a tourist destination.

Prompted by complaints, Discover Coronado shifted its marketing strategy by focusing its attention on convention guests instead of leisure tourists.

There has been no marketing of Coronado in San Diego since February 2016, said Discover Coronados president Todd Little.

And thats been a good thing, he said.

Convention guests pay higher room rates, visit during the off-season, normally dont bring cars, and tend to spend more money in restaurants because they are CEOs and executives.

It has actually increased hotel tax revenues while decreasing congestion, Little said.

I think it was a smart decision, we were happy to do it, Little said.

But Little said a bridge toll would be disastrous for local businesses and he dismissed the proposal as campaign rhetoric.

Bill Sandke, the lone incumbent in the race, supports mitigating the negative impacts of tourism but he took issue with the anti-tourist rhetoric on the campaign trail.

Its very troubling to hear people say, We dont want you in Coronado, whoever you are, he said.

While on the council, Sandke has looked at bringing back the bridge toll to mitigate traffic on Third and Fourth streets. He said a study suggested tolls could be $4 generally and about $6.50 during peak hours to incentivize less traffic, Sandke said.

But any move to charge tolls would require buy-in from alot of stakeholders.

Mayor Richard Bailey called the bridge a bureaucratic nightmare because of all the state, regional and local agencies involved in managing the bridge.

Bailey said Coronados natural beauty and attractions are a double-edged sword because they makes it a great place to live and attract tourists. The key to managing tourism, he said, is finding the right balance between quality of life concerns and hosting visitors.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter


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Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Beachgoers and surfers looking to work off that after holiday binge should remain cautious this Friday, as forecasters are warning of sneaker waves along the coast, according to the National Weather Service.

Sneaker waves, which are dangerous swells that suddenly surge higher than expected, could reach up to 9 feet and are expected to last till 6 p.m. this Friday, forecasters said. Beachgoers are also warned to look out for rip currents that can pull swimmers out to sea.
Even as an ominous variant of the coronavirus emerged to become international news, a busy week at San Francisco International Airport showed the extent to which the travel industry is recovering from the pandemic.

Nearly 334,000 passengers flew out of SFO last week, according to data provided to The Chronicle, more than double the 127,797 people who departed during the same period last year.

By comparison, 518,658 passengers flew out of the airport the same week in 2019.

SFOs data captured daily outbound passenger volumes for the holiday week over the past three years. Though Thanksgiving fell on different dates each year, the figures illustrate the the publics rising confidence  and demand  in air travel as vaccination rates have climbed up.

There are other heartening signs for Bay Area airports after the pandemic drove air travel across the country to historic lows.

Airlines operating at SFO resumed flights to London, Frankfurt and Shanghai this month after the U.S. lifted pandemic-related travel restrictions to South Africa, China, India, Iran, Brazil and 28 European countries. Flights from SFO to Dublin, Fiji and Paris are coming back in December.

But news of the omicron coronavirus variant underscores the continued uncertainty that faces the air travel industry.

Just hours after the World Health Organization labeled omicron a variant of concern, President Biden announced that the U.S. would implement a new travel ban. Starting Monday, the country will bar travelers from South Africa, where scientists first announced the omicron variants existence, and seven other African countries.

Representatives from SFO, Oakland International Airport and San Jose International Airport said the latest travel restrictions will not impact their operations.

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.

Oakland and San Jose mostly operate domestic flights, and spokespeople for both airports said they dont offer any direct flights to the eight restricted African countries. Nor does SFO.

United Airlines, the largest airline at SFO, said in a statement Friday evening that the airline still plans to restart or open East Coast flights to Nigeria, Ghana and Cape Town in the coming days.

United continues to monitor how the new 212(f) travel restrictions to Africa may impact demand, and remains committed to maintaining a safe and vital link for essential supplies and personnel to transit between the African continent and the United States as feasible, United spokesperson Nicole Carriere said in an email. We dont have any adjustments to our schedule at this time.

Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByRicardoCano
Two people died in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 101 in San Francisco early Friday that was triggered by a wrong-way driver whom authorities suspect was under the influence of alcohol, the California Highway Patrol said.

CHP officers responded to a crash on northbound Highway 101 just south of the 18th Street overpass near Potrero Hill shortly after 3 a.m. Friday, public information officer Mark Andrews said.

The crash happened after a 27-year-old San Francisco man driving south against traffic on northbound Highway 101 in a 2016 Honda Civic crashed head-on with the driver of an oncoming 2014 Toyota Camry. A motorist in a Ford Transit van driving in an adjacent lane near the rear of the Camry collided with it after the Camry was hit by the Civic.

The passenger in the wrong-way Civic, a 47-year-old man from Daly City, died at the scene, Andrews said. Emergency fire personnel who responded to the report of the crash had to extricate the driver of the Camry, a 56-year-old man from Daly City, using the jaws of life after the impact from the crash crumpled the cars body, Andrews said.

Responders extricated the man in about an hour and transported him to San Francisco General Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died at the hospital Friday shortly before 11 a.m., Andrews said.

The driver of the Ford transit van was treated at the hospital for minor injuries, Andrews said, and was released earlier Friday.

Authorities arrested the driver of the Civic for suspected gross vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. The suspect is in police custody at San Francisco General Hospital, where he was set to undergo surgery for major injuries sustained in the crash, Andrews 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.

Police are still investigating the crash. Its unclear where, exactly, the wrong-way driver entered northbound Highway 101.

All northbound Highway 101 lanes were closed following the crash and reopened at about 5:45 a.m.

Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com
UPDATE: Here's when experts say omicron likely will surface in Bay Area

The new coronavirus variant called omicron that prompted sudden global travel restrictions and sent markets tumbling on Friday is concerning and warrants further study, Bay Area scientists said, but much remains uncertain about how much trouble it will cause.

Still, the emergence of yet another so-called variant of concern  as much of the world still battles the highly infectious delta variant  underscores the urgent need to ramp up global vaccinations and prevent the virus from mutating further, experts said.

Theres nothing to more poignantly explain that we are all one world than this emergence of the omicron variant in the setting of low vaccine equity, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at UCSF. Its completely tragic, and a profound moral and ethical failing.

The variant was discovered in South Africa, when cases suddenly spiked from an average of about 200 a day to 2,465 on Thursday. Scientists studying samples of the virus to try to explain the outbreak discovered the variant. That doesnt necessarily mean the variant originated in South Africa, which has among the worlds best viral surveillance systems and may simply have been the first country to identify it.

Within a day of reporting the new variant, multiple countries  including the United States  announced plans to suspend travel from South Africa. The World Health Organization named the new variant, which has not yet been found in the U.S., on Friday.

Omicron has many more mutations than the currently world-dominant delta variant  more than 30 on the spike protein alone, which is considered key to the virus ability to infect human cells. The large number of mutations has scientists concerned that omicron could be more infectious than delta, and possibly able to evade immunity generated by previous infections or vaccines.

The WHO wrote in a report on the variant that preliminary evidence suggests that omicron might have increased risk of reinfection. Among omicrons many mutations are sequences associated with increased infectiousness and reduced vaccine effectiveness.

Peter DaSilva/Peter DaSilva

But mutations do not necessarily mean that a variant is more transmissible or will evade immunity, said Stacia Wyman, a senior scientist at UC Berkeley Innovative Genomics Institute. To make those determinations, scientists need to conduct more laboratory and real-world studies of the variant.

She said that while there are things about omicron that are concerning, its still too early to know exactly how transmissible it is.

We need lab tests to figure out the functionality of these mutations, and those are being performed in South Africa right now, Wyman said. Probably in a couple of weeks, we will know more.

She added that South Africa has not had a high prevalence of delta, so omicron may not have had much competition there. Other recent variants  such as mu, which had some health experts worried it might replace delta  havent been able to get a foothold globally.

Scientists still dont know how omicron matches up with delta  a variant so transmissible that it essentially wiped out other variants of concern like alpha and beta. In the United States, delta still makes up 99% of cases that undergo genomic sequencing.

Regardless of what scientists learn about omicron over the coming days and weeks, the discovery of another variant should lend new urgency to global vaccination efforts, health experts said. Variants are more likely to emerge in environments with high viral transmission  the more the virus is spreading, the more likely it is to develop mutations that could lead to a new variant.

Delta emerged in India at a time when almost no one was vaccinated there. South Africa currently is only about 21% fully vaccinated, according to data collected by Reuters, almost a year after the first vaccine was given emergency approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We should rush 200 million doses of mRNA vaccine to Botswana and South Africa today, Dr. Larry Brilliant, an epidemiologist who used to work for the WHO, wrote Friday on Twitter; Botswana may have been the country of origin of the variant. We could then focus vaccine on infected areas and break chains of transmission. Please act today. Not tomorrow. Today.

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.

Wyman and others noted that travel suspensions are perhaps not the best first move against a new variant. Vaccination, masking and lots of testing  those are the three things that really should be emphasized in the face of this variant. Not necessarily closing borders, Wyman said. To close the border and perhaps antagonize governments and stigmatize countries is just not the way to address it.

Gandhi added that governments acting swiftly to shut borders, even as the WHO condemned such actions, might be a knee-jerk reaction in countries with severe pandemic fatigue.

She noted that well-vaccinated places like the Bay Area, where in some counties more than 80% of the population is fully vaccinated, likely have less to worry about than nations with lower rates. Many local health experts have argued that global vaccine equity should be prioritized ahead of delivering boosters to Americans.

High vaccination rates, Gandhi said, were able to keep hospitalizations and deaths relatively low, even through the summers delta surge.

Everythings about vaccination. Everything, she said.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
On Jan. 5, 1851, fewer than four months after California was admitted to the United States, its first governor, Peter Hardeman Burnett, fulminated in his State of the State Address against the Indian foe, calling Indians savages. He then thundered that a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races until the Indian race becomes extinct!

Some states of this country were conceived in slavery. California, admitted to the union as a free state in 1850, was conceived in genocide.

But California was conceived in slavery too.

What is more, this crime was not merely tolerated by the state of California, it was authorized and directed by the state. Not only have we yet to come close to offering sufficient reparation for these and other injustices, we have only loosely acknowledged them. It took more than 168 years for a California governor, Gavin Newsom, to apologize on behalf of the citizens of the state of California to all California Native Americans for the many instances of violence, maltreatment and neglect California inflicted on tribes.

Gov. Newsom also created a Truth and Healing Council, whose work is ongoing, to clarify the historical record regarding Californias treatment of Indians. But neither genocide nor slavery were mentioned in his formal apology.

Atrocities against Californias American Indians began long before Burnetts finger-jabbing declaration of war. Spain claimed California in 1542, but did not colonize it until 1769, when the first mission was established at San Diego. In all, the Spanish founded 21 missions, from San Diego to Sonoma County. In 1821 Mexico attained independence from Spain, and in 1834 Mexico seized virtually all of the mission lands from the Catholic Church and began granting them to favored men. In 1846, the United States began war with Mexico, seized Alta California (what we now call simply California) and threatened to invade Mexico City. Peace negotiations began.

On Feb. 2, 1848, in the treaty of peace, Mexico ceded New Mexico, most of Arizona, large portions of Colorado and Wyoming and all of Utah, Nevada and California to the United States.

Gold and genocide

Nine days before, on Jan. 24, gold was discovered at Coloma in El Dorado County. The Mexican negotiators were oblivious to that discovery, which Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels just months later wrote would have much greater consequences than the discovery of America itself.

A mini gold rush occurred in early 1848, but soon petered out, and life in San Francisco returned to its somnolent, pot-holed normal. (The population of the little pueblo of San Francisco then, which only the year before had changed its name from Yerba Buena, was fewer than 500 people.)

Little changed in California until the fall of 1848 when President James Polk, in his State of the Union address, announced that the reports of gold in California were true, and that all were free to come and take it. Hundreds of thousands did come and did take. Jim Holliday aptly titled his monumental book on this time, The World Rushed In.

Many imagine these so-called forty-niners heroic, intrepid, latter-day Argonauts. But what sort of men were they (and they were virtually all men) who made the treacherous sea voyage around South America at Cape Horn or took the shorter route that took them by foot through the jungles of Central America, to come to San Francisco? They were men who left wives, children, mothers, jobs, the law, creditors and enemies to travel upward of 4,000 miles to seek fortune and a new life.

San Francisco has always had a weakness for light verse. This one, and there are variations, came early, and is occasionally attributed to Mark Twain, probably apocryphally:

The miner came in forty-nine,

The whore in fifty-one.

They rolled upon the barroom floor,

Then came the native son.

Between first European contact in 1542 and the end of the mission period in 1834, the population of the native Californian dropped from 350,000 to 150,000. The causes were many: European diseases to which the Indians had no immunity, abuse at the hands of certain of the Spanish padres and soldiers, and suicides wrung from despair. From 1834 until 1880, however, the native population plummeted far more precipitously, from 150,000 to 18,000. In all, the native Californians suffered an almost 95% loss of population from contact to 1880.

From 1834 to 1880, by far the principal cause of the population collapse was murder, mostly mass murder, by the mostly white gold-seekers and settlers. Indian hunting was sport. And it removed from the land of those who might assert superior land rights that the United States was obliged to honor under international law.

The state of California was at the heart  or heartlessness  of the genocide. Its Legislature authorized private militias to murder Indians. The most scholarly account to date states that a minimum of 370 massacres were committed and hundreds more smaller vigilante killings. From April 1850 to December 1854, massacres occurred from extreme Northern California (peoples of the Tolowa, Modoc, Yurok and Shasta tribes, to name just a few) to the southernmost part of the state, where the Cahilla and Cupeno were slaughtered. In the 1850s, the state Legislature appropriated $1.3 million  those were 1850 dollars  to underwrite these killing campaigns.

Indian Slavery Act of 1850

Congress admitted California to the United States on Sept. 9, 1850. Much debate had occurred in Congress, particularly the Senate, over whether California should be a free or a slave state. Sen. John C. Calhoun opposed its admission unless it were a slave state; Sen. Daniel Webster successfully argued for its admission as a free state. In the end, California was admitted as a free state.

But California was not a free state. It was already a slave state. And it remained a slave state for scores of years.

Following Californias annexation from Mexico, Congress never got round to providing laws for its new acquisition. (Under the Constitution, only Congress could.) White men living here grew impatient, and in 1849 and 1850 they convened in Monterey to write their own constitution and laws, with no authority from Congress to do so.

In October 1849, they drew up a constitution for California and delivered it to the voters, who approved it (12,061 for and 811 against), on Nov. 13 of that year. This 1849 Constitution absolutely prohibited slavery. (Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for punishment of a crime, shall ever be tolerated.) At the same time they created, again without authority of Congress, a Supreme Court, a governors office and a Legislature. Serranus Hastings was named first chief justice of California.

This illegitimate first California Legislature took it upon itself to write laws, notwithstanding it had no authority from Congress. Early on its docket was a Bill for the Protection, Punishment and Government of Indians. That bill became the 133rd law passed by the California Legislature. As passed, the bill was given the anodyne name, Act for the Government and Protection of Indians.

But everyone knew it as the Indian Slavery Act.

Section 20 of the act provided that, upon the petition of a white man to a justice of the peace, one or more Indians could be made that petitioners slave:

Any Indian found loitering and strolling about, or frequenting public places where liquors are sold, begging, or leading an immoral or profligate course of life, shall be liable to be arrested on the complaint of any reasonable citizen of the county, authorizing and requiring the officer having him in charge or custody, to hire out such vagrant within twenty-four hours to the highest bidder. The money received for his hire, shall, after deducting the costs, and the necessary expenses, be paid into the County Treasury, to the credit of the Indian Fund. But if he have a family, the same shall be appropriated for their use and benefit.

The Indian Slavery Act, which violated the states new Constitution, was hardly rushed through in a flurry of hasty legislative sausage manufacture. The Senate alone considered the bill on eight different days in March and April of 1850. The bill passed and became law on April 22, 1850.

Less than five months later, on Sept. 9, 1850, Congress admitted California to statehood, on condition it be a free state. From its first moment of statehood, California was in violation of its Act of Admission to the Union.

The Indian Slavery Act remained on the books for nearly a hundred years; it was not repealed until 1937.

No one knows exactly how many Indians were killed by state-sponsored massacres, and no one knows how many were indentured to white masters during this long period of Indian slavery in California. A tedious, case-by-case search of all court filings throughout the state, beginning April 22, 1850, would be required.

These court files will not stand out. Each most likely consists of but two sheets of moldy decaying paper: the petition of the white man who sought a slave or slaves, and the judges order granting the petition. The to-be-enslaved Indians were given no notice of their impending bondage. Nor were they allowed to challenge it.

State-sponsored theft of land

When an overwhelmed Mexico ceded the vast American West to the United States, all assumed, or pretended to assume, that the grantees of the Mexican and Spanish governments owned the coastal and central valley lands of California. They likewise assumed that the United States owned the lands in the Sierra, where the Spanish and Mexicans had not made land grants, and where gold was found. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war and effected the cession of California to the United States, recognized the established principle of international law that the United States had to honor private property rights created by the Mexican government (and the handful created by the Spanish government before it).

But all the pretended assumptions about land ownership ignored the equally established international-law principle of aboriginal rights. That principle holds that indigenous peoples, notwithstanding their conquest by armed invaders, notwithstanding their near-extermination by those killers, notwithstanding their enslavement, maintain their rights in lands their ancestors historically used and occupied. And those rights are superior to the rights of the conqueror.

Even in 1849, the U.S. Supreme Court had several times recognized the principle of aboriginal title, beginning with the case of Johnson v. MIntosh in 1823. It decided additional cases in 1831, 1832, 1835 and 1853 and would reaffirm the principle throughout the remainder of the 19th and all of the 20th century.

No day in court

Judges like Hastings and Ogden Hoffman, the first judge of the first federal court in the West, here in San Francisco, who heard most of the land cases, surely knew the principle of aboriginal rights. They were, as they would tell you, learned in the law.

But in the 1,000 or more land-title cases these and other learned judges presided over, the land rights of Indians appear never to have been discussed, much less adjudicated with any semblance of fair process.

That might shock, but it should not surprise. Indians who survived the massacres, who were not enslaved, were barred from appearing in court to testify on their own behalf.

Hastings and Leland Stanford and many others acquired vast tracts of land through violence against Indians who could bring no case against them  and made fortunes in real estate. Virtually all of the Sacramento Valley, and all the coastal land in California from just south of Fort Ross in Sonoma County to the Mexican border, had been purportedly granted into private ownership by the Mexican government. Those vast grants were the subject of decades of litigation between men claiming to have been granted land by Mexico (in a handful of cases, Spain), and those by the United States, which would be the owner of the land if the private claim failed. None of the more than 800 cases even bothered to mention the land rights of the Indian.

Amid even the barbarism of the Gold Rush, California Indians had rights guaranteed by law  American domestic law and international law. Those rights included the right not to be murdered, not to be enslaved, not to be stripped at gun and knife point of their ancestral lands.

Each of those rights was systematically and repeatedly violated by the state of California.

John Briscoe is a San Francisco lawyer, author and poet. He is the recipient of the 2020 Oscar Lewis Award in Western History and a distinguished fellow at UC Berkeley.
Its never quite made sense that the Country Bear Jamboree debuted in Disney World, located in muggy Florida, a state not particularly known for furry brown bears. But the ensemble of musical bears wasnt meant for Disney World at all. They were destined, once upon a time, for a stunning alpine-style resort tucked deep in Californias Sequoia National Park.

For almost two decades, Disneys Mineral King Ski Resort was the companys white whale, the project that Walt loved but environmentalists hated.

The saga began in 1960 when Walt Disney was appointed head of the pageantry committee for the Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley. He loved it. He loved the snow; he loved the resorts; he loved the idea of healthy, family-friendly outdoor exercise. Disney, he decided, should have its own ski resort.

So the company began searching for suitable locations. By the mid-1960s, theyd landed on Mineral King, a little-known jewel four hours north of Los Angeles. The area had never been seriously developed because of its inaccessibility. Miles of the "road" into Mineral King Valley were completely unpaved. As a result, in winter, its most alluring and potentially lucrative season, the region was off-limits entirely.

Famed skier Willy Schaeffler was brought in by Disney to assess the projects viability. Mineral King had the potential to be unsurpassed when it comes to magnitude, terrain and dependable snow, he told the company. They estimated the slopes could accommodate up to 20,000 skiers of all skill levels. It had the potential to be Americas greatest ski resort and a training ground for its Olympians.

In 1965, Disney was awarded a three-year permit by the U.S. Forest Service to explore its Mineral King idea further. It was assumed during that period they would fully develop their plan and, by the end of the permit, be automatically approved for a 30-year lease.

The plans, at least on paper, were stunning. Disney officials promised locals Mineral King would never be another Disneyland. There wouldnt be theme park rides or magic castles. Instead, it would be a ski haven built into the mountains. There would be 10 restaurants, 14 ski lifts, two hotels, a heliport, a conference center and even a chapel. To keep the area pristine  and because Walt hated traffic  vehicles were prohibited in the valley. Guests would park at a massive lot some miles away and be ferried into Mineral King via one of Disneys famed transit vehicles, like a monorail or gondola.

The companys entire approach has been based on the absolute necessity to preserve the sites natural beauty and alpine character, Disney wrote in its Spring 1966 Disney News magazine. ... The areas natural character will be preserved by camouflaging ski lifts, situating the village so that it will not be seen from the valley entrance, and putting service areas in a 60,000 square foot underground facility beneath the village.

Most importantly for the Forest Service, Disney committed to help build the road into Mineral King, a huge public works project that would transform that part of the forest.

The plans thrilled locals who relished the revenue potential of a Disney property in their midst. But the summer of 1966 was the last moment Mineral King would ever feel like a true, solid reality.

That December, Walt Disney died. His sudden death sent ripples through the corporation, the embodiment of Walt's whims and inspirations, and worried stakeholders in his many pending projects. The Disney company quickly assured locals that the Mineral King development was unchanged.

Were sorry only that Tulare County didnt have the chance to know Walt Disney better personally, the Tulare Advance-Register wrote the day after his death. His handiwork will play a great part in the shaping of our future.

HikingMike via Wikimedia Commons

It was a poor prediction. The Sierra Club filed the first of several lawsuits against the project in 1969, the same year Disneys permit was extended. The suit alleged any development in the valley would disturb the unspoiled ecosystem. The Advance-Register wrote a blistering editorial in response, pointing out that Mineral King was currently being used as a literal dump.

Its difficult to understand just what they mean by unspoiled when an unsightly garbage dump and polluted water already are part and parcel of the way of life in Mineral King, the editorial read. Only the Sierra Club has raised a discordant note of opposition, it went on.

As the suit worked its way through the courts, Disney had other problems. Across the country, Disney World had just opened. The total construction costs came in at $400 million, astronomically more than had been budgeted for. As a result, in 1972, Mineral King was scaled back. Its $30 million budget became $15 million, meaning fewer ski lifts, amenities and, most importantly, canceling the road altogether. Instead, Mineral King would be serviced by a 15-mile cog railway funded by a bond passed by Tulare County.

When then-Gov. Ronald Reagan officially signed legislation that removed the would-be Mineral King road from the highway budget, he reaffirmed the states commitment to the project. I want to stress as strongly as possible that I am firmly in support of the development of Mineral King as a recreation area, Reagan said.

Alternate access methods will suffice and, in the end, better serve the needs of both conservation and recreation, he added.

It was at this time, though, that Disney began to cool on the idea. Tied up in lawsuits and annoyed by the road issues, Disneys Mineral King project lead Robert Hicks offhandedly told the Los Angeles Times, Mineral King is not the only area in the world. We have had countless other offers. Hicks estimated that even if the Sierra Club lawsuit went away tomorrow, it would take Disney 13 more years to build Mineral King.

Its been so long, he said, wed have to start over.

In 1977, the U.S. Department of the Interior officially came out against the project, citing environmental concerns, and the next year, Congress passed a bill that officially added Mineral King Valley to the national park system. Now under the jurisdiction of Sequoia National Park  and saddled with far more stringent environmental protections as a result  Mineral King Ski Resort was, in effect, dead.

Locals by then had already given up any hopes the project would materialize, and it barely made the news when Disney announced they were looking to purchase 10,000 acres near Independence Lake, north of Tahoe, for a would-be ski mecca. But that project, too, ending up dying on the vine.

All that now remains of Mineral King Ski Resort is the Country Bear Jamboree, an attraction planned for one of the resorts restaurants. Still enamored with the project  one of the last Walt ever approved  the company gave it a new home in Disney World, where it still performs folksy ditties today.
NUEVO URECHO, Mexico (AP)  Extortion of avocado growers in western Mexico has gotten so bad that 500 vigilantes from a so-called self-defense group known as United Towns, or Pueblos Unidos, gathered Saturday and pledged to aid police.

The vigilantes gathered for a rally in the town of Nuevo Urecho, in the western state of Michoacan, armed with AR-15s and other rifles, as well as a motley collection of shotguns.

They said that drug cartels like the Viagras and the Jalisco cartel have been charging avocado growers war taxes of about $1,000 per acre ($2,500 per hectare).

Tired of the extortion demands and kidnappings, growers and farmers formed the group in 2020, and it now claims to have almost 3,000 members.

Several of us have been victims of this situation, of kidnappings, extortions, said one masked vigilante leader who asked his name not be used for fear of reprisals from the gangs.

For the moment, the vigilantes appeared willing to respond to a pledge by Gov. Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla to disarm the state's various self defense groups.

We reached agreements with the mayor to increase the number of police patrolling the area, the vigilante leader said. For the moment, we are putting away our guns, but we will be on alert to come out and support the police at any moment.

Pueblos Unidos has staged armed rallies in several towns in Michoacan over the last year, but have always said they would rather have officially constituted security forces do the work of expelling criminal gangs.

Mexican law forbids most civilians from owning almost all firearms, except for extremely low caliber hunting rifles or shotguns.

But Michoacan has a history of armed civilian self defense vigilante militia movements from 2013 and 2014. Back then vigilantes managed to chase the dominant Knights Templar cartel out, but rival cartels like the Viagras and the Jalisco cartel have moved in. Kidnappings, killings and shootings have prompted thousands to flee their homes.

The Mexican army has sent troops to the state, but only to act as a buffer between the warring cartels, trying to ensure that neither invades the other gangs territory.

But soldiers do little or nothing about illicit gang activities occurring just a few hundred yards from their checkpoints.

That has led Michoacan residents to once again take up arms, in the face of rampant extortion by the Viagras, Jalisco and other gangs.

This time around, the self-defense movement is mostly operating in the avocado-growing regions that were not the epicenter of the 2013 vigilante uprising.

As avocados have become a more widespread and lucrative crop, drug cartels and gangs have taken to extorting protection payments from growers.

While previous self-defense groups have been infiltrated or taken over by drug gangs, Pueblos Unidos leaders said they were not associated with any of the warring gangs and are willing to put away their guns.

We have never taken over any town, said one masked vigilante leader. We are not part of a cartel or anything like that.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP)  From the outside, the event looked like an open house and community appreciation, a celebration of the Career Nursing Academy moving to a much larger space in a Locust Grove shopping center.

But inside, the goings-on at the Orange County facility are indicative of whats happening across the regionand nation. Theres a desperate need for caregivers and nursing aides, both for older people who want to remain in their homes, as well as for those whose physical needs or memory issues have mandated a move to a facility.

And Zoila Ortega, a nurse, medical instructor and health care professional for more than 50 years, created the academy to fill that void. She started the training center in 2015 after she came out of retirement for the third timejoking that old nurses dont stop working, they just die.

But on a serious note, Ortega was taking care of her mother, and as the older womans dementia increased, her English decreased. Ortega, whos Cuban, searched for a certified nursing aide who could help her.

There was not a Spanish-speaking CNA to be found, said Ortega, whos 73.

So Ortega, who had created the nurse aide program at Germanna Community Collegeand was an adjunct professor in the nursing department thereset up the Career Nursing Academy. Because she speaks three languagesEnglish, Spanish and Frenchshe gives extra encouragement to those who arent native English-speakers as well as to students who might not have had an opportunity for training.

On a recent Saturday, Ortega and her instructors held the community open house and job fair at their academy to try to match students with prospective employers.

The demand is overwhelming, Ortega said. All of the nursing homes are scrambling for CNAs to work, and then the people who want to stay at homeand there are a significant number who want to be at home but they need some helpthey are knocking down our doors.

The demand is the main reason the academy moved last month from its former location next to the Locust Grove post office to a space thats 2.5 times larger, off State Route 20 in the shopping center with the Exxon gas station. The training center is open six days a week and when there are more students than its three CNA classes can accommodate, overflow evening classes are scheduled. That happened twice this summer, Ortega said.

The academy also offers classes for medication and personal care aides and caregiving basics.

Many of the students, who talked with potential employers and gave free blood pressure checks to residents, are interested in being caregivers for the same reason Ortega started the academy.

Theyre motivated by personal experiences.

Aleksa Shoemaker helped her grandmother take care of her grandfather, who had a feeding tube, whenever she visited.

He just kind of inspired me to work with people in need and kind of led to where Im at today, she said, adding she wont have trouble finding a job. The medical field is a constantly hiring environment, so many people here are in need. Its a job thats in very high demand.

Bailey Clements had planned to become a registered nurse and was in college last year when the pandemic began. But as the classes went on, she wanted to be hands on working with patients so she switched to the CNA class. Like her classmate Mikeesha Henderson, shed like to start as a home health care worker, advance to a nursing home and eventually become a registered nurse and work in a hospital.

Helanna Shaw said her heart grew after she had her daughter, Kaia, two years ago.

I came to realize that everyone is someones child and thats honestly why I think being a CNA is a great job. You have to care for people and take care of them like theyre family, said Shaw, who also works nights as a bartender and applies some of the same thought processes to both fields. Everyones a person. You dont know what theyre going through and you dont know their stories.

The need for caregivers was keen, long before COVID-19 arrived, said Sheila Mathis, an academy instructor who worked her way up the health care ranks, starting as an aide who worked in peoples homes. She just completed her doctorate as a nurse practitioner.

The need has just grown that much more since the pandemic, she said.

Families who saw the way COVID-19 tore through long-term care facilities during the early months of the pandemic, wreaking havoc and death, have tried to keep their loved ones at home and find help with their care.

When they contact Ortega, she passes them along to Mathis husband, Derrick, who also has an office in the academy and directs Veritas Training and Consulting Services, which refers potential caregivers to families.

He sees continued growth for his businessand caregiver trainingas 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day, according to the AARP. The number of older adults will more than double in coming decades and represent one of every five people by 2050, the AARP estimates.

Derrick Mathis said a lot of nurses and caregivers left the field when the pandemic begin, perhaps because they were close to retirement age and had concerns about COVID-19 and their own exposure.

Others with young children had to make some hard decisions about their care last year as schools went to virtual classes, said Jenette Riggan, resident care coordinator at the newly opened Trinity Senior Village in Locust Grove. It imposes quite the burden on the parent, particularly on women because more often than not, you see women in this field.

Trinity is an assisted living facility that also plans to provide care for those with memory issues. Trinity is trying to fill its staff openings and has seen an influx of potential applicants who have left other jobs because of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Trinity strongly encourages employees to get vaccinated, but does not currently have a mandate, Riggan said.

Visiting Angels, which sends health workers into the homes of seniors, is in the same position, said Cathy Lewis, recruiting director. It doesnt mandate vaccines, either, but because 95 percent of clients want to be seen by workers who are fully vaccinated, she said, Its going to get to the point where were not going to be able to hire people who are not vaccinated.

She offered a glimpse of encouragement, that in the last two to three monthsperhaps as in-person classes have resumedmore people have returned to their jobs.

I think its got a lot to do with the fact that in our industry, people want to get back to work, get back to feeling like theyre making a difference, she said.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama prison inmates will soon be allowed personal visitors for the first time in 20 months, but there will be a number of restrictions.

The Alabama Department of Corrections said in a news release that visitation will resume Dec. 4. Visitation had been suspended since March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

We are pleased to share that the ADOC has reached a point where it is safe, at this time, to expand modified visitation and work release/work center activities statewide effective December 4, 2021. As COVID-19 still poses a significant risk in a correctional environment, several safety protocols and restrictions will be in place and must be adhered to as we expand these activities statewide, the department said in a statement.

Inmates can only have two visitors at a time, including children. Visitors will be seated six feet from the inmate with plexiglass barrier between them. No hugging or touching will be allowed. Visits will be limited to one hour, and no eating or drinking will be allowed.

Alabama was one of the last states to have to resume prison visitation, according to The Marshall Project. As of July 30, Alabama was one of 10 states that had not resumed personal visits, according to the organization. Alabama had also suspended legal visits until this summer.

The prison system did make video visitation available and personal devices so inmates could send messages or place calls.

We would also note that we have made significant efforts to provide incarcerated people in Alabama with access to resources that enable them to communicate with their loved ones while in-person visitation is suspended, a spokeswoman for the department wrote in an earlier email.

Elizabeth Hancock, a college instructor with a doctorate in counselor education and supervision and who also serves as president of the inmate advocacy group Unheard Voices O.T.C.J., said it is psychologically damaging for people, on both sides of the bars, to go for so long without seeing loved ones.

Not having that human touch can be very, very hard. It's one of the things people in nursing homes struggle with too, Hancock said.

She said the inmates and family members were excited for visitation to resume but the restrictions are disheartening and could end up discouraging visitation. Young children won't be able to hug their parents and inmates won't be able to see more than one minor-age child at a time, she said.

Once again, ADOC has disregarded all rehabilitation purposes of visits and its importance to the mental health of those incarcerated as well as the family, the group said in a statement.

Surrounding states resumed visitation earlier and some have fewer restrictions.

Mississippi resumed visitation in May, but then suspended it between July 27 and Nov. 1 because of a spike in COVID-19 cases. Mississippi allows inmates up to five visitors and reasonable touching between the inmate and visitor.

The Tennessee Department of Correction in April resumed modified visitation and now allows up to four visitors at a time, according to the department's website. The Georgia prison system in April began modified in-person visitation that included a prohibition on physical contact. Florida resumed no contact visitation in October of 2020.

The Alabama Department of Corrections said the frequency of visits will be determined facility by facility, depending on the availability of visitation yards, staffing, and the number of inmates who qualify for a visit. The department said visitors will be screened at entry for fever and a random selection of 10% of participating inmates will be rapid-tested for COVID-19.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors devastating the environment.

Hundreds of people on Saturday appeared simultaneously in the capital Belgrade, the northern city of Novi Sad and other locations to block main bridges and roads for one hour in what organizers described as a warning blockade. They pledged further protests if the laws on property expropriation and referendum weren't withdrawn.

Police officers blocked the demonstrators from reaching the bridges, which led to skirmishes as police helicopters flew overhead. The protesters then marched around while managing to stop traffic at a key bridge in Belgrade and in various central streets.

Organizers said a number of people have been detained. Police earlier have warned that any blockade of bridges is illegal.

A number of environmental groups and civil society organizations are angry that the authorities have lowered the referendum threshold and allowed for swift expropriation of private property if deemed to be in the public interest. Activists argue this will pave the way for foreign companies to circumvent popular discontent over projects such as the bid by the Rio Tinto company to launch a lithium mine in western Serbia.

Serbias authorities have rejected the accusations, saying the new laws are needed because of infrastructure projects. The country's autocratic president, Aleksandar Vucic, said a referendum will be organized on the Rio Tinto mine.

Environmental issues recently have drawn public attention as local activists accuse the populist government of allowing for the devastation of nature for profit. Experts have warned that the planned lithium mine in western Serbia would destroy farmland and pollute the waters.

Following decades of neglect, Serbia has faced major environmental problems such as air and water pollution, poor waste management and other issues. Serbia is a candidate nation for European Union entry, but little so far has been achieved with regards to improving the country's environmental situation.

Protesters on Saturday blew whistles during the blockade and chanted We won't give up Serbia. Huge columns of cars and other vehicles formed at several locations as the demonstrators allowed only the emergency services to pass.

The protest coincided with a convention of Vucics populist Serbian Progressive Party as thousands of his supporters were bused into the capital for the gathering that was designed as a show of support for his policies.

Although formally seeking EU membership, Vucic has refused to align the countrys foreign policies with the 27-nation bloc and has instead strengthened the Balkan countrys alliance with Russia and China.
BERLIN (AP)  Austrian authorities said Saturday they have arrested 15 people suspected of smuggling Syrian, Lebanese and Egyptian migrants into the country, and seized 14 vehicles that were used to transport them.

Police in Lower Austria province said they opened an investigation last month into the group that smuggled migrants from the Serbian-Hungarian border via Slovakia and the Czech Republic to Austria's northeastern corner. They were dropped off north of Vienna.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  The magic is in the cave, Tighe and John Bullock trust.

Tighe and his father, John, learned of its existence near Renick on the Greenbrier-Pocahontas county line. A geological engineer, John Bullock thought a distiller could use that water to churn out some fine spirits.

Tighe (pronounced Ty) had a more direct thought. Why dont we just do it ourselves, dad? he asked the patriarch. So, like many things in the Bullocks world, the son just took a leap.

Come Dec. 18, the back room of 121 W. Washington St. no longer will be a place to tinker and experiment for Tighe Bullock and distillers Adam Anderson and Scott Ferris. Thats when The Bullock Distillery opens for business, culminating a few years of building equipment, trying new mash blends and procuring barrels and bottles.

This has been great, because a still is sexy and cool to build, Tighe Bullock said. It uses science and math and a lot of gritty work. My dad and I are both good spatial thinkers.

Distilling is in the family blood. In 1800s North Carolina, the Bullocks Uncle Charles combined distilling turpentine for ship sealing and liquor for drinking. Out of two separate stills, we assume.

Then theres the cave, between the Greenbrier mountains to the east and Spring Creek Mountain on the west. It and the supporting land comprise 80 acres. Several layers of limestone filter the water.

That water is invaluable, John Bullock intones. It draws from the roots of Droop Mountain.

Its price tag suggests its preciousness. From a modest facility on the West Side, the Bullocks have some $1 million invested in the distillery and land.

COVID-19 influenced the pace of The Bullock Distillery. A few years ago, Tighe Bullock discovered development opportunities were slowing in the West Sides Elk City District, where he and his dad, separately or together, own 10 buildings. At the beginning of last year, COVID ground all new projects to a halt.

Bullock employees Anderson and Ferris became full-time distillers. Ordinarily they would be remodeling Tighe Bullocks buildings and office spaces, to accommodate tenants. Books and Brews owner Pat Pelley, home of the famous pepperoni roll, is one.

Anderson earlier this week gleefully described the $10,000 centerpiece still, a gleaming hunk of goldcolored metal. It dominates a deep, narrow room behind the distillers under-construction retail unit.

The central still is as a reflux variety, a skinny tower with sets of plates and plugs. As the temperature rises, the machinery holds back any impurities from the mash mixture, which cant handle the heat. Vapors rise and are repeatedly condensed. What is left, if desired, is a 190-proof liquor  95% alcohol.

Anyone who remembers a college grain party is familiar with that potency. Such alcohol possesses

little taste, aside from heat. Tighe Bullock predicts his White Dog, or moonshine, will be all that approaches that

threshold. Also in the works is a vodka, distilled high to weed out impurities. Water dilution, thank goodness, and a blending with other ingredients should calm it down.

Aside from the 80-gallon gold baby, the Bullocks also have a mostly home constructed system nearby, a combination of reflux and pot still.

A pot still is relatively uncomplicated. Mash is heated. Once it boils, alcohol will start to evaporate, finding its way to a coil immersed in cold. Liquid will follow. This is tasty whiskey, because it is not produced under such high temperatures. It retains the flavor of the mash. Every run is one condensation process, or batch.

At the other still complex, pot and reflux stills in tandem allow for both high-alcohol clear liquor and ordinary batches, such as bourbon.

The largest reflux column is still under construction and is 100% designed and built by us, Tighe Bullock said. Weve sourced scrap copper and West Virginia stainless steel from all over to weld and braze it together.

That column should be online in the first quarter of next year.

Altogether, with two 500-gallon fermentation tanks, the distillery can produce about 300 proof gallons a week. A proof gallon is 50% alcohol by volume. With the home-constructed reflux column, that amount should double, Bullock said.

Once we open here, we have the ability to ... we can really produce some major volume out of this place, Tighe Bullock said.

Opening day will feature 900 bottles of limited release spirits  vodka, a 2-year-old barrel-aged gin and a 2-year rye. The rye and barrel-aged gin are bought from a distillery in upstate New York but will be tamed some with the cave water. The vodka will

be home distilled.

White Dog  Bullocks version of moonshine  will be made with all state ingredients and should

be available next year. The younger Bullock has given plenty of attention to his baby, right down to the sign out front.

The Bullock Distillery, it announces in big letters. Nil Conscire Sibi on top and Purveyors of Fine Spirits at the bottom also appear.

The Latin stands for to have nothing on ones conscience. At least not for a while.
NEW YORK (AP)  Chris Christie is everywhere.

The former New Jersey governor and onetime Republican presidential candidate denounced conspiracy theorists during a September appearance at the Ronald Reagan Library in California. He followed up with a speech this month to influential Republicans in Las Vegas, warning that the party will only succeed if it offers a "plan for tomorrow, not a grievance about yesterday.

In between, he's been interviewed by everyone from Laura Ingraham on Fox News to David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, on CNN.

On its face, Christie's publicity campaign is in service of Republican Rescue, his new book that offers a simple prescription for his party: stop talking nonsense about 2020 and focus on the future  or keep losing elections. But the frenzied pace of his appearances and the increasingly obvious jabs at Donald Trump suggest Christie is plotting a political comeback with the 2024 campaign in mind.

In a recent interview, Christie said he hadnt made a decision yet about his political future and wouldnt until after next year's elections. But he was blunt in saying he would run if he believes he can be elected.

If I see a pathway to winning, Ill run, he said. And I feel like I have the skills and the talent and the ability to be able to make a difference in our party and in the country. And Im certainly, at 59 years old, not ready to retire. But Im not going to do it if I dont see a pathway to winning. So thats why Im not making any decision now.

One of the biggest questions that hangs over the 2024 campaign is whether Trump will run again. If the former president does, polls suggest he would easily clinch the nomination. But until that's decided, Christie is testing the openness of GOP voters to someone who largely supports Trump's record but dismisses Trump's lies that the last election was stolen.

It's an approach that pits him against other Republicans who may run in 2024, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who have taken high-profile stands against Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Mike Pompeo, Trump's former secretary of state, have pitched themselves as fierce Trump loyalists. Former Vice President Mike Pence has tried to find something of a middle ground, highlighting his work alongside Trump but noting the two hold different views about the circumstances surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

As candidates largely break into pro- and anti-Trump camps, "there is a thing to being in a unique lane that does in fact endorse some of President Trump's policies but at the same time doesnt hesitate to criticize where Christie would disagree with him," said longtime GOP pollster Adam Geller. He worked on Christie's two winning New Jersey gubernatorial campaigns as well as Christie's 2016 presidential bid, followed by Trump's.

Others aren't so sure, arguing that Christie aligned himself with Trump until it was no longer politically convenient.

Its clearly disingenuous, said Tim Miller, a former spokesperson for the Republican National Committee and a vocal Trump critic. Chris Christie enabled Donald Trump maybe more than anyone in the establishment of the Republican Party. And now he wants to get the kudos of saying something that is reality but without any of the reflection about what he did to get us here."

Christie and Trump have had a complicated relationship during the nearly 20 years that they've been friends."

As a U.S. attorney, Christie successfully prosecuted the father of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump and Christie were fierce competitors for the GOP nomination in 2016. After Christie dropped out of the race, he became the first major elected official to endorse Trump, a move that lent legitimacy to the eventual president's campaign.

The line of supporting Donald Trump starts behind me, Christie recently told Ingraham.

Christie stood in for Democrat Hillary Clinton during Trump's 2016 debate prep and was rewarded for his loyalty by being tasked with chairing the presidential transition. But after the election, Christie was fired from that role in a move seen as retribution for the elder Kushner's prosecution. Still, Christie ultimately found his way back into Trump's inner circle, heading the administration's commission on opioid misuse, serving as an informal adviser and again helping with debate preparation last year.

But Christie describes Trump's reaction to the 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden as a breaking point. In appearances and interviews, Christie says he was incredibly disappointed and disillusioned by Trumps refusal to concede the election, which culminated in his followers violent storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 in an effort to halt the certification of Biden's win.

Christie now argues that the party must disavow Trumps lies and move past his grievances if it wants to succeed. Voters, he argues, want sanity and they want common sense."

As Republicans, we need to free ourselves from the quicksand of endless grievances. We need to turn our attention to the future and quit wallowing in the past. We need to face the realities of the 2020 election and learn  not hide  from them, he writes in the book, calling on the party to rid itself of conspiracies and focus on providing voters with a positive alternative to Democratic policies.

Trump has started hitting back. In a statement this month, the former president said Christie was just absolutely massacred by his statements that Republicans have to move on from the past.

Christie dismissed the blowback. Anybody can say whatever they want. These are my opinions. This is what I believe, he says, and he is already pondering how a 2024 campaign might look different from 2016. His previous bid was heavy on town hall-style events targeted to voters in New Hampshire, home to the nation's first presidential primary. Christie finished sixth there.

A second campaign, he said in the interview, would be different.

You wont just see me wandering around up there. One of the things that I learned was, when I ran the first time, is motion isnt progress, he said. Im going to be very deliberate about what I do, both in the runup to a decision and then certainly if I do decide to run, in how I conduct a campaign and try to make all the time I expend really count.

For now, Christie appears to be reveling in the attention of being back in the political game after a hiatus that included a bout with COVID-19 that landed him in the intensive care unit. He's working on a second book focused on bringing the country together," co-chairing a national Republican group focused on redistricting strategy and serving as a top fundraiser for the Republican Governors Association, a group he once led, giving him access to some of the party's most consequential donors.

GOP strategist Mike DuHaime, a longtime Christie adviser who worked on Christie's 2016 campaign, said it was too soon to be talking about a race so far off.

You can only plot so much, he said. "And there are so many other factors outside of our control that you just kind of have to say what you think and do what you think is right."
NORWALK, Conn. (AP)  A New York City man is facing criminal charges after scuffling with Connecticut state troopers who tried to corral him on a highway, the state police said.

Troopers said they found the 27-year-old from Brooklyn crouching by a concrete barrier on a shoulder of the Merritt Parkway in Norwalk on Thursday afternoon.
PRAGUE (AP)  Czech President Milos Zeman was discharged Saturday from the capital's military hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The 77-year-old Zeman had already been discharged following more than a months treatment for an unspecified illness on Thursday, but was readmitted only hours later after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The president received monoclonal antibodies, a standard treatment for people belonging to risk groups. He is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster. Zeman has no symptoms of COVID-19, the hospital said.

He was rushed to the hospital on Oct. 10, a day after the election to the lower house of parliament, and was treated in an intensive care unit. His condition was attributed to an unspecified chronic disease.

Zeman, a heavy smoker and drinker who has suffered from diabetes, has trouble walking and has been using a wheelchair.

The presidential office said that Zeman was planning to swear in Petr Fiala, the leader of a coalition that won the election, as the countrys new prime minister on Sunday.

The ceremony had been due to take place on Friday, but the presidents new hospitalization prevented that from happening.

The office said the ceremony will be organized in line with current coronavirus measures, but details were unknown. Those who test positive must isolate in the Czech Republic for two weeks.

The country has been facing a record surge in a new wave of infections. The new daily increase hit a record high of almost 28,000 cases on Thursday. The infection rate was at 1,207 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days.

Overall, the nation of 10.7 million has registered over 2.1 million cases with 32,744 deaths.

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Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
BYRON, Ga. (AP)  When Tim Williams purchased his home in Kewanee Farms in Byron in the late summer of 2020, starting a pecan processing facility and opening a storefront wasnt something hed ever imagined doing.

I didnt know anything about pecans before I came to Georgia, Williams said.

The Iraq combat disabled veteran decided to move from the Midwest to Middle Georgia to live near his mom after retiring from the U.S. Air Force. He served from 2008 to 2020.

His property, which he described as a small farm, was filled with pecan trees  86 in all.

So, Williams decided to buy a pecan sheller with plans of selling his pecans. Then he bought some more used equipment.

About that time, Sasnett Fruit & Nuts was closing its doors, and Williams bought some of their equipment, too, as well as some of their storefront furniture.

THE STOREFRONT

On Oct. 15, Williams, 32, opened a storefront in a converted old home and the Nut House Pecan Company was born.

The name seemed fitting to Williams, whos selling nuts out of an old house.

When walking into the small storefront, customers may smell a fresh batch of his praline pecans, a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, roasting on site.

Customers can expect to find fresh Georgia pecans  halves or pieces  vacuumed sealed for sale.

For those who still like to crack pecans themselves, he sells the nuts in their shells as well.

Williams also buys pecans from people. Additionally, he cracks and shells pecans for customers.

His processing prices are 70 cents per pound to crack and shell, 50 cents per pound to crack only and $1.80 per pound to shell pack.

Williams also sells walnuts and almonds that he buys wholesale.

His processing facility remains at his Kewanee Farms property for now.

Williams said he plans to eventually tear down the Main Street building, construct a new storefront and move the processing facility onto the same property.

That could happen within the next two to three years, depending on the success of Williams pecan crop, he said.

Also in his storefront, Williams showcases some of his work from his woodworking and cabinetry business, T.W. Solutions.

THE CROP

Last year, Georgia had a bumper pecan crop with 147.5 million pounds grown in the state, which was more than double the yield in both 2019 and 2018. But the $1.27 average price per pound was well below the 2019 price $1.88 and of the 2018 price of $1.62, according to VSCNews.

Also, this years crop production is down significantly due to an intermittently cold spring. The projected Georgia crop is now 60 million pounds at best and could come in even lower to below 50 million pounds for the first time in 15 years, according to Lenny Wells, a professor of horticulture and extension horticulture specialist for pecans at the University of Georgia.

But Williams remains undaunted, leaning into the advice of those experienced in the pecan business like Rick Sasnett, who managed his familys pecan shelling business that started as a fruit stand.

This business has a lot of ups and downs, Williams said. Hopefully, well have another boom crop next year.

Besides, Williams said he has his Air Force retirement and pension.

I dont do this for the money, he said. Its something to keep me engaged  and to provide a service to the community.

Williams plans to donate a portion of his profits to JAVELAN, a program in Omaha, Nebraska, that provides funding for service dogs for military veterans and retired first responders. JAVELAN trained Williams service dog, Peter.

Williams also plans to give part of the profits to the Byron-based Star Bright Animal Rescue. He adopted Peter from the nonprofit animal rescue group.

The Nut House Pecan Company is open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and then 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Nearly $1.4 million in federal funding has been approved to help Michigans meat and poultry processors recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and expand their processing capacity.

The funding for seven companies is from an Agriculture Department grant program. The grants range from $186,670 to $200,000.
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP)  Wisconsin prosecutors have filed multiple charges against an Illinois man accused driving drunk and causing a head-on collision last month.

The Kenosha News reported Friday that 32-year-old Jose Medina Dominguez of Waukegan has been charged with felony counts of attempting to elude an officer, first-degree reckless endangerment and hit-and-run causing injury as well as misdemeanor obstruction. He also has been cited for first-offense drunken driving.

According to the criminal complaint, police officers saw Medina Dominguez run a red light in Pleasant Prairie on the afternoon of Oct. 9. When they tried to stop him he accelerated to 80 mph in a 45 mph zone and eventually crashed head-on with another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle told police Medina Dominguez's vehicle crossed the median and swerved into the oncoming lane.

Medina Dominguez fled on foot after the crash but sheriff's deputies captured him, the complaint said. The driver of the other vehicle suffered bruises to his head and knee but refused to be taken to a hospital.

Medina Dominguez posted a $2,500 cash bond and is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 15. Online court records did not list his case or a defense attorney on Friday evening.

The driver of that vehicle refused to be taken to a hospital.
TOKYO (AP)  Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, at his first troop review Saturday, renewed his pledge to consider all options, including acquiring enemy base strike capability, and vowed to create a stronger Self-Defense Force to protect the country amid growing threats from China and North Korea.

Kishida said the security situation around Japan is rapidly changing and that the reality is severer than ever, with North Korea continuing to test-fire ballistic missiles while advancing its capability, and China pursuing a military buildup and increasingly assertive activity in the region.

I will consider all options, including possessing so-called enemy base strike capability, to pursue strengthening of defense power that is necessary, Kishida said in an address to hundreds of Ground Self-Defense Force members in olive-colored helmets and uniforms.

Kishida, who took office in October, served as top commander for the first time at Saturday's Self-Defense Force troop review held at the main army base Camp Asaka, north of Tokyo. About 800 troops gathered for the inspection, according to the Defense Ministry.

The security environment surrounding Japan has been rapidly changing at an unprecedented speed. Things that used to happen only in science-fiction novels are today's reality, Kishida said. He said his government will lead calm and realistic discussions to determine what is needed to protect people's lives and gain their understanding.

The possibility of possessing so-called enemy base strike capability has been a divisive issue because opponents say it violates Japans war-renouncing Constitution.

Kishida has shifted his dovish stance to a more hawkish one, apparently to please influential leaders within his governing party, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and to strengthen his grip on power. He now advocates increasing Japanese military capability and spending.

On Friday, Kishida's Cabinet approved a 770 billion yen ($6.8 billion) request for an extra defense budget through March to expedite the purchase of missiles, anti-submarine rockets and other weapons amid rising concern over the escalation of military activities by China, Russia and North Korea.

The request, still pending parliamentary approval, is a record for an extra defense budget and will bring Japans military spending for the current year to a new high of more than 6.1 trillion yen ($53.2 billion), up 15% from 5.31 trillion yen in 2020. The combined budget for 2021 will be just over 1% of Japans GDP, keeping its customary cap.

Kishida has said he is open to doubling Japans military spending to cope with the worsening security environment. Critics also say Japan, as the worlds fastest-aging country with a shrinking population, should allocate more money toward health care and other services.

Compared to past troop reviews, which included 4,000 soldiers, more than 200 vehicles and dozens of warplanes, Saturdays event was significantly scaled down to minimize the impact on regular troop activity, officials said. There was no parade or public viewing, and only nine tanks and other vehicles participated in the online event.

___

Associated Press journalist Hiromi Tanoue contributed to this report.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)  One recent morning at 3 a.m., Kim Gentry took to Facebook to find the angel nurse who cared for her husband as he lay dying of COVID at Lexingtons Baptist Health Hospital.

Gentry wanted to know if her husband was scared and what he had said in his last days. She had only been allowed to go to the hospital 30 minutes before he died. She could only remember that the nurses name was Amanda.

On February 8th this year my husband was taken to Central Baptist by ambulance, Gentry posted earlier this fall. He tested positive for Covid and was sent (to) ICU. I wasnt allowed to be with him and sadly he passed away on (the) 19th.

Im hoping that you can help me find his nurse. Her name was Amanda and she was on duty in ICU at Central around 4 in the afternoon on the 19th when he passed away, Gentry said on a Facebook page called Ladies of Lexington. I know she spent most of the day with my husband and I think it would just give me some closure if I got to talk to her. By the time I was allowed to go the the hospital he was already almost gone and I dont even know if he knew I was there."

If you know this special nurse angel can you please reach out to (see) if she would be willing to talk to me? Gentry asked. Gentry couldnt go to the hospital and see her husband because she had COVID too.

Within eight hours of when Gentry posted her plea, a nursing supervisor at Baptist Health saw it. She contacted a nurse named Amanda Forsythe. Forsythes sister-in-law had also seen Gentrys post.

Forsythe responded.

Hi Kim Gentry, I took care of your husband... he knew you were there. He loved you very, very much.  Forsythe said in a post.

WE HAD NEVER BEEN APART THAT MUCH

Kim and Bobby Gentry met in 1979 in Western Kentucky. They got married in 1981 when she was 22 and he was 46. He helped her raise her son from a former marriage. They were married 39 years. They moved to Lexington when she transferred with Kentucky Utilities. Gentry, an Air Force Veteran, had worked for both Blue Grass Airport and the University of Kentucky in security. He had coronary artery disease, but still got around good, Kim Gentry said, until the beginning of year.

In Feburary 2021, when people were first allowed to get the COVID vaccine, he got one. But after he was vaccinated, he tested positive for COVID. He became so weak that Kim Gentry called 911 and an ambulance took him to Baptist Health. She was not eligible at that point to get the vaccine.

Since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March 2020, the scenario with nurses and family members has been a familiar one across the nation.

Ruth Ann Childers, a spokeswoman for Baptist Health of Lexington, said the hospital has all these nurses who have stepped in to take the place of family members. They have risen to that challenge during this really difficult time. They are truly on the front line. There are times when family members cant get there or they cant be there because the patient is COVID positive.

This has been something they have dealt with through out this pandemic or are still dealing with on a daily basis, Childers said. This pandemic is not over for us.

We had never been apart that much, Gentry told the Herald-Leader Tuesday. I didnt know if he was ready to die. I didnt know if he was scared.

JUST A LITTLE MORE HEALED

The two women met in October in the hospital chapel. They found they were both from Western Kentucky and knew some of same people.

The nurse had told her she wished she could save her 86-year-old husband and send him home with her.

I was kind of nervous about seeing her, Forsythe told the Herald-Leader. Up until the day he passed away, I had only spoken with her on the phone. It was good to see her.

She wanted to know if he was scared, to die, because he decided not to be put on a ventilator, Forsythe said. He wasnt. He was at peace with his decision. He said he didnt think he would ever come off of it in view of his other health conditions.

Gentry brought Forsythe an angel wing necklace to their meeting.

With Gentry facing her first Thanksgiving without her husband, the women, now Facebook friends, have been thinking of each other.

I think about her and all of my families, Forsythe said.

Its a hard week, Gentry said.

Forsythe said it had to be hard to lose someone who had been active just weeks before.

I hate that it ended the way it did because they were very much in love, she said. He just really loved her a lot.

He was one of those patients who I really got close to. I went home crying more than once because I knew what was going to happen, she said.

To this day, I get teared up about it, she said.

It was the most precious special meeting, Gentry said in a follow up post to members of Ladies of Lexington. Lots of tears and laughter but also answers for closure.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me find Amanda. My heart feels just a little more healed today after getting to hug and talk to her, she said in a post.

As the holiday season approaches, Gentry hopes people will keep nurses and other front line workers close to heart.

Keep these special Angels in your daily prayers. They are walking a hard road right now. Yes, they choose their profession they are in and knew that death would be a part of it but not like this. They are as traumatized as the people losing loved ones watching death after death and not being to do anything to save them, Gentry said.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty in an airline baggage scam that resulted in more than $300,000 in fraudulent claims, federal prosecutors said.

Pernell Anthony Jones, Jr., 31, of Kenner, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans said in a news release Tuesday. For each count, Jones faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for Feb. 24, 2022.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  The future Dr. Jane Ashley Hueys first patient on her first day of clinical rotation in veterinary school was, she said, my personal horse, a quarter horse named Lady, which was found to be suffering from an infected melting corneal ulcer.

Melting is a legit word in ophthalmology, Huey said. It is used to describe a condition in which a bacterial infection softens and destroys the cornea.

Huey had brought Lady with her to Auburn University to ride in my quote-unquote spare time, of which there wasnt much.

She was a family member, said Huey, who was 27 at the time and had known Lady for 20 years.

Veterinarians saved the horse, but the traumatic episode provided Huey with a vision for her career.

Huey, 37, is a rarity: an animal eye doctor. She is the only such specialist certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in the Memphis region. Her nearest peers are in Nashville, Little Rock, St. Louis and Starkville.

Who knew there was a cat ophthalmologist? said Randy Blevins, who took his beloved Russian Blue condo kitty, Charlotte, to see Dr. Huey after the cat began using her whiskers like curb crawlers to navigate around furniture and displaying other symptoms of blurred vision.

Hueys diagnosis was a lifesaver, literally: Charlotte  a gentle, affectionate cat, according to Blevins  was suffering from high blood pressure, which was causing the 13-year-old cats retinas to detach. A prescription of daily medication reversed the process, while also preventing the other medical crises that can accompany high blood pressure.

As a result, Shes back to being a normal cat, said Blevins, who adopted Charlotte from the West Memphis Animal Rescue and gave her what he considered an old-school name because she had kind of a 1920s art deco look. Sleek.

Shes bouncy, shes got more energy, Blevins said Monday, as Charlotte received a checkup from Huey, who wielded various intimidating tools of her veterinary ophthalmological trade.

She projected beams of light from a slit lamp to peer deep into the interior of Charlottes eyes. She donned a retro-futurist-looking indirect ophthalmoscopy headset to examine the cats retinas and optic nerves. A tonometer shot out a tiny harmless probe that tested the pressure of the eyeball the way a childs finger might push against a balloon.

Cats have superior night and motion vision (helpful for pouncing on scurrying mice) because their eyes contain more of the cells known as rods than do the eyes of human beings. In comparison, the human eye contains more cones, which differentiate colors.

Another night-vision asset for many animals is a membranous layer in the back of the eye known as the tapetum lucidum  Latin for bright tapestry. Like a mirror, this layer bounces back light, which enables the animal to see better in the dark and gives cat eyes their signature mysterious and hypnotic glow.

Huey  whose own eyes are pale blue  is enchanted by such optic wonders of the animal kingdom, which distinguish her clientele from the patients of eye doctors who treat human beings. Another difference is size: The dimensions of human eyeballs dont have much range, but Hueys patients  from a zoo rhinoceros to a fruit bat  may have eyes big as saucers or small as peas.

I think a juvenile frog would be the smallest eye Ive looked at, she said. Ive looked at a lot of lizards and snakes. I am afraid of snakes, but I channel my inner bravery to do eye work on them. I do think snakes have cool eyes.

After all, eyes are beautiful, she said. Its the only place you can look at a nerve in the whole body, otherwise nerves are covered in skin or muscle or connective tissue.

Based at the Memphis Veterinary Specialists & Emergency clinic and hospital in Cordova, Huey says she is super busy all the time. (Shes wife to real-estate investor Walter Huey; shes mother to Sam, who is 3; and shes the owner of Reba, a hound). A typical day might find her in a staring contest with a cat, performing emergency surgery on a French bulldog, and probing the tiny, tiny eyes of a Yorkie. And, yes, she will make house calls  if her patients house is a farm or zoo. (Shes performed eye surgery on such exotic animals as a tiger, a pangolin and an emperor penguin.)

Her schedule may seem daunting, but being busy is apparently nothing new to her. The daughter of a crop farmer in Clarkedale, Arkansas, Huey had 12 years of study, internship and residency  at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, the University of Missouri in Columbia and Kansas State University  before beginning her practice.

Huey said her goal with her furry or scaly or feathery patients is to provide vision and comfort, both of which we as pet owners prioritize. So its a very emotional discipline, because youre giving them something important.

In addition, eye problems often are indicators of serious systemic illnesses, including cancer, so eye exams sometimes lead to more than improved vision. I love that I can help them by looking in their eyes.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Three state watchdog offices have dismissed a nonprofit group's complaints accusing New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas of ethics violations in connection with a proposed merger involving the state's largest utility company.

The actions were taken by the state Ethics Commission, the State Auditor's Office and the New Mexico Supreme Court's disciplinary board on complaints filed by New Energy Economy, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP)  A 46-year-old Davenport man was struck and killed Friday evening by a car, police said.

Emergency responders came to the scene around 8:23 p.m. after receiving a call about a pedestrian who was hit by a car in Davenport, the Quad-City Times reported.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Police are investigating a shooting Friday evening that killed a man in Kansas City, Missouri.

Officers responding to calls about shots fired just after 7:30 p.m. found a man suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a corner market, police said in a news release. Officers began CPR until medical responders arrived and took over.

The man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said there's no suspect information at this time.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  Rhode Island's education department has awarded grants to eight districts to support homeless students.

Gov. Dan McKee and Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green announced Wednesday that the department awarded more than $336,000 in McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Education for Homeless Children and Youth sub-grants to eight school districts. The districts are: Central Falls, Middletown, Newport, North Kingstown, Providence, Warwick, West Warwick and Woonsocket.

It is critical that we support our most vulnerable students in Rhode Islands recovery, McKee said in a statement. These funds are specifically geared to help students and families experiencing homelessness and will make a positive difference in many lives during a time of great need.

Infante-Green said that students experiencing homelessness were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is their duty to ensure these students are provided the support needed to get ahead.

The latest round of sub-grants is part of the third year of a three-year award that each of the selected districts received, totaling more than $970,000. The money comes from a federal grant administered by the state. The municipalities each received between $40,000 and $44,000.
LUMBERTON, N.C. (AP)  Authorities in southeastern North Carolina say that a Lumberton man has been arrested after they say he fatally shot three people.

The Robeson County Sheriffs Office said in a statement that the shootings occurred Friday evening.

The sheriff's office said that Dekota Ray Locklear, 23, of Lumberton faces three counts of first degree murder. He faces several other charges that include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Locklear was sent to a local jail without bond. It's unclear if he has hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The sheriff's office identified the men who were killed as Ryan F. Locklear, 24, of Pembroke; Treyvon Mitchell, 20, of Lumberton; and DaVern Inman 20, of Orrum. It's unclear what relationship, if any, Locklear had with the men.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in a statement that there are now three grieving families because of the actions of an armed convicted felon.

When repeat offenders are allowed to walk our streets due to easily made low bonds and are not being held accountable for their actions, this is what happens," the sheriff said.

The investigation is ongoing.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  An oil tanker hit an offshore oil platform at night off Louisiana because its Turkish operating company didnt give the ships master time to recover from days of sleepless travel, federal investigators have found.

The master, or person in charge of sailing the Atina, had traveled from Istanbul and told investigators he was tired from having no sleep for over 50 hours, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report made public Tuesday.

The crash early Oct. 17, 2020, did an estimated $72.9 million in damage  $72.3 million to the platform SP-57B and the rest to the tanker Atina, the board said.

However, nobody was hurt when the empty 898-foot-long (274-meter) ship ran into the platform at 4:46 a.m., and there wasnt any pollution, the board said.

The accident master took over immediately from the departing master even though the operating company's own safety manual calls for a 24-hour overlap, the report said. Such an overlap would have let him rest, it said.

The report described the accident's probable cause as the operating company not ensuring sufficient time for the masters turnover, which resulted in the masters acute fatigue and poor situation awareness during an attempted nighttime anchoring evolution.

The man had been told in Istanbul that he had to take over as soon as possible. The reason, according to the report, was that the master on board planned to leave after having issues with an inspector for the ship's owners and operators. The ship finished discharging its cargo of crude oil at the NuStar Terminal in St. James and then left for its planned anchorage off Southwest Pass, the report said.

The new master arrived on board and  instead of anchoring where the previous master had planned  he chose a closer spot. He told investigators that he didnt want to spend a lot of time finding a place to anchor in the middle of the night on a vessel he wasnt familiar with and he was exhausted. That spot was about 0.7 mile (1.1 kilometer) from the platform, the report said.

The NTSB identified the Atina's owner as Hanzhou 1 Ltd and its operator as Besiktas Likid Tasimacilik Denizcilik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi.

Besiktas did not respond to an email sent Wednesday. An attorney representing both companies in a lawsuit filed by the platform's owners, Cox Operating LLC of Houston, did not immediately respond to an email sent Friday.

Cox filed that suit the day after the crash, in federal court in New Orleans. It estimated damages to its platform at $225 million, including economic losses during repairs.

The NTSB does not assign fault or blame, and U.S. law forbids using NTSB reports as evidence in civil lawsuits.
PALMDALE, Calif. (AP)  Authorities sought Saturday to question the stepson of a retired Los Angeles police officer who was stabbed to death three days earlier.

Tyrell Gay was named a person of interest in the stabbing death of Darryl Lee, 59, at a home in Palmdale on Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department announced Saturday.
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP)  Tunisias Interior Ministry has said that a man who attempted to attack security officials in central Tunis was a known extremist.

The 31-year-old man previously studied abroad and is on a list of Takfiris, an extremist group that views other Muslims or certain groups as apostates, according to a statement released late Friday on the ministrys Facebook page.

Local media reports that the man is from Monastir, an affluent coastal town 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Tunis. The suspect hasn't been officially named.

Video from the scene that circulated on social media shows a bearded man walking up and down Habib Bourguiba Avenue  Tunis central thoroughfare  carrying a long knife and an ax. The man then heads towards the Interior Ministry, chased by a group of men in civilian clothing, and jumps the barriers that surround the building. Video footage then shows chaos break out as the man runs at police officers while swinging his weapons before a volley of shots is fired.

The attack began after police officers noticed the individual carrying a large bag walking on the avenue and asked him for his ID. The man reportedly took out a large knife and tried to attack anyone who approached him. After he was chased along the avenue by security agents and civilians, the man jumped over the ministry's barriers.

He was repeatedly asked to surrender and throw down what he had, but he continued to confront all those who approached him, brandishing a big knife and chanting, Oh tyrant, God is the greatest, you infidels, reads the statement.

A security officer then shot the man, reportedly in the legs, and the man was taken to a hospital for treatment.
WINAMAC, Ind. (AP)  Staff at a primate sanctuary in northern Indiana will be feeding the centers menagerie with freshly picked fruit in the coming years thanks to a newly planted orchard.

A team of volunteers helped plant 60 fruit trees last month on the property of the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary, which is home to baboons and macaque monkeys retired from research facilities and pharmaceutical companies.
BARRACKVILLE, W.Va. (AP)  In his 10 years living in Barrackville, Graham Curry has always appreciated the towns covered bridge.

(The bridge) is kind of something that is associated with the town... it reflects the life and vibrance of the town, Curry said. But when you drive past (the bridge), you dont know its in desperate need of repair, but it is.

A year ago, Curry had no clue that the bridge was in need of repairs and, like many of the towns residents, he wanted to capture a picture of the landmark, but in his own style.

An expert in both hand drawn and digital art, Curry crafted a poster of what he thought could be a town logo with the covered bridge being the center piece.

Just around the same time he was creating his poster, he found a Facebook group dedicated to preserving the covered bridge  a stroke of serendipity that connected Curry to the cause.

Theyre trying to raise funds to preserve it, to improve it, but also to save it, Curry said. I reached out to the admin of the page and asked a few questions and they invited me to their next meeting, thats when I presented the poster.

At the meeting, he met several local proponents who are fighting to raise money to preserve the bridge, but none more passionate than Diana Marple.

Marple has been fighting to preserve the 165-year-old structure for the better half of 2021. The Barrackville bridge holds a special place in her heart.

Last Christmas, Marple and her husband Will decorated the bridge together with lights and a tree powered by a donated generator. The lights stayed for just a day, but the memory will last Marple much, much longer.

Her husband passed away in August of this year, but she plans to continue lighting the bridge every year.

Thats something I want to try to continue in his memory, Marple said. This bridge means a lot to a lot of people. Some people might take it for granted... but its really special to a lot of people.

Curry is a prime example of how the Barrackville community has come together around the bridge. Marple was astounded by the outpouring of admiration the community began to show once the preservation project began.

Once you have a community need, you have people with all kinds of talents coming out with support, Marple said. I knew (Curry) lived on Pike Street but I had never met him before. He came to a meeting... and offered us this fantastic artwork hes created.

Curry said that this sort of thing is what art is all about. Sharing his work to benefit a cause that means so much to so many was the least he could do for the project.

Creating is good... good for the soul, I think. It doesnt have to be something personal, but I have been trying to find more time to make things that are special to me, Curry said. People come together to take care of these things that are historical to a place. In Barrackville... theres a sense of community that is still alive and well.

As nice as Currys artwork is, the bridge repairs will need much more funding than it will likely raise. Preliminary estimates price the repair costs to under $500,000  lower than expected, but a hefty price tag for a small organization to pay.

Marple has teamed up with West Virginia Del. Guy Ward, R-White Hall, whos on the hunt for potential state funding for the project. The path to restoration is littered with roadblocks, the most notable is that the bridge is still technically owned by the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

(Getting funds) is going slowly, but I think well be able to come up with some funding. I dont think its going to be enough through my avenues, so well probably need additional funding, Ward said. I think we can get a grant for $20,000, weve got a good chance of getting that.

This isnt the first time the Barrackville bridge has been restored, in the 1990s, the state spent $3.5 million to totally restore the bridge but botched the drying of the large wooden sill beams that support the structure.

One of the experts who was a key player on that restoration is helping out with the renewed effort. Jon Smith, who is a specialist in restoring wooden structures, helped restore the Philippi covered bridge in the 1990s, Woodburn Hall in Morgantown and the previous restoration of the Barrackville bridge.

Smith said that there have been many new standards for restoring covered bridges since the 1990s and if the bridge is restored again, it will be done right this time.

Ive put together a team of an engineer and an architect and weve got a team of painters and were trying to put together a budget price so we can get the work out for bids, Smith said.

In the market of covered bridge restorations, itd be hard to find someone as experienced or as passionate as Smith.

If you ask me if I love my work, thats basically like asking me if I love my wife, Smith said with a laugh. Id love to see this bridge fixed. Thats Barrackville... that lovely covered bridge.

The restoration group is working on several plans to raise the funds to fix the bridge, including the creation of a festival to celebrate the structure. Information about upcoming meetings or plans with the bridge are posted to the preservation societys Facebook page, which can be found by searching @SavetheBarrackvilleBridgeAgain on Facebook.

West Virginia has derelict towns all over, but Barrackville is different and I dont know exactly why, Curry said. People feel good about living here and that brings a natural sense of taking care of (the town). Thats something I really admire about the people here.

In the coming weeks, members of the Barrackville Covered Bridge Preservation Society and Curry will determine the price for the posters, how many will be printed and where they can be purchased to raise funds for the project.
By Eli Wolfe

San Jose Spotlight

San Jose is expanding its investigation of illegal labor practices, including wage theft, at emergency housing projects handled by Habitat for Humanity, but there's no set date for when workers will get paid.

The city's Public Works Department is demanding $319,631.46 in restitution for workers from Veev Build, a subcontractor, for various alleged labor violations reported by San Jose Spotlight at the Monterey/Bernal Emergency Housing Project earlier this year. The amount due is nearly six times what the city initially demanded from Veev in its first notice of violation in April.

The city increased the restitution after Veev turned over additional information revealing more violations, including failing to pay workers for all hours and misclassifying workers, according to a city memo.

San Jose is also reviewing two other emergency housing projects -- Evans Lane and Rue Ferrar i-- after discovering potential underpayments of workers. City documents published earlier this month indicate subcontractor Suarez & Munoz Construction is potentially on the hook for more than $100,000 in restitution and more than $23,000 in penalties.

Ongoing investigations

The city has not yet assigned penalties for Veev and it's unclear when workers from the Monterey/Bernal project will be paid. Public Works Director Matt Cano told San Jose Spotlight he couldn't answer this question because the investigation is still pending.

"Due to the complexities of this investigation it has not yet been completed," Cano wrote in a memo to lawmakers. "However, staff is actively engaged with the contractor to ensure that all workers are paid the proper wages as expeditiously as possible."

Workers waiting for their due wages are frustrated by the delay. Francisco Lara, a plumber at the Monterey/Bernal project, told San Jose Spotlight he worked 12-hour days at the site and cut his arm on a pipe, requiring 12 stitches. According to city records, Lara worked at least one week that wasn't reported on Veev's certified payroll.

"It's stressful," Lara said. "I've got to pretty much struggle for things that I worked hard for and never got."

Molly L. Kaban, an attorney for Veev, said the company discovered errors in the city's calculation of restitution after reviewing its records with help from an external consultant. She did not immediately provide any examples. Veev said it's working with the city to answer questions.

"We believe that once the review process is completed the notice will be revised or revoked entirely," Veev said. "If anything is owed at the completion of the process, of course Veev will abide by any obligation."

Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley is working to rectify the issues and has a compliance consultant working with the company's subcontractors, spokesperson Patti Wang told San Jose Spotlight.

Missing payroll

Habitat for Humanity was assigned a public works project worth approximately $6 million to build emergency interim housing for homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Sam Liccardo and Gov. Gavin Newsom used the Monterey/Bernal site as a backdrop for a televised press conference in October 2020, boasting that units were built quickly and cheaply.

Earlier this year, San Jose Spotlight reported on rampant wage theft and hazardous work conditions at the site. Numerous workers were not paid money owed under a citywide union contract, and one subcontractor hired non-union labor for less than what prevailing wage laws allow.

Veev has argued that it's not responsible for misclassifying workers because the workers were supposed to record the correct classification for themselves. The city rejected this argument in its October memo, stating California Labor Code dictates contractors and subcontractors must keep accurate payroll records, and misclassification by a worker doesn't let an employer off the hook.

The city also dinged Veev for allegedly failing to report on its certified payroll records five employees hired through a staffing company, Aerotek Temp Agency. San Jose claims Veev also failed to provide certified payroll records for the last 72 days of work.

"As a result, (the Office of Equal Opportunity) is unable to determine whether Veev owes additional restitution to workers," the memo said.

There is a pending lawsuit in Santa Clara County against Veev brought by two carpenters who claim the company failed to pay them all wages or provide meal breaks at the proper times while they were employed at the housing project.

South Bay Piping Industry Compliance Director Mauricio Velarde says he contacted the city about potential wage violations and safety problems at the Monterey/Bernal site months ago.

"I had been informing them of violations in the summer of 2020, which they ignored," he said, adding he believes Cano downplayed the severity of violations.

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Cancer June 22-July 22 Dramas at home? The last thing you feel like dealing with is theatrics but its time for a sit down. Allow everyone to say their piece and clear the air. Youll be feeling extra sociable, so schedule in a games night. Leo July 23-August 22

Work smarter, not harder. And play harder still! Mercury joins the sun in your sector of passion and creativity, encouraging you to mix business with pleasure. Collaborations are highly favoured, so brainstorm where possible. Try fostering some romance, too. Virgo August 23-September 22 Its all in the delivery, Virgo! Think before you speak and youll charm your toughest critic. Meanwhile, stars in your sector of psychological roots will give you the support needed to move forward and be your best self. Libra

September 23-October 22 A spiritual awakening will strike this week, rewarding a search for answers. Focus on developing inner peace and strength. Expressive Mercury in your sign promotes clear communication and a platform to reach others. Scorpio October 23  November 22 The Sun and Mercury in your finance sector will help generate extra income. Sustain this position by investing wisely and eliminating extraneous expenses. You may need to spend money to make money but the returns will be fast.

Sagittarius November 23-December 20 You have the gift of the gab but at times you cant help putting your foot in your mouth. This week, though, the cosmos enables you to reach your audience. Its also a great time to bond with siblings or to take a short trip. Capricorn December 21-January 19

A creative project youve poured blood, sweat and tears into will show success. Meanwhile, the sun in your spiritual sector inspires you to take time to reflect and enjoy moments of silence. Aquarius January 20-February 18 Getting the go-ahead has been more challenging than you thought but now youll feel a spring in your step and the impetus to forge ahead. Outcomes will be great, so dont become discouraged. Pisces
When John Crowl was crowned the worlds best gelato maker in 2014, the win whipped up a whirlwind of emotions and frenzy of excitement from patriotic ice-cream lovers who flocked to his familys gelato cafe in Sydneys inner west.

Real estate agents even started spruiking the proximity of properties to the Cow & the Moon in Enmore to attract buyers.

The reaction we got from the Australian public was crazy, he said. We had line-ups at the shop in Sydney two hours after winning in Italy. It was all hands-on deck after that.

John Crowl, who owns gelato cafe Cow & the Moon with wife Wendy, is competing for the title of worlds best gelato maker. Credit:Janie Barrett

Seven years after he won the top prize, Mr Crowl will compete once again to be the worlds best gelato maker in the Gelato Festival World Masters, which will be held in Bologna on December 1 and 2.
Urgent genomic testing has confirmed two overseas travellers coming into Sydney were infected with the emerging Omicron variant.

Both passengers came to Sydney from southern Africa on the evening of Saturday November 27. They underwent testing on arrival and tested positive for COVID-19 late last night, NSW Health said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.

The two positive cases, who were asymptomatic, are in isolation in the Special Health Accommodation. Both people are fully vaccinated.

The two passengers were among 14 people from southern Africa who arrived on Qatar Airways QR908 from Doha, arriving around 7pm on Saturday.

The remaining 12 passengers are undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine.

Around 260 passengers and air crew were deemed close contacts and have been directed to isolate.

NSW Health warned it was an offence to not comply with public health orders and close contacts would be contacted regularly and subject to compliance checks
The royal commission tasked with examining the high suicide rate among Defence members and veterans will look for contributing factors in Australias military culture and bureaucracy.

Before the first formal hearings in Brisbane next week, the commission on Friday outlined its intended approach to the inquiry as well as some early insights from research and consultation.

Commission chair Nick Kaldas, the former NSW Police deputy commissioner, acknowledged those men and women who made sacrifices for their country only to also experience a higher rate of suicide than other Australians.

Chair of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, Nick Kaldas, addresses a ceremonial hearing in Brisbane. Credit:Sean Parnell

Mr Kaldas said the inquiry would examine and expose all risk factors for suicide in an effort to prevent and reduce future deaths. He described it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not only identify the problems but formulate lasting solutions.
Labor and Liberal councillors have criticised plans to build two 10-storey apartment towers in Bondi Junction, as congestion and overdevelopment loom as flashpoints in council elections next week.

Seventy-three apartments are proposed for the site on Oxford Street, near Centennial Park, which planning documents say will renew the western end of Bondi Junction and create a key visual marker.

An artists impression of apartment towers proposed for Oxford Street in Bondi Junction. Credit:Stargate Property

Developer Elia Leis said the $42 million project, which also includes ground-floor retail, would offer a range of apartment types and will certainly add to the supply of housing stock in the area.

The issue of housing affordability in Sydney was more of a macro-policy issue, and we do not feel we can resolve this alone in one housing development project, he said.
NSW Police will deploy 15 officers to the Solomon Islands following a request from the federal government.

The officers from the Public Order and Riot squad  one inspector, two sergeants and 12 constables  are expected to leave for Honiara in the coming week.

The looted streets of Chinatown in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Friday. Credit:AP

The operation ... will provide assistance to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to support order and stability and provide humanitarian assistance to people in need, NSW Police Minister David Elliott said in a statement on Saturday.

Solomon Islands police found three bodies in a burned-out building and arrested more than 100 people after violence sparked by concerns about the Pacific nations increasing links with China.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Sam Ginsberg drops to the ground. Bullets snake up the ground towards him. Dirt flying. The roar deafening. All that stands between Ginsberg and death is 100 yards. Its 1942 and as a driver for the South African Army fighting in Libya, the young lance corporal has made a trip to pick up goodies from the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes store at the request of his mates while on a rest from fighting on the frontline. Brisbane-based WWII veteran Sam Ginsberg pictured in his army days. I just thought to myself, this is how I die, Ginsberg recalls. I wasnt frightened. Nothing to be frightened of. It was going to be over in seconds. Ginsberg has parked his truck a few metres from others as protection in case they are bombed. Other men start scrambling into trenches.

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As I get out of the truck I hear a plane, and he sounds very close. I dont like it, he says, shaking his head. As I got out and I heard this I just dropped, and at least if youre on the ground youve got a chance of missing heavy shrapnel and stuff floating around. German Luftwaffe soldiers rest at an airfield in front of a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Credit:German Federal Archives I put my head up to the front wheel and I look either way and the horror of horrors  I see the ground about 100 yards ahead of me ... and I realise hes coming for me. Ginsberg doesnt have a trench to duck in like the other blokes as hes just pulled up. He drops. The ground is shot to shreds in front of him.

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Seconds between life and death. The noise stops. I was covered in dust and fumes and I jumped up and looked, he says. Where are the wounds, wheres the blood? Ginsberg started out as a driver for the South African army, before later moving up the ranks to be a gunner. Ginsberg, still shocked all these years later, pats down his dark blue polo shirt as he recollects his brush with death. Nothing. I wasnt scratched. I wasnt touched. Nothing. He picks up one of the shells that went through the radiator of his truck.

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But something is amiss. Thats tungsten steel, he tells me, spinning a shiny object sitting on his table in his home  the Grandpa Mansion, his family jests  at Samford, west of Brisbane. I picked it up after, and I looked at it, and it should have had a fuse in the tail, he says. Ginsberg kept the larger shell casing and a smaller bullet that were shot at him and, with a domed piece that was used for hip reconstructions, he created a bell. The bullet should have exploded on impact, or taken a few seconds to detonate inside a vehicle. It had a plain piece of aluminum. No fuse. Sabotaged. He pauses. Slave labour. As a Jewish man, Ginsberg says enlisting to fight the Nazi threat was something he had to do.

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His eyes are wide as he thinks of how he cheated death that day. His life in the hands of a stranger oceans away. It was a big mistake for Nazi Germany to use Jews as slave labour, he says. My workshop unscrewed the little piece of aluminum and the explosive was in it and I later drilled it down with a hand drill, he says. And thats a bullet from one of his machine guns. This was lying where I was lying. Inside the bell is the bullet that nearly claimed Ginsbergs life. The only thing I could think of as why I survived was ... when hes going at 400 miles an hour, his shots are spaced and I was lying in the space between his machine guns.

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Colourful, vocal but peaceful demonstrators took over Melbournes streets on Saturday, marching through the CBD to condemn vaccination mandates, pandemic legislation and other health measures introduced by the Andrews government.

Victoria Police estimated there were about 20,000 protesters, who chanted, waved flags, banged drums and blew horns as they marched from the steps of State Parliament through the CBD and then back to Treasury Gardens.

Protesters carrying signs. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

There was a noticeable presence of Aboriginal flags at the rally after some of the anti-lockdown groups behind the protest circulated misinformation online, falsely claiming that ADF personnel were forcibly vaccinating Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.

During his Welcome to Country, Djab Wurrung man Zellanach Djab Mara said there was satanic warfare occurring in Victoria.
The rules were unchanged for travellers who are not fully vaccinated, with those arrivals still expected to enter hotel quarantine. The Victorian Department of Health said isolation can include private accommodation such as a hotel or holiday rental provided travellers dont share bedrooms, bathrooms or other facilities with people outside their travelling party. Anyone they are residing with must also self-isolate for 72 hours. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government will continue to put community safety first by taking these precautionary but important steps until more information becomes available. There are no known cases of the Omicron strain in Australia, and fewer than 100 people have arrived from southern Africa since November 1. Asked if the federal government could go further than the temporary suspension of flights from affected countries, Mr Hunt said: If the medical evidence shows that further actions are required, we will not hesitate to take them. And that may involve strengthening or expanding the restrictions.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese urged the Morrison government to go further and reintroduce a period of quarantine as soon as possible for all relevant international visitors whilst an assessment of what the potential health impact of this variant will be. In reality, that could mean a much larger list of countries, including parts of Europe and North Asia. The precautionary principle should apply here, he said. All flights to Australia from nine southern African countries - South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique - have been suspended for two weeks. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus... the UN health agency has labelled Omicron a variant of concern. Credit:AP

Australians and permanent residents who are due to arrive and have been to these countries within the past 14 days will be ordered into immediate supervised quarantine subject to state arrangements. The restrictions will also apply to international students and skilled migrants arriving under travel bubble arrangements who have been in any of the nine countries within the past 14 days. In addition, anyone who has already arrived in Australia and who has been in any of the countries within the past 14 days must immediately isolate themselves, get tested and may have to serve a period in quarantine. The WHOs Technical Advisory Group said overnight on Friday the Omicron had a large number of mutations that made it concerning, and that preliminary evidence suggested an increased risk of reinfection compared to the other variants of concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa, the group said in a statement.

This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage. Loading Federal Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said health authorities were still gathering information about Omicron and that it was not yet clear if the strain was more severe or more resistant to vaccines. Its the reason why were taking this precautionary approach, which is proportionate to that risk, he said. We will find out much more in the coming days, and well work from there. In terms of ruling in or out what else we might do, as their minister has clearly said, we will do what we need to do.

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely said the federal governments move on the nine nations was appropriate but they will probably need to expand this list as the virus spreads around the world. There are three things about this variant to worry about. One is its infectiousness, two is its virulence  how much mortality it causes - and three is its resistance to the vaccines we have, he said. It certainly appears more infectious. We dont know about two or three yet. Professor Blakely said the number of mutations in the Omicron variant  thought to be 32  was a concern as it could mean the strain was more resistant to vaccines. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday that Omicron appeared highly contagious
Relations between Paris and Canberra have deteriorated to their worst levels in decades after French President Emmanuel Macron called Prime Minister Scott Morrison a liar over the cancellation of a $90 billion submarine contract.

But the Australia-France relationship goes well beyond a submarine contract.

People wait in line to cast their votes in Noumea, New Caledonia, at the last independence vote in 2020. Credit:AP

With France the only European power with core interests in the Pacific, a detente between the longtime allies is key for the wider security and stability of the region in the face of a rising and more aggressive China.

Its particularly pressing for the 270,000 people who live in New Caledonia  an archipelago just 1200km east of Australia  one of three overseas territories belonging to France, along with French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna.
The support we give for all our frontline public service [workers], our nurses here, our doctors, our teachers, our police officers, 2.5 per cent in circumstances where hundreds of thousands of people right across our state have lost their job at this difficult time, we believe is fair and reasonable, he said. Mr Perrottet said he understood some of the federations concerns and would work with it to reach a compromise, but the 2.5 per cent cap would not be altered. He said the matter would have to be resolved by the Industrial Relations Commission. We want to make sure we do everything we can to provide the best support we can for our teachers who are doing a fantastic job right across our state. When we can provide more support we will, he said. The Education Department said the strike would cause further inconvenience to parents and students impacted by pandemic lockdowns. It is especially disappointing that the federation is taking this action in circumstances where a new Teachers Award is already scheduled to be arbitrated by a full bench of the IRC in May 2022, a spokeswoman said.

Further, rather than wait until the outcome of the arbitration in May, the department has gone above requirements and made an application for an interim award to deliver a salary increase for teachers and related employees as soon as the current Award expires. Loading The department said it had notified a dispute with the Industrial Relations Commission and is seeking orders to prevent the strike from proceeding. But while the standoff continues, the sector is struggling with a staffing shortage that is only getting worse. Its a problem that Julie Ross, the principal of Kogarah High School, is experiencing firsthand. Several of her staff members have resigned due to burnout, and shes struggling even to find casual teachers to fill in.

Last week in my school, I had a head teacher walk into my office and tell me that, after a number of years working for the department, she is resigning. I had a second-year teacher, permanent classroom teacher, walk into my office and say, I cant do this any more ... this is not what I signed up for,  Ms Ross said. For each of those two positions I received one application; they were advertised statewide ... my school is not an unattractive school, its 30 minutes maximum on a slow train from Central. She believes Sydneys high cost of living combined with comparatively low teaching salaries are contributing to the problem. Beginner teachers in NSW earn $72,263 a year compared with $75,471 for those in Queensland. Teachers in the highest paying bands will earn $107,779 in NSW compared with $108,000 to 110,000 in Queensland. The federation says the number of vacant permanent teaching positions has increased by 80 per cent since June, and it will launch a radio, television, and print advertising campaign to bring greater attention to the problem.

But NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said those figures were misleading. We have 90,000 teachers in NSW, and it is concerning a handful of union reps are urging them to abandon our students after months of home learning and just a week before the summer holidays, she said. She also insisted the state was not facing a teacher staffing crisis, and accused the federation of not negotiating in good faith and engaging in bully boy tactics. Ms Ross, who is also a vice-president of the federation, said there was seething anger at the state government within the sector, particularly after the pressure put on teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also said she expected the state government to take legal action in an attempt to stop the strike from taking place.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has ruled out locking down Victorians at any point if elected next year, launching his campaign one year out from the 2022 state poll.

Mr Guy made the promise as health authorities around the country debated how to respond to the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 and a daily freedom protest at the Victorian Parliament swelled to thousands.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy. Credit:Eddie Jim

Officially launching his campaign for positivity in Dandenong South on Saturday, he guaranteed: No ifs, no buts, no more lockdowns.

The Coalition gives a guarantee, lockdowns are a thing of the past, Mr Guy said at the launch with a rebuild Victoria rally.
Nairobi: In a dramatic move two years after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appeared on video from the frontline with the army fighting Tigrayan forces, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting reported.

In his latest attempt to rally all able Ethiopians to fight what he now calls an existential war, the 45-year-old leader this week announced he would go to the battlefront to direct the fight against rebellious forces from the northern region of Tigray and their allies.

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, dressed in military uniform, speaks to a television camera at an unidentified location. Credit:PMs office/AP

His government issued a new order aiming to restrict media reporting of the countrys year-long war, prohibiting the sharing of non-official information on military-related movements, battlefront results and situations.

The statement released on Friday AEDT, which applies to everyone in the country, also warns that supporting the [rival Tigray forces] directly or indirectly in the name of freedom of speech should cease immediately. And it strongly warned against calls for the formation of a transitional government.
Paris: France has cancelled talks with Boris Johnsons government on how to stop people trying to reach the UK in small boats and President Emmanuel Macron slammed the British Prime Minister for not being serious, in a dramatic deterioration of a relationship severely strained by Brexit and Australias submarine deal.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin scrapped discussions planned for Sunday with his British counterpart Priti Patel. He will instead focus on talks with European Union ministers, Macron told reporters during a visit to Rome. The French President criticised Johnson for posting on Twitter a letter he wrote demanding France take the migrants back.

I am surprised by methods when they are not serious; a leader doesnt communicate with another by tweets or letter that is made public, Macron said. France will see about working with the British if they decide to be serious, he added.

Inflatable boats, used by migrants to cross the English Channel, are stored at a facility in Dover, England, On Friday. Credit:Getty Images

The UK and France have been at loggerheads on issues from defence to trade since Britains divorce from the EU. There are personal tensions, too, between Johnson and Macron, evident in the fallout over Australias decision in September to ditch a French submarine contract in favour of an agreement with the US and the UK.
Among the measures announced, Johnson said anyone arriving in England must take a PCR test for COVID-19 on the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they provide a negative test. And if someone tests positive for the Omicron variant, then he said their close contacts will have to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their vaccination status  currently close contacts are exempt from quarantine rules if they are fully vaccinated. He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required and said the independent group of scientists that advises the British government on the rollout of coronavirus vaccines has been asked to accelerate the vaccination program. This could involve widening the booster program to younger age groups, reducing the time period between a second dose and a booster and allowing older children to get a second dose. From today were going to boost the booster campaign, he said. Britains Department of Health said the two cases found in the UK were linked and involved travel from southern Africa. One of the two new cases was in the southeastern English town of Brentwood, while the other was in the central city of Nottingham. The two confirmed cases are self-isolating with their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place. The British government also added four more countries  Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia  onto the countrys travel red list from Sunday. Six others  Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe  were added Friday. That means anyone permitted to arrive from those destinations will have to quarantine.

Many countries have slapped restrictions on various southern African countries over the past couple of days, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Thailand and the United States, in response to warnings over the transmissibility of the new variant. This goes against the advice of the World Health Organisation, which has warned against any overreaction before the variant was thoroughly studied. Israel said it detected the new strain in a traveller who had returned from Malawi and was tracing 800 travellers who returned recently from southern African countries. It said it would ban the entry of all foreigners into the country, making it the first country to shut its borders completely in response to Omicron, and said it would use counter-terrorism phone-tracking technology to contain the spread of the variant. A petrol attendant stands next to a newspaper headline in Pretoria, South Africa on Saturday. Credit: Despite the banning of flights, there are mounting concerns that the variant has already been widely seeded around the world. Italy and Germany were the latest to report confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.

An Italian who had travelled to Mozambique on business landed in Rome on November 11 and returned to his home near Naples. He and five family members, including two school-age children, have since tested positive, the Italian news agency LaPresse said. All are isolating in the Naples suburb of Caserta in good condition with light symptoms. The variant was confirmed by Sacco hospital in Milan, and Italys National Health Institute said the man had received two doses of the vaccine. Italys health ministry is urging all regions to increase its tracing of the virus and sequencing to detect cases of the new variant first identified in South Africa. In Germany, the Max von Pettenkofer Institute, a Munich-based microbiology centre, said the Omicron variant was confirmed in two travellers who arrived on a flight from South Africa on Nov. 24. The head of the institute, Oliver Keppler, said that genome sequencing has yet to be completed, but it is proven without doubt that it is this variant, German news agency DPA reported. Loading The Dutch public health institute said the Omicron variant was probably found in a number of the tested persons who were isolated after arriving on Friday in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa. The institute said in a statement that further sequencing analysis is underway to determine for sure that it is the new variant. The results were expected on Sunday (Europe time). A total of 61 people were tested.

Australia said early Sunday its scientists were working to determine whether two people who tested positive for COVID after arriving from southern Africa are infected with the Omicron variant. The variants swift spread among young people in South Africa has alarmed health professionals even though there was no immediate indication whether the variant causes more severe disease. A number of pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer, said they have plans in place to adapt their vaccines in light of the emergence of Omicron. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they expect to be able to tweak their vaccine in around 100 days. Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed the AstraZeneca vaccine, expressed cautious optimism that existing vaccines could be effective at preventing serious disease from the Omicron variant, noting that most of the mutations appear to be in similar regions as those in other variants. At least from a speculative point of view we have some optimism that the vaccine should still work against a new variant for serious disease, but really we need to wait several weeks to have that confirmed, he told BBC radio.

Some experts said the variants emergence illustrated how rich countries hoarding of vaccines threatens to prolong the pandemic. Fewer than 6 per cent of people in Africa have been fully immunised against COVID-19, and millions of health workers and vulnerable populations have yet to receive a single dose. Those conditions can speed up spread of the virus, offering more opportunities for it to evolve into a dangerous variant. Loading One of the key factors to emergence of variants may well be low vaccination rates in parts of the world, and the WHO warning that none of us is safe until all of us are safe and should be heeded, said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Saturday with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, and they stressed the importance of working together to help African nations vaccinate their populations, the State Department said in a statement. It said Blinken praised South Africas scientists for quickly identifying the Omicron variant and the government for its transparency in sharing this information, which should serve as a model for the world.




"I've gotten rusty"





I have to say I'm a bit worried about the direction this is going, or maybe the lack of it. I imagine the idea was to create a neatly wrapped mini-series to give this beloved character a proper goodbye, but right now I don't see it, I might be wrong but they don't seem to have a clear path.





I figured this mini-series would focus on Harrison and how Dexter can guide him, for good or ill, and though there is some of that, and I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying it, it's just not enough of a focus. I did like the whole thing with Harrison and bullies and that look when he saw the other kid's painting, I don't think anyone was doubting it but it's clear he has a dark streak, how far that goes is the remaining question.





As for Dexter, we see him scrambling to fix his mess, and boy do I mean scrambling, the dogs make it all harder but also, what was that with the bear? I hate Dexter being so lost, I know he's rusty and he's been "clean" for a long time, but are you telling me it's not in his "training" to look for places where to get rid of a body, especially if it was as easy as they made it seem when he finally figured it out.





Speaking of trouble, I'm only excited about the host of the true-crime podcast because she's Jamie Chung, but it just provides another hurdle for Dexter to get stuck on, and don't get me started on Debra's ghost again, just useless. And the other bad guy, the hunter, are you telling me a guy spends all that time and energy on kidnapping this girl only to hunt her for such a short moment? I'm not an expert but that just doesn't track.





And there's also something about his internal monologue that bugs me, trying to convince himself of things is typical but I did think it was a little off, the writing felt clunky. I was really looking forward to this and I still enjoy it, but I can't say I'm not disappointed, one of the main criticisms about the way the show ended was the messiness, why not take the time to correct that and truly pay attention to that? especially since it's been so long.





"One and done"





What did you think about the episode? Comment below.
Malaga (Spain) 26 November 2021 (SPS)- The Second Edition of the International Youth Forum for Solidarity with Western Sahara (IYFSWS) will start shortly, in Molina Town, Malaga, Spain, with the participation of representatives of more than 90 youth organizations, under the supervision of representatives of the Saharawi Youth Union (UJSARIO) and in the presence of an official Saharawi representation in the opening session of the forum.

According to the organizers, around 150 young men and women representing more than 90 youth organizations will participate in this second edition, including representatives of 10 international federations, and international bodies.

The organizers added that the participants are nationals of 41 countries from liberal, green, socialist and communist parties, in addition to local and European participants and experts interested in the Saharawi cause.

The organization of this second edition of the forum is supervised by the members of the foreign department of theUJSARIO in cooperation with the Spanish Youth Council (CJE), and the European-Latin American Youth Center (CEULAJ) where the forum is organized.

The opening session is expected to include an official speeches by a representative of the Polisario Front, UJSARIO, CEULAJ and CJE, followed by statements by representatives of International Organizations, and statements of heads of delegations of the participating youth organizations.

The work of the forum will take place tomorrow in the form of workshops discussing several issues related to the conflict in Western Sahara.

The first groups of participating delegations arrived this morning in Malaga, where the Forum will take place a few hours later this evening.

The Sahrawi youth chose to organize the second edition of the forum in Spain to remind Madrid of its historical and legal responsibility in the conflict in Western Sahara, and to hold the Spanish and European youth in general the task of correcting the historical mistake made by the Spanish government in 1975 when it abandoned its responsibility in the decolonization of the Western Sahara. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
Malaga (Spain) 26 November 2021 (SPS)- Polisario Front Representative in Europe and the European Union, Mr. Oubi Bouchraya Bachir, urged the participants to the International Youth Forum for Solidarity with Western Sahara (IYFSWS), during its opening session yesterday evening in Malaga, Spain, to intensify efforts aimed at supporting the Saharawi people and to push for the fulfillment of the right to self-determination and independence of Western Sahara.

Mr. Oubi was representing the Polisario Front in this second edition of the Forum, which gathered more than 150 youth representing more than 90 youth organizations from 41 countries, including 10 international youth organisations and representatives of international bodies.

The Sahrawi official expressed his deep regret for the failure of the United Nations and the international community to assume their responsibilities in concluding the decolonization process in Western Sahara, recalling that the Front and Morocco had signed the previous OAU-UN Settlement Plan, before Morocco violated the ceasefire in November 2020, causing the resumption of armed conflict and a military confrontation imposed on the Saharawis.

In this context, Oubi stressed that Polisario Front is determined to continue the legitimate armed struggle against the Moroccan occupation until the realization of the right of the Saharawi people to freedom and independence, confirming at the same time that Polisario Front is open to any peaceful option that is based on the OAU-UN Settlement Plan, the only agreement signed by the two parties.

On the other hand, Polisario Fronts Representative emphasized the symbolism of organizing this youth forum in Spain, as a European country responsible for the suffering of the Saharawi people being the former colonial state of Western Sahara.

He considered that Spanish states attitude of turning its back on its responsibilities towards the Saharawi people, and regarding the decolonization of Western Sahara, is no longer acceptable.

He further referred to the victories of Polisario Front at the level of the European Court of Justice, expressing his regret for the European Union's attempts to overturn the court's clear decisions that ruled out the validity of the European-Moroccan trade agreements that include the occupied lands and waters of Western Sahara.

The organization of this second edition of the forum is supervised by the members of the the foreign department of the Saharawi Youth organization, UJSARIO, in cooperation with the Spanish Youth Council (CJE), and the European-Latin American Youth Center (CEULAJ) where the forum is organized.

The opening session listened to official speeches by Polisario Fronts Representative, UJSARIOs, CEULAJs and CJEs, followed by statements by representatives of the participating International Organizations and heads of delegations of youth organizations.

The work of the forum continue this morning in four workshops take place tomorrow in the form of workshops discussing several issues related to the conflict in Western Sahara.

The first groups of participating delegations arrived this morning in Malaga, where the Forum will take place a few hours later this evening.

The Sahrawi youth chose to organize the second edition of the forum in Spain to remind Madrid of its historical and legal responsibility in the conflict in Western Sahara, and to hold the Spanish and European youth in general the task of correcting the historical mistake made by the Spanish government in 1975 when it abandoned its responsibility in the decolonization of the Western Sahara. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
STAMFORD  Jenny Canepa couldnt hold back her emotions during a recent school board meeting.

The Ecuadorian-born mother of a Stamford Public Schools student still struggles to understand and speak English, which is why she was thrilled to see the district provide a Spanish-speaking translator through the online Zoom application for virtual meetings.

It was the first time she was able to get instant information about the school district translated into Spanish.

It was the best experience of my life, she said in Spanish during a late October meeting. As parents, this is the way to be involved. It was like a blindfold was lifted from our eyes. It was like being able to speak and break the silence we found ourselves in.

Like Canepa, many Spanish-speaking parents in Stamford have had to navigate the school system with little understanding of the English language or the American educational system.

Meanwhile, the Hispanic population of students continues growing, representing almost half of the entire current student body.

According to recently released enrollment data, Hispanic and Latino students make up about 48 percent of Stamford students. Last year, that figure was roughly 46 percent. At some schools, the Hispanic population is well above 50 percent. Toquam Magnet Elementary Schools Latino population is 65 percent of the student body, the largest share in the district, data show.

Among racial and ethnic groups, Hispanics are the only one thats growing, as the percentage of white and Asian students dropped compared with last year, while the number of Black students stayed level.

And yet, the district still struggles to connect with many Spanish-speaking families, something officials say they are working to address.

Mike Meyer, director of family and community engagement for Stamford Public Schools, said there is plenty more that can be done.

One idea is to form a new arrivals center, essentially a welcome center for families to help them navigate the school system and the registration process. But officials are currently faced with the prospect of rebuilding a number of schools, so the center may struggle to get funding in the near future.

Meanwhile, officials said the Spanish-speaking new arrival group was disproportionately affected by COVID-19 because the virus only amplified the barriers many of those families face with language, academics and technology.

The rate of chronic absenteeism  defined as missing 10 percent or more of classes  among English learners was about 40 percent across the district last school year, the highest rate by far among any demographic.

In the short term, Meyers office created a committee designed specifically to deal with translation and communication to families. Beside Spanish, there are another 70 or so languages spoken by families in the school district, with Haitian Creole being the next most-spoken.

Canepa is part of that committee, as is Judy Cleto, the mother a Stamford student.

The presence of the two has become commonplace at Board of Education meetings, generally advocating for better communication with Spanish-speaking families, among other things. This year, they helped create a new group called We Stamford Parents, an informal collection of mostly Hispanic parents advocating for their childrens education.

The groups creation was driven by the distressing opening day of summer school, where students were bused to locations without their parents knowledge and it took hours to reunite parents with their children.

Canepa, who volunteered to help panicked parents during that day, said Black and brown families were disproportionately affected by the communication failure, and some parents decided to pull their children out of the program afterward.

That experience essentially created We Stamford Parents, and so far, the group has had some influence. It meets every three months with district leaders about issues members are seeing in the community.

Group members have also helped push certain initiatives, such as the Zoom translation tool.

They also supported the introduction of the Remind application that allows for two-way communication between parents and teachers that can be translated into a variety of languages.

But even in some of those victories, members said work remains to be done.

Cleto recently spoke at a board meeting about the need to encourage principals and teachers to use the Remind app more, as some teachers use it regularly, while others dont at all, she said.

Communication is essential for there to be a good relationship between schools and parents, Cleto said during a board meeting. This relationship must be a two-way street.

Anka Badurina, executive director of Building One Community, a Stamford organization that helps connect recently-arrived immigrants with resources, said there is a growing recognition among school district officials of the challenges many Spanish-speaking families face.

And parents are also becoming more involved and taking pride in seeing changes happen.

There is more recognition of the power they can actually hold, Badurina said.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)  Even after 15-year-old Brian LaViolette lost his life in a swimming accident in the summer of 1992, the watches he collected over the years kept track of the time.

Twenty-nine years later, a Swatch wristwatch would arrive to Green Bay from Vatican City  Pope Francis its former owner  all in Brians name.

On the day of Brians funeral, a promise was made that great things would be accomplished in his name and memory, wrote Green Bay Bishop David Ricken in a letter to Pope Francis.

The journey from Green Bay to Vatican City relied on a series of connections that pulled these disparate worlds closer together.

The story took up most of an hourlong announcement at Nicolet National Bank in downtown Green Bay, where member organizers and friends associated with the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation announced the Once Upon a Time Collection, the upcoming online auction and how to donate watches to the cause.

Pope Francis wristwatch will be front and center in the online auction on Feb. 22, alongside timepieces worn over the last few decades by the likes of Priscilla Presley and Jerry Lewis.

All proceeds will go toward the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation, the non-profit founded in 1992, which offers 56 scholarships a year to college-bound students ranging from $500 to $10,000.

Doug LaViolette, Brians father and president of the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation, cherishes Timex watches. When his grandson, Walker, was born, he wanted to give the child a wristwatch, a legacy item he and his wife, Renee, might impart on their only grandson.

When he had this gift idea, his memory flashed to his late sons own fascination with watches, which began when Doug gifted him his first one  a Green Bay Packers watch.

Doug remembered the dresser drawer in Brians bedroom where he kept his watch collection. He hadnt looked at that drawer of watches in 28 years. But there they were, literally frozen in time. It was nothing a battery couldnt fix.

Ive worn one of Brians watches every day since February 2020, Doug said.

During the event at Nicolet National Bank, one of Brians watches could be seen on Dougs right wrist as he unveiled the watch once worn by Pope Francis.

Dougs consideration of family legacy was not only integral to his baby grandson, but the longevity of the Brian LaViolette Foundation.

The gift of a watch, Doug reasoned, could only grow the foundations efforts as he considered just how many people, including luminaries at home and abroad, kept watches ticking away in drawers across the world.

He immediately thought of Pope Francis.

Pope Francis is known not only for his spiritual work, but he also wears an inexpensive watch that lends itself to his character, Doug told the Green Bay Press-Gazette ahead of the event. From Day One of the watch project, I always felt that if we could get to Pope Francis and ask him for his wristwatch, that would literally be the Holy Grail.

After he pitched the watch idea to his daughter, Kim LaViolette Mosteller, the Brian LaViolette Foundations executive director, they arranged a Zoom call with Brians childhood best friend Austin Rios.

Rios is now an Episcopal priest living in Rome, Italy.

He was the last person to see Brian alive and, after losing his best friend, became one of the first recipients of the foundations scholarship awards.

Over Zoom, Doug and Kim pitched the idea to Rios, who had his camera off during the conversation. Silence followed as they stared at a blank icon. Doug would later recall this pause with laughter: I thought, Oh my god, we offended the priest.

Rios, after a moment, said he was in.

When I got the call from Doug and Kim originally, my initial reaction was like really? Rios said over Zoom at Tuesdays event. But Im a faithful person and someone who believes that if you dont ask, you wont receive. I was very much interested in the idea.

Rios had been living in Rome for a decade, and had met Pope Francis a number of times. He also had connections with religious priests and bishops in Rome and the Vatican.

I remember when Austin was this young boy who used to knock around with Brian, Doug said. And here hes this priest in Rome and hes talking about bishops at the Vatican. These relationships are so deep. Its all about starting a conversation.

One conversation led to another. The group at the Vatican researched the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation and held a special hearing about it, according to Rios. They came back to Rios to relay the message that such an ask, indeed, was increasingly plausible.

They validated the purity of what the foundation means, Doug said. We just had to follow the proper channels. The proper guidelines required the recommendation of a local bishop in Green Bay.

Mike Calawerts, a friend of the LaViolette family, said when he called Bishop David Ricken, of the Diocese of Green Bay, Ricken offered what was becoming a familiar pause of astonishment. After a pause, Ricken told Calawerts, I dont think this has ever been done before.

He would think it over and pray.

On May 28, Ricken addressed a letter to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. After explaining the foundations background, Ricken delivered the ask that had inspired dead silence for each uninitiated listener.

Your Holiness, on behalf of the family, I humbly ask if you might consider offering an inexpensive watch you have worn prior, that you may feel inclined to part with for this specific cause, wrote Ricken in the letter. Your watch could be a most significant addition to the timepiece collection for auction.

When Rev. Fabio Salerno, Pope Franciss personal secretary, wrote back to Ricken on June 30, he enclosed a watch worn by Pope Francis with a brief but powerful message:

Pope Francis assures a remembrance for the soul of Brian in his prayers and imparts you, the family LaViolette and the members of the Foundation his Apostolic Blessing, as a pledge of peace in the Lord.

Rev. Fabio Salerno, Pope Francis personal secretary, attaches a letter on behalf of Pope Francis, along with one of Pope Francis watches, to Bishop David Ricken at the Diocese of Green Bay.

When Bishop Ricken relayed the news, all Doug could do was cry.

I think our world is starving for meaningful relationships right now. And that is what ultimately led to success in this project, Rios said.

Pope Francis watch will remain in Central European Time the time zone in Vatican City  until the day of the auction.
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Tattoos on a Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.-based Marine in 2008. While sleeve tattoos remain prohibited under current regulations, the Corps has ended a rule requiring its members to submit 360-degree photos of themselves when seeking enlisted retention, or special assignments such as embassy guard or drill instructor duty. (Jimmy Serena Jr./U.S. Marine Corps)

The Marine Corps has done away with a tattoo policy rule requiring its members to submit 360-degree photos of themselves when seeking enlisted retention, or special assignments like embassy guard or drill instructor.

In an administrative memo last week, the service ended the nearly 7-year-old requirement for the photos, which were used to validate compliance with the service's tattoo regulations, the strictest in the Defense Department.

Marines have complained for years that the tattoo policy hurts careers and retention and may prevent otherwise qualified recruits from joining the service. Other Marines have lamented all the body art they wont get  such as sleeves  so long as the rules remain in effect.

As the Corps drew down from 202,000 to 182,000 active-duty personnel and reduced its involvement in Afghanistan, officials in 2014 began to focus more on issues of appearance and grooming standards.

The services tattoo rules were relaxed somewhat in 2016 to balance the personal desires of Marines with high standards of professional military appearance and heritage, the Corps said at the time.

But after years at war, the still-rigid tattoo order was still seen as a career killer for some combat veterans who said they werent allowed to reenlist, Marine Corps Times reported in 2017.

Marines under current regulations aren't allowed to get sleeve tattoos, such as the ones pictured on this Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based Marine back in 2007. The Corps has ended a tattoo policy requiring its members to submit 360-degree photos of themselves when seeking enlisted retention, or special assignments like embassy guard or drill instructor duty. (Salju K. Thomas/U.S. Marine Corps)

Marines can have an unlimited number of tattoos that cant be seen when theyre wearing a physical training uniform. But they are prohibited from designs on the head, neck, mouth, wrist, knee, elbow or hand, and there are limits on the size and number of tattoos visible when in PT gear.

The new photo policy does not change those standards. And it requires Marines with visible tattoos to provide a close-up photo of each, aligned with a measuring device to show that each one isn't too close to a knee or elbow, as required by the tattoo regulation.

But Marines whose tattoos arent visible in the T-shirt and shorts of the PT uniform no longer have to submit photos or sketches of their hidden tattoos.

Marine officials over the years have justified the services stringent body art rules as just one of many ways the Corps sets itself apart.

Still, many Marines have bridled at the restrictions. Last year, an infantry corporal started a Change.org petition seeking a modification to allow sleeve tattoos. It received over 76,000 signatures.

The sleeve ban has also been a source of disagreement at the highest levels. Former Commandant Gen. Robert Neller, who implemented the 2016 policy, told Military.com two years later that his wife thought he was stupid for prohibiting the full-arm designs.

I just dont want them being Marines, Neller told her in response, he said.

The Marine Corps did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the reason for the change to the photo requirement.

garland.chad@stripes.com

Twitter: @chadgarland
People get the COVID-19 vaccine shot on April 17, 2021, in Nevada, Iowa. According to reports on Nov. 23, 2021, an Iowa hospital administered the wrong dose of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 100 children. (Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune)

(Tribune News Service)  An Iowa hospital admitted to administering the wrong dose of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 100 children.

MercyOne said in a statement that 20 micrograms of the Pfizer vaccine were administered Nov. 20 to children under 12 at a mass vaccination event, The Des Moines Register reported on Wednesday.

They were supposed to each receive 10-microgram doses at the event in Urbandale, about 13 miles northwest of Des Moines.

The accidental dosage  which is still lower than the 30-microgram dose intended for adults  could result in kids experiencing amplified side effects from the shot.

A sore arm, mild fever, fatigue, and headache are among those side effects.

The hospital is "implementing procedures to ensure a similar incident does not happen again," the hospital said in a statement, according to the Register. "MercyOne strongly believes in the safety and efficacy of all COVID-19 vaccines available to eligible age groups."

This is not the first time higher-than-recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Iowa.

A since-fired nurse gave nearly 80 inmates at the Fort Madison prison six times the recommended dose of the Pfizer jab in April, according to the paper. Despite intensified side effects, none of the affected individuals' experiences warranted hospitalization, a representative said at the time.

2021 New York Daily News.

Visit at nydailynews.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Dr. Anthony Fauci prepares to receive his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on Dec. 22, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Patrick Semansky/Pool/Getty Images/TNS)

The omicron variant, a new strain of COVID-19 triggering fears worldwide, could already be in the United States.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Saturday that while there is no indication the mutated virus has made its way over from South Africa, where it was initially detected earlier this week, citizens should take special care and avoid letting their guards down.

When asked whether he believed omicron has already arrived in the United States, Fauci said he "would not be surprised" if it has.

"We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you're already having travel-related cases that they've noted in Israel and Belgium and other places, when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over," Fauci said during an interview on the "Today" show on Saturday.

South Africa's health minister on Thursday announced the discovery of the variant, which appears to be spreading rapidly across parts of the country. Less than 24 hours later, the World Health Organization designated it as a "variant of concern," naming it omicron during an emergency meeting held Friday.

While much about omicron is still a mystery, health experts have suggested the latest COVID-19 strain could prove more transmissible and render vaccines less effective.



2021 New York Daily News.

Visit at nydailynews.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Seen are still images from videos of fights at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida. (Handout/Sun Sentinel/TNS)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Tribune News Service)  When students returned to school this year, they brought with them pent up energy from a tough time in near isolation during the pandemic.

Now, reports of fights, criminal batteries and fear of violence are becoming an unwelcome part of students' full return to in-person education.

While the violence isn't happening at every school, many are seeing the problems erupt on more South Florida campuses than in the past. There are reports of teachers, security staff and administrators being knocked to the ground. Footage of students fighting is often shared on TikTok and other social media.

Consider:

At Coral Springs High, a video went viral on social media that showed a male student beating up a female student as a staff member tried to intervene. Their horrified classmates screamed from their seats with each blow to the student, and as her aggressor slammed her to the floor.

At Monarch High in Coconut Creek, at least 10 incidents of battery have been reported since mid-September, with several students arrested.

In Palm Beach County, there have been 68 reported incidents of battery since mid-October, with 29 of those cases resulting in an arrest, according to school police.

Broward has reported 712 fights and 223 physical attacks from the start of school through late October.

At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, the site of the 2018 mass shooting, a teacher reported in early November being attacked by a freshman student near the end of the school day.

"We are legitimately scared every day to go to work because we don't know what's going to happen today," said a teacher at Coral Springs High, who declined to be named, citing fear of retaliation.

School district officials say the pandemic was a major factor, as students slipped academically and lacked structure, social interaction and mental health support.

Adding to the problem is a shortage of guidance counselors, therapists and behavioral health specialists. Those who are there often have to fill in as substitutes or hall monitors due to shortages among other staff.

"It definitely has been a concern," said Alexandria Ayala, a Palm Beach County School Board member. "I think that's to be expected after two years of unconventional learning, financial strain, family loss."

Teachers and administrators immediately noticed these students were in a different mental and emotional state than the one they'd left off in, she said. Now, more teachers are leaving out of concern for their own safety, said Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union.

"They didn't sign up to be abused," Fusco said. "Even kids in our youngest grades, pre-K and kindergarten, are coming in angry and frustrated. We just had an incident where a 10-year-old cracked a teacher's head with a snow globe."

The Broward County School District acknowledged that the violence is concerning, and said students were under more stress due to the pandemic.

"Due to the lower number of opportunities for social interaction during the pandemic, many communication skills and coping strategies that are normally used on a daily basis have not been exercised," the office of Chief Communications Officer wrote in a statement.

"Since COVID-19, more students and families are seeking mental health resources available through our schools  including therapists and counselors  to help process the experience," the statement said. "Mental health professionals at Broward County Public Schools are trained to recognize the signs of mental distress in children, how to approach them effectively and can connect them with mental health resources."

The Broward school district attempts to dissuade students from resorting to violence through school-based communications, video messages and social media efforts, the statement said.

The district also hired staff and implemented technology to monitor social media. The district has seen a recent increase in the number of tips submitted to the FortifyFL and SaferWatch apps, the statement said.

Many students had grown used to learning from their bedrooms in their pajamas, never really encountering their fellow classmates. At least not in an academic environment.

When they returned, all the traditional social pressures of school  bullying, cliques, ever-present threats of violence, and now heated mask debates  that they had gone so long without came rushing back, too.

On top of that, their academics had taken a hit and the pressure to get back on track is immense. At home, they might be experiencing increased financial strain or grief from the loss of a family member.

Throw that all together and classrooms became pressure cookers. Each week, fights broke out.

Students who felt desperate for validation clung to new crews that only took them down the wrong path and got them into trouble.

"They were more rambunctious," Ayala said. "They had forgotten how to interact with each other. They're all so fired up, and have their own circles, conversations taking place on social media, which is another big part of this. There was a sense of an unsteady social-emotional well-being of students."

Monarch High, a school that hasn't historically had a reputation for violence, reported at least 10 battery cases this year and numerous fights, according to Coconut Creek police reports, students and staff. Ailin Le, a junior at the school, said she doesn't remember any fights before the pandemic, but said she has seen many this year.

"When it happens during lunch, kids don't feel safe to go to lunch and relax," Le said. "I feel like students being home, they didn't have any motivation. They may also not know the risk of getting into a fight."

Some fights have led to injuries. A report describes an Oct. 14 incident at Monarch where a student rushed and tacked another student to the ground "and started repeatedly striking him in around the facial area." The student who was attacked also said that once he stood up, the other student kicked him in the face.

"He advised he suffered abrasions by his right eye, had bruises in his back and arms and had bloodshot eyes due to the fight," the report said.

Parents scared by the fights and especially by the threats have pulled their children out of schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties, some permanently and others just for the day to avoid the threats.

Either way, it's a disruption to learning, Ayala says. For the students who make threats or get into fights, these split-second decisions can disrupt their future, she said.

"Within our policies, we have expectations of conduct. There have to be consequences for this behavior, especially if it endangered another student in any way," she said. "It's difficult to be considering expulsions over things that didn't need to happen."

Administrators are encouraging students to seek help from behavioral specialists in schools, and they're encouraging parents to talk to their children about what they're going through before it grows into a bigger problem, Ayala said.

The Palm Beach County school district has its own police force for public schools, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office also has partnered with the school district to help address larger-scale issues related to school that happen in the community, off school grounds, she said.

The situation is more difficult to address because of short-staffed schools and police departments. And because students are privy to the rhetoric around masks at school board meetings, they're under the wrong impression that it's OK to throw a fit over whatever issue they're having.

"Them seeing that behavior doesn't calm the temperatures in schools," Ayala said. "They're learning if adults can do this, I can do this. I don't think anyone is happy we're here right now as a society."

Lisa Sipes, whose daughter went to Northeast High School in Oakland Park, said she had to pull her daughter out of school to protect her from harassment she was facing from her peers. She plans to have her complete high school by taking the GED, she said.

"I just feel so hopeless at this point," Sipes said. "I don't want to make my kid drop out of school, but she was like, 'I can't live like this.'"



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Chesapeake hopes to turn a 5-acre plot of land off Jolliff Road into a historical park. Authorities believe it was a little-known earthworks fort used during the Civil War. This feature, experts believe, is part of the wall that protected the soldiers. (Stephen M. Katz)

(Tribune News Service)  As a boy growing up in what was then Norfolk County, Gerald Kinney played Army with his friends.

Kinneys family came to own a forested plot of land off of Jolliff Road in the 1950s and Kinney and his friends pretended to trade gunfire and run up ramparts on earthen walls that seemed to naturally surround the spot.

What Kinney didnt know then? The spot had once been a Civil War fort.

Union soldiers set up along what was a major transportation route to keep the rebel army from heading farther into the region. The fort might have been constructed by the Confederates before then.

There was always the rumor about the fort being used during the war, said Kinney, now 70. The fort was always near to my heart.

The city of Chesapeake now hopes to preserve the little-known earthworks fort in Western Branch by turning it into a public park, complete with historical markers and walking trails.

The City Council recently authorized officials to enter an agreement with the state transportation department to conduct historical and environmental reviews for what they call the Civil War Fort Park Project. VDOT took over the land while constructing Interstate 664 a few decades ago.

Local Civil War buffs, meanwhile, are working to uncover anything about the unnamed fort they can find.

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On a recent crisp fall afternoon, Mike Barber pulled off Jolliff Road next to a densely forested area.

Barber is director of the citys Park, Recreation and Tourism department and leads the charge for the park. He made his way along an unofficial path, leaves crunching underfoot, until the fort came into view  a rectangle that stretches a total perimeter of about 900 feet.

Its dirt walls are a few feet high with gaps for entrances and cannon platforms. In the center is a circular earthen structure about the size of a large kiddie pool with knee-high walls. That may have been a magazine where ammunition was stored, said Jessica Cosmas, the parks departments director of a new historical services division. All of it has eroded a bit over time.

Earthwork fortifications were made with materials at hand and designed for temporary use, according to the National Park Service website: Dirt is a very inexpensive resource, and when used in massive amounts it is the basis for a very strong and intimidating structure.

The five acres now owned by VDOT are off-limits to the public. But Barber said discarded beer cans and tire tracks from all-terrain vehicles show the area is still being used.

The walls of the fort are great for bikers looking for small hills, he noted, but thats a problem for preserving the site. He hopes the city can get the land from VDOT as soon as possible and start taking care of it.

The process may take a while. The environmental review will take 6-8 months, including historic work as the fort is eligible for the Register of Historic Places, VDOT spokesperson Jordan-Ashley Walker said in an email. Then the department can do its property management review, which can take up to a year.

VDOT could not say when it acquired the property or from whom. Walker said that information will be determined when doing a title search, which the city will have to provide.

The site first came to the citys attention about five years ago, Barber said, when officials were contacted by members of the Hampton Roads Civil War Roundtable, an informal group of dozens of local historians. After various conversations and additional mapping of the site  including lidar, or laser sensing, technology that showed a clear outline of a fort from above  officials started discussing a park project.

Our vision grew to where it could be another stop on the Civil War Trails tour, Barber said.

Planning is still in conceptual stages until the land can be acquired, though.

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Kinneys family ended up with the land, including the fort in the 1950s, before VDOT took it to construct the nearby interstate.

His grandmother leased surrounding fields to farmers who grew soybeans, corn and sweet potatoes.

He didnt think much of the history as a child. But after serving for two decades in the Air Force, Kinney returned to Hampton Roads and became more interested. A little over a decade ago, he and his family dived into the sites history. He was facilities manager of the Mariners Museum & Park in Newport News at the time and was allowed some of their resources for the personal project, he said.

He then wrote a detailed report, Mystery Fort  explaining what they found. The report includes photos of artifacts discovered over the past century, most of which were passed down or given to his family, such as bullets, strap hooks, an ordnance fragment and buttons from a New York regiment of the Union Army.

Whats now Jolliff Road  often referred to as Stage Road  was one of two main routes that led from central Virginia to North Carolina, said Herb Harrell of the Hampton Roads Civil War Roundtable.

The location, therefore, wouldve been strategic to monitor who was coming and going  especially toward the important Norfolk Naval Shipyard, said Ed Carbaugh, another member of the roundtable. It was also along an important waterway  Goose Creek  that feeds into the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River.

The dense tree canopy at the site wasnt there in the 19th century, when it had been cleared for farming, he said.

It was just out there in the open, Carbaugh said. It wouldve been highly visible in two strategic directions.

The fort likely was the biggest in a series that formed a picket line, the roundtable believes. Up to 50 Union soldiers would be stationed there at a time, camping in the space between the walls and central magazine.

Cannons around the edges werent fixed like at a major fort, Harrell said. They were on big wheels, rolled over to whichever side they were needed.

You didnt know when the rebels were gonna come out of the swamp or try to force their way across the bridge, Harrell said.

At night, in fact, guards at the fort would take the boards off the nearby bridge so an attacking force could not cross it, he said.

The fort is referenced many times in regimental histories, especially in 1862 and 63, but never named. There were no battles there, though the ordnance fragment found may suggest a skirmish.

Its unclear exactly who built the earthworks fort.

The Union took control of Norfolk in 1862, forcing the Confederates to evacuate posts around the area. Records indicate the Confederates had a position in 1861 near the fort, Harrell said. He believes it was built by Confederate soldiers but taken over by the Union soon afterward.

Like much about the site, the origin remains a mystery.

But Harrell said its amazing the original structure is so well preserved. The minute I saw the fort, it blew my mind, he said.

Itd be a history teachers dream to teach from an eventual public park, not only about the forts role but other histories that likely happened there, he said. That includes enslaved people seeking freedom after coming through the Great Dismal Swamp just to the south, military happenings during the American Revolution and Indigenous history long before any of it.

There are so many stories that have gone untold about our history and how weve gotten to this point, said Barber, the parks director. This just gives us another piece of the puzzle that can really tell the story of Chesapeake.

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting in Minsk on May 26, 2021. Lukashenko on Friday, Nov. 26, gave the green light to migrants on the Polish border to cross over if they so desire. (Maxim Guchek/BELTA/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Belarus will continue to let migrants try to enter the European Union, President Alexander Lukashenko said, defying warnings of sanctions to deter the flow of people toward the bloc's borders.

"If you manage to get across  go," Lukashenko told a group of migrants Friday outside a logistics hub near the Belarusian border with Poland that's become a flashpoint between his regime and the EU, which has been blocking crossings. "We will do everything as you wish it, even if this is going to be bad for Poles, Latvians, and the rest."

Lukashenko said Belarus won't force people stuck at the border after arriving from Iraq and other Middle East states to return home, following repeated clashes between migrants and Polish security officials. The EU accuses him of orchestrating the migrant crisis in retaliation for mounting sanctions the bloc imposed over his crackdown on opposition protests following last year's disputed presidential election. Lukashenko said about 1,000 migrants had returned home, while an average of 200 per day were attempting to enter the EU.

A group of 200 "aggressive" foreigners tried to enter Polish territory by force on Friday, Poland's border guard reported on Twitter.

Germany's likely new foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, accused Lukashenko of "blackmail" over the crisis in an interview published Friday, and backed more sanctions against his government. The EU this week warned of a crackdown on travel and transport companies that aid people-trafficking in an effort to prevent the Belarusian leader using irregular migration as a weapon against the bloc.

Poland on Thursday proposed increasing the military presence of North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in eastern Europe over what it sees as a "hybrid attack" from Belarus with Russia support. Fighter jets from Belarus and Russia conducted joint air patrols near the border Thursday, the Defense Ministry in Minsk said.

___

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Prince Andrew, Duke of York, on April 11, 2021, in Windsor, England. (Steve Parsons/WPA Pool/Getty Images/TNS)

NEW YORK (Tribune News Service)  The woman who claims Jeffrey Epstein recruited her for sex with Prince Andrew when she was a teenager says a confidential 2009 settlement she reached with the disgraced financier doesn't shield the British royal from her lawsuit.

Virginia Giuffre sued the prince in August, claiming he sexually abused her in Epstein's New York home, on Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands and in the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew has denied the allegations. Maxwell is in jail awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

On Friday, Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for Giuffre, said the "plain language" in the 2009 settlement "demonstrates that it does not cover claims against Prince Andrew."

The prince last month asked a federal judge in New York to dismiss Giuffre's suit, insisting he'd never sexually abused or assaulted her. He also said the 2009 settlement Giuffre reached with Epstein protected "any and all persons who Giuffre identified as potential targets of future lawsuits."

The case is Giuffre v. Prince Andrew, 21-cv-06702-LAK, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

___

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A young Taliban member inspects vehicles at a checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Oct. 5. MUST CREDIT: Photo for The Washington Post by Lorenzo Tugnoli. (Lorenzo Tugnoli)

Twenty years after being dislodged from power by a U.S. invasion, the Taliban again took charge of Afghanistan in August, prompting the U.S. and its allies to expedite their planned exit from the country. The strict Islamic fundamentalists - whose previous five-year rule was characterized by the oppression of women and minorities, and the harboring of international terrorists - pledged to do things somewhat differently this time. Those vows met with skepticism among the world's governments and multilateral institutions, which withheld recognition of the Taliban as the legitimate authority in Afghanistan, blocked access to billions of dollars in Afghan assets held overseas and severed the development assistance that had long propped up the economy.

Did the world cut off aid to Afghanistan entirely?

No. Humanitarian assistance continued to flow. In fact, commitments to provide it - by the U.S., wealthy European countries and China - increased after the Taliban takeover, motivated in part by the desire to avert a mass exodus of Afghan refugees. However, the need was great. Before the suspension of non-humanitarian aid, foreign donors had financed about 75% of public spending. With the supply of money tight, many local companies closed, banks limited withdrawals, and workers were left unpaid. The Taliban dismissed the Afghan police and military forces, previously huge employers, altogether. United Nations officials warned that by mid-2022 as much as 97% of the country's 39 million people could be living in poverty, up from about 72% in 2020. Even before the regime change, the supply of food was an issue, as Afghanistan has been afflicted by drought and relies heavily on imports. In September and October, nearly half the population lacked regular access to sufficient safe and nutritious food, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.

What's the status of women under the Taliban?

During their previous stint in power, the Taliban barred women from education, from work and even from leaving home without a male escort. This time, the group's leaders signaled a softening of these policies, but it's unclear how far changes will go. The Taliban no longer require women, when in public, to don the burka, a one-piece garment covering the face and body with just a mesh screen to see through. Instead they insisted on a headscarf and non-revealing clothing. In the first few months after the takeover, women were allowed to work for the most part only in the health and education fields. Girls were permitted to attend gender-segregated schooling up to the sixth grade but generally not the higher grades. Women had access to some universities and not others. The Taliban included no women in their cabinet and disbanded the Ministry of Women's Affairs. Many prominent Afghan women leaders either fled the country or went into hiding.

What about minorities?

The Taliban, who follow the Sunni branch of Islam, are overwhelmingly Pashtuns, Afghanistan's largest ethnic group. Their previous rule was marked by offenses - including forcible displacement, rape and forced marriages of women - against other groups, especially Hazaras, who are Shiite Muslims. The Taliban's 53-member cabinet named in September was dominated by Pashtuns, though it did include 10 members of other groups that collectively make up almost half the population, including a Hazara as deputy health minister. At the same time, Taliban officials evicted thousands of Hazaras from their homes in five provinces, according to Human Rights Watch.

What are the Taliban's relations with terrorist groups?

Afghanistan is a magnet for Muslim extremists because of its weak government and legendary status as the place where jihadis first defeated a superpower - the Soviet Union in 1989. Two groups are of greatest concern to the U.S. and its allies:

Al-Qaeda: The American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was provoked by the Taliban's refusal to extradite al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after his group attacked the U.S. homeland on Sept. 11 of that year. An al-Qaeda force ranging from several dozen to 500 men remains in Afghanistan, according to a report by a UN Security Council committee. In exchange for a U.S. promise to remove its forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban agreed in early 2020 to prevent groups from using the country as a launchpad for attacks. Months before gaining power, the Taliban began tightening their control over al-Qaeda by registering foreign jihadis and restricting them, the UN committee said. However, ties between the groups remain close through shared ideology and intermarriage. American intelligence officials have estimated that al-Qaeda would need a year or two to rebuild the capacity to strike the U.S. at home again.

Islamic State: The Afghan franchise of this group, known as IS-Khorasan, is much more active than al-Qaeda and has an estimated 2,200 fighters. It is at odds with the Taliban, with whom it has fought for years. Islamic State views the Muslim world as one entity that should be united under a single Islamic ruler and lambasts the Taliban for being a nationalist movement. It continued to carry out attacks, often aimed at Afghanistan's Shiite community, after the U.S. and its allies left the country. The Taliban have vowed to combat the group and have an incentive to do so, as IS-Khorasan seeks to lure away Taliban fighters who want an even stricter interpretation of Islamic law in Afghanistan.

The U.S. vowed to combat threats from Afghanistan after its military withdrawal using so-called over-the-horizon capabilities, which include drone, missile and long-range bomber strikes as well as commando infiltrations. However, the loss of in-country bases and on-the-ground intelligence makes it much more difficult to pull off such operations successfully.
A security guard patrols the front entrance of Nordstrom in Los Angeles on Tuesday Nov. 23, 2021, after an organized group of thieves attempted a smash-and-grab robbery late Monday night. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service)  Los Angeles police late Friday were on citywide tactical alert after a wave of smash-and-grab "flash mob" robberies at high-end stores.

And in Lakewood, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives were investigating a possible smash-and-grab robbery at a Home Depot after people stormed into the store Friday night and fled with sledgehammers and bolt cutters, according to authorities and a store employee.

Friday's tactical alert follows a series of incidents in which groups have swooped in on stores across Los Angeles  including a Nordstrom at the Grove shopping center and several stores at the Beverly Center in the Beverly Grove neighborhood  and have fled with thousands of dollars in merchandise.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident at Nordstrom on Tuesday, where as many as 20 people stole $5,000 worth of merchandise after smashing a display window, police said.

In Canoga Park, several people entered a Nordstrom store Wednesday night at the Westfield Topanga & the Village shopping center, where they attacked a security guard with bear spray and took off with merchandise.

At the Home Depot in Lakewood on Friday, more than half a dozen people entered the store shortly before 8 p.m. and stole merchandise, Deputy Miguel Meza said.

"Witnesses saw multiple vehicles taking off," Meza said.

A store employee told The Times in a phone interview that men took sledgehammers and crowbars and some wore sweatshirts with hoodies.

Beverly Hills said early Saturday it arrested four suspects who might be tied to the Home Depot heist.

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Looking for an innovative Christmas present this year? How about securing a film credit for your loved ones and work colleagues?

The second in a series of five teaser videos for a documentary on the Rena disaster has been launched on Friday with an invitation for the community to be a part of helping make the 90-minute feature documentary. Titled The Government response, the two-minute teaser follows on from the first teaser video launched a week ago which featured The Wreck.

Further videos released during the six-week crowdfunding campaign on Boosted will feature the iwi response, wildlife response, and the community response.

From only a $5 donation, everyone who contributes to the Boosted campaign to help make the film will have their name listed in the credits of The Rena, the reef and the residents, say the films producers.

The documentary will be capturing the memories and thoughts of some of the more than 8000 volunteers, local government, businesses, wildlife conservation groups and iwi.

There are many sides to every story, and ten years on, locals each have their own stories to tell, says producer Rosalie Liddle Crawford who together with director Anton Steel have already interviewed nearly 30 people and completed the first draft edit of the film.

The heart of this documentary will be the recollections of these characters and also the leaders of the community at the time, the effects it had on them, both then and ongoing until the present day.

The first Rena documentary two minute teaser looked at The Wreck

Executive producers and Sun Media directors Claire and Brian Rogers have joined forces with Rosalie and Anton to make the documentary. Sun Media publishes online news website Sunlive and The Weekend Sun. SunLive was the first media to break the news to the world of the Rena coming aground on Astrolabe Reef.

The footage and thousands of photos that Sun Media have archived from 2011 are being made available for the documentary which Rosalie and Anton plan to complete in early 2022. Sun Media has also provided initial funding to launch the project.

Thousands of locals were involved in the aftermath, with a groundswell of volunteers going out daily to help save wildlife and clean up the oil and debris. We want to invite them now to be part of helping us make this documentary, says Rosalie.

To complete the film, a crowdfunding campaign on Boosted.org.nz will be run until Christmas.

Coincidentally, the $5 note has an image of a penguin on it, says Rosalie. We thought that for $5 every child, parent and grandparent can dip into the website, push the donate button and help us make the film. And it provides them with the opportunity to have their name listed in the film credits. Something that lives on and they can one day show their own children and grandchildren.

Funds are needed to cover further interview and b-roll footage shoots and the costs of editing.

"We are also looking for corporate and business sponsorship to help us tell this important story.

From donors right up to match funders, we are inviting everyone to help us make a top quality production, says Rosalie. This is an opportunity to help us complete this historical story about the power of our community to make change in the face of an environmental disaster.

Match funders also receive VIP updates and a special sponsors package.

To support the project and have your name included in the credits please go to https://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/the-rena-wreck-documentary and click on donate.

Anyone who is interested in supporting the documentary project in other ways such as sponsorship, match funding, providing footage, or has any query, is asked to email Rosalie and Anton. To do this please click here

The Rena grounded on Astrolabe Reef on October 5, 2011. Photo: SunLive.
Pablo Berenguer, the man from Velez-Malaga who hitchhiked 24,000 kilometres through 15 Asian countries The artist and juggler has published a book about his two trips which he completed on a budget of just 1,200 euros

Pablo Berenguer, a 47-year-old from Velez-Malaga, admits he is "a passionate traveller and a dreamer". 'Goyum', as his friends and family know him, has a degree in Fine Arts and worked for some years as an Art teacher before giving it up to focus on painting and juggling.

Over the last decade he has undertaken two long journeys through Asia, which he says have completely changed his life. Between 2012 and 2013 and then in 2015 and 2016 he hitchhiked a total of 24,000 kilometres, crossing 15 countries in Asia on a budget of just 1,200 euros. "I lived to the maximum with the minimum, he says.

The traveller has captured his experiences, images and memories in two books, each containing 400 pages and around 500 photographs. In the two volumes of El Sol de la Seda (The Sun of the Silk, a reference to the Silk Road trade route), Berenguer shows the landscapes and "wonderful people" he met in Thailand, Laos, China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. "People were so excited about having a Spaniard in their car," he says.

The first of these adventures began in the spring of 2012, when he and six friends flew to Bangkok. There they intended to set up the project 'La Caravana Picartista', with the idea of returning to Spain in a convoy via the legendary Silk Road, performing artistic juggling shows and video projections in the streets as they went.

"Incredible and fun encounters with the locals happened in each country and unforeseen events came up that completely changed our course," he says.

During the journey the artist says he was always accompanied by his coloured juggling hoops with which he played his games to gain the trust of the local people.

"They were my passport to enter each village, I would start doing my act and the children would come. I also know various magic tricks and they were also very useful. For example in Afghanistan things got very bad at the border, even though I had my passport and visas in order. But I ended up having my photo taken with the soldiers and being asked to explain how I had done it," says the adventurer.

If there is one thing that stands out about these two trips, he adds, it is that the people are "super hospitable, they didn't see a foreigner, but someone who wanted to get to know them", admits Berenguer, who speaks very little English.

No means of communication

"With a smile and good manners, you can get anywhere," summarises the adventurer, who adds, "You can travel with little, and yet receive a lot in return."

The convoy broke up in Mongolia and from then on Berenguer decided to continue on his own. "I had no mobile phone or computer, just my camera and a tent, I slept in the open whenever I couldn't stay at a local's house," he explains.

Buddhist temples were one of the places where he felt most welcome. "The monks live like a group of hippies, they were very cheerful, there was a very good vibe," he recalls.

"They are very poor countries where people have nothing to lose and trust more because of their nature," says Berenguer, who sees the two books about his travels as "a cheerful and optimistic chronicle in the face of adversity".

Captivated by Berenguer's travel stories, the filmmaker Javier Gomez Bello made a short film in April 2020 in which he summarised the adventures, winning him eleven international awards.

"Travelling is discovering new things, sharing with people, it removes prejudices and the fear of the unknown," says the adventurer.

Berenguer says that he only encountered one serious problem in his two trips through Asia. In Afghanistan, on the first journey, he explains that some young men who offered him a lift in their car stole a backpack containing his belongings and documents.

"It was very unpleasant and forced me to return to Spain," he admits. But as he says at the end of the short film, his magic recipe is always "love, humour and respect".
Montejaque council is embarking on this Ronda village's most ambitious project ever. Its aim is to boost the local economy, fighting depopulation and recovering its cultural and ethnographic heritage. The town hall is now drawing up plans, which they began studying ten years ago, for the area around the Montejaque reservoir, and carrying out improvements in order to have it protected as a fluvial reserve.

The most striking part of this project is the restoration of a walkway leading to Los Caballeros dam, which will be called the Caminito de Montejaque or Caminito de los Caballeros, and will be similar to the famous Caminito del Rey.

Many parts of this project are aimed at attracting scientific and nature tourism, by regenerating the area and making it possible to visit Los Caballeros dam, which has been inaccessible for nearly a century. With this in mind, the Taviznilla path and the walkway over the dam have been restored, and two via ferratas are in the process of being created on the inside of the wall. The idea of a suspended walkway or Tibetan bridge (made of transparent methacrylate and, at 75 metres, the longest in Europe) is currently in the study phase.

The project, whose first phase will be inaugurated in 2022, is very ambitious and covers an area nearly 400 hectares in size

Further ahead, there are plans for: a Tree Museum in the area called Los Cucaderos; four birdwatching observatories (the area is home to species such as griffon vultures, peregrine falcons, eagle owls, kestrels and Egyptian vultures, all of which nest there) in addition to the existing bee-eater observatory; a cycle-tourism route; signs with sensors to indicate the adapted paths, for people with visual and intellectual disabilities, which were created in 2013 and cover 5.5 and 3.2 kms and have explanatory panels in Braille; and finally, the reconstruction of the Isla en la Puente, (famous in history for the battle against the French troops in 1810 after the Napoleonic invasion) which would sustain a 10-hectare stretch of water.

Recreational activities such as walking, jogging, climbing, potholing and kayaking will be possible on and around the reservoir. There are also plans to convert 18 kilometres of pathway into a usable track along the old cattle trails.

In the first half of next year the council expects to inaugurate the works carried out in the area of the Cueva del Hundidero, a cave which was classified as a Natural Monument of Andalucia on 29 April 2019, which cost 97,000 euros. (It had already been classified as a Site of Cultural Interest, or BIC, in 1985).

Definitive boost

For the mayor of Montejaque, Diego Sanchez, this is "a definitive boost for the recovery of the local economy because of the jobs it will create and the number of visitors who will put us on the map. It is a major project which has taken a long time, but will soon be a reality. We are very excited about it," he says.

Ecological restoration and environmental improvement works will be carried out in the area and in and around the Cueva del Hundidero, an impressive karst tunnel through which the Gaduares river, which is also known as the Campobuche, flows. This has created an intricate system of underground galleries which reappear at the Cueva del Gato in Benaojan, which was classified as a natural monument in 2011. The cave, whose entrance is in Montejaque, is home to one of the largest settled colonies of cave bats. The works in the nearby area will include a pathway to the cave, another along the Hundidero gorge and two via ferratas totalling 150 metres between this gorge and the Taviznilla path. The 1,450 square metre car park is almost finished, and so are a 450 metre path to the cave, another of 200 metres leading to the Hundidero gorge and a final one of 75 metres at Taviznilla, to the top of Los Caballeros dam.

New technologies

For Juan de Castro, the founder of the Sierra de Libar foundation, who drew up the plans, this will be an exciting way to enjoy one of the most important geological areas of Andalucia, as the project will incorporate new technologies by using augmented reality simulators and virtual reality in 3D-360-RV format, in an information area situated inside the cave. This will enable visitors to learn in detail about the history of the cave, from the prehistoric site which was discovered by Henri Breuil, to the contemporary history of the Montejaque reservoir, and also see all the mammals, birds, insects and invertebrates of the area through an application which can be downloaded to any mobile phone.

Since January this year, the minister for the Presidency of the Junta de Andalucia, Elias Bendodo, and the Tourism delegate Nuria Rodriguez have already paid visits to the site.

In the next few weeks the original riverbed will be cleared to make a brand new path from the Cueva de Hundidero to the internal side of Los Caballeros dam, where the two via ferratas will go.

These will be another major attraction and the plans for them have attracted a great deal of interest among people living in the Serrania de Ronda.

This project for the Montejaque reservoir complex, which will cover nearly 400 hectares of land from the Puente de la Dehesa bridge to the cave, and will include 18 kilometres of paths recovered from old cattle trails, will be completed in 2025, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the reservoir complex.

The cost will be around two million euros.
Spain tightens international travel restrictions due to the Omicron coronavirus variant From 1 December travellers from the UK must present a Covid-19 vaccination certificate on arrival and will not be able to enter with a negative PCR test alone

Spain will increase restrictions on travellers from third countries from 1 December due to the appearance of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

As a result, passengers from the United Kingdom will only be able to enter Spain if they present a vaccination certificate, and not with a negative Covid-19 diagnostic test or having overcome the disease, as was previously the case.

Until now, passengers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had an exemption that will be abolished as of Wednesday (1 December) with the modification of Order INT / 657/2020, published this Saturday in the BOE Official State Gazette.

The new order details that, from these countries, only "people with a vaccination certificate that the (Spanish) Ministry of Health recognises for this purpose" may enter Spain.

Namibia is also removed from the list of third special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities whose residents are not affected by the temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU across the external borders, in view of the fact that it is included in the list of countries for which Member States consider it appropriate to increase precautions.

In addition, the new order includes the third countries, special administrative regions and other territorial entities and authorities whose residents are not affected by the temporary restriction of non-essential trips to the EU through the external borders in the terms set out in this order. These countries are Argentina; Australia; Bahrain; Canada; Chile; Colombia; Indonesia; Jordan; Kuwait; New Zealand; Peru; Qatar; Rwanda; Saudi Arabia; South Korea; United Arab Emirates; Uruguay; China, in addition to the special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macao; together with entities and territorial authorities not recognised as States by at least one Member State of the European Union: Taiwan.
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Do you have an electric car or bike?



Quote: What made you go electric?



Figo17 (D) is used by dad because hes posted in another town right now. Considering the Ford situation, it was necessary to have a fallback too.



We figured its not worth it to splurge on a guzzler with the fuel prices right now, considering we already have 3kW solar at our residence and a covered parking space too, it was just a no brainer to go EV.



Quote: What electric cars did you testdrive and which one did you end up settling on?



We drove the Nexon just before Dussehra21 and doubled down on it because kona had had the LGChem battery recall debacle, thus, dad wasnt too confident in it.



Quote: Do you use it daily?



Quote: Where do you charge your car currently?



Once they do come on Sunday, it will be installed in the covered parking area of our house.







Quote: How often do you charge?



Quote: Have you ever run out of battery?



It could be the case on an unplanned highway trip but then we dont really travel by road all that much.



Charging everyday will probably ensure way more than what is needed for commute and then some.



Quote: Do you have an app or something that tells you of if there are chargers nearby?



Quote: Have you attempted any road trips?



Again, too early to say, because well, 1st day. But I expect not. All mentioned cities are within 200km so its very much possible to attempt the maximum that dad can tolerate. Will surely post on Nexon thread if we do.



Quote: What is your contingency plan, incase of a flat battery?



Quote: What is the change youve seen in your monthly electricity bill?



It will surely increase due to EV but the catch is the fact that fuel spendings become zero, which used to be in 2500 range for LPG and double that for petrol if god forbid the pump near moms workplace didnt have LPG stock on that day. We just took delivery of our Nexon EV yesterday.We had to replace our ageing Eon LPG for moms commute (her workplace is ~20km both sides) with something.Figo17 (D) is used by dad because hes posted in another town right now. Considering the Ford situation, it was necessary to have a fallback too.We figured its not worth it to splurge on a guzzler with the fuel prices right now, considering we already have 3kW solar at our residence and a covered parking space too, it was just a no brainer to go EV.We drove the kona back in 19 shortly after launch for curiosity reasons. Didnt intend to replace any car or even buy it then.We drove the Nexon just before Dussehra21 and doubled down on it because kona had had the LGChem battery recall debacle, thus, dad wasnt too confident in it.Today is the first day, mom has taken it to work. It will be used daily, just like the eon before it.Tata folks havent installed the charger yet but we were in luck because one of the living room windows overlooks the garage space so we were able to plug in into the socket which the living room AC was connected to. Charged to 100 from 70. (Was delivered at 72)Once they do come on Sunday, it will be installed in the covered parking area of our house.I have read on the Nexon thread that LFP battery used in Nexon doesnt have the 20-80 rule. So charging to 100, everyday for us.Too early for this, but from what I see, its not easy to do that. If you can run out in an EV, you can run out in a fuel car too.It could be the case on an unplanned highway trip but then we dont really travel by road all that much.Charging everyday will probably ensure way more than what is needed for commute and then some.Dealership folks told us EZcharge app for Tata power but I also know PlugShare app which is supposed to be aggregator agnostic  as in chargers from all providers.Dad despises long road trips, we have only been to surrounding cities like Kanpur (relatives live there), his current posting Hardoi and Allahabad via road. Anything more is train or flight for him.Again, too early to say, because well, 1st day. But I expect not. All mentioned cities are within 200km so its very much possible to attempt the maximum that dad can tolerate. Will surely post on Nexon thread if we do.RSA it is.Too early to say, but our bills did plunge from ~1400s to 600s (practically halved) ever since we got solar this monsoon.It will surely increase due to EV but the catch is the fact that fuel spendings become zero, which used to be in 2500 range for LPG and double that for petrol if god forbid the pump near moms workplace didnt have LPG stock on that day. Last edited by Shresth_EV : 26th November 2021 at 12:19 . Reason: Formatting
In brief: The US Department of Commerce has banned dealings with 27 foreign entities based in China, Japan, Pakistan, and Singapore. Eight are developing quantum computing technologies, which the US has now recognized as a national security concern.

All eight entities developing quantum computing technologies were found to be pursuing potential military applications on behalf of the Chinese government. Three of them were found to be acquiring or attempting to acquire American technologies to assist them.

The Department of Commerce believes that quantum computing could support a number of military applications that China is interested in, including "counter-stealth and counter-submarine applications, and the ability to break encryption or develop unbreakable encryption."

One of the eight entities was the quantum computing branch of the University of Science and Technology of China, which claimed to have built the fastest quantum computer in the world earlier this year. It theorized that the computer was two to three times faster than Americas best.

Several of the entities have downplayed the bans. QuantumCTek is describing the situation as "manageable," according to Nikkei Asia. It said that because it owns the essential technologies and mostly relies on Chinese sources, it was never dependent on the US.

Of the 19 non-quantum computing entities that were also banned, three were Chinese-owned companies based in China, Japan, and Singapore selling American technology to Irans military and space programs and North Korean front companies.

The remaining 16 were blacklisted because theyve contributed to Pakistans "unsafeguarded nuclear activities or ballistic missile program." Some are based in Pakistan, while others are Chinese. Curiously, one was a refrigeration and air conditioning company.

In addition to the banned entities list, the Department of Commerce also maintains a list of entities that have a military end-user (MEU) for their products. The Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology has been added to that list.
(Photo : Getty Images ) (Photo : Getty Images )

3D printing technology allows you to create virtually anything you can think of. But this time, the tech was used for something incredibly noble.

For the first time ever, a 3D printed eye was implanted in a British man at the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, reports ITV. The recipient of the eye is 47-year-old Steve Varze, who had lost an eye in childhood.

Varze had needed to use a prosthetic eye since his 20s, but it seemed like nothing was a perfect fit for him until 3D printing tech came onto the scene.

With the technology, Varze now has a realistic-looking prosthetic eye which he says has restored his confidence. Before this, he said he felt "extremely self-conscious."

According to a report by CNN, the 3D printed eye is far more realistic than other alternatives on the market. They also claimed it was a lot less invasive to make and implant.

"Having lived with this (condition) for such a long time, the closer you get to the real thing makes me feel more and more confident," Varze remarks.

Dr. Mandeep Sagoo, who served as clinical lead for the project, expressed excitement for the technology in the coming years.

When speaking about the fitting of the 3D printed eye, Sagoo had this to say: "We hope the forthcoming clinical trial will provide us with robust evidence about the value of this new technology, showing what a difference it makes for patients."

Read Also: Sectors 3d Printing Is Revolutionising

How Was The 3D Printed Eye Made?

By using 3D printing technology, Varze's new left eye can be had in as little as two weeks, all without having to make a mold out of his eye socket. All that was needed was a quick scan.

But before 3D printing tech, traditional alternatives were made using a disc with a hand-painted image of an iris. Fitting this kind of prosthetic eye also required that a mold of the eye socket be made, which is considered quite invasive.

Furthermore, making the eye socket mold also takes around two hours, with the entire process to make the prosthetic taking around six weeks to complete.

For Varze's new eye, the data collected from a scan of his eye socket was sent to another team in Germany, who were the ones responsible for actually printing the prosthetic eye.

While the new 3D printing technique did cut the production time in half, a team at Moorfields is now looking to decrease the turnaround time even further. They're claiming that while it may take weeks right now, the future could see prosthetic eyes finished and ready for use in days.

The Future Of 3D Printing In Healthcare

3D printed organs like Varze's prosthetic eye are undergoing further tests and improvements as of the moment. With the right circumstances, experts are hoping that these organs will be able to solve the world's transplant shortage, according to The Conversation.

Researchers now have to figure out how to make the transplantation of these 3D printed organs safer.

Related Article: 3D Bioprinted Mini Kidneys Successfully Made Inside Lab: Technology Capable of Printing 200 per 10 Minutes

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ Photo by Tolga Akmen) Amazon Warehouse

More than 30 people have been arrested after climate change activists blocked Amazon warehouses in the United Kingdom on Black Friday, the busiest day of the year for the retailer.

Extinction Rebellion targeted 13 UK sites, including Amazon's largest distribution center in Dunfermline, Fife. It said it was to draw attention to alleged exploitation of Amazon workers and wasteful business practices.

Amazon said that it took its responsibilities very seriously. The campaign group was said to have blocked multiple entrances using bamboo structures, banners, and lock-on and had planned to stay for at least 48 hours.

However, a couple of the blockades were cleared by mid-afternoon. The demonstrations began at 4PM at the Dunfermline warehouse, where about 20 activists stopped lorries entering the site and some from leaving.

Protests hit Amazon on Black Friday

The group also targeted sites in Doncaster, Darlington; Altrincham, Greater Manchester; Gateshead; Peterborough; East Midlands Airport, Leicestershire; Coventry; Rugeley, Staffordshire; Dartford, Kent; Bristol; Tilbury, Essex; and at Ridgmont, close to junction 13 of the M1 in Bedfordshire.

Also Read: Antifa Protesters Break into Amazon Go Seattle Store, Police Label them 'Criminal Acts'

A spokesman said that the action is intended to draw attention to Amazon's exploitative and environmentally destructive business practices, disregard for workers' rights in the name of company profits, as well as the wastefulness of Black Friday, according to BBC.

Among those affected by the blockade was haulage firm J R Dixon, based in Workington, Cumbria, which said that one of its drivers was unable to leave the depot in Tilbury.

Phil Clarke, from the firm, said it meant the driver might not be able to get to Warrington for deliveries or get home for the weekend. He said that the knock-on effect of these protests is harming businesses and people's private lives.

Protesters at Rugeley said that it was non-violent action, and there were about eight people on a bamboo structure, two on top and six on the concrete structure at the bottom, according to CNBC.

Protesters Revealed Amazon's Unfair Work Culture

Alice Martin, part of the group, said that they wanted to highlight Amazon's use of loopholes to avoid tax and its destruction of unsold products, including electronic items, according to Reuters.

Martin said that they also have witnesses and people working inside that have been reporting workers being exploited, being on difficult shifts for long hours with low wages, so that is all the things that they want to highlight.

A 22-year old protester, Nathan McGovern, was stationed in Coventry. He said that he and fellow protesters were disrupting and stopping any lorries from exiting and entering this facility. He said that they did this, because of Amazon's complicity and contribution to the climate crisis.

McGovern said that they were hoping to stay for 48 hours, but it was up to individuals if they wanted to stay for that entire time.

In Darlington, an unnamed protester said that they were aware they had upset quite a few people today, but they had lobbied their MPs, and had tried using usual avenues and nothing is changing.

Extinction Rebellion said the blockade was part of an international action that would also target Amazon fulfillment centers in the US, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Last year, protesters rallied outside Amazon's former CEO Jeff Bezos' mansion over the unfair wages of its employees.

Related Article: #BoycottAmazon Trending on Social Media, Here's Why

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/ Alexandr Bormotin) Apple Car company

Apple's Global Head of Development, Soonho Ahn, has jumped ship to Volkswagen, the popular German car manufacturing company, with speculations that it was because of the Apple Car issues. Currently, the Apple Car remains an unknown venture from Apple which was said to come by 2025, a long time from now but remains something that fans are eager to know.

Apple Global Head of Battery Development Leaves for Volkswagen

There have been reports regarding an Apple executive who has jumped ship towards Volkswagen and that her departure has left a massive question for the focus of the company on the Apple Car. Soonho Ahn, formerly Apple's Global Head of Battery Development has now departed the company in favor of the German automaker, Volkswagen.

Volkswagen is known for its ventures early on the electric vehicle market, rivaling that of Tesla, GM, Rivian, Lordstown, Ford, Toyota, and more. Apple is reportedly making a move for an electric car with its so-called 'Apple Car' that is lined up for 2015, but it remains an unknown venture for the company now.

The LinkedIn Profile of Soonho Ahn now shows that the company works for Volkswagen as Chief Technology Officer of its Battery development, formerly from Apple and Samsung.

Read Also: Apple Car Renders from Cupertino's Patent Surfaces; UK Leasing Company Claim Its the Real Deal

Apple Car Issues Reason for Global Head of Battery Development Absence?

There have been reports as well that Apple Car's conceptualization and production issues were one massive reason for why the executive has left the company, as it does not move forward from there. The jump from Apple to Volkswagen has been confirmed by a German publication that says it also moved away from BMW, citing speculations that Apple and BMW are together for the Apple Car EV.

Apple Car, the Electric Vehicle That Still Has No Manufacturer

Apple Car's venture includes that of making it with an already known car manufacturer in the industry now, something that the Cupertino company has searched for in the past and has been denied by some. Two South Korean car manufacturers, Hyundai and Kia, have denied that it has connections or talks with Apple regarding its EV venture earlier this year.

On the other hand, it was said to be in talks with the German car manufacturer, BMW, but remains an unconfirmed venture between the two, something that fans are eagerly looking into now. However, the report of the German publication joins Apple and BMW together as the companies that lost the battery development executive, suggesting that they are partners for the Apple Car.

Nevertheless, one thing is sure here and that is the departing of Soonho Ahn from the Cupertino giant, the Apple Car, and BMW, with the executive joining Volkswagen as its CTO for its Battery Development. This means that the executive would be with Volkswagen to develop car batteries as well, especially with the fleet of the company that it aims to develop.

Related Article: Morgan Stanley Expects Apple Car to Affect Automotive Stocks of Rivals | Experts Consider it as Game Changer

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

In line with its strategic plan and following its entry into Poland's renewable energy market, Nofar Energy (NOFR) announced a second significant deal in Poland today. Nofar reported it had purchased a portfolio of solar projects with a total capacity of 185 megawatts. Earlier this week, the company said it had signed an agreement with Electrum SP. Z O.O, a leading player in Poland's renewable energy market. Under the contract, the two companies will jointly own a corporation devoted to initiating, developing, managing, and maintaining photo-voltaic (PV) and wind energy projects in Poland with a capacity of up to 1,250 megawatts. The expansion of Nofar's operations in Poland adds to the projects, companies, and development platforms that Nofar already owns in the USA, Spain, Romania, Italy, and Israel.

READ ALSO: Ocean Winds and Principle Power Announce Collaboration for France's First Commercial-Scale Floating Offshore Wind Tender

Under the new deal, Nofar Europe (90%) inked an agreement to buy a portfolio of solar projects in Poland with a total capacity of 185 megawatts, which are in different stages of construction and development. The projects are acquired from Paged Real Estate, which will develop them until RTB. The company plans to connect the projects to the power grid in 2023-2024. The portfolio comprises 14 projects with capacities ranging from 1 to 68 megawatts. The projected construction cost of all the projects in the portfolio is  96.6 million, and their projected annual revenues are estimated at  11.7 million with a yearly EBITDA of approx.  7.8 million.

Nadav Tenne, CEO of Nofar Energy, said, "the current deal and the partnership with Electrum, which we announced earlier, adds to Nofar's development momentum in the USA, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Israel. Anchored in the global organizational infrastructure that we built over the past year, including initiation, development, funding, construction, and management in the said markets. Nofar's unique business model, organizational scheme, and global presence allow it to develop additional growth platforms in profitable growth. At the same time, the company invests in its current operations to ensure continued rapid growth."

Poland's renewable energy market

In February 2021, the Polish government adopted the Polish Energy Policy for 2040 (PEP2040). The policy stipulates that by 2030, coal-based electricity will be reduced from 66% to 56%, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 30%, and the rate of renewable energies in power generation will increase from 13% to at least 23%. These milestones will be implemented concurrently with constructing marine power generation facilities and increased power generation from nuclear energy. Furthermore, the Polish government has also undertaken to shut down all the coal mines in the country by 2049.

Poland's renewable energy market is projected to grow substantially over the next few years, among others, to comply with the policy objectives. An independent consulting company estimated that 11.3 gigawatts of new power generation projects from renewable sources (solar and wind) will be built by 2025. By 2030, the capacity would increase by 25.7 gigawatts compared with today's power. Of this capacity, 10.3 gigawatts will be generated from solar plants, 9.4 from land-based wind energy facilities, and the balance from wind energy facilities located in the sea. Thus, by 2025, electricity from renewable sources is expected to account for 21% and 42% by 2030, compared with 13% in 2021.

RELATED ARTICLE: Nofar Energy Enters Poland's Renewable Energy Market With Significant Initiative

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(Photo : Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) The ODG R-8 AR/VR smartglasses are displayed during a Qualcomm press event for CES 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on January 3, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs from January 5-8 and is expected to feature 3,800 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 165,000 attendees. (Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) An attendee tries Google Glass during the Google I/O developer conference on May 17, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Eight members of the Congressional Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus sent a letter to Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page seeking answers to privacy questions and concerns surrounding Google's photo and video-equipped glasses called "Google Glass". The panel wants to know if the high tech eyeware could infringe on the privacy of Americans.

Apple smart glasses is one of the most-awaited augmented reality gadgets in the market since it would be developed and produced by an advanced tech firm.

Now, Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most reliable Apple analysts working at TF International Securities, claimed that the new AR headset of the giant iPhone maker would have the power of the MacBook.

He claimed that the giant manufacturer's new augmented reality glasses would have this power through its in-house M1 chipset.

Here's how M1 SoC would benefit the upcoming Apple smart glasses.

Apple Smart Glasses With M1 Chipset

According to GameRant's latest report, Kuo claimed that the new Apple AR glasses, which are expected to arrive this 2022, could be integrated with MacBook's M1 chipset.

Also Read: Meta Shows Off a Haptic Glove That Allows You To Feel Virtual Objects by Touch

The advanced SoC would allow the new smart glasses to have an independent power that is comparable to the high-end laptops of the giant iPhone maker.

This is a great innovation given that the existing AR and VR headsets are physically or wirelessly connected to handsets or other gadgets.

If the M1 integration is true, there's a high chance that the upcoming smart glasses would no longer require an operating gadget to work. On the other hand, other rumors claimed that the forthcoming Apple augmented reality gadget could also be an iPhone accessory.

Right now, all these details are still speculations until the giant manufacturer actually launches it.

Apple AR Glasses to Have In-Air Gesture Control?

Aside from integrating Apple's in-house SoC, Patently Apple revealed that the company's new patent suggests another advanced feature.

This function is specifically the in-air gesture controls, allowing consumers to control external devices without touching them. You can visit this link to see more details.

In other news, iOS 15 receives a new feature from Apple, which allows it to send notifications if AirPods are left unattended. On the other hand, Apple Global Head decided to jump to Volkswagen.

For more news updates about Apple's AR glasses and other similar technologies, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: New Apple Patent Reveals 3D Image Display on Flat Screen Without Using Apple Glass

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/ Okai Vehicles) E-scooter paris

Paris has a new speed limit for the scooters roaming around the city. The city announced that all scooter sharing services should restrict the speed to a maximum of 10 kilometers per hour, or 6.2 miles per hour. The decision comes after a number of injuries that involved a scooter.

Paris' New Scooter Restriction

Paris has been a very important market for scooter services. The city is dense and has several bike lanes. There are also several tourists that are looking for ways to easily explore the city, according to TechCrunch.

Because of those reasons, the situation used to be out of control. Around 16 different scooters began operating a fleet of scooters in the city.

Paris selected three companies and implemented a set of rules. Lime, Dott, and Tier won two years to operate shared electric scooters.

Since then, things have been going well for the three selected companies. Just this year, Dott raised $85 million in equity and asset.

Tier was able to raise $200 million equity. Lime raised $523 million in debt and term loan financing. However, scooters became a public safety issue for many riders and those who are walking on the street.

Also Read: GOTRAXTM's Newest Release: Xr Foldable Electric Scooter Review

According to BBC, just this year, around 298 accidents were reported, 329 people have been severely injured, and two people died.

The relationship between Paris and the scooter companies never went back to normal after a pedestrian passed away last year due to a scooter accident, according to France 24.

In July, Paris listed a couple of areas with a high density of pedestrians, like the Palais Royal and Tuileries or the Bastille and Republique squares. Scooter sharing companies all agreed to limit the speed to 10 kilometers per hour in the listed areas.

In September, Paris asked each administration to list areas where the top speed of scooters should be limited to 10 kilometers per hour. This resulted in a total of 700 slow zones around the city. Scooter startups all agreed to implement those zones in their service.

However, the city of Paris wants to go further than that. The city is now considered a slow zone for scooter companies.

However, a couple of streets are exempted because they have wide lanes for bikes, micromobility vehicles, and scooters. If you have your own scooter, the restrictions won't apply to your device.

In 2019, a study by Injury Prevention Research stated that e-scooters are much more dangerous compared to traditional bikes.

Despite this, New York City legalized e-bikes and e-scooters in 2020.

The new restrictions for scooters in Paris will be implemented in 2022. Tier, Dott, and Lime will keep their permits until February 2023.

Regulating Mopeds

The city of Paris is also going to regulate electric mopeds. The five companies operating in Paris are Cooltra, Cityscoot, Lime, Troopy, and Yego. Other companies are working on launching their services in the city.

Paris wants to regulate mopeds with permits. It will work like a scooter permit, except that the licenses will last five years.

Only three companies will be allowed to operate mopeds in the city, and the new system will be implemented in September 2022.

Related Article: BMW's New 'Definition CE04' Motorbike Looks Like It Came From 'Cyberpunk'! Why No Fuel Tank?

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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You have the soul of an investigative reporter - Rhonda Schwartz, ABC News Senior Investigative Producer
Like swallows returning to Capistrano, albeit after a year off because of the pandemic, Black Friday shoppers flocked to brick-and-mortar retail centers in search of bargains.

Queues formed outside Bath and Body Works, Black Box and Victorias Secret in the Mall of Louisiana early Friday, but within minutes they were gone.

Gone are the days of waking up in the wee hours the morning after Thanksgiving to fight for retails best deals, according to Stacy Verret, who said shes gone Black Friday shopping for the last 21 years.

We usually spend several hours at the mall, but because there are no lines this year, we pretty much finished shopping in an hour, Verret said. Six stores in an hour? Thats usually unheard of on Black Friday.

Her daughter, Theresa Verret, said mall traffic was light because of the increase of online shopping, but she likes to shop in person.

+7 COVID hit Louisiana malls hard. This year's holiday season could help them recover. After a year marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are returning to area malls in advance of the holiday shopping season.

For some people, like my mom and dad, its a tradition to come out and shop, she said. But most people I know are shopping online because they think its easier.

Her mom noted that national supply chain issues have slightly increased prices and noticeably decreased inventory.

There are a couple specific items, like perfume gift sets from Macys, that ran out really quickly today, she said. An employee said they didnt have as many to put out this year, so its not like there were a ton and people bought them all.

Melissa Bennett, who was first in line at Victorias Secret when the store opened, said she and her granddaughter enjoyed the hustle of Black Fridays past, but because the shopping center did not open until 9 a.m. this year, it felt more like a regular trip to the mall.

Its still a good day to save some money, but its not like it used to be, Bennett said.

Nationwide, malls and stores reported decent-sized crowds, but absent the fights over the latest toys and electronics  online shopping is much too common for that now. Discounts are also available for several weeks before Christmas, on both websites and in stores.

The country's largest mall, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, reported overall traffic numbers at its opening on Friday were up by more than double compared to a year ago, before COVID-19 vaccines were available.

We had a fantastic start, Mall of America senior vice president Jill Renslow said.

Black Friday sales  including online  were up 12.1% by morning, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all types of spending including cash and credit cards. Steve Sadove, senior adviser for Mastercard called the start impressive but the sales were still tracking below its 20% growth forecast for the day.

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The National Retail Federation, the nations largest retail trade group, predicted sales will increase between 8.5% and 10.5% in the holiday season. They were up 8% last year when shoppers, locked down during the early part of the pandemic, spent their money on pajamas and home goods.

At the Fashion Centre mall in the northern Virginia suburbs, window signs advertised 50% off boots at Aldo, 40% off full price items at J.Crew, and 30% off at Forever 21. But the sales floor looked different from years past, when tall stacks of merchandise used to be on display.

Big retailers like Walmart aren't blasting door buster deals in their ads, said DealNews.com analyst Julie Ramhold. Meanwhile, smaller chains like Victorias Secret and Gap are having harder time managing supply issues. Victorias Secret said recently that 45% of its holiday merchandise is still stuck in transit.

Macys CEO Jeff Gennette said the company was prepared for supply issues. We are deep and we are ready, he said, noting inventory levels are up 20% compared to last year. We are in good shape.

Tim Clayburn shopped at Fashion Centre in Pentagon City, Virginia, on Friday because he wanted to make sure he could get the gifts he wanted for his relatives.

Everyone is so worried about not having things shipped to you on time," he said. "Id rather just get stuff in person so I dont have to worry about the shipping.

After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday spotlights local stores Small Business Saturday, a national event created to spotlight independent retailers during the holiday shopping season, is set to happen this

But not every shopper enjoyed the same success.

The thing that I came in for is already out of stock both in the store and online, Addi Vanderbeld said while browsing Apple laptops at a Best Buy in the Denver suburb of Lone Tree. Now I am looking around just to try and find something to make the best of getting up at 4 a.m. to get down here.

Experts still believe Black Friday will again be the busiest shopping day this year. U.S. retail sales, excluding auto and gas, from this past Monday through Sunday are expected to increase 10% from last year and 12% from the 2019 holiday season, Mastercard SpendingPulse said.

At Macys in Manhattan, the pandemic remained in sight  employees wore masks and many shoppers did too  but there was also a sense of celebrating the fun of shopping, of things returning to how they used to be.

Carol Claridge of Bourne, England, has traveled to New York for Thanksgiving-week shopping for 15 years, but skipped it last year because of the pandemic. The U.S. reopened to travelers from the U.K. earlier in November when it lifted pandemic travel bans.

We had to wait a long time to do this, said Claridge, who was looking at beauty gift sets on the first floor of Macys with a friend. We are picking up anything we see that we like. We call it our annual shopping outing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Teen librarian Emily Saltzman tallies votes as kids work to create their own versions of famous works of art, and win prizes, at the Nora Navra Library in the 7th Ward in New Orleans, La., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. Prize categories included "most accurate", "most creative" and "A for effort".
Thousands of protesters opposing so-called mandatory vaccinations waved Australian flags and sang Waltzing Matilda in Sydneys Hyde Park on Saturday as anti-government freedom rallies were held across the country.

For the second weekend in a row, crowds gathered in Sydney and Melbourne, where tens of thousands rallied against COVID-19 vaccines, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his governments controversial pandemic bill.

Protesters gathered in Hyde Park and spilled onto surrounding streets to rally against vaccine mandates. Credit:James Alcock

Nearly 87 per cent of Australians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The overwhelming evidence is that the coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe disease.

The Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccination rallies were organised for cities across the country.
NSW will lose more than 3000 affordable homes over the next five years as the federal government abandons the Rudd-era National Rental Affordability Scheme, a new report says.

A Community Housing Industry Association analysis concludes 3360 properties in NSW discounted for low-income households will revert to market rates in the private rental market by 2026.

Association chief executive Mark Degotardi said most of the properties removed from the scheme were in local government areas that were unaffordable to households with moderate incomes.

Some of the properties that are going to exit are in areas which are in quite bad rental housing stress, Mr Degotardi said.

Even though the largest by number of properties are around the Sydney area, places like the Tweed [and Port Macquarie-Hastings] on the North Coast are going to see large proportions of the rental stock no longer being affordable, with no access to any other kind of affordable housing.
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.

Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size On December 16, 2020 NSW health authorities alerted the public to two new coronavirus cases on Sydneys northern beaches. Within a week, the local government area was in lockdown and the rest of the city returned to restrictions it had been rid of for months. Families were separated for the summer holidays and the CBD closed to the public for New Years. This year, December 16 will look very different: the second day of further eased restrictions in the state, with capacity limits for hospitality venues scrapped, the retirement of the Service NSW vaccination certificate and QR check-ins no longer needed in shopping centres. Bondi Beach in the last week of Sydneys lockdown, in October. Credit:Brook Mitchell Sydney has been promised the summer it missed in 2020. Although nothing is certain in a global pandemic  this weekend a new Omicron strain has been identified as a variant of concern  this is what public health experts expect will follow. Unvaccinated re-enter high-risk venues NSW will lift restrictions that prevent people who have not received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from entering places such as restaurants, gyms and others homes on December 15.

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Since reopening, these places have been sites of virus transmission. However, with attendees all protected by vaccination, case numbers in NSW have remained relatively stable and hospitalisations and intensive care admissions have declined. Government and health authorities say they expect case numbers in the state to go up over summer, but the key metric of concern is now hospitalisations. When NSW reopens, more than 93 per cent of its 16 and over population will be fully vaccinated. But what about that 7 per cent who arent? Its not ideal. Because we are shooting for the stars here in Australia, says University of Sydney epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk. Schools are now a major driver of case numbers since the end of lockdown. The summer holidays could prove a respite from community transmission. Credit:Louise Kennerley It may cost lives. It may put the health system under more stress than otherwise. But the high vaccination rate means it is a reduced risk.

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The difference of a few percentage points is probably negligible, says James Cook University infectious diseases physician and mathematician Professor Emma McBryde, when herd immunity  95 per cent of the total population vaccinated  is impossible due to the lack of an approved shot for children. School holidays could help curb case numbers Last year health authorities were raising concerns about the school holidays driving virus clusters through extended family gatherings and regional travel. But with high adult vaccination rates, schools are now a major driver of community transmission in NSW, meaning the holidays could be a welcome reprieve. Since the start of November, data from NSW Healths weekly COVID-19 surveillance reports show about a third of cases have been in children aged 11 and under, not yet eligible for vaccination. NSW Health has repeatedly asked parents to keep children with symptoms home from school, due to the number of school clusters that have developed since the return of in-person learning in October. Professor Catherine Bennett, chair of epidemiology at Deakin University, says it is not as simple as saying kids are only catching the virus at school  research published earlier in the outbreak showed most COVID-positive children caught it at home  but it is a good sign for Australia that the northern hemispheres summer holidays resulted in lower case numbers. The virus has a few things working against it over summer; the weather is better, people are outside where they are less likely to catch COVID. But schools on break is also an important part of that, she says.

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Delta likely to remain dominant variant Reopening to fully vaccinated arrivals from overseas and from Victoria, where the bulk of Australias infections are being recorded, has had minimal impact on NSWs numbers. But could a new, more transmissible variant of the virus such as Omicron hit our shores, like Delta did in 2021? Associate Professor Stuart Turville, who heads up the Kirby Institutes research on COVID-19 mutations, says  although scientists are keeping a watchful eye for new variants developing in Africa  more than 98 per cent of coronavirus infections globally are the Delta strain already present in Australia, and that is likely to stay the same over summer. While higher vaccination coverage in the population may result in higher numbers of breakthrough infections  cases in vaccinated people  if community transmission was to rise, Dr Turville says the available vaccines are still extremely effective. What we see in the lab and in the real world is the efficacy is holding up, he says. Yes, there will be breakthrough infections but the good news with those cases is they rarely get hospitalised. Vaccination for children aged five to 11 Earlier this month, the US became the first country in the world to approve Pfizers paediatric COVID-19 vaccine for use in children aged five to 11.

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Loading The Therapeutic Goods Administration and Australias vaccine advisory group, ATAGI, are currently considering whether younger children will be given the shot. They are waiting for real-world evidence out of the US to ensure the very rare incidences of vaccine side-effects (such as heart complications) do not outweigh the benefit of vaccination coverage in the age group, who largely only experience mild disease if infected with COVID-19. Federal authorities have said there is no plan for a rollout before January. The dream would be kids can get vaccinated in January, February before school goes back, says Professor Martiniuk. Israeli child Liam Lev Tov, 6, in the arms of his mother, receives a Pfizer vaccine. Credit:AP Photo/Oded Balilty Modelling conducted by the Kirby Institutes Biosecurity Program, led by Professor Raina MacIntyre and released this week, suggested that, while vaccinating children aged five to 11 would have a greater bearing on how many cases were recorded to June 2022, it was maintaining strong contact tracing practices  ideally getting to 80 per cent of cases within 24 to 48 hours of notification  that would help the states hospitalisations and ICU admissions remain at manageable levels. Professor Bennett says case modelling can be flawed because it fails to account for changes in the publics behaviour in an outbreak  or localised public health responses. However, she agrees hospitalisations are generally driven by adult infections, particularly those in older adults. Contact tracing, QR codes scaled back

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When Lucy was preparing to go to court to testify against her rapist, she felt so scared and alone that she sought the support of the complainant in another sexual assault trial.

Lucy was raped in her early teens. She was barely 18 when she sat outside a courtroom in the Downing Centre in Sydney desperately trying to work up the courage to approach the complainant.

Lending a hand to sexual assault survivors: the four members of The Survivor Hub. Credit:Steven Siewert

Eventually, the other woman noticed and approached her, and Lucy confided her fears about the court process. The other woman stayed with Lucy for several hours, answering questions and sharing insights about what she could expect.

Lucy said she had all the usual support from counsellors and a witness assistance officer assigned by the public prosecutor, but she was craving connection with people with similar experiences.
Victorias Chief Health Officer says it will be impossible to keep the Omicron strain out, but may be a step too far to close the borders to all international arrivals.

Brett Sutton has reassured Victorians that they are not back at square one in the fight against COVID-19, after the Australian government closed all borders to non-citizens from nine southern African nations due to the new variant of concern.

Around 40 people in Victorian have been identified as having recently travelled through one of the countries that are subject to restrictions.

Professor Sutton said not really enough is known about Omicron, but it appeared to be highly transmissible.
Loading The institutes modelling forecast more than 300 ICU admissions in almost 60 per cent of simulations modelled. The modelling had a number of limitations that can influence the accuracy of real-life outcomes, including uncertainty about the impact of the weather on cases and the length of hospital stay of people with coronavirus. Professor Hellard confirmed the Burnet modelling was being revised for the state government in light of the significant number of Victorians getting vaccinated, who are now highly immune to the disease due to the recency of their jab. More than 90 per cent of Victorians over the age of 16 are now vaccinated against coronavirus, a milestone the state reached on Thursday. That said, we will feel more confident when we recalibrate the models in coming weeks because we will have more data that will provide us more certainty about the road ahead.

Professor Hellard would not be drawn on precise figures of her modelling, emphasising the predictions were still highly uncertain and should be treated with caution and do not factor in the new, virulent Omicron variant. The modelling that we will do for the government over the next couple of weeks will be predominantly Delta because thats our reality at the moment. Burnet Institute epidemiologist Professor Margaret Hellard says recent modelling suggests a more optimistic scenario for COVID-19 hospitalisations in December. But of course, in future modelling we will begin to say what is the impact of something like the Omicron virus. The World Health Organisation has classified the new strain that emerged in southern Africa as a variant of concern. The federal government on Saturday said it was preparing to tighten quarantine rules in response to the new variant.

The institute was asked to update its modelling for Victorias Health Department in early November to evaluate the impacts of different contact tracing scenarios. Health officials then presented the revised predictions to the states major hospitals in a series of briefings last week. Senior hospital sources briefed on the latest modelling said they were told to expect a surge in hospitalisations and ICU admissions in late December to early January. But the predicted spike would not be as severe as was previously expected, and may not even exceed the rush of cases in October. The modelling has been updated since those briefings and will be provided to the state government within the next few weeks.

A number of health services, including the Austin, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Monash Health, have temporarily closed some of their COVID-19 wards to accommodate other patients, while the state government has announced that regional public and private hospitals could increase their elective surgery intake from Monday. But doctors warn that even a small spike in admissions could cause big problems. The Austin Hospital's intensive care director Stephen Warrillow said optimistic end-of-year modelling was a bit reassuring ... but even a slight worsening over that period will present real challenges. Dr Warrillow said many non-COVID patients being admitted to the ward were in very poor health after long delays to treatment and surgery.

When people come in for surgery, their diabetes, their kidney function, all those things are not quite as good as you might expect under normal circumstances, Dr Warrillow said. Melbourne ICU doctor David Pilcher said the latest update he received suggested that there would be a resurgence, in late December and January, to numbers close to the COVID-19 ICU admissions seen in October (which peaked at around 200). Hospital wards are still much busier than normal, as many very ill COVID-19 patients linger on life-support machines and emptied COVID wards are filled with other patients needing urgent care. The overall amount of work is not quite as heavy as it was during the peak, but its nowhere near normal. Its above normal, and thats without even resuming normal elective surgical admissions, said Professor Pilcher.

Leading epidemiologists say Victoria is tracking ahead of expectations due to high vaccination rates but warn the state is still in a precarious position. Melbourne University professor James McCaw, who supplied modelling to the federal government, said Victorias high vaccination rates had put the state at a reasonably good chance of avoiding the worst-case scenarios modelled. Melbourne University Professor James McCaw. Were in a good position at the moment with I think, a really good chance that cases and more importantly, hospitals clinical loads will be better than some of the models imagined they might be. The reason is simply that we vaccinated more people than we thought would be possible, which is credit for Victorians.

Loading Deakin Universitys chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett said Victorias cases were plateauing and there was a good chance they would remain stable throughout December, but noted the state was unfortunately seeing the end of the decline in cases. Melbourne University epidemiology professor Tony Blakely said he believed there was a 50/50 chance cases would rise between now and Christmas. A sudden rise in cases within the next few weeks was possible and may even warrant a mild fortnight-long tightening of restrictions  such as mask wearing, density limits at restaurants and working from home  to reduce the impact of a major super-spreading event expected at Christmas, Professor Blakely said. But it was almost impossible for Victoria to reach the previously forecast 1000 hospitalisations by mid-December, even if a major outbreak were to occur in coming days, Professor Blakely said.
In 10 years in public life, she has never seen anything like it. The level of threat has really escalated, Ratnam says. And that is something that really worries me very deeply. The governments proposed pandemic laws would replace the state of emergency due to expire on December 15. The bill gives far-reaching powers to the health minister  powers which currently sit with Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. There is no doubt politicians are the target but often, electorate office staff experience the brunt of the abuse. It is they who read every email to decide whether it needs to be sent to security officials or Victoria Police. It is they who open the mail, including a recent letter containing a used condom with a note reading in part, ENJOY SOME OF MY FRESH HERPES!!!, sent to Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick. One electorate officer, who asked not to be named because of the retribution she believed she would face, said the hours spent every day dealing with the sheer volume of abuse came at the cost of electorate work.

Federal members of Parliament have a layer of protection under Commonwealth law, which outlaws threats of violence against a public official. State MPs are not afforded the same protections. In their absence, the Speakers office has been working with MPs and Victoria Police to assess and reduce the risks to Victorian politicians. Spokespeople for both Victoria Police and the Speakers office, however, would not confirm the specifics of that advice  including whether some politicians had been advised to avoid crowds and community functions in the short term. Parliaments security team work very closely with Victoria Police in assessing and responding to security risks to members, staff and the public who access both the parliamentary precinct and members electorate offices, a spokesman for Speaker Colin Brooks said.

Advice is regularly provided to members and staff on any changes in security settings and any actions that may need to be taken. However, in relation to these matters, we arent able to provide further details on the advice provided or current security settings. According to the Department of Parliamentary Services most-recent annual report, released last month, there was a 50 per cent increase in security incidents at Victorian electorate offices in 2020-21, with 197 incidents requiring investigation and response. Of those, Parliaments security services unit responded to 112 incidents at ministerial offices, a 124 per cent increase on last financial year. Victoria University senior research fellow Dr Mario Peucker regularly monitors the social media channels where activists organise, trade information and make threats against politicians. He says a deep hatred has built up over the past 18 months, and the pandemic bill is a trigger that has inflamed tensions.

On a psychological level, if you have no other options any more, no other ways to have your voice heard, you move onto threats and violence, he said. For months and months, violence has been called for both online and offline. Its just a question of time until someone [commits an act of violence]. The climate is created, the anger is fuelled, and then someone does it. In early September, Mr Andrews Noble Park office was sent a package which prompted its evacuation. The offices of Reason Party leader Fiona Patten and Liberal Democrat David Limbrick were also targeted in October. Sometimes those issues include MPs being targeted at their homes. In one example, supporters of the protests held outside Parliament repeatedly posted what they claimed were the addresses of Labor members and at least one senior health official in a social media group with more than 13,000 subscribers. Members of the anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine mandate group discussed having approached the home of Mr Andrews following debate among members about Australias gun laws.

The social media group, the name of which The Sunday Age is not printing, often published politicians addresses. Many of the addresses are incorrect or outdated, though some are accurate. Loading Earlier this month, Mr Meddick said abusive protesters arrived at his house. Victoria Police said it did not comment on any aspect of security arrangements. We are continuing to investigate a number of recent incidents involving threats against members of Parliament and are continuing to liaise with those who may be impacted by these and similar incidents, a spokesperson said. with Rachel Eddie
A Perth man accused of stabbing a motorist in a road rage incident was allegedly

punched first but police claim his response was utterly disproportionate.

Christopher Atkinson allegedly stabbed another driver after the man merged in front of him on Tonkin Highway in Wattle Grove on Monday about 4.45pm. He has since been charged with reckless driving and grievous bodily harm.

The 45-year-old appeared at Midland Magistrates Court on Friday via video link from Hakea Prison and was granted bail.

During the hearing, Mr Atkinson  who had been in custody since his roadside arrest  broke down and cried when the court heard his ex-wife and children were reliant on him as the provider of the family.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly on Saturday said the new variant of concern was the 13th identified so far in the pandemic and there was no evidence that it led to more severe illness. We do know that it is it does contain a large number of mutations. It is quite different to previous variants that weve been watching, but at this point other than understanding that it is transmissible between humans and is transmitting, particularly in South Africa, but also in those surrounding countries, he said. People line up to get on an overseas flight at the International Airport in Johannesburg. Credit:AP We did not at this point have any clear indication that it is more severe, or any definite indication of issues in relation to the vaccine. So I think theyre crucial points to the reason why were taking this precautionary approach, which is proportionate to that risk. Europe, Britain and a host of other countries closed their borders to non-residents arriving from the southern Africa countries due to the emergence of the variant.

There are no direct flights between South Africa and Australia at present, but a series of other precautionary measures are likely to be announced later on Saturday. The NSW government does not plan to make any changes to the post-lockdown reopening road map, despite concerns about a new and highly transmissible variant of COVID-19. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday that the Omicron variant appeared highly contagious It hasnt evaded diagnostic tests, there is no evidence it is evading treatment and no evidence it is more deadly. Epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws Thats concerning for anyone in public health across the world. At this stage, on the early evidence, it is possibly even more transmissible [than Delta], he said.

It could be something which is going to cause us a degree of concern going forward. We dont know if ... any of the vaccines will work with the Omicron variant. A Victorian Health Department statement said the government was working with our Commonwealth and state colleagues to better understand the potential implications of this new variant and which mitigation strategies are required to keep Australians protected. UNSW epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws said there was evidence that the new Omicron strain had been found in people in Israel, Botswana, Hong Kong, Malawi and Belgium. Although the numbers are low, if this strain has been allocated as a variant of concern, then one of the determinations apart from lab-based, with 32 changes to the spike protein, must have come from a determination that there is more transmissibility, she said. It hasnt evaded diagnostic tests, there is no evidence it is evading treatment and no evidence it is more deadly, so I would suggest it [the classification as a variant of concern] would be based on infectivity. This is very concerning because Delta was already 60 per cent more infectious that Alpha.

Its not just in South Africa any more. They [the federal government] need to learn the lessons from Delta. Our quarantine system has failed on numerous occasions, the systems failure of one person has been a lesson in how infectious Delta has been, those lessons need to be well taken, if they dont the group of people in Australia that havent been fully vaccinated will suffer. We saw one person who the system failed to ensure was vaccinated, to ensure was tested regularly, has now resulted in over 172,000 cases in Australia. We have about 69 per cent vaccine coverage of the total population. For 12 plus its about 84 per cent, thats great but its not enough to protect us from the introduction of a highly infectious variant. Nancy Baxter, an epidemiologist and head of Melbourne Universitys School of Population and Global Health, said that Australia needed to close its borders to travellers from southern African nations.

Although this is currently classified as a variant of concern because we are not sure about the risk, there is mounting evidence in South Africa of rapid transmission, and because of the many mutations in the spike protein there is theoretical risk that the Omicron variant will be able to evade immunity (from both vaccination and infection) more than previous variants, she said. That is a potentially extremely dangerous combination. Until we know more we need to adopt the precautionary principle and do what we can to keep this new variant out. The WHOs Technical Advisory Group overnight said Omicron had a large number of mutations that made it concerning, and that preliminary evidence suggested an increased risk of reinfection compared to the other variants of concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa, the group said in a statement.

This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage. The WHO has asked countries to step up their surveillance and genomic sequencing and report all cases and clusters. The White House also imposed a travel ban and extended it to include Malawi. There have been no cases of Omicron detected in Britain, but one found in Belgium. Belgiums Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told a news conference that the case had been found four days ago in an unvaccinated woman with flu-like symptoms who had travelled from Egypt via Turkey. None of her household contacts had developed symptoms but were being tested.

It is a suspicious variant. We do not know if it is a very dangerous variant, Vandenbroucke said. Loading The first case of the infection, previously called B.1.1.529, was detected in South Africa on November 9. Britain moved ahead of the WHOs declaration, announcing on Thursday night (local time) that it was closing its borders to South Africa and five other countries on Friday, causing chaos at airports. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said there were early indications that suggest it may be more transmissible and vaccines less effective.
More than two-thirds of Australians believe all children aged 5-11 should be vaccinated against COVID-19, but support for the move dips among parents with children in that age group.

Overall, 83 per cent of parents with children in the 5-11 age group say they are likely to get their own kids jabbed once a vaccine is approved and available, which is expected early next year, polling conducted for The Sunday Age has found.

Coburg Mum Claire Marshall cant wait to get her girls Stevie, 7, and Frida, 3, vaccinated. Credit:Paul Jeffers

The percentage of people who believe all children should be vaccinated against COVID-19 is 69 per cent in the general population, but 57 per cent of parents of 5-11 year-olds think all kids in that age group should have the jab.

COVID-19 vaccinations for 5-11 year olds cant come soon enough for Coburg mum Claire Marshall, and her parent friendship group.
Johannesburg/Nairobi: The first South African doctor to alert the authorities about patients with the Omicron variant has said the symptoms of the new variant are unusual but mild.

Dr Angelique Coetzee said she was first alerted to the possibility of a new variant when patients in her busy private practice in the capital Pretoria started to come in earlier this month with COVID-19 symptoms that didnt make immediate sense.

As the world grapples with the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19, scientists in South Africa - where Omicron was first identified - are scrambling to combat its spread across the country. Credit:AP

They included young people of different backgrounds and ethnicities with intense fatigue and a six-year-old child with a very high pulse rate, she said. None suffered from a loss of taste or smell.

Their symptoms were so different and so mild from those I had treated before, said Coetzee, a GP for 33 years who chairs South Africas Medical Association alongside running her practice.
Loading At a news conference on Friday, Ian Sanne, an infectious-disease specialist who is a member of South Africas Ministerial Advisory Council on COVID-19, said that scientists believed Omicron was more transmissible than previous variants. Cases have now been identified across the globe, including in Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. Health officials in NSW have also confirmed a case in Sydney. Scientists warn that the variant, also known as B.1.1.529, is likely already spreading undetected in other countries.

Authorities in the UK said the variants large number of mutations were likely to be biologically significant. Until now, the Delta variant has been the increasingly dominant strain worldwide. What do we know about the variant? While theres much to still learn, scientists have confirmed some important details. For one, its genetic profile is unique from other circulating variants, meaning it represents a new lineage of the virus.

The new variant is distinct from other variants in another critical way: Theres a greater number of mutations. The very unusual constellation of mutations, with more than 30 in the spike protein, is a concern for predicted immune evasion and transmissibility, said Tulio de Oliveira, director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa. But the wide array of mutations doesnt necessarily make the variant a greater threat, according to experts, who caution that more research is needed. The one good news, if theres any good news, is that this variant, the B.1.1.529, can be detected by one particular PCR assay, de Oliveira said. That means diagnostic labs can quickly identify the new variant rather than having to rely on whole genome sequencing. However, scientists caution that several of the mutations could raise concerns. Jesse Bloom, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre who has conducted mutational scanning experiments for the B.1.1.529 variant, noted that three mutations of the variant could make the virus a more elusive target for antibodies produced through vaccines or prior infection.

Loading What thats going to mean for how likely people are to get infected, even theyve been vaccinated, its too early to say, Bloom said, noting that more traditional experiments should provide more data. But having a drop in the antibody neutralisation is never a good thing. Whats being done about it? Within days of the discovery of the variant, countries began imposing travel restrictions to and from South Africa and its neighbours. Australia was among those countries announcing travel bans or quarantine rules for air passengers arriving from the southern African region. The European Union and the United States also announced restrictions on flights from southern Africa.

On Saturday, NSW and Victoria introduced 72-hour self-isolation for all vaccinated overseas arrivals, regardless of origin. The UK also moved to impose new restrictions, asking all new arrivals to take a PCR test and to isolate until results came through. Officials in South Africa expressed concern about the travel bans. Health Minister Joe Phaahla characterised them as a draconian reaction. It really doesnt look scientific in any way, he said. That kind of reaction is quite a knee-jerk and panicked and almost wants to put a blame on other countries rather than work together. Do we know if vaccines are effective?

Even if the variant limits the effectiveness of vaccines, its unlikely to completely subvert the protections that vaccines provide, experts say. My expectation would be that the mutations in this variant are not going to ablate or completely escape that type of antibody neutralisation from vaccines or prior infection, Bloom said. Regardless of whether or not this new variant ends up spreading, I would suggest that people do what they can to minimise their chances of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2, Bloom added, referring to the virus by its technical name. There are certain obvious things you can do: Get vaccinated, get a booster vaccination, wear a mask. Though the sample size is still small, Sanne said physicians have seen a higher rate of breakthrough infections among those previously vaccinated in South Africa. But he added that initial data indicated the vaccines were still proving effective, with the majority of hospitalisations being among those who hadnt gotten the shot.

Loading We have every indication that the vaccines are still effective in preventing severe disease and/or complications, he said. The data, however, is small and early. Meanwhile, vaccine-makers, which have done preliminary research using vaccines with formulas tailored for other variants, are keeping an eye on the Omicron variant. In the event that vaccine-escape variant emerges, Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval, a Pfizer spokesperson said in a statement. Given the spread of B.1.1.529 in South Africa, several experts have pointed to the critical need to vaccinate underserved countries to bolster the worlds protection from future, more-evasive variants.

What about vaccine hesitancy in Africa? Many African nations are struggling with the logistics of accelerating their COVID-19 inoculation campaigns as deliveries of vaccines to the continent finally pick up, the head of Africas disease control body said, according to Reuters. Only 6.6 per cent of Africas population of 1.2 billion is fully vaccinated, John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), told a virtual news conference on Thursday. That means Africa is far from reaching the African Unions aim of fully vaccinating 70 per cent of people by the end of 2022, he said. What we are seeing now is a lot more vaccines coming in and the uptake is challenged because of the logistics and delivery, said Nkengasong. Its not necessarily about hesitancy, its about moving vaccines from the airport to the arms [of people], its about logistics.

Africas slow uptake of the vaccines is also affecting the health sector, where only one in four workers has been fully vaccinated, the WHOs Africa office said. Unless our doctors, nurses and other frontline workers get full protection, we risk a blowback in the efforts to curb this disease, Matshidiso Moeti, WHOs regional director for Africa, told a separate briefing. Nkengasong said Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon faced particular logistical challenges. Congo has administered about 168,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a Reuters tracker showed, enough to have fully vaccinated 0.1 per cent of the population. In April, authorities reallocated to other African countries most of the 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses that Congo had received a month earlier from the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility because they were set to expire.

Across Africa, authorities successfully conduct routine mass vaccination campaigns against diseases such as measles. But many struggled earlier in the year when COVID-19 doses arrived, citing shortages of funding, training and cold storage. Of some 403 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed to 54 African countries, 55 per cent  or 221 million  have been administered. South Africa has asked Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to delay delivery of more vaccines because it now has too many in stock, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Namibia warned on Thursday that more than 268,000 doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were at risk of being destroyed, some as early as next week, due to slow uptake. The Washington Post, Reuters
Stephen Sondheim, the eight-time Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist behind musicals including Sunday in the Park With George and Sweeney Todd, has died at the age of 91. According to published reports, Sondheim passed away Friday morning at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, after celebrating Thanksgiving with friends.

Born March 22, 1930, Stephen Joshua Sondheim was the son of Herbert Sondheim, a dress manufacturer, and Etta Janet "Foxy" Sondheim, a dress designer. An only child, his parents later divorced and, owing to a fraught relationship with his mother, young Stephen became friends with James Hammerstein, the son of landmark theater creator Oscar Hammerstein II. The elder Hammerstein became Stephen's mentor and surrogate father.

While at the George School, Sondheim wrote his first musical, titled By George, and, believing it to be successful, asked Hammerstein to evaluate it as though he didn't know who the author was. Deeming it "terrible," Hammerstein then educated Sondheim in musical theater construction. "In that afternoon, I learned more about songwriting and musical theater than most people learn in a lifetime," Sondheim would say.

Sondheim's first outing as a Broadway lyricist was West Side Story, with a score coauthored with Leonard Bernstein and a book by Arthur Laurents. The original 1957 production ran for 732 performances and garnered little recognition for its lyricist. His next project, the 1959 musical Gypsy, also featured his lyrics, though the music was written by Jule Styne.

The first musical for which Sondheim wrote both lyrics and music was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which ran 964 performances after opening in 1962. The show, inspired by the Greek comedies of Plautus and featuring a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, received the Tony for Best Musical, though Sondheim did not receive a nomination for his score. Between 1970 and 1981, Sondheim collaborated with the producer/director Harold Prince on six musicals, Company (with George Furth), Follies (with James Goldman), A Little Night Music (with Hugh Wheeler), Pacific Overtures (with John Weidman), Sweeney Todd (with Hugh Wheeler), and Merrily We Roll Along (with George Furth).

Merrily's failure on Broadway effectively put an end to one of the most invaluable partnerships in theatrical history, until, of course, Sondheim met James Lapine. Their collaborations include Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, and Passion. Sondheim also collaborated with Weidman on the musicals Assassins and Road Show. He coauthored Anyone Can Whistle with Arthur Laurents, The Frogs with Burt Shevelove, and Do I Hear A Waltz? with Laurents and Richard Rodgers.

Musical revues bearing Sondheim's songs include Side By Side By Sondheim, Marry Me A Little, You're Gonna Love Tomorrow, Putting It Together, Sondheim on Sondheim, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, and Secret Sondheima celebration of his lesser known work. Lest anyone think Sondheim was limited to musicals, he also coauthored (with George Furth) the Broadway play Getting Away With Murder (which played 17 performances at the Broadhurst Theatre in 1996) and the screenplay The Last of Sheila (written with Anthony Perkins). His lyrics are collected in two volumes, Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (19541981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes and Look, I Made a Hat: Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Wafflings, Diversions and Anecdotes, which were published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Films of Sondheim's musicals include Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Gypsy, and West Side Story. Several productions were taped with original (or close to original) casts, broadcast on television, and later released for home viewing.

Sondheim's long list of honors includes the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (for Sunday in the Park With George); an Academy Award for Best Song ("Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man") from Dick Tracy; eight Tony Awards (including a 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award); eight Grammy Awards (including Song of the Year in 1975 for "Send in the Clowns"); a 1993 Kennedy Center Honor; and memberships in the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Theatre Hall of Fame, among many others. On September 15, 2010, Roundabout Theatre Company renamed Henry Miller's Theatre on West 43rd Street in Sondheim's honor.

Sondheim's survivors include his husband, Jeff Romley, whom he married in 2017, and a half brother, Walter Sondheim.

At the time of his death, there were two major revivals of his work in New York, Company on Broadway and Assassins at Classic Stage Company, and he was at work with David Ives on a new musical titled Square One. A film remake of West Side Story is slated for a release in December.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Rain and wind. High 64F. Winds WSW at 35 to 50 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph..

Tonight

Windy. Mostly cloudy skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 31F. W winds at 35 to 50 mph, decreasing to 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 60 mph.
Archaeologists Pull 1,200-Year-Old Dugout Fishing Canoe From Bottom of Wisconsin Lake

State Archaeologists on Nov. 2 dredged up the oldest water vessel in Wisconsin history from the bottom of Lake Mendota.

A dugout canoe carved from a single tree was found remarkably well preserved under 30 feet of water. The boat was first located in June 2021, and this month, archaeologists from the Wisconsin Historical Society were assisted by the Dane County Sheriffs Office dive team to retrieve the artifact.

Based on carbon dating, the canoe was determined to be 1,200 years old, and was used in A.D. 800 for a fishing vessel. Several net sinkers were found near the boat. The era corresponds with effigy mound building in southern Wisconsin.

The dugout canoe found in Lake Mendota is a significant artifact of the continuum of canoe culture in the Western Great Lakes region, said Christian Overland, CEO for the Wisconsin Historical Society, in a statement.

By taking action today to preserve this canoe we are protecting a piece of history for future generations. The canoe is a remarkable artifact, made from a single tree, that connects us to the people living in this region 1,200 years ago. As the Society prepares to open a new history museum in 2026, we are excited about the new possibilities it offers to share Native American stories and culture through the present day.

The dugout was transported to the Wisconsins State Archive Preservation Facility where it was placed in a custom-built storage vat containing water and bio-deterrent, the society said in a statement.

Over time, a chemical solution for preserving the canoe will be added to the vat, gradually replacing the water content in the woods cellular structurea process that is estimated to take three years.

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
Australian Minister of Defense Peter Dutton speaks at a news conference in Washington on Sept. 16, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia Says Chinas Alarming Actions at Odds With Peaceful Rhetoric

CANBERRAThe Chinese regimes alarming actions do not match its rhetoric about promoting peace and prosperity in the region, Australias defense minister said on Friday after a Chinese navy ship was tracked sailing through the countrys exclusive economic zone.

Defense Minister Peter Dutton listed the Chinese communist regimes militarization of the South China Sea, recent aggression towards Taiwan and the introduction of a national security law in Hong Kong as examples of the Chinese regimes actions being at odds with its rhetoric.

Were all familiar with the frequent claims of the Chinese government that it is committed to peace, cooperation, and development, Dutton said in a speech in Canberra.

And yet we bear witness to a significant disconnect between the words and the actions. Weve watched very closely as the Chinese government has engaged in increasingly alarming activities.

Relations between Australia and its biggest export market reached a low in 2020 when Canberra backed a United Nations inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, which was first recorded in China.

The Chinese regime responded by cutting off ministerial contacts and imposing hefty tariffs on Australian exports of wine, barley, beef, coal, and seafood, effectively nullifying a 2015 free trade agreement. Australia and its ally the United States branded the move economic coercion.

The latest exchange of barbs came as Australia confirmed it had monitored a Chinese intelligence ship sailing in August inside Australias exclusive economic zone but not in Australian territorial waters.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the ship-the second of its type monitored off the Australian coast in as many months-was travelling legally.

But dont think for a second that we werent keeping our eye on them, as they were seeking to keep an eye on us, Morrison told reporters in Adelaide.

What it demonstrates is now no one can be complacent about the situation in the Indo-Pacific.

In September, a new security pact between Australia, the United States, and Britain, dubbed AUKUS, was widely viewed as an attempt to shore up regional military muscle in the face of the Chinese regimes growing presence.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report
Beijings Words of Peace Dont Match Alarming Deeds: Australian Defence Minister

Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has highlighted the difference between Beijings words and deeds, saying the world has witnessed and grown concerned by the Communist regimes pattern of alarming activities.

By now we are all familiar with the frequent claims of the Chinese government that it is committed to peace, cooperation, and development, Dutton said in his address to the National Press Club Friday, adding that win-win cooperation and progress are common Chinese regime refrains.

And yet we bear witness to a significant disconnect between words and actions, between the rhetoric and reality, he said.

That reality, Dutton said, is that the Chinese regime is regrettably using its power in security, trade, economics, media, and the internet to compel countries to comply with its demands.

Dutton warned that, in the absence of counter pressure, Beijing would dominate the Indo-Pacific region which has made Australia prosperous and safe if China invaded Taiwan and then sought to expand further.

If Taiwan is taken, surely the Senkakus are next, Dutton said.

Please dont rely on your imagination. The Chinese government could not be any clearer; not always with their words, but certainly with their actions, he said.

The point I make is the regional order on which our prosperity and security is founded would change very quickly.

The defence minister outlined some of Beijings alarming actions, which contradict their words.

This included establishing 20 outposts in the South China Sea and rejecting the Hagues Permanent Court of Arbitration 2016 verdict on claims of historic rights in the same sea.

He pointed to Chinas Peoples Liberation Army sending increasing numbers of military jets into Taiwans air defence identification zone, and using militia-crewed fishing vessels to intrude in The Philippines exclusive economic zone. As well as escalating tensions on Chinas border with India and in the East China Sea with Japan.

Other actions in the Asia region included Beijing doing away with the solemn international commitment of the One Country Two Systems framework when it imposed a national security law on Hong Kong, Dutton said.

Turning to Australia-China matters, the defence minister pointed to the trade barriers Beijing inflicted on Australian imports, which he said undermined collective faith in Chinas commitment to global free trade and investment. This has widely been considered economic coercion in retaliation for Australia calling for an inquiry into the origins of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.

Dutton also noted the fabrication of a propaganda image depicting an Australian soldier murdering an Afghan child, and the Chinese embassy in Canberra issuing a dossier of 14 disputes with Australia, that he described as, a list of grievances which imply our nation should refrain from making sovereign decisions and acting in its self-interest.

Further, Dutton said Australia and many other countries had called out Beijings Ministry of State Security in July for engaging in repeated cyber activities against foreign government and commercial institutions.

Earlier this year, CCP mouthpiece Global Times published an editorial that suggested China would fire missiles at Australia if it intervened in a conflict in Taiwan.

In his speech, Dutton said China has amassed more than 2,000 ground-launched ballistic missiles and ground-launched cruise missiles, with a range of up to 5,500 kilometres. Its nuclear warhead stockpile is projected to reach 700 and 1,000 warheads over the next decade.

Every major city in Australia, including Hobart, is within range of Chinas missiles, Dutton said.

Australia is in the middle of heightened strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region, but at a time when the signs are pointing towards conflict, Dutton said all countries of goodwill must steer away from that cliff face.

Australias position is clear: conflict must be avoided, he said.

In response, the Chinese embassy in Australia accused Dutton of preaching an unrealistic misunderstanding of Chinas foreign policy.

Their statement claimed the China-Australia relationship would not improve if the Australian government did not change its policies.
A tall security fence surrounds the US Capitol ahead of US President Joe Bidens address to a joint session of Congress in Washington, on April 28, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

CCP Influence in Congress

Proposed protections in the House stalled by Democrats

News Analysis

Members of Congress are finally pushing to remove the malign influence of foreign money from the U.S. political system.

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) recently introduced legislation to require think tanks to disclose foreign money theyve received, according to a statement by Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), whos pushing for a Truth in Testimony resolution that requires congressional witnesses to divulge their sources of foreign funding.

Those funded by the adversaries of the United Statesincluding China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and Cubawould face extra scrutiny.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) has proposed to prohibit lobbying by former members of Congress on the part of communist regimes. A group of House Republicans wants to strengthen the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Some Democrats support these measures, but have done so quietly thus far. Josh Rogin, a journalist for the Washington Post who often writes on foreign influence issues, wrote an opinion piece published on Nov. 23, demanding that Democrats use their majority to take action on this bipartisan issue.

Dozens of D.C. think tanks and other policy organizations take money from foreign countries and corporations without ever disclosing the details, Rogin wrote. The staffers who have received this financing then write policy papers and testify before Congress, posing as objective, disinterested experts.

Banks said the proposed rules would allow Committees to know when individuals are being paid for consulting or advising services to Chinese companies with internal CCP [Chinese Communist Party] committees or companies such as Huawei and Tencent.

It would also encompass witnesses who perform consulting work for oligarchs in  adversarial nations, which is often not disclosed under the Lobbying Disclosure Act [LDA] or FARA, he said.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) on Capitol Hill on March 27, 2019. (York Du/NTD)

The lack of transparency is even worse in the Senate, which doesnt require witnesses to divulge foreign conflicts of interestand apparently has no plans to do so.

Think tanks that refuse foreign funding, such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the American Foreign Policy Council, support additional transparency on the Hill.

Banks is leading demands for the House reform effort.

Witnesses appearing before committees are often able to skirt disclosure requirements.  This is problematic considering [the] Chinese Communist Partys disinformation operations in the United States include funding Washington D.C. think tanks, he said.

The U.S. China Security and Economic Commission has noted that a number of Washington D.C. think tanks and universities have received funding from Tung Chee-hwa, a vice chairman of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, which is a group that directs the United Front Work Department.

The rule changes would be a step in the right direction, but even they dont go far enough.

U.S. Air Force Academy professor Jahara Matisek, whose forthcoming book, Old and New Battlespaces, addresses the issue of foreign influence in the United States, said, From a national security perspective, all foreign money (and even big corporate money) should be kept out because it skews American democracy, not to mention skewing domestic and foreign policies that benefit other countries and elites at the expense of the average American.

The most effective lobbyists for Beijing in Washington are U.S. corporations that export to China and want the U.S. government to look the other way on certain issuesthe CCPs multiple genocides, for exampleso as to not derail the gravy train of $600 billion in annual U.S.China trade and $2.3 trillion in U.S. institutional investments in China.

U.S. national security is not taken that seriously by either political party in the US, precisely because the incentive structures are upside down, Matisek wrote. No politicians seem to be punished by their electorate for [bad] national security outcomes.

So it would seem that even the Republican proposals dont go far enough.

The penalty for lying on disclosure forms that theyve proposed is only a ban on speaking before the same committee for three years. Perjury is a more serious offense, especially on matters of national security. Anyone who purposefully lies to Congress should spend time in prison.

Professors at U.S. universities, which receive extensive funding from China through individual student tuition that the CCP can turn on or off, would likely be exempt under the new rules.

Politically influential professors, who can make millions of dollars in outside contracts with foreign governments, should have to report this publicly. Professors at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government arent required to publicly disclose foreign funding, even as they often appear as media and congressional experts on national security matters.

Greater transparency about foreign revenues should also apply to corporate experts. Everyone whos politically influential in the United States, if they receive any foreign money, should have to disclose that funding. At risk is the future of freedom.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese Spy Ship Spotted Off Australias Coast for 3 Weeks

A Chinese spy ship has been circling Australia for three weeks collecting intelligence off the coast, raising security concerns as Australias defence minister warned the country is facing the most dramatic change in its strategic environment since WWII.

Intelligence Ship Yuhengxing entered Australias 200 kilometre exclusive economic zone near Darwin in August and September, hugging the coastline and headed as far south as Sydney. It passed a number of important military areas, before sailing across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

The vessel is believed to be a Dongdaio-class spy ship, which is capable of monitoring communications and radar signals and the electromagnetic spectrum as well as employing other surveillance methods such as optical sensors.

A Defence spokesperson told The Epoch Times the government is aware of the vessel entering Australias maritime zones but said China has the right to exercise lawful freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace, just as Australia does.

They stayed out of our territorial waters, Defence Minister Peter Dutton told Nines Today program. They didnt break any laws.

Australias Her Majestys Australian Ship (right) monitoring Chinese spy ship (left) on August, 2021. (Australia Defence Force/ Supplied)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison noted while China has every right to be there, none of its activities was under the radar: Dont think for a second that we were not keeping an eye on them as they were seeking to keep an eye on us.

Morrison said he had been criticised for the strong stance he had taken on the issues with China, but this incident showed Australia has to be able to stand up, and that requires great strength.

There is never a time for weakness when it comes to leading a federal government, particularly at a time when you are dealing with these very significant security issues and the economic challenges that we have, he told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.

China has previously sent military ships to monitor defence training exercises, like Talisman Sabre off the east coast in July, and three Chinese warships sailed into Sydney Harbour unannounced on the eve of the anniversary Tiananmen Square massacre.

But the regimes sending off its navy this time was seen as an unusual move as there were no exercises or war games taking place.

Chinas spying activities on foreign countries and its domination in the Indo-Pacific region were considered to be among the crucial factors that drove Australia to form AUKUS, the new security alliance with the United States and Britain.

Under the pact, the three countries will cooperate on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and additional undersea capabilities, while the United States and Britain will help equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

No surprises here that everyone wants to get the opportunity to get that little bit of extra information if they can, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the Seven Network.

Weve entered into strategic partnerships like AUKUS with two valued, trusted partners who are going to share the most up-to-date technology with our defence forces and with our security personnel.

Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison (L) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (R) attend a meeting at the Pentagon on Sept. 22, 2021 in Arlington, Virginia. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Peter Dutton warned Chinas actions have become increasingly alarming as the regimes battle force had more than tripled in size over the past two decades alone to become the biggest navy in the world.

Today, we face the most significant change in our strategic environment since the Second World War, he said during the National Press Club in Canberra, noting that every major Australian city is within range of Chinas missiles.

While the Chinese regime claims it wants peace, cooperation and development, there was a significant disconnect between the words and actions, between the rhetoric and the well-known reality, Dutton said.

If you look at whats happening in the Indo-Pacific at the moment, and you see the ramp up by the Communist Party of China, we need to be realistic about the threat now, and over the course of the next couple of decades, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporations 7.30 program.

There is no sense sticking your head in the sand pretending it is not happening. We want prevailing peace in our region.

The Chinese embassy in Australia quickly fired back in a scathing statement issued on Thursday afternoon which accused Dutton of preaching an unrealistic misunderstanding of Chinas foreign policy.

The statement claimed the China-Australia relationship would not improve if the Australian government did not change its policies.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping (R) arrives with Premier Li Keqiang (L) and members of the Politburo Standing Committee for a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the eve of China's National Day on Sept. 30, 2021. (Greg Baker/AFP)

Communist Officials Spy on Each Other as Power Struggle Intensifies

Commentary

Wiretapping political opponents plays a significant role in the power struggle among Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials.

China News Weekly, a state-run news magazine based in Beijing, recently published article on Liu Xinyun, vice governor of Shanxi Province since 2018. The article described Liu as a ruthless government official who befriended political crooks and abused spying schemes.

The Public Security department reported that Liu abused the surveillance on Shanxis provincial Party committee and government leaders, according to the article.

Liu, 59, was investigated in April and prosecuted in October for charges of bribery and abuse of power. He was also accused of forming a clique within the Party.

In addition to Liu, the article also named other prominent members of the clique such as Sun Lijun, former vice minister of Public Security, and Gong Daoan, former Shanghai police chief. All three men have something in common: they held high-level positions in the Ministry of Public Security, but were taken down by CCP leader Xi Jinping in his nationwide crackdown on corruption. Sun was removed from his post on April 19, 2020, and Gong was purged on Feb. 10 this year.

Sun was known as the chief of political police. In 2013, he was promoted as the head of the First Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. He was in charge of domestic political security and carried out various tasks, including intelligence collection and analysis, and even monitoring senior officials below the deputy national level of the CCP.

Sun collaborated with Liu when he monitored the activities of other officials. At the time, Liu was the director of the ministrys Network Security Bureau, a post which he held between 2014 and 2018.

Sun and his group were undoubtedly keen on spying and collecting the senior officials secrets.

Coup and Power Struggle

So who were the targeted officials in Shanxi Province and why were they spied on?

They were Luo Huining and Lou Yangsheng.

Luo Huining was appointed as the director of the Hong Kong Central Liaison Office by Xi in 2020. He has served as Shanxis Party committee secretary from 2002 to 2016. He has also been a member of the CCPs Central Committee since 2017.

Lou Yangsheng was the acting governor of Shanxi from 2016 to 2019. He served as a local politician in Zhejiang Province under Xi Jinping, who was the governor and provincial Party committee secretary between 2002 and 2007.

Suns espionage activities shared the same purpose as those of Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai.

Zhou, former head of the Ministry of Public Security, was sacked in 2014 on charges of bribery, abuse of power, and the disclosure of state secrets.

Bo, the former Party chief of Chongqing city, was removed from his post in 2012 on crimes of bribery, abuse of power, and corruption.

Court staff and police photograph the media at the Intermediate Peoples Court where Chinese politician Bo Xilai was indicted and his case is expected to be heard in Jinan, Shandong Province, on July 25, 2013. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

It was believed that both Zhou and Bo engaged in intelligence operations targeting top government officials. A Hong Kong media outlet disclosed in 2015 that Zhou had a secret archive for officials at or above the departmental level, involving tens of thousands of officials, including Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, who are both members of the Politburo Standing Committee (the top-level advisory body).

It is no secret that Zhou and Bo were plotting a coup detat against Xi. The two set up a monitoring system and established the secret archive to collect information that could be used to eliminate their opponents.

Sun Lijun, Liu Xinyun, among others, shared the same mission to overthrow and assassinate Xi.

Sun, having access to many secrets, posed a huge threat to Chinas leader. Thus, he was expelled from the Party not for corruption, but for seriously endangering political securitymeaning, an attempted coup.

Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire businessman who became a political activist, said the National Security Bureau is also in charge of overseas intelligence operations that monitor and track the illegitimate children of senior CCP officials in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, and Canada, and the bureau has collected their financial information.

A 2013 Washington Post article reported that surveillance among CCP officials had become a trend, and had permeated the entire bureaucratic system. Even foreign businessmen were frequent targets.

Qi Hong, an ex-wiretapping detective who was so busy debugging the offices of various Chinese officials, once dismantled 40 hidden wires and cameras in a single week, according to China Digital Times.

These devices are often installed in officials cars, offices, or bedrooms. Spying devices are used for the following purposes: subordinates who want to blackmail their superiors in order to take over their positions; superiors who want to control their subordinates; and political rivals who plot against each other.

According to The Epoch Times editorial series called Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party: The CCP has perfected its nine traits inherited from communism, with espionage being the fifth inherited trait, and the techniques of espionage and sowing dissension are also used by the CCP. The Party is skillful at infiltration.

At a time when the CCPs high-level power struggle is intensifying, and Party members are scheming against each other, the spying game will remain part of their strategy.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Depression is a complex condition and those facing it often require help from others to break free of it. (Africa Studio/Shutterstock)

Depression Caused by Genetics? Most Likely Not

Larger, stronger studies debunk previous research that was based on small sample sizes

Since the discovery of DNA, the central dogma of genetic translation has lured us in with a simple path from genes to illness. With the completion of the Human Genome Project, however, we were forced to begin to explore the limitations of the mutation model of illness and our assumptions about the biology behind illness and health. Despite this sobering reality, and the history of genetic studies of depression coming up empty-handed, many of the 30 million people in the United States taking medication still believe that genes play a role in their disease.

Frustration with the fields current approach has been seeping into the industry. In 2017, Dr. Thomas Insel, former director of the National Institutes of Mental Health, said, I spent 13 years at NIMH really pushing on the neuroscience and genetics of mental disorders, and when I look back on that I realize that while I think I succeeded at getting lots of really cool papers published by cool scientists at fairly large costsI think $20 billionI dont think we moved the needle in reducing suicide, reducing hospitalizations, improving recovery for the tens of millions of people who have mental illness.

Many gene candidate studies have been sifting through haystacks, trying to pinpoint the exact snippets of DNA sequence that might be causing you to feel lethargic, unmotivated, and generally terrible. Your depression, they say, is your own DNA betraying you.

A new study is helping us understand how the fields previous genetically-inclined direction of study might have been nothing more than a distraction.

Study Finds No Correlation Between Genes and Depression

A recently published study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found no support for the association between genetic polymorphisms and the development of major depressive disorder. A team of Colorado researchers compiled data gathered from the UK Biobank (with more than 502,682 individuals from 22 centers across the UK between 2006 and 2010) and closely examined 18 candidate genes hypothesized to be genetic underpinnings of depression and found that previous depression candidate gene findings were most likely Type 1 errorsor false positives.

Using the UK Biobank data, collected from online mental health questionnaires and DNA samples, the researchers were able to analyze the relationship between several depression phenotypes and moderators, and supposed genetic markers for the different manifestations of depression.

But more importantly, the researchers tried to replicate the results of studies that have implicated the top 16 candidate genetic loci for causing depression. Performing analyses with a much larger sample size than those of previous false-positive studies, their results debunked the idea that these loci were actually linked to depression. Out of these 16, only three attained statistical significance, but those results are consistent with the low power to detect small associations.

Led by Richard Border and Dr. Matthew Keller, the research team suggested that the field should abandon the idea that depression is genetic.

Our results demonstrate that historical depression candidate gene polymorphisms do not have detectable effects on depression phenotypes. Furthermore, the candidate genes themselves (with the possible exception of DRD2) were no more associated with depression phenotypes than genes chosen at random.

Their study is the most comprehensive and well-powered investigation of historical candidate polymorphism and candidate gene hypotheses in depression to date.

What Had We Misunderstood?

How is it that the multitudes of previous peer-reviewed studies were able to be published with false-positive findings? There might be several reasons.

1. Most candidate gene research had small sample sizes.

Earlier candidate gene studies analyzed small sample sizes and were, simply, underpowered. Between 2000 and 2009, the median sample size of these studies was 345.

Without enough data points, though, the results of these studies dont really mean anything, especially when trying to generalize a complex disorder to an entire population. Thats just basic statistics.

Even though the results of those studies might have revealed associations between genetic variations and depression, studies that gathered more data points have revealed no correlation. That could explain why targeted, well-powered genetic association studies of depression and others with larger samples didnt support the candidate gene hypothesis. Genome-wide association studies have found that individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms across large samples exert small effects on genetically complex traits like depression.

2. Some of these studies used incorrect analytic methods and inadequate control designs.

Researchers have suggested that the majority of published candidate gene studies have actually used incorrect analytic methods and inadequate control for population stratification. Since genetic phenotypes can take lifetimes to manifest themselves, the multitudes of confounding factors make it difficult to properly design controls. Improper analytics and experimental designs would account for the inconsistent results that these types of studies have yielded over the years.

3. Clinical utility of identifying individual gene mutations is unclear.

Even if we could pinpoint individual gene mutations that caused depression, theres no real point in doing so. Clinical utility has always been one of the critical limitations in building gene-environment models in psychiatry. Looking for gene markers might even be counterproductive to peoples healing, focusing efforts on allopathic medicine that seeks to marginalize the role of lifestyle factors in lieu of the one pill for one ill approach to symptom management.

4. Publication bias.

Over the past years, this body of literature has shown significant publication bias. For example, the top nine of the 18 identified genes in the American Journal of Psychiatry study accounted for 86.59 percent of the studies. When so much effort and time is going into chasing these biomarkers, its easy for an entire field to get tunnel vision.

So Now What?

As humans, were inclined to seek certainty and answersbut this study shows that the answers to questions about the origins of depression are not in our DNA.

Through the lens of the root-cause resolution, depression can be seen as an invitation to explore imbalances that can range from nutritional to psychospiritual. We should be moving past a reductive and misleading interpretation of depression to understanding that our bodies create symptoms when things are out of alignment.

Depression is that symptomindicating to us that our lifestyles are often a mismatch with our biology. We dont need drugs to fix depression. The way out of depression doesnt require new ancestry, it can be found through simple steps toward self-ownership and attending to lifestyle habits that are asking to be transformed.

Kelly Brogan, MD, is a holistic womens health psychiatrist and author of The New York Times bestselling book A Mind of Your Own, the childrens book A Time for Rain, and co-editor of the landmark textbook Integrative Therapies for Depression. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of Kelly Brogan, MD. For more articles, sign up for the newsletter at www.KellyBroganMD.com
Detectives Daughter Witnesses Car Broadsided, Selflessly Rushes to Save Life of Baby Not Breathing

A fashion model from Akron, Ohio, on Nov. 22 received a proclamation from City Council for responding to an accidentand doing what some police officers might never in their entire careers have to do.

Ladonya Williams, 20, and her dad, Donny Williams, a detective with the Akron Police Department, were headed east on Vernon Odom Boulevard on the evening of Aug. 22 when her dad spotted in his rearview mirror a black Jeep coming recklessly at a very high rate of speed.

The father and daughter braced for impact.

(Courtesy of Donny Williams)

I think that me and my dad were both sitting there in that moment thinking that the car was going to crash into us, Ladonya later told Fox 8.

The Jeep was headed to the hospital for a medical emergency. It flew past them, broadsiding a small silver Nissan SUV turning left at Raymond Street, rendering both cars severely damaged.

I immediately pulled to that curb where the silver vehicle was at, reached for my cell phone, of course I dropped it on the floor, Donny told The Epoch Times. Ladonya had jumped out of the vehicle and was running toward the accident scene.

Ladonya had taken a CPR course just two days earlier.

A woman who was bleeding from a cut on her forehead got out of the Jeep with a child in her arms and was screaming that her baby wasnt breathing.

I observed Ladonya tell the lady, Give me the baby, I know what to do, the father recalled.

(Courtesy of Donny Williams)

She checked the babys airway and applied back compressions until the child began coughing and breathing again.

Meanwhile, Donny had called 911 and first responders were on the way.

The baby was taken to the Childrens Hospital and stabilized, while the other motorists sustained only minor injuries.

It hit the strongest part of that car, the crossbar, very lucky for him, Donny said of the motorist in the silver Nissan, who was struck and suffered a cut to his arm.

(Courtesy of Donny Williams)

Ive been a an officer for 30 years, I take CPR every year, and Ive never had the opportunitythank goodnessto use it, he added.

The father was impressed by how calm his daughter remained while under tremendous pressureacting decisively without any instruction. She was probably the calmest person on the scene to be honest with you, he said.

On Nov. 17, Ladonya was presented a Citizens Award by the Akron Police Department. And the City of Akron on Nov. 22 honored her with a proclamation thanking her for her lifesaving actions on that evening.

(Courtesy of Donny Williams)

Officers cant be everywhere all the time, stated Police Chief Mylett. For a citizen to selflessly act to save a life is outstanding.

Donny noted that Ladonya was supposed to be in Chicago modeling the day of the accident but canceled the trip because she wasnt feeling wella decision she believes was not accidental.

At that point, Ladonya realized that there was a higher power that meant for her to be where she was at, the father said.

(Courtesy of Donny Williams)

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Cargo containers are stacked at Yantian port in Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong Province on June 21, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Diversifying Trade Enriching Australian Companies: Trade Minister

Just over forty percent of Australian exporters who have diversified their trade markets are doing better financially than they were a year ago, a study has found.

Australias International Business Survey 2021 (pdf), found that although 87 percent of exporters thought the business environment was more challenging, forty-three percent of them that had diversified to other markets found that they were financially better off than a year ago. This accounted for only 21 percent of all respondents.

Businesses that maintained a wider range of export destinations were able to manage risks better. A little under half (43 percent) of those diversified businesses reported being financially better off now than 12 months ago, the report stated.

Federal Trade Minister Dan Tehan welcomed the results and said the survey demonstrated that the governments commitment to making Australian businesses globally competitive had been a success for those who had diversified.

Businesses also underscored the importance of market diversification when exporting, with those businesses selling into a greater number of export markets more likely to report being better off financially compared to a year ago, he said.

Minister for Trade Dan Tehan speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia on May 21, 2021. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

However, the survey also found that 51 percent of the respondents said restrictions imposed by foreign governments were a major problem, with 53 percent saying China was the primary market where businesses experienced a significant disruption. It was followed by South Korea (50 percent), Vietnam (50 percent), and Japan (47 percent).

China was also identified as the primary market where the rejection of goods and increasing regulatory requirements caused a large disruption to Australian exporters, with agribusiness exporters being the most affected.

This comes after the Chinese regime targeted Australian exporters for economic coercion after the Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in April 2020.

The Chinese regime responded by targeting eight of Australias primary export industries to China, including beef, lamb, honey, coal, timber, wine, and timber.

However, Australian exporters do not believe that these issues will be as prominent in the next financial year, with a report from DHL Express Australia noting that 69 percent of Australian exporter believe they will see an increase in their revenues. This comes on top of the 45 percent of businesses that have already seen an uptick in their earnings in 2021.

Australian businesses have remained steadfast, and it is positive to see more businesses in 2021 reporting growth and 69 percent expecting further increases in 2022, said Gary Edstein, CEO and senior vice president at DHL Express Australia.

Edstein also noted that 48 percent of Australian exporters expected to employ more workers in the coming 12 months, and 57 percent were expecting to pay a wage increase.
Australian resources giant Woodside's Goodyn A offshore gas production platform in the North West Shelf gas project, which produces a third of Australia's oil and half of its natural gas, off the northwest coast of Australia on Jan. 1, 2001. (-/AFP via Getty Images)

DOI Pushes for Higher Fees for Offshore, Onshore Oil and Gas Companies

A new Department of the Interior (DOI) report on oil and gas leasing in federal lands and waters advises the DOIs Bureau of Land Management to raise royalties, rental rates, and other fees on oil and gas companies, but hasnt moved to halt new leasing entirely.

During his 2020 presidential run, President Joe Bidens campaign website said that his climate plan would include banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters.

The DOI report (pdf), issued in response to Bidens Jan. 27 executive order, was quietly published on Black Friday after months of delays. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in March that the report would be released in early summer.

Oil prices and gasoline prices have become a hot-button issue, with many blaming the Biden administrations freeze on oil and gas leasing, the shutdown of the Keystone XL pipeline, and other policies for helping to drive up costs in recent months.

So, begging OPEC+ for more supply, raiding our strategic reserve to try to lower prices at the pump, and now increasing leasing fees on U.S. producers. Yep, makes perfect senseif youre a Democrat, wrote Dan K. Eberhart, CEO of Canary, a Denver-based drilling company, on Twitter in response to the DOI report.

In the days and weeks since the COP26 summit ended, the Biden administration has held the largest U.S. offshore drilling auction and released 50 million barrels of crude oil from the United States emergency oil stockpile, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

The offshore auction came months after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty ruled against the Biden administrations pause on new oil and gas leases on public lands and waters, finding that such auctions are mandatory under federal law.

Specifically, Doughty determined that the DOI is required to hold quarterly lease sales under both the Mineral Leasing Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

While the Biden administration said its 50 million gallon SPR release was motivated by a desire to lower prices, some analysts have said the release wont significantly impact oil prices.

Oil prices dropped following the late November emergence of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which the World Health Organization dubbed Omicron on Nov. 26.

The DOI report claimed the U.S. oil and gas leasing program fails to provide a fair return to taxpayers, even before factoring in the resulting climate-related costs that must be borne by taxpayers.

In addition to recommending higher onshore and offshore drilling fees, new screening procedures for bidders, and a Fitness to Operate standard for prospective offshore operators, the report states that the DOIs Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement would study the most appropriate method to develop and apply pricing for methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide for offshore operators.

The report has already been met with criticism from the oil and gas industry.

Frank Macchiarola of the American Petroleum Institute, a key oil and gas trade association, said in a statement: During one of the busiest travel weeks of the year when rising costs of energy are even more apparent to Americans, the Biden administration is sending mixed signals. Days after a public speech in which the White House said the president is using every tool available to him to work to lower prices and address the lack of supply, his Interior Department proposed to increase costs on American energy development with no clear roadmap for the future.

The report prompted a mixed response from the Sierra Club, which had endorsed Biden during his 2020 presidential campaign.

We applaud the Biden administration for recognizing the serious flaws in the current oil and gas leasing program and making long-overdue reforms. But to truly tackle the climate crisis, we need to phase out all new leasing for fossil fuels on public lands and offshoreactivities that contribute to nearly a quarter of this countrys greenhouse gas emissions, said Sierra Club Lands Protection Program Director Athan Manuel.

Colin Rees, U.S. program manager for Oil Change International, went further in a statement from that group.

President Biden promised to end the leasing program entirely due to its deadly threat to the climate. Interiors recommendations fall far short of that goal and ring particularly hollow days after the largest lease sale in U.S. history, he said.

Secretary Haaland and President Biden must end all federal leasing and permits for oil and gas extraction. Anything less is unacceptable and a damning failure of their climate promises and responsibility to future generations.

Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), the ranking Republican member on the House Natural Resources Committee, also denounced the report.

After keeping the entire energy industry in limbo for months, DOIs report shows they have only just begun their war on safe, reliable, domestic energy, Westerman said in a statement.

They will bog small energy companies down in years of regulatory gridlock, place millions of acres of resources-rich land under lock and key, ignore local input, and sell out to overseas suppliers. Ultimately, the American consumer will pay the price.

Westermans remarks were echoed by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), ranking GOP member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Shutting down energy production on federal lands will not fix climate change. It will just push production off federal lands, including to countries that have lower environmental standards than the United States, Barrasso said in a statement.

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) wrote on Twitter: Now we know why the Biden Administration quietly dropped their Bleak Friday Oil and Gas Leasing Report the day after Thanksgiving. It spells higher gas prices for hardworking familieswhile Biden bows to OPEC instead of producing cleaner, lower-cost American energy right here.
Epoch Watchlist: What to Watch This Week

New Release: A Fun Franchise Reboot

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

When a single mother named Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two children, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), are evicted from their home, they move into a creepy old farmhouse in Oklahoma. The house was left to them by Callies late father and as they explore the places spooky environs, they learn about the mans eldritch predictions. The kids are helped by brilliant seismologist Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd).

This is a pretty solid and fun reboot with some good laughs balanced by just the right amount of nostalgia.

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

Release Date: Nov. 19, 2021

Director: Jason Reitman

Starring: Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard

Runtime: 2 hours, 4 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Where to Watch: Theaters

Rated: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Indie Pick

Adopt a Highway

Russell Millings (Ethan Hawke) is released from a 20-year lockup for a marijuana crimeas a result of the controversial three-strikes law. Since technology has passed him by, he struggles to learn about everything new.

Things are further complicated when he discovers an infant in a dumpster with a note that says Ella. He knows a mysterious baby in his care wont look good, but sees a correlation between the discarded baby and his own lifethrown away by the legal system. Although society views ex-cons as disposable, he makes it his mission to care for Ella, in this touching film about second chances.

Drama

Release Date: Nov. 1, 2019

Director: Logan Marshall-Green

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Chris Sullivan, Elaine Hendrix

Runtime: 1 hour, 18 minutes

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Where to Watch: Starz, Redbox

Rated: 3 out of 5 stars

One of the Most Thought-Provoking Docudramas of 2021

Luzzu

Jesmark Scicluna stars as Jesmark, a Maltese fisherman whose livelihood is thrown into peril when the small fishing vessel he owns, Luzzu, becomes compromised. He soon becomes tempted to become involved in black market activities in order to take care of his wife and newborn child.

This is a fascinating docudrama that details how both modernization and corruption destroy many cultures economies, traditions, and livelihoods. Its also a multi-layered tale of one mans struggle to eke out an honest living in a corrupt world.

Drama

Release Date: Jan. 29, 2021

Director: Alex Camilleri

Starring: Frida Cauchi, Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia

Runtime: 1 hour, 34 minutes

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Where to Watch: FandangoNow, Theaters

Rated: 4.5 out of 5 stars

A Riveting World War I Character Study

Paths of Glory

Its World War I, and the Germans have invaded Paris. Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) must find a way to rally the demoralized men of the unit he commands down in the trenches, and also a conniving general officer who is plotting his demise.

This film is a fascinating character study of a man who stands up for justice to defend the lives of his men against the forces arrayed against them.

Drama | War

Release Date: Dec. 25, 1957

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou

Runtime: 1 hour, 28 minutes

MPAA Rating: Approved

Where to Watch: Subs, Vudu

Rated: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The logo of Home Depot in Encinitas, Calif., on April 4, 2016. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Four Suspects in Lakewood Home Depot Robbery Arrested in Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.Four suspects who police believe might be involved in the flash mob robbery of at least $400 in merchandise from a Home Depot in the Lakewood Center Mall were arrested in Beverly Hills Nov. 27.

Just after 9 p.m. Nov. 26, police received a call regarding several cars driving with no license plates near Beverly Drive and Dayton Way, Sgt. Jeff Newman of the Beverly Hills Police Department told City News Service.

Officers stopped one of the cars and took the suspects into custody.

Were currently working with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department to see if there is a link to the Lakewood Home Depot incident or any other crimes that have been committed, Newman said.

Approximately eight males entered the store at 7:46 p.m. Nov. 26, walked directly to the tool aisle, and stole various sledgehammers, crowbars, and hammers valued at approximately $400, according to Deputy Miguel Meza of the Sheriffs Information Bureau.

Store employees told Fox11 a group of up to 20 males between 15 and 20 years old pulled up to the store in as many as 10 cars, put on ski masks, and began stealing sledgehammers and crowbars.

Some of the suspects possibly entered a red Mercedes with severe damage to the front and fled, Meza said.

It was another in a series of so-called flash mob or smash-and-grab robberies across Los Angeles County in the past week, several of them taking place on Black Friday.

According to KCAL9, a total of six smash-and-grab robberies took place Nov. 26 in the Fairfax District, Beverly Grove, and Hancock Park.

A large group of thieves entered the Bottega Veneta store at 8445 Melrose Placenear Croft Avenue and the border with West Hollywoodand stole an unknown amount of items before fleeing.

On Nov. 24, robbers attacked a security guard and stole designer handbags worth an estimated $25,000 from the Nordstrom store at the Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park.

The same day, flash mob suspects entered several stores in the 8500 block of Beverly Boulevard at the Beverly Center, grabbed merchandise, and ran out without paying, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

On Nov. 22, a smash-and-grab robbery by a mob of at least 20 people took place at the Nordstrom store at the upscale Grove shopping center in the Fairfax district. The suspects in that robbery fled the scene in at least four cars.

Three suspects were arrested in South Los Angeles following a chase. Officers recovered several items of clothing, at least one cash register, and gloves from their car.

Also Nov. 22, at about 9:45 p.m., six suspects entered a CVS Pharmacy in the 5800 block of South Vermont Avenue in the South Los Angeles area and stole three cash registers, taking about $8,500 in cash, police said.

The day before, storefront windows of the Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Beverly Hills were smashed during attempted burglaries.
Kevin Nishita, left, is seen in a file photograph. Nishita died on Nov. 27, 2021, from wounds he suffered while guarding a news crew in Oakland, Calif., earlier in the week. On left, an image from surveillance footage shows a white Acura police say was involved in the shooting. (San Jose Police Department; Oakland Police Department)

Guard Dies After Being Shot During Attempted Robbery in California

A security guard died from wounds he suffered while trying to protect a news crew in California, authorities said Saturday.

Kevin Nishita, an ex-police officer who worked as an armed guard for the Star Protection Agency, was helping guard a KRON-TV crew on Wednesday in Oakland when somebody tried stealing the crews camera equipment.

Nishita was shot in the lower abdomen and rushed to the hospital.

He died early Saturday, the Oakland Police Department.

We are devastated by the loss of security guard and our friend, Jim Rose, KRON-TVs vice president and general manager, said in a statement.

This senseless loss of life is due to yet another violent criminal act in the Bay Area. We hope that offering a reward will help lead to the arrest of those responsible so they can face justice for this terrible tragedy, he added.

Star Protection Agency, KRON-TV, its parent company, Crime Stoppers, and police officials are offering a reward of $32,500 for information that leads to an arrest or arrests in the case.

The killing is being investigated by the police departments homicide detectives.

A surveillance photograph released Saturday showed a white Acura TL with four doors, a sunroof, and no license plate. Police believe the vehicle, which is from between 2004 and 2008, was used in the attempted robbery and shooting.

Anybody with information was asked to contact the police department or Crime Stoppers of Oakland.

As you know its been an extremely violent week. We are asking if you were in the area, have a business or live nearby to please check your surveillance footage as you may have captured the crime before, during, or after it occurred, Kim Armstead, an Oakland police spokeswoman, told reporters earlier in the week.

California has been beset by a string of mob robberies in recent weeks. During the robberies, large groups descend on stores, smash their way in or otherwise rush inside, and grab items before leaving in waiting vehicles.

The incidents have primarily happened in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The KRON-TV crew was covering a robbery that happened at a clothing store on 14th Street that involved a dozen criminals.

The reporter was not struck.

A nearby homeless man was reportedly hit but was treated and was in stable condition.

The robbery happened after what was described as roving caravans of hundreds of vehicles entered Oakland on Nov. 29 and stole from cannabis operations in the city, according to Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.

Armstrong called for city leaders to step up and address the spike in violent crime and the department later said it was deploying tactical teams on streets to help patrol officers deal with the armed caravans, illegal sideshows, and other violent crimes.
Indonesian security personnel patrol the perimeter of Gunung Sindur prison in Bogor on Jan. 22, 2019, where radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, believed to have been a key figure in terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) which was blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings, is jailed. (Tjahyadi Ermawan/AFP via Getty Images)

Indonesia Detains 24 People Over Links to Terror Financing

Police in Indonesia have detained 24 individuals on suspicion that they raised funds for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the al Qaeda-linked terrorist group behind the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings and other attacks, the National Polices counterterrorism squad said.

The suspects were allegedly fundraising for JI via two Islamic charitable foundations, Sr. Cmdr. Aswin Siregar of the Densus 88 national counterterrorism force told a press conference on Nov. 25, adding that the terror group could raise tens of billions of rupiahs in a year to finance their activities. Syam Abadi, one of JIs institutions, recorded an annual income of almost 15 billion rupiahs ($1.04 million), he added.

Financial reports revealed that the two institutions used as fronts for JI had raised about $2 million, although the figure could be higher, police said.

Police added that cash equivalent to $700,000 was discovered at the office of one of the foundations.

This does not only happen here, other terror groups in the world get funding from anywhere because terror acts will not exist if there is no funding, Aswin said.

JI has been blamed for orchestrating the 2002 Bali bombing of two nightclubs, which killed more than 200 people, including 88 Australians, in what remains Indonesias deadliest terror attack. The terror group also was linked to several other deadly attacks across Indonesia.

Ahmad Zain An-Najah, a senior member of Indonesias Islamic Council who was arrested along with two associates earlier this month, was among the 24 detained.

Ahmad worked in the Ulema Councils commission in charge of issuing Islamic edicts, and his work at the council had nothing to do with militant activities, national police spokesperson Rusdi Hartono said.

This institution was created to obtain funding under the cover of social and educational purposes, and part of the funds collected was used to mobilize JI, Rusdi told a news conference on Nov. 17.

The organization operated in cities on Sumatra and Java Islands, including Jakarta, he added.

In August, police arrested dozens of suspects linked to JI and claimed the terror group was planning a fresh attack during Indonesias independence day celebrations.

Meanwhile, Abu Bakar Bashir, who co-founded JI, was released from prison in January after serving time for terror-related charges. Bashir, 82, was jailed in 2004 for conspiracy over the Bali bombings and released in June 2006.

He was jailed again in 2011 on a conviction of supporting militants in Aceh Province, but his 15-year sentence was cut for good behavior.

Reuters contributed to this article.
Island of Rhesus Monkeys in South Carolina Exposed as NIAIDs Source for Excruciating Experiments

A group that investigates taxpayer-funded experiments on animals has disclosed a document exposing the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) excruciating experiments on rhesus monkeys.

The monkeys, which are owned by NIAID, are acquired from Morgan Island, off the coast of Beaufort, South Carolina.

Justin Goodman, vice president of advocacy and public policy for the White Coat Waste Project (WCWP), told The Epoch Times that the nonprofit taxpayer watchdog group obtained the document in October through a Freedom of Information Act request.

White Coats is a reference to those conducting the experiment, and Waste is a reference to the horrible return on investment the taxpayers are getting from this type of experimentation that agencies like the NIH admit are incredibly inefficient and rarely improve human health, though the NIH alone continues to spend $20 billion a year on animal experimentation like whats being done to the monkeys from Morgan Island, Goodman said, explaining the reasoning behind the WCWPs name.

The document obtained by the group reveals that NIAID has spent $13.5 million in taxpayer funding on experiments that involve injecting the monkeys with various infectious diseases, such as Ebola and the Lassa virus that results in hemorrhaging, pain, brain damage, loss of motor control, and organ failure.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the director of NIAID, a division of the National Institute of Health (NIH), itself a part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In many of these experiments, Fauci and staff intentionally withhold pain relief, even though these are some of the most excruciating experiments in the federal government, Goodman said.

WCWP also recently exposed NIAIDs experiments on beagles, which involved having sandflies eat the dogs alive, as well as experiments that involved force-feeding 44 beagle puppies an experimental drug before killing and dissecting them.

A federal spending database shows that HHS has given Charles River Laboratories $13.5 million out of a potential award amount of $27.5 million since 2018 to breed and maintain the monkeys. NIAID paid $8.9 million of that $13.5 million.

The island is owned by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is leased to Charles River Laboratories.

Fear Experiments

The island caught WCWPs attention when the group was investigating fear experiments on monkeys taking place inside of NIHs lab in Bethesda, Maryland. A deeper dive into those separate experiments at NIH led WCWP to discover that the source of the monkeys was Morgan Island.

We started triangulating information about that island with the experiments at the labs, and we found that Faucis labs are the single largest supporter of that island, Goodman said.

In 2020, there were 3,521 monkeys on the island, with 750 monkeys being born annually.

Between 500 and 600 of the monkeys are shipped to NIH and NIAID laboratories.

The Buck Stops With Him

Its very unlikely that Fauci didnt know about this, given the amount of money involved and the fact that these experiments are happening in his own laboratories, Goodman said. These arent being contracted somewhere else. They are happening in his own house. If hes going to get credit for any good he does, he needs to get blamed for any bad thats happening on his watch as well. The buck stops with him, and hes certainly responsible.

The monkeys were shipped from the Caribbean Primate Research Center to Morgan Island in 1979. According to PubMed.gov, the monkeys reestablished their former social groups from the Caribbean research center after being transported to the island.

Notoriously Unreliable

Vaccine research is the reason given for some of the experimentation. However, despite their biological similarities to humans, NIH has stated that nine out of 10 drugs that pass tests on animals fail in humans because they dont work or theyre dangerous, according to Goodman.

Research shows that despite their similarities to us, they are incredibly poor predictors of how vaccines and other drugs are going to act in humans, he said.

WCWP has also exposed six different beagle experiments that Fauci has funded.

In one of the procedures highlighted, NIAID staff performed a cordectomy, which involves cutting a dogs vocal cords so that it cant bark, howl, or cry during an experiment.

The reason that the Department of Health and Human Services gives on its website for using beagles is that they are small and docile, meaning they are easy to abuse, Goodman said.

Dr. Stacy Lopresti-Goodman, a primate expert, psychology professor, and WCWP adviser, noted that the use of primates for the experimentation described in the obtained document isnt only abusive, but inefficient as well.

Primate experimentation is a cruel and notoriously unreliable way to develop drugs and treatments for humans, and it doesnt deserve taxpayers support, she said.

Dr. Tiffani Milless, a pathologist and medical adviser to WCWP, said that infecting nonhuman primates with painful and debilitating illnesses with the goal of curing humans is not just cruel, but its incredibly wasteful.

The NIH should stop squandering tax dollars on wasteful and cruel primate testing that doctors like me cannot use to actually help people, Milless said.

NIAIDs Response

When reached for comment on the experiments, NIAID said the monkeys are used for research that helps develop life-saving preventions and treatments for diseases affecting public health.
Kyle Rittenhouse testifies about Gaige Grosskreutz holding a gun toward him during cross examination in his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 10, 2021. (Mark Hertzberg /Pool Photo via AP)

Kyle Rittenhouse Is Now Due Another Sort of Justice

Commentary

I can tell you with certainty that right now attorneys for newly acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse are working overtime. They are combing through every slanderous statement made about this young man. Every defamatory comment offered up before any facts were presented in a court of law is now under the microscope for possible litigation.

Who is at risk of being sued? Politicians, including President Joe Biden, then a candidate without presidential immunity, was the first high-profile person to declare that young Kyle was a member of an Illinois militia. He ran a campaign ad condemning white supremacists featuring a photo of the then-17-year-old. Several members of Congress, such as Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), took up the anti-Rittenhouse white supremacy chant, and even after the acquittal, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) called Rittenhouse a murderer who is once again walking free.

Yes, politicians can be sued for slander for public statements made outside their seat, and it will be interesting to see if Rittenhouses team goes that route.

But its media organizations that are the obvious prime targets for lawsuits. Many reporters and TV pundits pronounced Rittenhouse guilty from the get-go. This was despite readily available video showing the young man being chased, knocked down, and violently attacked that fateful night. The camera also followed Rittenhouse after the shooting as he immediately tried to surrender to police.

Long before the trial facts emerged, MSNBC and CNN frequently repeated the theory that Rittenhouse acted as an armed vigilante, a domestic terrorist, and a racist. Even after the verdict, one MSNBC host called Rittenhouse this little murderous white supremacist. Sounds like slander to me.

Despite media reports from CBS and others, Rittenhouse didnt cross state lines armed for battle. (CBS, likely sensing legal liability, has now issued a correction.) Rittenhouse lived with his mother in nearby Antioch, Illinois, but had a job, his father, and many relatives living in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The law said he was legally allowed to carry the rifle he had that night.

Facts matter. The three older men, each with a violent criminal history, who attacked Rittenhouse that night were white, not black. And as open-minded people learned during the trial, Rittenhouse was none of the derogatory things the media claimed. He worked as a lifeguard and was a dedicated police cadet studying to be an EMT and a nurse. Before the fatal shooting, he had gone out to erase lewd graffiti spray-painted on a public building. Does that sound like a terrorist to you?

Too many newspapers to mention in this limited space followed this erroneous storyline about Rittenhouse. And the false descriptions took on a tsunami quality on social media and in the public consciousness. Facebook, that so-called beacon of free speech, blocked any posts sympathetic to Rittenhouse.

Weve designated the shooting in Kenosha a mass murder and are removing posts in support of the shooter, Facebook said at the time. Any post with the words Free Kyle was blocked. Remember this when you hear Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg claim his platform doesnt censor content.

This kid never had a chance in the tainted court of public opinion. Its a wonder Kenosha was able to seat an impartial jury.

Defenders of the guilty media will likely mention free speech as part of their defense. Its funny how some can so firmly embrace one constitutionally protected rightfreedom of speechand forget about another, namely, the right to self-defense.

In 2019, Nick Sandmann, a high school kid from Kentucky, was accused by several major news outlets of aggressively confronting a Native American man during demonstrations in Washington, D.C. Their videotaped faceoff was described by CNN, ABC, CBS, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and others as a confrontation instigated by an obviously racist teen wearing a Make America Great Again Hat. The full video revealed Sandmann had done no such thing.

Sandmann eventually sued seven media outlets for more than $800 million. After out-of-court settlements, he is now presumed to be a multi-millionaire. Sandmann recently wrote an op-ed saying, The corrupt liberal media came for me, just like they came for Kyle Rittenhouse, and if he decides to sue, I say go for it and hold the media accountable.

That appears to be the best way to keep the political/media lynch mob in check.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Man Arrested for Attempting to Rob Home Depot in San Diego

EL CAJON, Calif.Police arrested a 38-year-old man who allegedly attempted to steal $800 worth of merchandise from a Home Depot in El Cajon and menaced employees with a Taser on Friday, Nov. 26.

Jmikel Wilson, who is believed to be homeless, was booked into the San Diego County jail on suspicion of robbery, said Lt. Nick Sprecco of the El Cajon Police Department.

Just after 10:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the home improvement store at 298 Fletcher Parkway.

Employees reported that they had observed Wilson walking around the store with a full shopping cart and attempting to leave without paying. When he was confronted, he pulled out a Taser and threatened the employees, Sprecco said.

Police stopped him in the parking lot and took him into custody without further incident, Sprecco said.

No one was hurt, and the merchandise was returned.
A Border Patrol agent is posted in front of the U.S.Mexico border barrier in Imperial County, which has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Calexico, Calif., on July 24, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Mexican Authorities List Conditions to Reboot Remain in Mexico Program

Mexican authorities have laid out a series of conditions for reviving the Remain in Mexico program, the Trump-era framework under which asylum-seekers were returned to Mexico to await the processing of their claims.

The development comes as the Biden administration makes plans to reinstate the policy following a court order.

Mexicos Foreign Ministry said in a Nov. 26 announcement that talks have intensified with the United States on rebooting the program, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), but that Mexican authorities are waiting for a formal response from the Biden administration on a number of concerns.

The government of Mexico  has raised various concerns of a humanitarian nature regarding the asylum procedure in the United States, the ministry stated, noting that it has highlighted the need to improve conditions for migrants and asylum-seekers, so that they have better legal advice regarding the processing of their clams, which must be carried out as expeditiously as possible.

One of the conditions issued by Mexico is for the United States to accelerate development programs for southern Mexico and Central America in order to address the root causes of migration.

Another such condition is for Washington to offer individuals deported under the MPP program medical care and vaccination against COVID-19 to protect their right to health and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in communities on both sides of the border.

Mexico has also requested that the United States respect designated return points, taking into account local security conditions and the capacity of Mexican authorities to provide adequate care to migrants.

Another essential request is for Washington to provide funding for shelters and nongovernment organizations in order to improve conditions for migrants and asylum-seekers in a substantive way.

The demands come as talks between the two countries continue on the reimplementation of the MPP program after a court ordered in August that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reverse its June decision to halt the policy.

In compliance with the court order, we are working to reimplement MPP as promptly as possible, DHS spokesperson Marsha Espinosa told Axios.

We cannot do so until we have the independent agreement from the government of Mexico to accept those we seek to enroll in MPP, Espinosa said. We will communicate to the court, and to the public, the timing of reimplementation when we are prepared to do so.

The Biden administration is facing an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration that critics say is fostered by its lax enforcement policies, including halting the MPP and curtailing the use of Title 42, which is used to expel illegal immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mizuho Financial Group logo is seen at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 20, 2018. (Toru Hanai//Reuters)

Mizuhos Top Executives to Resign After Government Punishments Over System Failures

TOKYOMizuho Financial Group said on Friday its chief, chairman, and three other executives will resign as financial authorities reprimanded Japans No. 3 lender for a series of technical system failures.

The Financial Services Agency (FSA), the countrys banking regulator, said in a statement the failures had undermined the credibility of Japans bank settlement system.

Group CEO Tatsufumi Sakai and Chairman Yasuhiro Sato, as well as the head of the main banking unit and executives in charge of the groups systems and compliance, will step down by April to take responsibility for the glitches, the bank said.

Muzuho has not selected the next CEO and plans to leave the chairman post vacant.

The FSA reprimanded Mizuho for eight system glitches that took place this year, despite a $3.6 billion overhaul of its systems in 2019.

The regulator referred to governance problems at Mizuho, including an underestimation of the risks related to its banking systems, insufficient attention to on-site conditions and a culture in which employees do not say what should be said.

Separately, in the first such order issued to a bank since Japan overhauled its foreign exchange law in 1998, the finance ministry ordered it to take corrective measures to prevent any further breach of the law.

During one of the system failures, the bank failed to comply with anti-money laundering procedures necessary for overseas remittances, as Japan strives to tighten regulation to prevent money-laundering.

The ministry cited a lack of knowledge by Mizuhos executives of foreign exchange law, a lack of communication among sections concerned and the fragility of its system management as reasons for the censure.

Japan has redoubled efforts against money-laundering through a three-year action plan that includes tighter supervision of financial institutions following a report in August by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global financial crimes watchdog.

By Makiko Yamazaki and Tetsushi Kajimoto
Moms for Liberty Stirs Action in Response to Controversial School Curricula

Parental engagement advocacy group has grown nationally to 70,000 members in 33 states

Moms for Liberty, a nonprofit education advocacy group still in its infancy, encourages parental engagement in a growing number of school board meetings across the country to demand a voice in their childrens education and push back on curricula and policies that they oppose.

Two Florida moms, Tina Descovich of Bevard County and Tiffany Justice of Indian River County, started Moms for Liberty in January 2021. Just 11 months later, the movement currently has 160 chapters and 70,000 members in 33 states.

Parents have been involved in the Parent Teacher Association [PTA], supporting their classrooms and building playgrounds. PTA serves a great role. But it doesnt address policy, and parents should have a role in that, Descovich told The Epoch Times. Parents have not been engaged at the policy-making level.

She believes that parents have become more engaged because they got a glimpse inside the classroom when COVID-19 mitigation efforts closed schools, moved classes online, and kept students at home.

Parents saw sub-par curriculum and indoctrination, Descovich said.

How It Started

There was no specific event that prompted the creation of Moms for Liberty. It was more of a response to an uneasy climate. Descovich and Justice were school board members with terms ending in 2020, and they were members of the Florida Coalition of School Board Members, where they met with other school board members from districts around the state with similar stories. Parents with concerns about masking or schools being closed werent being heard.

Some were being mocked by the boards, Descovich said.

Through the coalition, she heard about the parent of a deaf child explaining that masks prevent her child from lip-reading, who got no satisfaction and left a school board meeting crying.

Weve seen other groups organize, like Moms Deserve Action. They would come into board meetings with matching shirts and a message, and Id watch other school board members just cave on an issue.

When parents show up in numbers and have a consistent message, boards are more likely to represent them.

The issue is the balance of power in education, Descovich said.

She noted that education is controlled by three entities: the teachers union; school board members, many of whom are elected through the teachers union; and curriculum providers, including textbook and digital curriculum writers.

Parents have allowed this to happen, Descovich said. We sat on school boards and watched as no parents came in to go over new textbooks. Nobody was paying attention. Families and community members need to be involved.

Its easy to think that everything is fine if you live in a nice school district and your child is getting As, she said.

Weve put a lot of trust in the school system and havent realized who was making all the decisions, Descovich said. The teachers unions have a full seat at the negotiations table with the board. And its more than salary negotiations. Its what time school starts, days off, and early release days to give teachers more planning time. No one is representing kids and families.

Chapters Across America

Originally conceived as a Florida-only organization, within the first month, people from several states saw posts on social media about Moms for Liberty and asked if they could start a chapter. It has continued to grow in the same fashion since then.

Moms for Liberty doesnt drive issues for chapters. They teach local chapters how to read school board agendas and budgets and ask the chapters to advocate for the issues that the chapters themselves care about.

But Descovich said theyve noticed some consistencies across the country: The same issues keep coming up. At first, parents were interested in getting schools open, and they wanted to weigh in on forced masking, COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccines being offered on school campuses. There have been many examples of critical race theory and other controversial curricula as well.

Moms for Liberty has heard about a Florida school that hired a third-party contractor to teach children about race. They held an assembly and divided the students in the room by race.

There was a South Carolina school that asked white students to examine their white privilege and male privilege and that taught that anyone who is white is an oppressor.

There was an Ohio school that gave high school students a writing prompt book that included instructions to write a sex story you would never share with your mom, then rewrite it as you would tell your mom. Another prompt instructed the students to write about their favorite part of the male body.

There was a Florida school that allowed children to declare that they were transgendered in school and be treated as a different gender, but they wouldnt inform parents of the students request, potentially allowing the student to live a double life at home and school.

There was a Tennessee school that had emotionally wrenching and graphic books for 4th graders describing the miscarriage of a baby as well as a book for 2nd graders that depicted the suffering of migrant children while placing blame on white children, as well as other books that parents said werent age-appropriate.

As of late, some school boards around the United States have intimidated and curtailed the speech of parents who wished to make public statements at board meetings, Descovich said.

The other side says we dont want sex and race mentioned in schoolsthat we want to whitewash history. But thats not true, Descovich said. We want to teach accurate, true history that is age-appropriate and isnt racist. In other words, it doesnt divide children at such a young age by race and doesnt place blame on children of today for actions of the past.

Moms for Liberty aims to have more than 3,000 chapters, one in each U.S. county, and a Moms for Liberty member at every school board meeting in the country in the near future, covering 13,000 school districts.

You are not alone in your concerns for your childs education, and its important that you get involved and speak up for your child, Descovich said. Because if you dont, someone else will.
This scanning electron microscope image shows the CCP virus (orange), which causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (green) cultured in the lab. Photo published on Feb. 13, 2020. (NIAID-RML)

Naturally Immune People at Little Risk of Reinfection, Severe Disease From COVID-19: Study

People who have recovered from COVID-19 are at little risk of contracting the disease again, according to a study published last week.

Researchers in Qatar examined a cohort of over 353,000 people using national databases that contain information about patients with polymerase-chain-reaction-confirmed infections.

The studied population contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, between Feb. 28, 2020, and April 28, 2021.

Reinfections were counted if a person tested positive at least 90 days after their first infection.

After excluding approximately 87,500 people with a vaccination record, researchers found that those with immunity due to having recovered from COVID-19 had little risk of reinfection or severe cases of the disease.

Just 1,304 reinfections were identified. That means 0.4 percent of people with natural immunity and without a vaccination record got COVID-19 a second time.

The odds of severe disease were 0.1 times that of primary infection, according to the study. Just four such cases were detected.

No cases of death were recorded among those who got infected a second time.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It was funded by Weill Cornell MedicineQatar, Qatars Ministry of Public Health, the Hamad Medical Corp., and Sidra Medicine.

The researchers, Laith Abu-Raddad with Weill Cornell MedicineQatar and Dr. Robert Bertolini with Qatars Ministry of Public Health, had previously assessed the effectiveness of natural immunity against reinfection as being 85 percent or greater.

Accordingly, for a person who has already had a primary infection, the risk of having a severe reinfection is only approximately 1% of the risk of a previously uninfected person having a severe primary infection, they said.

It needs to be determined whether such protection against severe disease at reinfection lasts for a longer period, analogous to the immunity that develops against other seasonal common-cold coronaviruses, which elicit short-term immunity against mild reinfection but longer-term immunity against more severe illness with reinfection. If this were the case with SARS-CoV-2, the virus (or at least the variants studied to date) could adopt a more benign pattern of infection when it becomes endemic.

SARS-CoV-2 is another name for the CCP virus.

Important study showing how rare reinfection and COVID severe disease is after recovered COVID, Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases doctor at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco, wrote on Twitter.

She said the study adds to the growing body of research that indicates that people who have recovered from COVID-19 enjoy high levels of immunity against reinfection, and even higher protection against severe disease and death.
Ryan Shea, owner of The Shabby Tabby cat cafe in Sayville, Long Island, with a few of her adoptable cats. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

New York Cat Lovers Think These Cafes Are Purr-tacular!

The Shabby Tabby. Catpurrccinos. Meow Parlour.

Other than their cutsie names being borderline annoying, these businesses have another thing in common: theyre cat cafes, all located in New York.

The cafe part is easy to understandteas, espresso drinks, pastriesa cafe.

But a cat cafe?

Picture yourself seated at a table, sipping a latte, and dozens of cats roam around you freely. You can play with them, and if you really want to, adopt one for your own.

The very first cat cafe opened in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1998, but it was in Japan where their popularity grew. Eventually they made their way to Europe and then, only recently, North America. And even more recently than that, New York.

Ryan Shea, owner of The Shabby Tabby in Sayville, Long Island, had her first visit to a cat cafe in Colorado, in 2017. This was followed by the death of her cat, Brody, which inspired her to start volunteering at animal shelters the same year.

It was then she connected the dots and saw Long Island could use a cat cafe, to make it easy to adopt homeless cats. She partnered with Almost Home Animal Rescue and Adoption, and opened The Shabby Tabby in 2018, as Long Islands very first cat cafe. Almost Home provides her with the adoptable cats.

At any given time, there are about 30 cats at The Shabby Tabby and it has an adoption rate of about 30 per month. Theres an entrance fee of $15 for one hour, which includes drinks, and the adoption fee of $125 goes to Almost Home.

During the 2020 lockdown The Shabby Tabby was closed, although there were still adoptions by appointment. Shea is also a registered nurse, so she worked in that capacity, which enabled her to keep the cafe in business.

Some of the temporary residents of The Shabby Tabby cat cafe in Sayville, Long Island. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

Catpurrccinos is a family affair in Huntington, Long Island, run by Jimmy Oliva, his daughter, Brittany, and her fiance, Christopher Cafiero.

Its divided into two parts. The streetside is full-blown sandwich shop. They have a staff of two cooks on hand to make hot sandwiches, soups, desserts, teas and espresso drinks.

Since Oliva views Huntington as a foodie town, and with his familys background in the restaurant business, it made sense to him to include an actual restaurant in his cat cafe.

The backside of the building is the cattery. Oliva went to great lengths to ensure that no cat odors, or allergens, spoil anyones dining experience.

Kayla Proux oversees the volunteer staff at the cattery. Shes also the full-time vet tech, who monitors the health of the cats, giving medications when necessary.

Theres an on-site veterinarian, Laurie Buscemi, who volunteers every Wednesday.

Unlike most other cat cafes that rely on rescue/adoption services to supply them adoptable cats, Oliva runs his own, called Feral to Family.

As a legitimate charity, Feral to Family relies on donations to operate. However, over the years Oliva has spent almost $100,000 of his own money for the care of the homeless cats he takes in.

Although the restaurant portion of the business helps fund the cattery, many of the expenses are still covered by Oliva himself, who also works in the technology industry.

Catpurrccinos, which celebrates its second anniversary on December 1, can have more than 40 cats roaming the place on any given day.

Catpurrccinos and Feral to Family go through about 10,000 pounds of litter, 4,000 cans of cat food, and 400 pounds of dry food, each month.

The staff just doesnt handover a cat to anyone who wants one. Theres a vetting process to confirm the humans and the felines are a good match.

Having the cattery, where potential adopters can get to know their potential adoptees over a period of time, is the first step.

Someone from the staff will also pay a visit to the houses where the cats will live, to ensure theyre a safe environment.

They do background checks and check both references and vet records.

Theyve turned down hundreds of applicants who they deemed as not good fits.

Catpurrccinos found homes for about 300 cats this year and around 400 last year.

Oliva and Cafiero debunk the myth that its only crazy cat ladies who take in strays.

Jennifer Rose Sinz owns All About Pets Rescue in Lake Ronkonkoma, Long Island.

She and her husband, Bill Sinz, opened A Kitten Kadoodle Coffee Cafe in Selden, Long Island, in July of 2019.

The cat cafe lasted a year-and-a-half and shuttered its doors in December 2020, a victim of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus lockdown. In that year-and-a-half, patrons adopted more than 200 cats.

As with Catpurrccinos, A Kitten Kadoodle and the rescue/adoption service were the same people.

Sinz had a similar vetting process for adopters. She continues to run the charity out of her house.

In New York City, Brooklyn is home to Brooklyn Cat Cafe and Manhattan is home to Meow Parlour, and Koneko, which means kitten in Japanese.

Koneko bills itself as Americas first Japanese-inspired cat cafe. Its is partnered with Anjellicle Cats Rescue, and Meow Parlour is partnered with the rescue, KittyKind.

Meow Parlour, which opened in 2014, has the distinction of being New York Citys first cat cafe.

At the end of the day, its the love these cat cafe owners have for the animals that makes them do what they do.

Theres no profitability in rescue, said Oliva. Theres a bigger mission here, you know?
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at the New York State Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on Aug. 24, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

New York Governor Declares State of Emergency, Warns Omicron Variant Is Coming

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday ahead of potential COVID-19 case spikes this winter, and warned that the new Omicron variant is coming.

The new COVID-19 variantidentified as B.1.1.529 and named Omicron on Friday by the World Health Organization (WHO) in an emergency meetingwas first observed in Botswana in southern Africa and carries dozens of mutations on the spike protein that could make the virus capable of evading immunity from prior infections or vaccination.

Weve taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York state, its coming, Hochul said.

In preparation, I am announcing urgent steps today to expand hospital capacity and help ensure our hospital systems can tackle any challenges posed by the pandemic as we head into the winter months.

New Yorks new state of emergency is effective Dec. 3 and will be reassessed on Jan. 15 based on the situation.

Specifically, the states Department of Health, under the new executive order Hochul signed, is allowed to limit non-essential, non-urgent procedures to protect access to critical health care services, for hospitals or systems with limited capacity. Limited capacity refers to below 10 percent staffed bed capacity, unless stated otherwise by the department.

The executive order also lets the state acquire critical supplies to tackle the pandemic more quickly.

The WHO labeled the Omicron strain a variant of concern on Friday. The White House announced the United States will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi, in efforts to curb the spread of the new variant.

The European Union, Israel, the UK, Japan, and other countries also announced similar travel restrictions on southern African nations.

India, Turkey, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates also tightened travel requirements on Friday, reported Reuters.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta in a file photograph. (Tami Chappell/Reuters)

No Cases of Omicron Virus Variant Identified in US Yet: CDC

No cases of the new Omicron virus variant have been identified in the United States so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus variant was first seen in southern Africa earlier this month and has been designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, which says it may be more transmissible than the Delta and Alpha strains.

No cases of this variant have been identified in the U.S. to date, the CDC said in a statement on Nov. 26.

CDC is continuously monitoring variants and the U.S. variant surveillance system has reliably detected new variants in this country. We expect Omicron to be identified quickly, if it emerges in the U.S., the agency added.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White Houses chief medical adviser, said on the Today show on Nov. 27 that he would not be surprised if the Omicron variant was already in the United States.

When you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over, he said.

Fauci also said the genetic mutations indicate the strain will likely be more transmissible and may evade protection by vaccines.

The strain has been detected in a number of other countries. Officials in the Netherlands said they identified 61 cases among people whose travel originated in South Africa.

In other nations, officials said they hadnt confirmed the presence of Omicron but suspected it had already arrived.

Kai Klose, a top official in Germany, said on social media that it was very likely the variant was already in the country.

Several mutations typical of Omicron were detected in a person who was returning from South Africa, with complete sequencing not yet finished, he said.

Countries around the world, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United States, banned travelers from South Africa and nearby African countries over the new strain.

These actions are taken on the basis of cautious prevention, Greg Hunt, Australias health minister, told reporters during a briefing.

According to emerging evidence, the Omicron strain is more transmissible than earlier strains, including Delta, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa, the organization said in a statement.

WHO urged countries to enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand variants of the CCP virus that are circulating, to submit data to publicly available databases, and to report to it the cases and clusters associated with any variants of concern, including Omicron.

WHO has generally discouraged travel bans, but countries have ignored that advice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

South African officials decried the bans, saying they were essentially punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker.

Officials have reached out to countries that have imposed bans to try to persuade them to rescind them, South Africas Department of International Relations and Cooperation said.
A petrol attendant stands next to a newspaper headline in Pretoria, South Africa, on Nov. 27, 2021. As the world grapples with the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19, scientists in South Africawhere Omicron was first identifiedare scrambling to combat its spread across the country. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

Omicron Variant Causes Unusual but Mild Symptoms: South African Medical Association Head

The newest COVID-19 variant of concern causes unusual symptoms, but those symptoms so far have been mild, a top South African doctor says.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee practices in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, one of the countries where the Omicron CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus variant was first detected earlier this month.

Coetzee recalled seeing a variety of patients enter with symptoms not associated with other CCP virus strains, including a high pulse rate.

Their symptoms were so different and so mild from those I had treated before, she told The Telegraph.

Most of the patients who visited her clinic and tested positive for COVID-19 felt tired. Other symptoms included sore muscles and a slight cough, Coetzee told Sputnik.

There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected, some are currently being treated at home, she said.

The most common symptoms of earlier variants include fever, dry cough, and loss of taste or smell, although some patients also suffered from fatigue. A small subset of the infected have required hospital care for their symptoms, and deaths have mostly been among the elderly and people with serious underlying health conditions such as obesity and kidney disease.

People with the Omicron variant also were identified in Botswana and later detected in other areas, including Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

Many nations have barred or restricted travel from Southern Africa over the variant, citing concerns that its more transmissible.

Meanwhile, top South African scientists told reporters on Nov. 26 that little is known yet about Omicron. Scientists are trying to gather more information about its transmissibility, whether it can evade immunity bestowed by vaccines or COVID-19 recovery, and whether it causes severe disease at a higher rate than other strains.

Information on the virus is still evolving and no major conclusions can be drawn as yet, Dr. Christopher Nyanga, Botswanas health secretary, said in a statement dated Nov. 26.

A health care worker prepares to conduct a COVID-19 test on a traveler at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 27, 2021. (Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images)

Coetzee told The Guardian that experts weighing in on how the variant may affect people were engaging in speculation.

It may be its highly transmissible, but so far, the cases we are seeing are extremely mild, she said. Maybe two weeks from now, I will have a different opinion, but this is what we are seeing. So are we seriously worried? No. We are concerned and we watch whats happening. But for now, were saying, OK: theres a whole hype out there. [Were] not sure why.'

The U.S. ban on travelers from Southern Africa was driven by a desire to better understand Omicron, health official Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a television appearance on Nov. 27.

We want to give us some time to really fill in the blanks of what we dont know right now, he said.

South Africa on Nov. 27 reported 3,220 new laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, an increase of 9.2 percent from the prior day. Still, the average daily cases are down considerably from the summer, when it peaked at around 11,500.

Just 30 new hospital admissions with COVID-19 were reported in the past 24 hours, but another African expert warned that Omicron could lead to health care systems being overburdened.

Im worried that as the numbers go up that public health institutions are going to be overwhelmed, Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Sowetos Baragwanath Hospital, told a recent briefing.

Mathivha said the hospital is seeing different patients than earlier in the pandemic, including more younger people.
Australia Stops Flights From 9 African Countries Due to Omicron Variant

The Australian government has suspended flights from nine African countries as a precautionary measure against the emergence of the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.

The nine countries of concern include South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi, and Mozambique.

Additionally, Australia has implemented four other immediate actions to protect against the new variant entering Australia.

Effective immediately, any non-Australian citizen who has been in one of those African countries in the past 14 days will not be allowed entry to Australia. Any Australian citizens, residents, and their dependents will go into supervised quarantine for 14 days upon entry.

The ban extends to those with visas, such as students or skilled migrants, who arrive via countries with travel bubbles with Australia who were in the countries of concern in the past 14 days.

Further, anyone already arrived in Australia who was in one of the nine countries of concern must isolate, get tested for COVID-19, and follow state rules in regards to quarantine, which will require 14 days of quarantine.

These actions are taken on cautious prevention, Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters at a press conference around 1 p.m. local time Saturday.

Were in a strong position (due to our high vaccination rate) but we know that acting early is what has protected Australia throughout the pandemic.

Twenty people arrived from South Africa last week and they are in the Howard Springs quarantine facility, Hunt said, adding that there are currently no known cases of the Omicron variant in Australia. However, one of the 20 arrivals did test positive for COVID-19, but it is not yet known if it is the latest variant of concern.

Earlier, Hunt said the new COVID-19 variant emerging from southern Africa would not have any immediate effect on Australias plan to reopen after rolling lockdowns.

The health minister had said this was because there has been very little traffic directly from South Africa, and Australias high vaccination rate.

But he said Australia would be flexible and responsible, as it was during the Delta outbreak in India when it paused flights.

As weve always been, were flexible. And if the medical advice is that we need to change, we wont hesitate, he told reporters Friday.

Hunt said Australian officials were working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and international partners to investigate whether it is a major new variant.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia monitors in real time all new variants and pays attention to how other countries respond.

But regarding the new B1 1529 variant, he said during a press conference in South Australia, Im advised that is under investigation and not as a variant of concern. But that can change.

As the European Union and Britain temporarily ban flights from seven African countries in a bid to keep the new variant out, Morrison said the best protection was to get vaccinated.

The WHO have named the latest variant Omicron. It first emerged in Botswana and has been detected in South Africa, Hong Kong, Israel, and Belgium.

It has double the number of mutations as the Delta variant that sparked a third wave of outbreaks and lockdowns in Australia this year.

It is not time to break the glass on the alarm, I dont think, but Im as concerned about this as I have been since Delta, Burnet Institute director Brendan Crabb told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

A state of heightened alert and caution is appropriate for us in Australia and for the world.

Crabb described the new strain as having a whole host of mutations that, I must say, makes me have a sharp inhalation of breath.

He said vaccination and infection control measures, like wearing protective masks and contact tracing, would be most important, against the Omicron.

About 86 percent of Australians aged 16 and older are double-dosed.

The federal government is sending letters to every household in the country urging people to get their booster shot six months after becoming double-dosed.
Person Shot and Killed by US Military Base Guards in San Diego

NCIS to investigate

A person who was suspected of being armed with a knife was shot and killed on Friday at the entrance to San Diegos Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) by military base personnel, according to local reports.

The San Diego Police Department said it was called just after midday notifying that a military base guard opened fire on a person, reported KGTV.

Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) officials said in a statement a car tried to enter the facility at the Gate 5 checkpoint on Washington Street and Pacific Highway at 11:50 a.m., reported KFMB.

Guards warned the car to stop, at which point the driver emerged from the car, allegedly holding a knife, and approached the guards at the gate with hostile intent.

The person was shot after he ignored several commands to stop, according to the statement.

Emergency services responded, but the person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The persons identity has not been made public.

Local NBC reporter Artie Ojeda shared a photo of the scene on Twitter, showing a vehicle at the entrance of the military base.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) will handle the investigation into the fatal shooting, because it took place on federal property.

In a statement to outlets, the NCIS said it cannot provide further details at present [o]ut of respect for the ongoing investigative process, reported CNN.
A medical syringe and vials of the Pfizer U.S. pharmaceutical corporation and BioNTech German biotechnology company logos are seen in New York City on Oct. 3, 2021. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Pfizer/BioNTech)

Pfizer Says It Could Rework COVID-19 Vaccine to Counter New Variant in 100 Days

Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Friday that its COVID-19 vaccine could be reworked in approximately 100 days to counter a new variant of the CCP virus that may be able to penetrate through vaccines.

The U.S.-based pharmaceutical company said in a statement obtained by news agency Reuters it expects more data on B.1.1.529, the new variant of the virus that was dubbed Omicron by the World Health Organization (WHO), to determine whether its vaccine would have to be reworked.

We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529, BioNTech said in the statement when asked to comment.

We expect more data from the laboratory tests in two weeks at the latest, it added. These data will provide more information about whether B.1.1.529 could be an escape variant that may require an adjustment of our vaccine if the variant spreads globally.

According to an early study on the variant that was published in a statement by the WHO, the agency suggested that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus strain has a higher risk of reinfection compared to other variants such as Delta or the Alpha strain. The new strain was first detected in Botswana and South Africa earlier this month.

On a global level, authorities have reacted with alarm to Omicron and a number of countries, including the United States and Britain, have already tightened border controls, a move criticized by Joe Phaahla, South Africas health minister.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed this week that no cases of the South African CCP virus variant have been identified in the United States as of yet.

Besides Pfizer, also Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced it has started to test the effectiveness of its shots against the B.1.1.529 variant.

We are closely monitoring newly emerging COVID-19 virus strains with variations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and are already testing the effectiveness of our vaccine against the new and rapidly spreading variant first detected in southern Africa, a spokesperson for J&J told news outlets.

Moderna said in a statement it is working to advance a booster candidate tailored to the new variant and has also been testing a higher dose of its existing booster and to study other booster candidates designed to protect against multiple variants.

A booster dose of an authorized vaccine represents the only currently available strategy for boosting waning immunity, Moderna said.

From NTD News
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera addresses the nation in Santiago on Oct. 26, 2019. (Pedro Lopez/AFP via Getty Images)

Presidential Impeachments Sweep Across South America

Perus Congress filed a motion to impeach President Pedro Castillo on Nov. 25, which political rival Keiko Fujimori and her Popular Force party supported.

Castillos administration has been plagued by scandal and corruption charges since he took office this summer.

The Nov. 25 impeachment motion makes Peru the third South American nation since October to consider removing its president.

Chiles President Sebastian Pinera faced impeachment by the lower chamber of the nations legislature on Nov. 9 due to his involvement in a questionable acquisition exposed in the Pandora Papers investigation.

The action failed to pass the Senate due to a lack of opposition votes on Nov. 16.

In Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso faced a congressional investigation for tax evasion, likewise revealed in the Pandora Papers. Former presidential candidate Andres Arauz called for Lasso to resign from office on Oct. 7.

Neither Side Was Happy With Pinera

People were unhappy with Pinera because of the social unrest situation back in 2019, South America political analyst and New York University professor Patricio Navia told The Epoch Times Insight magazine.

Widespread protests and unrest broke out in Chile in October 2019 over the announcement of an increase in public transit fees.

Both conservatives and liberals were unhappy with the way Pinera handled the governments response to the upheaval.

In response to his diminished approval ratings following the 2019 protests, Pinera said, I understand that Chileans are not happy with what has happened. I am not happy either.

Conservatives felt the presidents response wasnt effective, and liberals decried the use of excessive force by the police against unarmed demonstrators.

As of September, Pineras approval rating fell to 26 percent due to unfulfilled voter expectations and ineffectual policies.

The Pandora Papers were just an excuse [for impeachment], Navia said.

Perus Pandemic Fumble

Peru has the distinction of having the highest per-capita death rate from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus in the world, which factors into the chaos surrounding Castillos impeachment.

Overall discontent with the way the state responded to the pandemic, combined with slow economic recovery and the governments use of the less-effective Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, cast a shadow over the new president.

The CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, is the pathogen that causes COVID-19.

Among the official reasons listed by Congress as grounds for Castillos removal are the illegal use of public funds by members of the Peru Libre party and the presidents appointment of officials currently under investigation for suspected ties to terrorism.

Parallels Between Ecuador and Peru

Lasso and Castillo both represent egress from the legacy of a stigmatized predecessor.

In the case of Ecuador, Lasso is the first right-wing leader in 14 years and is emblematic of the departure from the corruption and scandals of former democratic socialist President Rafael Correa.

Correa was sentenced to eight years in prison for a bribery scandal in September 2020.

In Peru, Castillo was the only front-runner candidate besides Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of controversial former President Alberto Fujimori, who was accused of crimes against humanity during his tenure and is currently serving a 25-year sentence in prison.

This mentality among voters creates what Navia calls a rebound effect.

He highlighted that choosing presidential candidates from a lesser of evils perspective doesnt lay a foundation for stability in any nation.

Undermining Democratic Values

Aside from being an avowed Marxist-Leninist, Castillos first speech as president in July singularly addressed a handful of indigenous communities, leaving some Peruvians with the impression he had little interest in representing the nation as a whole.

This set the tone for what escalated into his impeachment.

Chilean political science professor Christopher Martinez says that, paradoxically, presidential failures occur when leaders are forcibly removed from office.

Navia echos this sentiment and believes impeachments and protests undermine the logic of basic democratic values, saying its merely a way to circumvent the polls.

Democratic values and institutions must be respected, Navia said.

A Common Denominator: Inequality

Peruvian political analyst Alberto Adrianzen said his nation is not only divided by politics, but also by segregation and inequality.

The 20th-century solution to this problem in Latin America was land distribution. Through this method, the economically disadvantaged had a chance to become part of the middle class.

Today, education reform appears to be the modern equivalent and was called a social equalizer by the National Institute for the Evaluation of Education in Mexico.

Inequality and instability in Latin American politics go hand in hand, much of which comes from ongoing trust issues between the civilian population and their governments, according to an Inter-American Development Bank study.

Martinez noted that since 1979, one in every six South American presidents has failed to complete their constitutional term.
Smoke rises from burning buildings during a protest in the capital of Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Nov. 25, 2021. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP)

Rioters Set Solomon Islands Prime Ministers Building on Fire Amid Unrest

A building belonging to Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was reportedly set alight by demonstrators who called for the prime ministers resignation, as unrest in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara continued for the third day.

Honiara has been hit by civil unrest since Nov. 24, which has since spiralled out of control of the local police, with looting and burning of shops in the Chinatown district.

Rioters had targeted one of Sogavares buildings and set it on fire, resulting in police firing tear gas and warning shots to disperse the crowd. The building set alight is not the prime ministers main residence, but a second home that had previously been rented out.

The violent protest in Honiara stemmed from the governments decision to switch its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing, which strained relations between the traditionally pro-Taiwan Malaita province and the central government.

Sogavare said he stood by his governments decision to embrace Beijing, which he described as the only issue in the violence. He also claimed the unrest was influenced and encouraged by other powers.

I dont want to name names, well leave it there, we know who they are, Sogavare said.

Critics also blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption, and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne disagreed that other countries had stirred up the unrest.

We have not indicated that at all, Payne said.

Weve been very clear. Our view is we dont want to see violence. We would very much hope for a return to stability, she added.

The government has enforced an indefinite 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily curfew in Honiara, in which only authorized officers are allowed to move within the city during curfew hours and anyone found breaching the restrictions will be prosecuted.

Australia has deployed Defence Force personnel and federal police to the Pacific island nation to help quell the unrest after receiving a formal request from Sogavare under a bilateral security agreement for security assistance and to support the Solomon Islands police force.

A plane carrying 23 federal police officers and several diplomats arrived on Nov. 25 in Honiara, while up to 50 more police arrived the following day to help local police efforts to restore order.

Australias Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the Australian force would also be equipped to provide a medical response.

Its certainly a dangerous situation on the ground. Weve seen the rioting thats taken place, the arson and the general disorder thats there at the moment as well, Dutton said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
The logo of Swiss drugmaker Roche at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, on Jan. 30, 2020. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Roche Shareholders Approve Deal to Buy Novartiss $20.7 Billion Stake

ZURICHRoche shareholders voted overwhelmingly on Friday to support the $20.7 billion deal to buy Novartiss nearly one third voting stake, the Swiss drugmaker said.

Roche held an extraordinary general meeting to settle matters related to its plan to disentangle the two pharma companies, both based in Basel, who had been linked by the investment for two decades.

Shareholders approved the audited statutory interim financial statements of the company as of 31 October 2021 with a majority of 100.00 percent, Roche said.

They also backed the plan to cancel the 53.3 million shares bought, with a majority of 99.85 percent.

Therefore, the corporate law requirements for the repurchase have been satisfied, Roche said. The closing of the repurchase transaction is expected to take place in early December 2021.

Todays resolutions of the Extraordinary General Meeting are in the best economic and strategic interest of Roche, said Roche Chairman Christoph Franz. As a result, we will be even better positioned to make a contribution to the health of people around the world.

Novartis agreed earlier this month to sell 53.3 million Roche bearer shares for $388.99 (356.93 Swiss francs) per share, a price that reflected the volume-weighted average of the Roche non-voting equity certificates over the 20 trading days to Nov. 2.

The repurchase was conditional upon the approval by shareholders of a capital reduction by cancellation of the repurchased shares and of the interim financial statements prepared for the transaction.

Novartis involvement started in 2001, when Swiss activist investor Martin Ebner, known for orchestrating the merger that created banking giant UBS, offered his Roche stake to its cross-town rival out of frustration over rebuffed proposals.

Roche Chairman Franz said earlier this month that the deal would give his company more strategic flexibility, as Roche could now make plans without needing the approval of Novartis.
Solomon Islands Police Find 3 Bodies After Violent Protests

CANBERRA, AustraliaSolomon Islands police found three bodies in a burned-out building and arrested more than 100 people in this weeks violence sparked by concerns about the Pacific nations increasing links with China.

Australian media reported the bodies were recovered late Friday after riots and protests subsided. No other details were given.

Authorities imposed a curfew in the capital Honiara, after a 36-hour lockdown ordered by the embattled Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare ended Friday.

Sogavare blamed outside interference for stirring up the protests calling for his resignation.

Sogavare has been widely criticized by leaders of the countrys most populous island of Malaita for a 2019 decision to drop diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of mainland China. Beijing claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan as part of its territory.

His government, meanwhile, has been upset over millions in U.S. aid promised directly to Malaita, rather than through the central government on the largest island of Guadacanal, where Honiara is located. The two islands have been rivals for decades.

Andrew Yang, a professor at Taiwans National Sun Yat-sen University and former deputy defense minister, said Chinas efforts to win diplomatic recognition from the Solomon Islands are part of a competition for regional dominance with the United States and its ally, Australia.

Papua New Guinea police arrive at the airport in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on Nov. 27, 2021. (Gary Ramage via AP)

The Solomon Islands, with a population of about 700,000, are about 1,500 kilometers (1,000 miles) northeast of Australia. They are best known for the bloody fighting that took place there during World War II between the United States and Japan.

Riots and looting targeting Hoinaras Chinatown and downtown precincts erupted Wednesday out of a peaceful protest in the capital by people from Malaita. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators, who set fire to the National Parliament, a police station, and many other buildings.

Critics also blamed the unrest on complaints of a lack of government services and accountability, corruption, and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals.

Since the 2019 shift in allegiance from Taiwan to China, there has been an expectation of massive infrastructure investment from Beijinglocally rumored to be in the range of $500 millionbut with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after the shift, none of that has yet materialized.

Malaita threatened to hold a referendum on independence over the issue, but that was quashed by Sogavares government.

A plane carrying Australian police and diplomats are in Honiara to help local police restore order. Up to 50 more Australian police and 43 defense force personnel were also deployed following a request by Sogavare under a bilateral treaty with Australia. The presence of an independent force, though small, seemed to help quell some of the violence.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been following the protests with concern, his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.

(Guterres) calls for an end to the violence and the protection of hard-won peacebuilding gains. He urges dialogue and [peaceful] means to address differences, Haq said in a statement on Friday.
The Criminal Courts Building and district attorney's office in New York on July 1, 2021. (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)

The Changing Face of Criminal Prosecution During a Pandemic

The wheel of justice almost came to a grinding halt during the pandemic.

Many state courts suspended in-person proceedings for months, piling up a massive backlog that insiders say will take years to clear.

To tackle the heavy caseload, state prosecutors are using their discretion in different ways. Prosecutors decide whether a case shall be filed and hold great influence on how a case will progress within the state court system.

Some use their discretion more liberally to dismiss entire categories of crimes. Others cautiously push the envelope of prosecution on a case-by-case basis. Some are determined to bear the load the old way without compromising their prosecution standards.

Georgias Dekalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. (Courtesy of Sherry Boston)

Sherry Boston, chief prosecutor of the Dekalb County District Attorneys Office in Georgia, thinks an unprecedented court backlog demands a new prosecutorial response.

In April, Boston asked her team to stop prosecuting at least four categories of low-level, nonviolent crimes so theres more time to focus on violent ones.

The dropped categories include drug possession involving small amounts for personal use, forgery offenses where victims suffered no financial harm, and multiple categories of theft where victims had no financial loss, according to an internal policy memo obtained by The Epoch Times Insight magazine.

The policy applies to pending felony cases between March 13, 2020, and March 31, 2022.

Boston plans to extend the policy into 2023.

After that, she may make the policy permanent, if data suggest its working.

Just like chief prosecutor Marilyn Mosby did in Baltimore, she said.

Mosby stopped prosecuting nine categories of offenses during the pandemic, including drug possession, prostitution, and trespassing.

In March, she made the pandemic policy permanent, citing a John Hopkins University study that suggested her policy benefits vulnerable people without compromising public safety.

In Chicagos Cook County, chief prosecutor Kim Foxx also stopped prosecuting nonviolent, low-level drug offenses during the pandemic, though she has yet to make the policy permanent.

Right now, Chicago faces the highest level of violence the city has seen in more than a decadenearly 4,000 people were shot and 700 killed in 2021.

In Dekalb County, Georgia, violent crimes are also on the rise, but Boston doesnt think theres any evidence that suggests her new policy is the driver.

Homicides have increased everywhere, including places where prosecutors offices are not engaging in reforms like ours, she told Insight.

These policy changes are part of a progressive prosecution movement that has gained momentum since the pandemic, according to professors Chad Flanders and Stephen Galoob in a Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology article.

The movement seeks to focus on violent crimes while shifting attention away from low-level drug or property crimes.

According to the article, the long-term goal is to reduce the jail population and a change of tone in prosecution.

For Adam Cornell, chief prosecutor of Snohomish County in Washington, dismissing entire categories of crimes outright doesnt seem the right approach for his office.

Washingtons Snohomish County prosecuting attorney Adam Cornell. (Courtesy of Adam Cornell)

What we have not done in our office is categorically saying that there are certain crimes that we will never, ever prosecute, Cornell said.

I think it is in the interest of the community that we, as prosecutors, are always going to exercise our discretion.

Shortly following court shutdowns, he created an accelerated prosecution program to get certain nonviolent felony cases to move faster within the criminal justice system.

For certain low-level property and drug crimes, if defendants plead guilty early in the process, they get the benefit of less severe charges and a much quicker decision.

Still, prosecutors have the discretion to depart from Cornells policy guidelines when they believe doing so would better protect community safety, Cornell said.

He also expanded the criteria of diversion programs to let more people avoid the criminal justice system while getting help with their mental or drug abuse problems.

In the past, only those who had five or fewer felony convictionsor pending felony chargescould enter the diversion program; during the pandemic, Cornell dropped the number to three, according to the internal policy memo.

I directed my attorneys simply to exercise their discretion more liberally, with an eye toward admittance into those programs, Cornell said.

We are keeping an open mind and are waiting to see how law and justice stakeholders, and the community at large, respond.

I think its highly likely that some policies will remainor at least not revert to what they were prior to the pandemic.

At the Denver District Attorneys Office in Colorado, chief prosecutor Beth McCann chose to let each prosecutor decide the best way to tackle the caseload.

We didnt change any charging standards or issue any guidelines specific to the pandemic, McCann told Insight.

My attorneys are empowered to look at each case on their own and decide whether or not its one that they should push all the way through the system.

Faced with trial backlogs, many of her prosecutors give better plea deals to defendants than they would have agreed to under normal conditions, she said.

Thats a nationwide phenomenon, according to a survey of 93 defense attorneys by professors Tarika Daftary-Kapur, Kelsey Henderson, and Tina Zottoli.

The survey found that more than 60 percent of attorneys think prosecutors are offering more lenient deals than they would have before the pandemic.

The pressure to ramp up plea deals is particularly high in Colorado.

Unlike many other states, Colorado didnt halt the speedy trial statute during the pandemic court shutdowns, so a prosecutor could have a long docket of pending trials close to trial deadlines.

According to Colorado law, every criminal defendant has a right to have a speedy trial, within six months of a not guilty plea; if a trial cant be conducted by the deadline, the case can be dismissed.

Chief prosecutor of Boulder County in Colorado Michael Dougherty is worried some cases in his office may get dismissed in the coming months.

His attorneys are working hard to prevent that from happening, he said.

Lets say you have a sex assault or a robbery case that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the evidence is strong, the witnesses are cooperative, and we are ready to try the case. But because of the backlog, the trials are not conducted and the cases are dismissed. That means the person who would otherwise have been convicted and held responsible goes free, Dougherty told Insight.

In that regard, the courts shutdown and halting jury trials for months are very concerning, he said.

Though under pressure, Dougherty didnt make any changes to his offices standards in charging or disposing of cases.

Our top priorities are public safety and doing justice, he said.

I would rather just keep working to the bitter end. I just think that we have a mission and a mandate from the community, and we should do everything we can to meet that, Dougherty said.

Thats an understanding shared by the chief prosecutor of Coconino County in Arizona, William Ring.

Coconino County chief prosecutor William Ring stands outside his county office building in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Nov. 22, 2021. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Right now, Rings office has 60 cases pending trial, four times the number before the pandemic.

He has worked hard to get his prosecutors on board with new technology to conduct business remotely, but he hasnt made any changes to the standards in charging or disposing of cases.

He said its the lawmakers job to criminalize or decriminalize certain categories of crime, not that of prosecutors.

Justice is a constant, he said, something that endures, not something flimsy or plastic that you mold to the latest fad.

The pandemic is merely incidental and not a driver of policy, Ring said. If we did that, we all would lose our way.

Instead, it is just like bad weather, sometimes very bad. It will pass. Until then, we put up the storm sails, we keep our cargo, we stay the course.
The Pitfalls of the Forced Apology Spin-Cycle

Commentary

In a typically masterful essay from 50 years ago, the great British journalist and social critic Malcolm Muggeridge observed that nothing is more pathetic to watch than a ruling class on the run.

If Muggeridge and his gimlet eye were with us today, however, even he might feel obliged to revise his take on just how low our current political, social, and corporate leaders can go in abasing themselves. Take, for example, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase bank begging pardon from the Communist Party of China for making a joke about how long it will last. Or the CEO of McDonalds publicly grovelling for offering a private opinion that criminals with bounties on their heads might not be the best parental role models.

On both occasions, heads of multi-billion-dollar organizations offered obsequious mea culpas to a gangster government and a gangster of the street respectively. Does it get any more ignominious than that?

In the case of Jamie Dimon, Master of the Universe at JP Morgan Chase, its absurd to see anything remotely wrong in his quipping on Nov. 23 that the bank will outlast the Chinese Communist Party, each of which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Dont we want our banks, guardians of our financial futures, to be more durable than the sic transit gloria of mere forms of state governance?

Would anyone be shocked if the leadership of C. Hoare & Co., the UKs oldest independent bank that dates its founding to 1672, hinted at the possibility of it exceeding the lifespan of Boris Johnsons Tories? If you do know anyone who would be so offended, Id advise against lending them even a few quid.

Yet there went Dimon, festering apologies not once but twice for a mild joke he told about a regime that only recently ruthlessly suppressed budding democracy in Hong Kong and has, on its centenarian hands, the blood of 35 million to 45 million people killed in the so-called Great Leap Forward, and 2 million to 3 million more murdered during the Cultural Revolution, both unleashed by the Yangtze gangster Mao Zedong.

To those who would say that was then; this is now, well, yes, except now includes the certainty that self-identified mini-Mao, Xi Jinping, will soon become president for life of the Peoples Republic and its billion-plus population. For this, the head of a cornerstone of American economic life does everything but put on a dunce cap and sweep out the stables because its never right to joke about or denigrate any group of people whether its a country, its leadership, or any part of a society or culture.

Really? Well, there go late night TV talk shows, comedy specials on Netflix, and about 97.36 percent of North American humour as we know it. Look, right behind them goes the democratic ruling class running on its knees, chased by Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan hordes.

Among them is surely McDonalds CEO Chris Kempczinski, who has been tugging his forelock and proclaiming himself unworthy since news broke in early November of a text he sent in May to the mayor of Chicago. In the offending missive, Kempczinski offered the private opinion that parents of two Chicago youngstersone killed by police as he roamed the streets shooting randomly at cars at 2:30 a.m., the other murdered by a bullet meant for his gangsta father as they sat in a car at a McDonalds drive-thruhad failed their children.

Im going to go out on a limb and suggest that only those who have imbibed several pails full of sanity-distorting woke Kool-Aid could scratch and sniff out what, in that comment, demands any form of regret? And even they might pause to wonder exactly when gangstas began having put-your-kids-in-the-line-of-fire days at work.

Even if the woke do at long last wake up, alas, it will take a great deal longer for our current political, cultural, and corporate elite to get out of the apology spin-cycle in which theyre trapped. We see that cycle at work here in Canada where every time we turn around, Prime Minister Trudeau is running off another litany of pardonne-nous nos offenses for sins current and historic, real, debatable, or wholly imagined.

The problem is that hyperactive abasement is a truly dangerous debasement of what it means to authentically apologize, that is to honestly atone for what weve done wrong. Programmatic guiltconstant, neurotic pleas to be excusedcan be worse than merely pathetic. It can poison our capacity to discern right from wrong. It can incapacitate our ability to distinguish between a harmless touch of trash talk and a totalitarian regime dripping with its peoples blood; between loving parenting and a gangsta whose blind irresponsibility causes his 7-year-old to be shot in the head while waiting for a Happy Meal.

A sorrier state than that I cannot imagine.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Theres been a bizarre crime spree in California and elsewhere recently of hammer-wielding thieves looting luxury stores in brazen acts of organized robbery. But why? Whats behind it? We try to find out with author and professor Wilfred Reilly.

Then, in this weeks America Q&A, we ask: What difference do you think there should be between citizens and residents of the United States?

Next, its Thanksgiving travel time, and millions of flyers will pass through TSA checkpointsa ritual that didnt exist two decades ago. As the Transportation Security Administration turns 20, we ask top aviation security expert Jeff Price whats gone well and what needs to be done better.

Finally, in our second America Q&A, we ask what you think of YouTubes decision to hide dislike counts on videos.

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A police officer is seen at the lobby of the Evergrande Center building in Shanghai on September 24, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Top 10 Asian Funds Hit Hard by Chinese Property Debt

A German data service released an analysis report on China Evergrande on Nov. 17, revealing that the default of China Evergrande and the Chinese real estate crisis caused estimated losses of about $10 billion for the top 10 professional pension funds and investment funds in Asia. Among them, China Evergrandes bonds are the riskiest, with $1.2 billion in exposure.

Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH (DMSA) is an independent data service based in Berlin. The DMSA recently analyzed the top 10 Asia-focused pension and mutual funds with the greatest exposure to Evergrande bonds, estimating a combined loss of $10 billion. About $7 billion of those losses have already been incurred, and about $2 billion will be incurred in bankruptcy filings. In addition, international investors are expected to lose $158 billion on their investments in Evergrandes credit default swaps.

A Credit Default Swap (CDS) is a derivative product that allows a credit provider (lender) to transfer credit risk. For example, Evergrande borrowed $100 million from Bank A. In order to reduce the default risk, Bank A signed a CDS contract with Bank B and paid the amount equivalent to the insurance premium to Bank B. Then when Evergrande defaults, Bank B shall bear the loss of Bank A, that is, the risk of default is transferred from Bank A to Bank B through CDS.

The top 10 funds identified by the DMSA research are: FidelityAsian High Yield, UBSAsian High Yield USD, Ashmore SICAVEmerging Markets LC, Ashmore SICAVEmerging Markets LC, iShares USD Asia High Yield Bond ETF, PIMCO Asia High Yield Bond Fund, BlackRockAsian Tiger Bond, FidelityGlobal Multi Asset Income, Eastspring InvestmentsAsian Bond, and AB FCP IGlobal High Yield Portfolio.

Evergrande and other China exposures contributed to losses of about 21 percent for the 10 funds this year, totaling $7 billion, the report said. Evergrandes bonds are now trading at a quarter of par, or 25 cents. With a redemption rate of 5 percent for every $100 in bankruptcy, according to Fitch, a further 6 percent, or $2 billion, is expected.

If Evergrande will be bankrupt, the above funds would lose $9 billion in total year-to-date, said Marco Metzler, senior analyst at DMSA.

Evergrandes reported exposure is only $1.2 billion, but actual losses could be nearly ten times that amount, Metzler argues, saying that the difference can be explained by CDS. According to a research note from Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, the markets CDS exposure to Evergrande is about $158 billion, meaning that the spillover effect of Evergrandes bankruptcy would lead to $158 billion in losses on top of the $23.7 billion in bonds.

Chinas real estate market is worth about $55 trillion, twice the size of the U.S. market. Meanwhile, real estate contributes 29 percent of Chinas GDP, compared with 10 percent to 20 percent in other countries. Thats why Chinas property market is arguably the most important part of the global economy, but Chinese developers such as Evergrande are heavily indebted, leading to huge losses for international investors.

Based on available information, the DMSA said Fidelity and UBSs Asian high Yield funds were Evergrandes two riskiest funds. The UBSAsian High Yield USD, which holds 45.7 percent of real estate bonds, is down 20.8 percent so far this year. FidelityAsian High Yield, which holds 34.2 percent of real estate bonds, is down 17.3 percent so far this year.

Metzler said the top 10 funds, in addition to their holdings of $1.2 billion in Evergrande bonds, also held bonds of other highly indebted Chinese property companies, such as Fantasia Holdings Group. High exposure to property bonds is now the undoing of these funds.

High losses at the fund may have triggered personnel changes. UBS Asia bond fund manager Ross Dilkes is resigning for undisclosed reasons, Bloomberg reported. According to the DMSA report, as of Sept. 30, UBS also held Fantasia Holdings Groups bonds in addition to Evergrande bonds.

The risk of Evergrande and other Chinese real estate companies defaulting on their dollar debt has caught the attention of the Biden administration. In an interview with CBS News, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Biden administration is closely monitoring the debt crisis in Chinas real estate sector and how Chinese regulators are monitoring the risk.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink (L) attend a meeting with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Febr. 26, 2019. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via Reuters)

Top US Diplomat for Asia to Visit 4 ASEAN Countries

WASHINGTONThe top U.S. diplomat for East Asia will visit Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand from the weekend after President Joe Biden pledged stepped up engagement with Southeast Asia, a key battleground in his contest for influence with China.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, will be in the region from Saturday until Dec. 4, a State Department statement said.

Kritenbrink would reaffirm the U.S. commitment to work together  to tackle the most serious global and regional challenges and stress U.S. support for a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, it said, a reference to the Chinese regimes increasingly aggressive behavior in the region, which Washington has repeatedly denounced as coercive.

Kritenbrink will discuss human rights challenges, seek to bolster cooperation on climate change and discuss ways to pressure Burmas (also known as Myanmar) military government to cease violence and allow unhindered humanitarian access, the statement said.

He will also discuss how to strengthen economic relationships and build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

Biden joined leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a virtual summit last month, the first time in four years Washington had engaged at the top level with the bloc.

He pledged to stand with ASEAN in defending freedom of the seas and democracy and said Washington would start talks on developing a regional economic framework.

An Asian diplomat said regional countries were still awaiting details of this plan, recognizing Bidens focus on rebuilding domestic economic strength was a limiting factor.

Daniel Russel, a predecessor of Kritenbrink in the Obama administration, said a key question for ASEAN was whether the United States truly has a viable economic strategy for the region.

The pledge to discuss ways to strengthen U.S. economic engagement with ASEAN countries is music to their ears, even if they may be underwhelmed by the economic framework so far, he said.

Kritenbrinks trip announcement stressed the centrality of the 10-member ASEAN to regional affairs, but he will not visit the blocs new chair, Cambodia, which has shifted ever closer to the Chinese regime.

The Asian diplomat and Russel said Kritenbrink was likely to visit other ASEAN countries before long and Russel noted Indonesias capital Jakarta is home to the blocs permanent headquarters.

While it is important to discuss the ASEAN agenda with the 2022 chair, visiting ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta will afford him the opportunity to begin that conversation, Russel said.
A health worker walks past a taxi after the announcement of a British ban on flights from South Africa, in Soweto, South Africa on Nov. 26, 2021. (Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters)

Travel Bans Over Omicron Variant Unjustified South Africas Health Minister Says

Travel bans and restrictions imposed on South Africa and other African countries over a new CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus variant arent justified, South Africas health minister said Friday.

The new strain, dubbed Omicron by the World Health Organization, was first detected in Botswana and South Africa earlier this month.

The actions of some countries, including the United Kingdom, are unjustified, Joe Phaahla, South Africas health minister, told a virtual media briefing.

South African scientists made information available on Omicron in the interest of transparency and there are concerns the variant may be more transmissible, officials told reporters.

But there is no evidence of that at this time and even if it was more transmissible, that doesnt mean it will cause more severe cases in people, Phaahla added.

Travel bans go against the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), South African officials noted.

Both WHO and South African officials portrayed the bans as punishing the country for being open about their scientific discoveries.

Its really important that there are no knee-jerk response here, especially in relation to South Africa, Dr. Michael Ryan, a WHO official, told reporters on Thursday.

Weve seen in the past if theres any mention of any kind of variation then everyone is closing borders and restricting travel. Its really important that we remain open and we remain focused on understanding and characterizing the problem and not punishing countries for doing outstanding scientific work and actually being open and transparent about what theyre seeing and what theyre finding, he added.

South Africas Department of International Relations and Cooperation said the travel bans are akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker.

Travelers are seen at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 27, 2021. (Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images)

Cases of Omicron have been detected in other countries, including Israel, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong.

Many of the cases have had no recent links with Southern Africa, the department said.

Whilst we respect the right of all countries to take the necessary precautionary measures to protect their citizens, we need to remember that this pandemic requires collaboration and sharing of expertise. Our immediate concern is the damage that these restrictions are causing to families, the travel and tourism industries, and business, Grace Pandor, South Africas minister of international relations, said in a statement.

The United States, Canada, and Brazil were among the countries that banned travel from southern African countries.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday was asked about the idea of countries being less willing to come forward with scientific developments if theyre then the subject of travel restrictions.

Id say thats ridiculous, because you cant hide the variants, he told reporters while on vacation in Massachusetts.

Its not like someone could hide the fact that theres a new variant with people getting sick more quickly, he added.
Former President Donald Trump prepares to speak during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on July 11, 2021. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Trump Says He Never Thought of Going to War With China

Former president Donald Trump said in a statement on Nov. 26 that he never considered going to war with China.

Trumps remarks were part of a tirade against Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, who told Congress in September that he assured a top Chinese general that the United States was not going to attack China.

I never had even a thought of going to war with China, other than the war I was winning, which was on TRADE, Trump said. I was the only President in decades to not get us into a warI got us out of wars!

The Joint Chiefs of Staff and Milleys spokesman, Dave Butler, did not respond to requests for comment.

Trumps statement on Friday also targeted Bob Woodward, the author of one of the books in which the revelations of Milleys calls with China were first made.

Milley told the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services in September that he told Chinese Gen. Li Zuocheng that he would warn China if the United States was planning an attack. Trump suggested in the statement on Friday that such a call would amount to treason.

Milley told the Armed Services Committee on Sept. 28 that he spoke to Li on Oct. 30, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2021. Eight U.S. officials listened in on the first call and eleven on the second, Milley testified.

And I told him that we are not going to attack. President Trump has no intent to attack. And I told him that repeatedly, and I told him if there was going to be an attack there will be plenty of communications going back and forth, your intel systems are going to pick it up, Milley said on Sept. 28.

I will probably call you. Everybody will be calling you. We are not going to attack you. Just settle down. It is not going to happen, Milley added.

Former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, who briefly led the Pentagon from late 2020 until January 2021, said he did not authorize the calls between Milley and Li.

Miller said Milleys actions were a disgraceful and unprecedented act of insubordination by the nations top military officer.

Milley told the committee that both calls with his Chinese Communist Party counterpart were coordinated with Millers staff and the interagency.

The specific purpose of the October and January calls were generated by concerning intelligence which caused us to believe the Chinese were worried about an attack on them by the United States, Milley told the senators.

John Ratcliffe, who served as the director of national intelligence during the period when both of the calls took place, refuted Milleys claim about the concerning intelligence.

There was no concerning intelligence that merited a call to his Chinese counterpart, Ratcliffe told Fox News after Milleys testimony in September, adding that he supplied Milley with intelligence.

The idea that hed have better or different intelligence, or have concerns about it that he wouldnt share with me as the presidents principal intelligence adviser, is absurd, Ratcliffe said.

Jack Phillips and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
International passengers walk through the arrivals area at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport in London on Nov. 26, 2021. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Two Cases of Omicron COVID-19 Variant Detected in UK

Two cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant have been discovered in the UK, Britains Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said on Saturday.

The cases, which were detected in Nottingham and Essex and are both believed to be connected and linked to travel to southern Africa, were confirmed after genomic sequencing overnight.

The two individuals that have tested positive, as well as all members of their households, are being re-tested and have been told to self-isolate while further testing and contact tracing is underway, the DHSC said.

The department said the UK is taking decisive action to protect public health in response to the developing situation.

The UK Health Security Agency is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to have been infectious, it said.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: Thanks to our world-class genomic sequencing, we have been made aware of two UK cases of the Omicron variant. We have moved rapidly and the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing.

Javid announced that the government is introducing travel restrictions on a further four countriesMalawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Angolafrom Sunday, in addition to South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, which were added to Englands red list on Friday.

Anyone that has traveled to these countries in the last 10 days should take PCR tests, he said.

We will not hesitate to take further action if required, he said. This is a stark reminder that we are not yet out of this pandemic.

Javid told reporters that the UK authorities were concerned from the moment we first identified this new variant.

Its a deeply concerning new variant and we do need to learn more about it but the fact that we now have these two cases in the United Kingdom does mean we need to take further measures and thats why Ive set this out today.

Javid did not say whether further restrictions could be added in the weeks before Christmas in light of the presence of the new strain, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated a variant of concern.

Instead, he said: Weve made a lot of progress, we all want to see that protected and if anyones sitting at home thinking what can I do? Get vaccinated.

The UK is the second European nation to have reported the presence of Omicron after Belgium said it had identified a single case on Friday.

Authorities in the Netherlands said that 61 people tested positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus arriving on two flights from South Africa on Friday. Further tests are underway to determine if any of them had the Omicron variant.

PA contributed to this report.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron in front of the Trevi Fountain during the G20 summit in Rome, on Oct. 31, 2021. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

UK-France Ties Remains Strong Despite Row Over Illegal Immigration: Minister

A British minister said on Saturday that the partnership between France and the UK remains strong despite the row between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron over how to handle the illegal immigration crisis in the English Channel.

The French government said on Friday that a public letter sent by Johnson to Macron was unacceptable, and as a result, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel was disinvited to a meeting with other European ministers on Sunday.

Despite the diplomatic row, UK Home Office minister Damian Hinds told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the partnership remains strong.

British and French officials have been working together throughout, in fact weve been working together for years on these really important issues, he said.

In his letter, Johnson said the two countries needed to go further and faster together to deal with the crisis, following the sinking of a boat carrying illegal immigrants on Wednesday with the loss of 27 lives.

He called on Paris to take back the illegal immigrants and set out proposals for British border officials to begin patrols on the beaches of northern France as early as next week.

But the proposal was dismissed by French government spokesman Gabriel Attal, who said it was clearly not what we need to solve this problem. He said France is sick of double-speak, as Johnsons letter doesnt correspond at all with discussions he had with Macron when they spoke on Wednesday.

At a news conference on Friday, Macron said Johnsons decision to post his letter on his Twitter feed suggested he was not serious.

We do not communicate from one leader to another on these issues by tweets and letters that we make public. We are not whistleblowers, he said.

Hinds defended Johnsons letter, saying its tone was exceptionally supportive and collaborative.

It absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that its a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions, he said.

Hinds also said Johnsons proposal for joint patrols of French beaches doesnt constitute a breach of French sovereignty. Nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty; the prime ministers letter proposes doing things which go further than we have gone to date.

He acknowledged the challenges of policing the French coastline, but added, There is more that can be done, and clearly we cant just say its difficult, because its hundreds of miles of coastline, we have to do whats necessary to save human life.

PA contributed to this report.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference after cases of the new Covid-19 variant were confirmed in the United Kingdom in London, England, on Nov. 27, 2021. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

UK to Introduce Temporary Measures in Response to Omicron Variant

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to introduce several measures in response to newly discovered coronavirus Omicron variant cases in the country.

The measures, which will be introduced from next week, include:

All international arrivals must take a Day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of their vaccination status. They will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport from next week. All hospitality settings will be exempt.

Those measures are precautionary and will be reviewed in three weeks, Johnson announced on Saturday during a news conference at 10 Downing Street.

Englands Chief Medical Officer, Chris Witty, said at the same news conference as Johnson that there was still much uncertainty around Omicron, but there is a reasonable chance that at least there will be some degree of vaccine escape with this variant.

Omicron, another variant of the CCP virus, was first reported in South Africa on Wednesday. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has a large number of mutations and some of them are concerning.

Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs (Variants of Concern), the WHO said in a statement.

The discovery of the variant has sparked global concern, a wave of travel bans or curbs, and a sell-off on financial markets on Friday as investors worried that Omicron could stall a global recovery from the nearly two-year pandemic.

Johnsons announcement came after cases of the Omicron variant were found in several European countries.

The UK, Germany, and Italy detected cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday.

The health ministry in the German state of Bavaria announced two confirmed cases of the variant. The two people entered Germany at Munich airport on Nov. 24, before Germany designated South Africa as a virus-variant area, and were now isolating, said the ministry, indicating without stating explicitly that the people had traveled from South Africa.

In Italy, the National Health Institute said a case of the new variant had been detected in Milan in a person coming from Mozambique.

Czech health authorities also said they were examining a suspected case of the variant in a person who spent time in Namibia.

Reuters contributed to the report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference at the Antonov aircraft manufacturing plant in Kiev, on May 20, 2021. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraines President Claims Russia-Backed Coup Plot Involving Key Ukrainian Oligarch

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters at a Nov. 26 press briefing in Kyiv that his countrys intelligence services had uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup, prompting the Kremlin to deny the allegations.

Zelensky claimed at the briefing that Ukrainian intelligence unearthed evidence of an imminent coup plot planned for Dec. 1 or 2, calling the development important.

He added that, in addition to the coup threat assessment by Ukrainian intelligence, audio recordings had emerged of an alleged meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials discussing plans for the coup, which allegedly was to be funded by one of Ukraines richest oligarchs, Rinat Akhmetov.

I think theyre trying to set up Akhmetov, the Ukrainian president said. I think that this is an operation and theyre trying to drag him into a war against Ukraine.

Zelenskys remarks have come in the context of a Russian military buildup near its border with Ukraine, sparking fears of a possible military invasion.

Calling Akhmetovs alleged involvement a great mistake, Zelensky said he would not, unlike his ousted predecessor Viktor Yanukovych, flee the country if push came to shove.

Akhmetov, whose fortune is estimated at around $7.5 billion, called Zelenskys allegations an absolute lie.

I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the Presidents motives are, Akhmetov said in a statement provided to The Associated Press by his spokeswoman Anna Terekhova.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected allegations of his countrys involvement in a coup against Zelensky in comments to journalists in Moscow on Nov. 26, Russian news agency TASS reported.

Russia has never had any plans to take part. Russia generally never engages in such matters, Peskov said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov listens during Russian President Vladimir Putins annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow on Dec. 19, 2019. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters)

Asked about the alleged coup plans, the U.S. State Departments top official for European and Eurasian affairs, Karen Donfried, told AP that U.S. officials are in touch with the Ukrainian government and working to obtain additional information.

President Joe Biden told reporters on Nov. 26 that hes concerned about the alleged coup plot, adding that he would in all probability call Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Zelenskys claim.

I am concerned. Look, we support Ukraines territorial integrity. We support Ukraines ability to govern itself. And we reject anything remotely approaching a coup, Biden said when asked about the alleged plot.

Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst and head of the Penta Center think tank, told AP that he believes Zelenskys remarks implicating Akhmetov in the alleged coup a preemptive signal for the oligarch not to get in involved in risky political ventures, cross the red lines and negotiate with Moscow.

Fesenko told the outlet that TV channels owned by Akhmetov have been waging a proper information war against Zelensky in recent months, noting discontent among the countrys oligarchs over a law pushed by the president to curb their influence on politics.

It comes as Ukrainian and Western officials have raised concerns that the Russian military buildup near Ukraine could be the groundwork for a military strike, with Moscow denying it has any such intentions.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan on Nov. 26 spoke with Andriy Yermak, chief of Ukraines presidential office, and reiterated the Biden administrations support for Ukraine.

They discussed their shared concerns about ongoing Russian military activities near Ukraines border and its harsh rhetoric towards Ukraine, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement commenting on the call.

They agreed that all sides should pursue diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions, Horne said, adding that Sullivan underscored the United States unwavering commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Zelensky, at the Nov. 26 briefing, said Ukraine and Russia have effectively been at war for eight years and that the likelihood of large-scale or continuation of a strong escalation by Russia or militants backed by the Russian Federation may take place any day.

He said, however, that Ukraine is in full control of its borders and is ready for any escalation.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

US Bans Travel From Southern Africa to Buy Time to Learn About COVID-19 Variant: Fauci

The United States banned travel from southern African countries to try to delay the introduction of a newly detected virus variant, White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Nov. 27.

The issue of blocking travel from a given country is to just give us time to assess it betterthats the reason for doing that, not any reason to panic, Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on the Today show.

We want to give us some time to really fill in the blanks of what we dont know right now.

President Joe Biden a day earlier ordered travel restricted from South Africa and seven other South African countries due to Omicron, a variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Ive decided that were going to be cautious, Biden told reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he was vacationing for the Thanksgiving weekend.

The decision followed a meeting between the president and members of the White House COVID-19 response team, including Fauci.

The ban doesnt apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. It also doesnt go into effect until Nov. 29, leaving some puzzled by the delay.

Biden told reporters that the delay was based on advice from his team. He opposed bans last year when then-President Donald Trump banned travel from China over COVID-19.

Fauci, who Trump has said opposed the China ban, wasnt asked about the new ban having a delayed implementation.

No Omicron cases have been detected in the United States.

Digital display boards show canceled flights to London Heathrow at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, on Nov. 26, 2021. (Sumaya Hisham/Reuters)

A slew of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Canada, and the United Kingdom also imposed travel bans against southern African nations due to concerns over Omicron.

In South Africa, even though the numbers are relatively small, its ability to infect people who have recovered from infection and even people whove been vaccinated, make us say, This is something you got to pay really close attention to, and be prepared for something that serious,' Fauci said.

It may not turn out that way, but you really want to be ahead of it, and thats the reason why were doing what were doing.

There are preliminary indications that the strain is likely more transmissible, some health officials say. However, South African officials decried the bans and said there is no evidence at this time of Omicron transmitting at a higher level than other variants.

Some outside experts have also questioned the bans.

Theres too much we dont know to impose economically, socially ruinous policies on SA and other nations. Ready, fire, aim is not prudent public health policy, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who formerly headed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and now sits on Pfizers board, said in a social media post.

Vaccine, testing requirements for incoming travelers could be prudent. Outright travel bans can hurt more than help.
US-Based Company Developing Vaccine That Targets New COVID-19 Variant

A U.S. biotechnology company is working on a version of its COVID-19 vaccine that specifically targets the newly identified Omicron variant.

Maryland-based Novavax has already started developing the version of its protein-based vaccine, with plans to start testing it next month.

The updated formulation revolves around a new spike protein, which triggers a response from the human immune system. Scientists will base the spike protein on the genetic sequence of Omicron, a newly identified variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, Novavax told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.

COVID-19 is caused by the CCP virus, sometimes called SARS-CoV-2.

The redesigned vaccine will be ready to begin testing and manufacturing within the next few weeks, Novavax said on Nov. 26.

The company said clinical trial data shows that its vaccine will likely provide protection against new and emerging variants. The vaccine, which utilizes recombinant nanoparticle technology, allows us to adapt quickly to strain changes and lends itself to inducing broadly cross-neutralizing antibodies based on the use of a full-length spike protein, which has conserved epitopes that are recognized by the immune system, Novavax said.

Antibodies are believed to be one measure of protection against infection. Epitopes are a portion of an antigen that comes into contact with antibodies.

Novavaxs vaccine has only received clearance in several countries, including the Philippines. Its not available for use in the United States, though officials have said they may apply for emergency use authorization by the end of the year.

Americans can currently get shots from Johnson & Johnson with its adenovirus vaccine, and Moderna and Pfizer with their mRNA vaccines.

A health worker prepares a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the Puerto Rico Convention Center during the first mass vaccination event in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 31, 2021. (Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images)

Johnson & Johnson, based in New Jersey, said in a statement that the company is closely monitoring newly emerging COVID-19 virus strains with variations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and is also testing the effectiveness of its vaccine against Omicron.

Moderna, based in Massachusetts, said in a statement that Omicron represents a significant potential risk to accelerate the waning of natural and vaccine-induced immunity and that its scientists would start studying a booster dose geared toward the variant.

New York-based Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, meanwhile, said theyre working on a reformulation of their jab to counter Omicron and that it could be ready in around 100 days.

Other vaccine makers are also working on testing their products against the new variant.

A spokesman for Pennsylvania-based Inovio Pharmaceuticals told The Epoch Times in an email that the company is testing its existing vaccine candidate against the variant while, at the same time, creating a new vaccine targeting Omicron.

AstraZeneca, meanwhile, is going to test its vaccine and its combination of antibodies, used as a treatment for COVID-19, against Omicron.

A spokeswoman for the UK-based company told The Epoch Times via email that the vaccine has proven effective against every SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern and COVID-19 in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people, and real-world evidence in others.

As with any new emerging variants, we are looking into B.1.1.529 to understand more about it and the impact on the vaccine. AstraZeneca has developed, in close collaboration with Oxford University, a vaccine platform that enables us to respond quickly to new variants that may emerge. AstraZeneca is also already conducting research in locations where the variant has been identified, namely in Botswana and Eswatini, that will enable us to collect real-world data of Vaxzevria against this new virus variant, the spokeswoman said.

The antibody combination also will be studied to see if it retains its efficacy against the virus.
South Korean tourists arrive at a hotel in Phu Quoc island, in Vietnam, on Nov. 20, 2021. (Vinpearl/Handout via Reuters)

Vietnam Says Pfizer, MSD to Grant Its Firms Licenses to Produce COVID-19 Pills

HANOIDrugmakers Pfizer Inc and MSD, known as Merck & Co Inc in North America, have agreed to give licenses to firms in Vietnam to produce COVID-19 treatment pills, Vietnams ministry of health said on Friday.

The companies have sent letters of approval to the Drug Administration of Vietnam, the ministry said in a statement, for the production of Molnupiravir and Paxlovid pills.

Pfizer last week said it would allow generic manufacturers to supply its experimental antiviral COVID-19 pill to 95 low- and middle-income countries through a voluntary licensing agreement with international public health group Medicines Patent Pool (MPP).

Pfizer and MSD did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments.

The ministry said five local pharmaceutical companies have shown their interest in acquiring the license for producing Molnupiravir.

Vietnam has so far recorded 1.1 million COVID-19 infections and 24,000 deaths. Over 47 percent of its population of 98 million have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

The ministry said Vietnam has so far used 250,000 Molnupiravir doses, with 72-93 percent of recipients recovering after five days.
The logo of German carmaker Volkswagen is seen on a rim cap in a showroom of a Volkswagen car dealer in Brussels, on July 9, 2020. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Volkswagen Sees Europcar Deal as Attractive, Quashes Hopes for Higher Bid

FRANKFURTVolkswagen is convinced that its 2.9 billion euro ($3.3 billion) offer for Frances Europcar, made as part of a consortium, fairly reflects the firms value, a senior executive said, pouring cold water on hopes for a higher bid.

With a takeover premium of 3040 percent, depending on the reference point, we have presented a very attractive offer, Christian Dahlheim, Volkswagens head of group sales and one of the main architects of the deal, told Reuters.

Volkswagen, along with asset manager Attestor Limited and Dutch mobility group Pon Holdings BV, is offering 0.50 euro per share in Europcar, which could be topped up by 0.01 euro per share if 90 percent of shareholders take up the bid.

Shares in Europcar currently trade at 0.508 euros apiece.

Under the offer, first announced in July and launched on Friday, Europcar investors have at least until Dec. 30 to tender their shares.

Investors representing 68 percent of Europcars shares have already agreed to tender their stock, which would give the consortium control over the car rental group under French takeover laws.

We will enter the mobility sector in the short-term. The acquisition of Europcar is clearly our preferred option, Dahlheim said.

The consortium, Green Mobility Holding, is still targeting a squeeze-out to faster implement its strategic plans for the company, he said.

It plans to capitalize on Europcars vast international network in more than 140 countries, including a fleet of around 350,000 vehicles, as a way to sell lucrative mobility services.

We are buying Europcar because we believe that we can develop it towards a good basis for an expanded mobility offer, Dahlheim said, adding he expected European antitrust authorities to approve the transaction at the beginning of next year.

Investments for future growth will be funded from Europcars cash flows, Dahlheim said.

($1 = 0.8897 euros)

By Christoph Steitz
WTO Postpones Key Meeting Over New COVID-19 Variant

The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Nov. 26 that it was calling off a key upcoming ministerial meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, citing disruption to international travel sparked by the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant that the WTO described as particularly transmissible.

The WTOs 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) was scheduled to kick off on Nov. 30, but the announcement of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in Switzerland and other European countries in response to the new variant, dubbed Omicron, prompted the transnational organization to announce it was postponing the meeting indefinitely.

Given these unfortunate developments and the uncertainty that they cause, we see no alternative but to propose to postpone the Ministerial Conference and reconvene it as soon as possible when conditions allow, WTO General Council Chair Ambassador Dacio Castillo said in a statement.

I trust that you will fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation, Castillo added, with the announcement coming as a number of countries imposed travel bans from southern Africa and other restrictions, like quarantine requirements.

Britain temporarily banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini from Friday, and asked returning British travelers from those destinations to quarantine.

Authorities in the European Union are seeking to halt air travel from the southern African region amid rising concern about the variant.

The Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter Friday.

Officials in Japan confirmed Friday that they would impose a 10-day quarantine requirement on anyone traveling from southern Africa.

The key to crisis management is to prepare for the worst, cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Friday, according to the Japan Times newspaper.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the travel restrictions would prevent some delegates from taking part in face-to-face negotiations at the meeting, with many of them viewing virtual participation as ineffective for complex negotiations on politically-sensitive issues.

My priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participantsministers, delegates, and civil society, she said in a statement. It is better to err on the side of caution.

Little is known about the new COVID-19 variant, detected in South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong, but South African scientists say it has an unusual combination of mutations and may be able to evade immune responses or make it more transmissible. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

A key part of the WTO meeting was to be negotiations around hammering out draft rules slashing subsidies to fisheries.

Santiago Wills, the Colombian WTO ambassador who chairs the fishing subsidy talks, told Reuters that the decision to call off the meeting was deflating, to say the least, but vowed to keep working towards an agreement to preserve global fish stocks.

Drafting rules on prohibiting subsidies that threaten the sustainability of fishing has been on the WTO agenda since 2001.

The WTO said in a Nov. 8 statement that significant progress had been made on the issue in recent discussions and that it was hopeful for a successful conclusion to the 21-year-long negotiations at the now-canceled meeting.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Worried scientists in South Africa are scrambling to combat the lightning spread across the country of the new and highly transmissible omicron COVID-19 variant as the world grapples with its emergence.

In the space of two weeks, the omicron variant has sent South Africa from a period of low transmission to rapid growth of new confirmed cases. The countrys numbers are still relatively low, with 2,828 new confirmed cases recorded Friday, but omicrons speed in infecting young South Africans has alarmed health professionals.

Were seeing a marked change in the demographic profile of patients with COVID-19, Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Sowetos Baragwanath Hospital, told an online press briefing.

Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated, said Mathivha. Im worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.

She said urgent preparations are needed to enable public hospitals to cope with a potential large influx of patients needing intensive care.

We know we have a new variant, said Mathivha. The worst case scenario is that it hits us like delta ... we need to have critical care beds ready.

What looked like a cluster infection among some university students in Pretoria ballooned into hundreds of new cases and then thousands, first in the capital city and then to nearby Johannesburg, South Africas largest city.

Studying the surge, scientists identified the new variant that diagnostic tests indicate is likely responsible for as many as 90% of the new cases, according to South Africas health officials. Early studies show that it has a reproduction rate of 2  meaning that every person infected by it is likely to spread it to two other people.

The new variant has a high number of mutations that appear to make it more transmissible and help it evade immune responses. The World Health Organization looked at the data on Friday and named the variant omicron, under its system of using Greek letters, calling it a highly transmissible variant of concern.

Its a huge concern. We all are terribly concerned about this virus, Professor Willem Hanekom, director of the Africa Health Research Institute, told The Associated Press.

This variant is mostly in Gauteng province, the Johannesburg area of South Africa. But weve got clues from diagnostic tests ... that suggest that this variant is already all over South Africa, said Hanekom, who is also co-chair of the South African COVID Variant Research Consortium.

The scientific reaction from within South Africa is that we need to learn as much as soon as possible. We know precious little, he said. For example, we do not know how virulent this virus is, which means how bad is this disease that it causes?

A key factor is vaccination. The new variant appears to be spreading most quickly among those who are unvaccinated. Currently, only about 40% of adult South Africans are vaccinated, and the number is much lower among those in the 20 to 40-year-old age group.

South Africa has nearly 20 million doses of vaccines  made by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson  but the numbers of people getting vaccines is about 120,000 per day, far below the governments target of 300,000 per day.

As scientists try to learn more about omicron, the people of South Africa can take measures to protect themselves against it, said Hanekom.

This is a unique opportunity. Theres still time for people who did not get vaccinated to go and get the vaccine, and that will provide some protection, we believe, against this infection, especially protection against severe infection, severe disease and death, he said. So I would call on people to vaccinate if they can.

___

Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report.
NORWALK  The history of the city extends far beyond the corporation limits. Property owners who lost their land during the American Revolution found refuge out west and took their towns namesake with them.

On Thursday, the Norwalk Historical Society will host a virtual presentation with Henry Timman, a historian and genealogist from Norwalk, Ohio, who will explore The Origins of Norwalk, Ohio and the Firelands at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is required to attend the event and available through the historical societys website.

Timman will discuss the legal origins of the city as part of the Firelands region as well as its physical origins, the settlement of the frontier town, and how it developed into a city through the late 19th and early 20th century.

The program is in conjunction with the historical societys new exhibit, Norwalks Changing Communities - 13,000 B.C. to 1835, which includes a section on the burning of Norwalk by British troops during the American Revolutionary War. The state gave plots of land in northeast Ohio, known as the Connecticut Western Reserve, to people who lost property during the war, according to Ohio History Connection.

Growing up, I didnt really know if there was connection or a coincidence, said Samantha Kulish-Fargione, the program coordinator for the Norwalk Historical Society.

It wasnt until Kulish-Fargione started working with the historical society that she learned the name was no coincidence. As part of the Little Red Schoolhouse program, she had to speak about the Firelands in Ohio with area third graders and from there she learned about Norwalk, Ohio.

In planning programs to go along with the new exhibit, Kulish-Fargione reached out to the Firelands Historical Society in Norwalk, Ohio to see if they could send someone to Connecticut to share their history with the people of the first Norwalk. She connected with Diane Meyer, first vice president of the Firelands Historical Society, who immediately suggested Timman.

Timmans was born in a neighborhood just outside of Norwalk, Ohio and has had a life-long interest in the local history and genealogy of the city and the Firelands region. He was in charge of Huron Countys Library of Historical Records for over 40 years, has provided professional historical and genealogical research since high school, and had a long career as a lecturer on both subjects.

Kulish-Fargione made a quick trip to the Ohio city while visiting Cleveland for a friends wedding earlier this fall. She and her husband met with Meyer and Timman to take a tour of the town that is 2.5 times smaller than the Connecticut city and has five times fewer people.

The biggest difference that caught Kulish-Fargiones eyes was the price of housing. Prior to her arrival, Kulish-Fargione scrolled through the local listings on Realtor.com and found a house worth between $250,000 and $350,000 that she estimates would be worth more than a million dollars in her hometown.

The median value of a home in Norwalk, Ohio is $126,300 compared to $435,800 in Connecticut, according to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau numbers. The median income for the Ohio residents is $45,752 compared to $85,769 in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Kulish-Fargione also enjoyed learning how Ohioans pronounce the names of other cities that also exist in Connecticut such as Groton (sounds like Grow-ton in Ohio). Other Ohio names brought to the Firelands region from Connecticut include Danbury, Litchfield, New Haven, and New London.

Its been fun to work with them. Im excited to bridge the story between the two Norwalks, Kulish-Fargione said.

The historical societys program coordinator also expressed interest in connecting with other Norwalk communities across the state. The city in Iowa was name after both the Norwalk in Ohio and Connecticut, according to its municipal website. The man who laid out the town, George W. Swan, was born in the Connecticut city and worked for a newspaper in the Ohio city.

The Norwalk in Wisconsin was named after the Ohio city, but it shares the same neighboring town as Norwalk, Connecticut - Wilton.

I think it shows how were all connected. History is the thread tying us altogether, Kulish-Fargione said. To visit Norwalk Ohio, it was fun to have this shared history but also to discover their story and what makes them a community. It helps us. It connects us. It also allows us to expand our knowledge, learn more and appreciate whats out there.

emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com
NORWALKNorwalk Public Library, which is once again considering a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, opted against altering COVID library operations until the new year.

At a recent Library Board of Trusteed meeting, the board voted unanimously against increasing the number of patrons allowed in library community rooms at a time.

However, while discussing whether to increase the library COVID-time capacity, the subject of vaccine mandates was raised once again.

In the long run, the only really effective tool against this virus is a vaccine mandate, Library Board Director Alex Knopp said. I think everything else is going to fall short. Therell be spikes and valleys and new spikes. We wont be able to try to do a knockout unless theres a vaccine mandate.

The option for a vaccine mandate was previously discussed as the board planned for the June reopening.

At that time, Knopp spoke in favor of instituting a vaccine passport requiring proof of vaccination before patrons could enter the library. City officials adamantly objected to the idea.

The issue of whether the city has a right to ban the implementation of a vaccination requirement was also discussed.

I tried to discuss this with Lamond (Daniels, Chief of Community Services) and he doesnt believe the city will authorize this, Knopp said. We could mandate it, but it would be an unpleasant fight with the city. On the other hand, we control what activities take place in the library, not the city.

Earlier this month, Norwalk lifted its indoor mask mandate for all spaces except for city-owned properties, which includes the two libraries.

Library Board member Patsy Brescia, who also chairs the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Board of Trustees, said the mansion recently held a gala that required a signature confirming vaccination status.

We just ran a gala at mansion, which is a city building, and had 100 people and required proof of vaccination, Brescia said. Some people chose not to come, but thats what we did and we had very little blowback.

Both the main and South Norwalk branches of the library were open throughout the pandemic in varying degrees, but the two libraries reopened in a fuller capacity in June. The restrictions in place for the June reopeningmasking, social distancing and limiting the number of patrons per floorwill remain for the time being.

The main easement of coronavirus precautions up for consideration was increasing the capacity of the main branch and SoNo community rooms from 25 to 50 people and 15 to 40 people, respectively. The normal community room capacity in the main branch is 175 and 125 for the SoNo branch, Library Director Sherelle Harris said.

Harris said there was likely to be little more patrons than currently visited the library if the capacity and restrictions were eased.

We have not been so bombarded, even though we have restrictions, where we have to put people out, Harris said. Even if we lift restrictions per floor, I dont think that were going to see many more people coming in than we already see.

Looking at nearby public libraries, there are two that require proof of vaccination to enter, including Stamford, Harris said.

With COVID rates on the rise and the holiday season in full swing, the board members decided it was an inopportune time to expand library capacity and ease restrictions from their current levels.

Im concerned if we open up these two community rooms to large groups of 40 and 50 peopleeven though theyre below the capacity of the roomswithout required vaccination proof, we are just going to be complicit in failing to take an important step to help kill this virus, Knopp said.

Knopp said he does consider a policy requiring either vaccination or submission to weekly COVID-19 testing as a vaccine mandate. Such a requirement was put in place for city employees in August.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP)  Barbara Suggs Mason and her cousin, Angela Rivers, grew up hearing about their familys long history in Champaign County.

Suggs Mason remembers the sense of pride she felt in hearing those family stories and how important it was for her not to let her ancestors down.

For Rivers, those family stories gave me a sense of identity, she recalled.

Its important to Rivers and Suggs Mason to preserve and share the long history of Black residents in Champaign County, The News-Gazette reports.

Theyre co-chairing Champaign Countys African American Heritage Trail project, a massive undertaking launched by Visit Champaign County and its foundation.

Historically in Champaign County, we have had a vibrant Black community, said Suggs Mason, a retired educator who grew up in Champaign. People just dont realize that.

Visit Champaign Countys plans to establish the African American Heritage Trail are progressing, according to the tourism agencys president and CEO, Jayne DeLuce.

DeLuce said this project will include the placement of historical markers in various locations throughout the county to help share the untold stories of the countys Black community. More stories about significant events and contributors will also become available to read online.

This gives us an opportunity to not only recognize, but to engage and create dialogue about it, DeLuce said.

Suggs Mason and Rivers are also hoping to develop an educational component to help share the history of Black Champaign County residents in local schools.

I retired out of the museum profession, and a lot of what I found is when you talk to African American kids about their history and ask them what they know about their history is very little, except for Dr. Martin Luther King, Rivers said.

Its important for kids to not only learn more about the history of where they live, but to know they belong here, she said.

Rivers said shes also found theres an incorrect assumption that there wasnt a vibrant Black community in Champaign County until after World War II, when in fact, it dates back to prior to the Civil War.

Suggs Mason said shed love to see the educational piece for schools include having young people collect stories from their own families.

For Suggs Mason, the African American Heritage Trail will be more than a tour. She hopes it will be an opportunity to create a project that will sustain itself and continue, she said.

Those early Black Champaign County settlers were building a legacy, she said. They were people who built a community here and overcame great obstacles of segregation and a lack of opportunities to uplift the next generation.

I think its important for our young people, to instill that in the possibilities for their lives, Suggs Mason said.

She and Rivers are working with others in the local community on the collection of stories from 1850 to the present, how theyll be communicated and where the historical markers will be placed.

There will soon be a webpage available where more stories can be shared, Suggs Mason said.

I think if we dont tell this history, it will be lost and forgotten, she said.
Andaman food festival opens in Patong

PHUKET: Minister of Tourism and Sports Piphat Ratchakitprakarn was in Phuket last night (Nov 26) to inaugurate the The Great Escape of the Andaman Sea food festival, a three day event that showcases some of the finest locally avaiable cuisine.

culturepatongtourism

By The Phuket News

Saturday 27 November 2021, 12:30PM

Piphat was joined by Pichet Panapongs, Deputy Governor of Phuket, to open the Thai taste festival at Patong Beach which aims to promote provincial tourism and help generate income for local businesses and entrepreneurs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 40 restaurants from Phuket and the surrounding areas of the Andaman province such as Thung Yi Pheng, Khlok and Krabi will be showcasing their dishes for attendees to savour along the Patong beachside walk. There will also be Thai cooking classes available using locally sourced ingredients led by renowned local chefs.

Leveraging the recognition by UNESCO of Phuket as a Creative City of Gastronomy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said it expects over 14,000 local and foreign tourists to attend the event across the weekend with a projected income generation of over B17 million. Of that total the TAT estimates around B7.5mn will go to over 8,000 local business owners.

The festival offers tourists a great opportunity to enjoy not only local food options but the cultural diversity and southern lifestyle that the region is famous for including the popular beaches, said the organisers.

All health and safety precaution measures in relation to COVID-19 will be in place during the festival and attendees are requested to fully respect these when present.
Let there be carnage

Comic book fans everywhere are nervously waiting for the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The first film in the franchise wasnt necessarily a terrible film but it certainly wasnt as good as what it should have been either. And while its predecessor didnt exactly set the world on fire, this Venom films trailer seemed to offer a ray of hope for those fans who knew there was a decent Venom story waiting to be told.



By David Griffiths

Saturday 27 November 2021, 11:30AM

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). Image: IMDB

This second film sees Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy  The Dark Knight Rises) still leading a relatively lonely life. He is still separated from the love of his life, Anne Weying (Michelle Williams  Brokeback Mountain), but at least his crime writing has picked up once again and now he has constant daily battles with Venom who remains co-existing with Brocks body and demanding to eat bad guys and not chickens.

It is Brocks crime writing that soon leads him to an interesting interaction when Detective Mulligan (Stephen Graham  Snatch) calls him in to interview serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson  Zombieland). While Brock feels that his interview does not answer any of the questions that the police want answered about Kasady, Venom sees things differently and a glance at Kasadys artwork through Venoms eyes provides clues to where the remains of more of Kasadys victims lie.

That results in Kasady being placed on death row and he demands one last meeting with Brock before his death. One bite later and suddenly Kasady also has a being living inside him  the destructive Carnage  who allows Kasady to escape prison and join forces with his mutant girlfriend, Frances Barrison (Naomie Harris  No Time To Die).

The man responsible for some of the most iconic characters of modern day cinema, Andy Serkis (Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle), takes over the directional reins and that feels like a great move from the very beginning. The inter-play between Brock and Venom takes centre stage this time around the result instantly feels like a film with depth as the correlations of what Brock is going through and what somebody with mental illness may experience comes to the fore instantly adding to layers to what could have become a dangerously formulaic comic-book film.

Screenwriter Kelly Marcel (Saving Mr. Banks) also allows for more characterisation this time around. Not only do we get a better sense of who Venom is, the film also properly develops its villain. It has often been said that Marvel villains are often forgettable, but that is not the case with Cletus Kasady. A back story is provided with flashbacks while the performance of Woody Harrelson allows the audience to connect with Kasady as a character in the same way they would have done with characters like The Joker and Catwoman from the DC Universe.

The only unfortunate thing about Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the length of the film. With such well explored characters facing off against each other it feels like parts of the story are wasted in one of the shortest comic book movies ever made. As a villain Kasady certainly deserves more. The result is a film that seems to build and build on characterisation only to then slightly let down its audience with an all action finale that seems to almost be over in a blink of an eye. This is one time when you actually wish that a Marvel film was longer and perhaps could be extended into a Disney+ series.

The highlight of this film though are the performances of Hardy and Harrelson. The pair play worthy enemies and both men bring their A-Game to their roles. Hardy (who also wrote part of the story this time around) plays up both the seriousness and comedic parts of his relationship with Venom while Harrelson goes all out as he creates one of Marvels most memorable villains to date.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is certainly a step in the right direction for the franchise. A good story and some great character interactions make for a much more layered and mature film than the first film. A great teaser after the credits suggests that this franchise is about to get much bigger and with Tom Hardy at the peak of his game true fans will definitely find themselves saying, Bring it on!

Venom: Let There Be Carnage opens in Phuket on Dec 1. It has been classified 13.

3/5 Stars

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
New COVID strain sparks travel alert

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned Thais to avoid travelling to countries where a new COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa has been found.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccineSafetytourism

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 27 November 2021, 09:03AM

People wait to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination centre at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok yesterday (Nov 26). Photo: Apichart Jinakul

Speaking after a meeting of the Centre for COVID-9 Situation Administration (CCSA), Prayut said he had been informed of the new variant and instructed the Public Health Ministry and the Department of Disease Control to monitor the situation closely, reports the Bangkok Post.

Do not travel to those countries to avoid getting the virus, the prime minister said, adding that a campaign has been rolled out to encourage more people to receive COVID vaccines, bolstered by an online system showing their vaccination certificates.

Renowned virologist Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn Universitys faculty of medicine, said the government should tighten health screening measures to curb entry by travellers from South Africa especially.

However, the public should not panic as mutations are a natural part of the viruss lifecycle, Dr Yong said, adding he is preparing to decode the genetics of the new variant to study its mutations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said the government is monitoring the new variant.

He said Thailand can request vaccines developed to deal with new variants of the virus under procurement agreements reached earlier with manufacturers.

Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said the prime minister instructed relevant agencies to keep a close watch on travellers from countries where the new variant has been detected.

They will not be put under quarantine yet. But officials were told to take strict health-screening measures, Mr Sathit said.

Scientists have also detected cases in Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel. They are concerned by the high number of mutations which could help it evade the bodys immune response and make it more transmissible.

They say it carries a high number of mutations in its spike protein, which plays a key role in the viruss entry into cells in the body. This is also what is targeted by vaccines. Researchers are still trying to determine whether it is more transmissible or more lethal than previous variants.

Tulio de Oliveira, director of the KwaZulu-Natal Research and Innovation Sequencing Platform, said the B1.1.529 variant has a very unusual constellation of mutations, with more than 30 mutations in the spike protein alone.

This variant did surprise us. It is a big jump in evolution, many more mutations than we expected, especially after a very severe third wave of delta, he said.

The World Health Organization has classified it as a variant under monitoring (VUM). A variant is given this label when it has genetic changes that are suspected to affect the viruss characteristics and that may allow it to pose a future risk.

However, it required enhanced monitoring and repeat assessment, pending new evidence, the WHO added.

The UK has also banned flights from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe. They will be added to the countrys red list requiring quarantine.
New rehabilitation options for small businesses in Thailand

One way to measure business distress is the number of bankruptcy applications filed, which have risen sharply in 2021. Often seen as a last resort, this indicates that despite the continued support of the government and financial institutions, many businesses see filing bankruptcy as the best option for their businesses to survive.

Sunday 28 November 2021, 11:00AM

According to the Central Bankruptcy Court (Bankruptcy Court), 9,171 bankruptcy proceedings were filed in 2020 for a total value of B836.803 billion (compared to 5,415 cases in 2018 and 8,398 in 2019).

Although only a small portion of these filings were for rehabilitation, unlike liquidation (known as free-fall bankruptcy), the rehabilitation process gives a business time to reassess its long-term strategy and develop a viable plan for survival, which creditors can approve or reject.

Importantly, the SME process can be done quickly and for cheaper, yet still provides court protection against liquidation and lawsuits between the filing and the approval of the rehabilitation plan. Though this process is simpler, a skilled professional should assist an SME at this stage of the process.

The government on August 10, 2021, recognised that SMEs need additional help, and has proposed amendments to current bankruptcy laws. Aranya Thongnamtako, Director-General of the Legal Execution Department, stated in Thai media that the goal of amending the bankruptcy law for SMEs and entrepreneurs was so that they can enter the rehabilitation process easier than ever.

The recommendation also increases the debt ceiling for SME rehabilitation to B50 million, as the courts were reportedly seeing more SME businesses with a debt of the B30 million range. If businesses were forced to apply for business rehabilitation under the current large company rehabilitation law, they would need to set up a planner and designate an administrator, which is a costly, time consuming, and difficult process.

If the current proposals are implemented, then to qualify you simply need to be classified as an SME under the Ministerial Regulations on the Designation of the Characteristics of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Act B. E. 2562 (2019), as shown in the chart above.

A petition for business rehabilitation may be filed by an SME (called debtor in possession) if they meet two requirements: 1) are insolvent, and 2) meet a debt threshold which is dependent on the type of creditor involved (e.g., individual, limited partnership, private limited company, etc.) that ranges from B2 million to B50 million.

Under this proposal, the SME can submit a business rehabilitation petition to the court, without having to prepare a business rehabilitation plan. The debtor can then immediately apply for temporary protection from creditors and stop court proceedings even before the court formally considers the business rehabilitation. The debtor has three months to submit their plan and gain creditor support. Even if rejected, the debtor can submit a second request without conditions from six months after the court dismissed the first petition.

To get approval for a reorganisation plan it must be supported by creditors. The preparation of the rehabilitation plan and the private creditors meetings before court submission is like the voluntary arrangement process in Western jurisdictions, which is a negotiated semi-private arrangement that deals with debt and means the debtors assets will not be liquidated.

This former process had pitfalls as it presumed that if creditors didnt turn up for a rehabilitation meeting, then they objected to the plan. This was an old negotiation tactic for savvy creditors seeking special treatment. The new amendments mean the two-thirds () approval need only be counted from those who turn up to a notified meeting.

The proposed plan must contain the reason for the insolvency, details of assets and liabilities including principles, procedures, and steps for rehabilitation of the business, withdrawal of security, solution for temporary liquidity during the rehabilitation process, and background of the plan administrator. The business reorganization must allow creditors to receive payment not less than if the debtor entered bankruptcy liquidation. Again, a trained professional should draft this plan, as the outcome must provide both the SME and creditors with a clear path forward.

There is now an opportunity to expedite the rehabilitation process. SMEs can submit a request to expedite the process by presenting an agreed rehabilitation plan together with evidence showing that the creditors have approved this pre-packaged plan. The courts may quickly ratify this plan and allow the SME to continue business without drawn-out legal processes.

The amendment also means that the debt bound by the rehabilitation plan will not form part of future creditor claims if the rehabilitation fails. The creditors can only claim debt incurred after the rehabilitation plan commenced.

The adage of toss the keys and run means as a company director, you could eventually be held criminally liable for your actions under a variety of Thai laws, which expressly provide for a directors criminal liability for acts or omissions on behalf of the company. The proposed amendments give distressed companies options and gives entrepreneurs a way to turn around their businesses.

Engaging professionals at an early stage to help you through this process is important and gives you the ability to preserve your hard work, investments, and reputation. Knowing your rights and the benefits of these new SME regulations means you get relief from creditors and the time to rebuild your business.

By Dr Paul Crosio

Partner / Silk Advisory

Paul Crosio is a founding partner of Silk Advisory (SilkAdvisory.com) and a practising Australian lawyer with over two decades of corporate experience in turn-around management as well as international and Thai distressed assets and other special situations. Paul has post-graduate qualifications in finance (including Sharia finance) as well as advanced degrees in business and law.

Silk Advisory is international insolvency, M&A and management advisory practice affiliated with Silk Legal and based in Bangkok and the Eastern Seaboard. Our principals have years of experience in Thailand and internationally providing solutions that address the different requirements of your businesss lifecycle. The impact of COVID-19 has driven many organizations into financial stress, but our experienced team and our unique approach can bring valuable understanding and assistance to help you to stabilize, preserve value, and build a platform to successfully emerge from the current pandemic. For a no-obligation call or meeting to discuss your situation you can contact us info@silkadvisory.com
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Cloudy. High around 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 42F. WSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. High 8C. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy and windy with rain early...then becoming partly cloudy. Low around -1C. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.
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There appears to be quite a bit of tension inside Fox News over the extremist views of the networks most popular host. Host Bret Baier publicly admitted on Monday that there were internal concerns at the network about the Tucker Carlson-produced documentary, Patriot Purge. The controversial documentary suggested Jan. 6 was a false flag operation and aired on the networks streaming platform.

During a recent interview on fellow Fox News host Brian Kilmeades radio show, Baier seemed a bit uncomfortable when Kilmeade asked about two network contributors, Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes, who resigned in protest over the networks choice to air Patriot Purge on its streaming service, Fox Nation, this month. I think it was a tough choice [to resign] but one that they made on principle, Baier said of their resignations, per Mediaite. You know, and Im going to let them speak for themselves, he added, going on to say their departures were sad for his show, Special Report, and for the network.

According to reporting from NPRs David Folkenflik, both Baier and anchor Chris Wallace shared their objections to the documentary internally with Fox News executives, and those concerns reached Lachlan Murdoch, who leads the networks parent company, Fox Corp.

Kilmeade, ever a lapdog to the far-right, said he had watched the documentary and thought it gave an interesting perspective. He also mocked others objections to it. I didnt get hurt by it, he said. I didnt get damaged by it.

Were you bothered by it? he asked Baier. Because thats the reporting.

Theres a  Brian, I dont want to go down this road, Baier responded, sounding slightly bothered by the question. There were concerns about it, definitely. I think the news division did what we do, I mean, we covered the story. I wanted to do all of that internally. Steve and Jonah made their decision, and its their decision.

Ben Smith of The New York Times broke the news Sunday of the contributors resignations. Whether its Patriot Purge or anti-vaxx stuff, I dont want it in my name, and I want to call it out and criticize it, Goldberg told the Times in explaining his decision to leave the network. I dont want to feel like I am betraying a trust that I had by being a Fox News contributor. And I also dont want to be accused of not really pulling the punches. And then this was just an untenable tension for me.

Describing the documentary to NPR reporter David Folkenflick, Goldberg said, Its basically saying that the Biden regime is coming after half the country and this is the War on Terror 2.0. It traffics in all manner of innuendo and conspiracy theories that I think legitimately could lead to violence. That for me, and for Steve, was the last straw.

I thought it was irresponsible to put that out into the public airwaves, Hayes told Folkenflik.

But Jan. 6 isnt the only issue where Foxs opinion and news divisions have appeared divided. On Monday, Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner said on the network that Kyle Rittenhouse was not a hero.

This case is particularly tragic because Kyle may have been acquitted, but hes not a hero here, Turner said on air, according to The Daily Beasts Justin Baragona. There are no heroes and there are no winners. There is no victory lap for Kyle or anybody else to take.

Hours later, Rittenhouse took a just such a victory lap, appearing in a primetime interview with Tucker Carlson on the network, where the host praised him as a sweet kid. Tucker Carlson Originals has also produced a documentary on Rittenhouse which will stream on Fox Nation, just as Patriot Purge did. During the course of our long conversation, Kyle Rittenhouse struck us as bright, decent, sincere, dutiful, and hardworking, Carlson said in introducing his interview with Rittenhouse. [Hes] exactly the kind of person would you want many more of in your country.
ALTON  A family friend is spearheading efforts to help an Alton family that lost a 5-year-old child last week.

Tameter Ward, of Alton, founder of the womens group Know Your Worth, is accepting donations for the family of Malachi D. Scruggs, 5. Scruggs died in a Nov. 22 fire at the Landing at Belle Meadows Apartment Complex located in the 300 block of Mitchell Street.

At 7:19 p.m. on Nov. 22, Alton firefighters and police responded to the report of a structure fire with a child possibly inside. Upon arrival, police and firefighters found the structure engulfed in flames, Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said.

Alton firefighters began to attempt to extinguish the fire while searching the structure for the child. They found the boy, who was immediately transported to an Alton area hospital. He was later pronounced dead at an Alton area hospital.

The fire remains under investigation by Alton Police, the Alton Fire Department, the Madison County Coroners Office and the Illinois State Fire Marshals Office.

Ward is accepting donations of cash, checks and money orders at her church, Living Word Apostolic, 991 Riley Ave., in Alton, for the family which includes two other children, 1- and 4-year-old boys, and their mother.

They are staying with family right now, and there is someone who will help them find new housing, Ward said.

People wishing to donate can contact Ward at wardtameter@gmail.com or 618-419-0724.

Ward also is spearheading a Holiday Haul for donations to aid the family, including toys, clothing, shoes, coats and items of that nature. She collected items on Friday at the church and will announce future collection dates and time in the future.

I have permission from the family to be their spokesperson and collect donations for them, Ward said.

She also has posted donation requests on her Facebook page.
CHICAGO  That check from Facebook for violating Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by cataloging faces without permission isnt in the mail yet.

It could still be a while.

Despite that, the case appears to be having other impacts.

Facebook users located in Illinois after June of 2011 were eligible to file a claim in a class-action lawsuit against the social media giant for violating the states BIPA law.

Illinoisans had a deadline of Nov. 23, 2020, to join the class action settlement. The website for the case notes final approval was granted in April. However, two class members appealed, preventing payments from being made.

This appeal prevents payments from being made to any class members, according to the website. Class Counsel remains committed to using every possible legal means to expedite this timeframe.

Abe Scarr with Illinois Public Interest Research Group said such appeals can take time.

That can take up to one or two years on average, Scarr said. I know there have been efforts to expedite the appeal but so far no success there. Unfortunately, were going to have to wait another year if not two to hopefully finally have some settlement here.

Payments are expected to be up to $400 per person, but a fact sheet says an exact amount cant be given. That depends on how many claims are filed and the cost of fees and other attorney expenses.

While the delay may be frustrating, Meta announced earlier this month Facebook will no longer use facial recognition as part of a company-wide move to limit the use of facial recognition in our products.

This change will represent one of the largest shifts in facial recognition usage in the technologys history, a statement from Meta said Nov. 2. More than a third of Facebooks daily active users have opted in to our Face Recognition setting and are able to be recognized, and its removal will result in the deletion of more than a billion peoples individual facial recognition templates.

Scarr said thats a positive development, though he remains guarded.

Knowing Facebook and Meta, I wouldn't count on them completely stopping using facial recognition technology, Scarr said. But there seems to be some progress on that and across the country, growing recognition of some of the privacy harms that have to do with facial recognition technology.

Looking ahead, we still see facial recognition technology as a powerful tool, Meta said. Facial recognition can be particularly valuable when the technology operates privately on a persons own devices.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  The president of the U.N. Committee on Enforced Disappearances said Friday there is an almost total, structural lack of punishment in Mexico for the crime of abducting and disappearing people.

Carmen Rosa Villa Quintana wound up almost two weeks of fact-finding and interviews with victims families in Mexico on Friday.
To the Editor,

Like millions of other American viewers I watched the CBS program 60 Minutes last Sunday.

The show had a feature on the backlog of cargo ships at American ports; many thousands of cargo containers are stranded on the ocean, unable to come ashore. The program went on to note that it was a lack of workers  stevedores, presumably  that keeps the process of unloading and then ultimately distributing the freight by trucks, at practically a standstill; and its not a lack of truckers, as many people thought.

My solution: invest the U.S. Army with responsibility for working the ports. In the past, the Army has been held responsible for virtually every essential task, in the light of natural disasters, strikes and other emergent circumstances.

Now I realize that such a move would necessitate violation of work rules, union contracts and so forth. However, it wouldnt take jobs from regular port employees: if one of them gets hired, then thats one more soldier whose deployment would end.

I understand that this is rather simplistic and I invite some of the more intelligent readers to chime in with their opinions: The Schlaflys, Ed Schwegel, John Dunphy and Edwardsville resident Jim Grandone. These gentlemen, being much smarter and more worldly than myself, would probably have a lot to add.

Bill Tope

Wood River
CHARIHO: Charihos girls and boys soccer teams both won Division II titles in dramatic fashion. The girls won in penalty kicks and the boys in the final two minutes of double overtime. The football team reached the D-III title game, as did the field hockey team. The girls volleyball team played in the D-II semifinals. Erin vonHousen was All-State in girls cross country.

STONINGTON: Stoningtons boys soccer team earned its second straight Class M state title, closing the season with 21 straight victories. The field hockey team lost in the Class S title game.

WESTERLY: Westerlys girls volleyball team reached the Division III semifinals, losing to eventual champion Scituate. The football team played in the D-II semifinals. The girls soccer team reached the D-III semifinals. Jake Serra and Kaya West were All-State in cross country.

WHEELER: Wheeler boys and girls soccer teams qualified for the Class S state tournament.

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Kia is creating an electrical storm with its stylish and sporty new battery-powered EV6 coupe-like crossover. Already picking up awards, it has more than 1,500 UK pre-orders to launch this feisty five-seater. I've just been driving one on British roads.

There's a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive powered by a 77.4kWh high-voltage lithiumion polymer battery pack.

Priced from 40,945, the entry level, but well-stocked Air trim spec comes only with rear wheel drive, while the GT-Line (43,945 to 47,445) and GT-Line S (48,445 to 51,945) have an all-wheel-drive option.

Sprinter: Kia's electric EV6 will challenge Tesla and BMW

For performance and value, it's a keen challenger to BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even Tesla.

I drove the mid-range EV6 GTLine rear-wheel drive on 19 inch wheels, priced from 43,945 with a more than adequate range of up to 328 miles.

Developing 226bhp and linked to a single-speed automatic transmission, it sprints to 62mph in 7.3 seconds up 114mph. It's quiet, but has pace and is engaging in taut and dynamic Sport mode. Other modes are Eco, Normal and even Snow.

Brewing up: Nicki Shields of electric car website Electrifying.com plugging a kettle into a Kia EV6

It's a comfortable and practical family car with aerodynamic coupe styling, flush pop-out handles, privacy glass in the rear, plenty of space, a big boot with underfloor storage, sporty head rests and rear seats that fold down remotely.

Will it fit in my garage? Kia EV6 GT Line, Rear Wheel Drive EV6 price range: 40,945 to 51,945 Length: 4,695mm Width: 1,890mm Height: 1,550m Wheelbase: 2,900mm Battery: 77.4kWh lithium ion polymer. Wheels: 19 inch Range: 328 miles (London to Newcastle with miles to spare) Power: 226bhp Transmission: single-speed automatic transmission 0-62mph: 7.3 seconds Top speed: 114mph Drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow. Luggage space: Rear seats up: 490 litres Rear seats folded down: 1,300 litres Features Rear privacy glass Paddle-shifters 12.3 inch curved driver display screen Provides portable power supply to charge other cars, camping kit, or boil a kettle

You can even use the car itself as a portable power supply to charge another car or electric bike, camping equipment, or just boil a kettle to make a cup of tea.

It'll even tow a trailer of up to 1,600 kg and has a seven-year warranty. Vegan leather and recycled plastic is also available.

The all-wheel version with a dual motor offers 321bhp, goes from rest to 62mph in 5.2 seconds, and up to 116 mph with a reduced range of 314 miles.

And a powerful range-topping flagship 577bhp 'GT '  with lightning-fast super-car acceleration from 0 to 62mph in 3.5 seconds up to a top speed of 162mph - arrives at the end of next year and will account for a quarter of sales.

The EV6 will fully charge overnight (in 7 hours and 20 minutes) on a standard 11kW AC charger, with an 80 per cent charge taking between 73 minutes and 18 minutes on a DC fast-charger.

High trim levels include a sun-roof and powered automatic tail-gate.

With Kia you do get value for money in terms of standard kit and a seven year warranty.

There isn't a kitchen sink  I checked  but you could run a mobile kitchen from its power socket.

My favourite safety feature is the indicator cameras which project a blind spot image of what's behind you when you indicate to turn either left or right.

The live-feed image pops either into the left or right side of the screen in front of the driver, depending on the manoeuvre.

Top job for Alison Jones

A woman is leading Britain's car industry for the first time in a history stretching back more than a century  as industry chiefs called for more female leaders in top jobs.

Stellantis boss Alison Jones was named this week as the new president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), taking over in the New Year.

Top job: Stellantis boss Alison Jones was named as the new president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

She is global senior vice-president and UK manager for the conglomerate  now the world's fourth largest car-maker  owning Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and more.

Alison said: 'It continues to be pivotal and exciting times for our industry as we drive technological developments and customer experiences, respond to regulatory changes, and adapt to the effects of coronavirus and post-Brexit world.'

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said that the organisation will continue to work to improve diversity.

Up in arms: Gordon Bennett was known for his bad behaviour

Read all about it: Gordon Bennett

Gordon Bennett! It's an oath still uttered today yet few know of its origins.

A new book out in time for Christmas may put that right. Born in 1841, James Gordon Bennett was a 'spoilt' only son who took over as publisher of the New York Herald from his father, but gained fame as the 'father of International Motor Racing'.

In 1899, he instigated the 'International Gordon Bennett Cup' race series, a forerunner of today's F1 Grand Prix. Known for his bad behaviour, on one occasion it provoked an exclamation of surprise, so the phrase 'Gordon Bennett!' was born.
Software company Checkit is planning a major equity raise to help expand in North America and boost trade with firms in the deskless worker sector.

The 'intelligent operations' business hopes to raise around 21million from offering shares to investors at 46p each, a modest discount to the group's closing share price on Thursday.

Up to 10million will go towards sales and marketing, including 2million to 3million on marketing in the United States, with most of the remaining 11million being spent developing products, such as smart buildings technology.

Technology provider: Software company Checkit is planning a major equity raise to help expand in North America and boost trade with firms in the deskless worker sector

In the short term, Checkit aims to double its annual recurring revenue (ARR) on the way to eventually earning 100million per year, partly by transitioning to being a wholly software-as-a-service business.

It revealed that it has already more than quintupled its sales pipeline since the start of the year to 13.2million, thanks to strong demand from its existing clients.

Based in Cambridge, Checkit offers technology focused on boosting productivity and monitoring the progress of employees and assets in industries with high levels of 'deskless' jobs.

Current customers, which the business said number more than 500, include big companies such as French food services group Sodexo, Center Parcs and petroleum giant BP, and organisations like the National Health Service.

The software provider thinks the potential for expansion is significant as the majority of firms still use paper and other manual processes in their work, and this can result in what it calls 'dark operations.'

Checkit defines the term to be when a 'large proportion of operations are hidden from view, making it difficult for managers to measure productivity and identify risks and opportunities within their business'.

Raison d'etre: Checkit offers technology focused on boosting the productivity and monitoring the progress of employees and assets in 'deskless' sectors like healthcare and hospitality

Around 2.7 billion people are employed in the deskless workforce worldwide, according to business management consultancy Quinyx, which is about four-fifths of the entire global labour force.

Digitising this industry would, Checkit suggests, lead to lower costs, greater efficiency and enable companies to better track and enhance the performance of their employees and assets.

The firm estimates that around 570billion could be potentially spent on technology by the deskless work sector to strengthen its operations, and it could potentially grab a 5 per cent share, or 27billion, of that market.

It said its 'platform is designed to make pen and paper obsolete by providing deskless workers with the technology they need. By optimising and automating business' operational performance levels, it can help customers evolve and expand through improved efficiency.'

Bosses at Checkit also believe it is well-placed to benefit from a 'large, fragmented market' as its competitors offer a more limited product offering.

They want to expand the group's reach into four other sectors - logistics, manufacturing, education and construction - to add to its presence in hospitality, retail and healthcare.

'By evolving both the product and the go-to-market functions, there are significant expansion opportunities across these adjacent industries,' the firm remarked.

'In this context, the company has identified a number of areas in which it believes it can continue to accelerate growth in order to capture market share as well as enhance its products to maintain market position and further grow its customer base.'

Checkit's share price closed trading 2.1 per cent lower at 47p on Friday.
LV's boss is facing a grilling over his relationship with Bain Capital, the US private equity shark trying to buy the insurer.

Mark Hartigan received a letter from Labour MP Gareth Thomas last night, asking him whether he had previously had 'business dealings or discussions' with Bain or its head of insurance Matt Popoli before the firm was invited to bid for LV.

Thomas also asked whether Hartigan, a former army colonel, instructed LV's bankers to approach Bain specifically.

Questions: LV is facing a fierce backlash over the deal, which critics say is a betrayal of its heritage

The Mail understands that when LV began soliciting bids last year, it approached Bain rather than waiting for the private equity firm to make the first move.

LV is facing a fierce backlash over the deal, which critics say is a betrayal of its heritage.

The mutual insurer was set up in Liverpool in 1843 to help the city's poor give their dead a decent burial. But the Bain deal, which is being voted on by members, has proved controversial because it will see yet another British business fall into the hands of profit-hungry US owners.

LV, formerly Liverpool Victoria, will also be stripped of its mutual status, meaning it will no longer be held by its customers and run solely for their benefit.

Bain plans to move the registration to the offshore tax haven of Jersey, though has claimed it will still pay UK taxes.

Thomas said: 'With no genuinely independent expert recommending the deal with Bain, it is even more important that LV and Bain bosses are completely clear about their relationship such as when they first met, what they stand to gain themselves and why on earth they're taking Liverpool Victoria offshore.'

MPs, City grandees and LV customers have raised questions around why Hartigan and chairman Alan Cook chose to sell LV to Bain.

The 178-year-old insurer received a very similar offer from Royal London, a fellow mutual, but turned it down.

Critics have questioned the fact that Bain's offer will see Cook retain his 205,000- a-year job, while Hartigan is hoping to remain in position and has admitted he would likely receive a generous pay rise  and even an ownership stake in the company.

Under the Royal London deal, both would have lost their jobs. Thomas also asked Hartigan what stake he would likely own in the business, and whether any other individuals would hold a chunk.

LV declined to comment. It has insisted that Bain's bid offered the 'best financial outcome' for members. Members have until December 8 to vote on the deal by post or online, or can cast their ballot at an online meeting on December 10.
Three British tech bosses will be hoping to secure an even greater windfall then expected after a bidding war threatened to break out over their software firm.

Jason Kingdon, Alastair Bathgate and David Moss were already set to rake in more than 130million between them, after US private equity firm Vista Equity Partners tabled a 1.1billion offer for Blue Prism.

But that sum is set to climb, after the Takeover Panel yesterday set the scene for a full-scale bidding war. The deal-making watchdog ordered SS&C, a rival suitor that gatecrashed Vista's offer earlier this month, to either make a formal offer by next Thursday or walk away.

On Thursday Vista  founded in 2000 by American tycoon Robert Smith  upped its own offer to 1.2billion, trying to ward off SS&C before a battle began.

The new offer means Blue Prism's chairman and chief executive Kingdon will pocket 73.8million  up from 66.5million.

Co-founders Bathgate and Moss will earn 57.5million and 18million respectively when they sell their stakes. But they will be hoping that SS&C, a US tech firm, comes back with an even better offer before the Takeover Panel's deadline.

Warrington-based Blue Prism, which makes technology for companies to automate office tasks, initially agreed a 1.1billion takeover deal with Vista in September. Blue Prism was due to hold a meeting on November 19 where shareholders could vote on the deal  but it had to cancel its plans after SS&C bowled in with its own approach. But SS&C has failed to come up with a formal bid.

Tycoon: Robert Smith with wife Hope Dworaczyk

Blue Prism has rearranged its vote on the Vista deal for December 9, and the Takeover Panel said SS&C has until December 2 to make a move. Blue Prism's investors will be hoping SS&C comes back with a bigger offer  and not just because they stand to pocket a larger windfall.

Vista's deal has angered share - holders. The private equity predator warned it would slash jobs if it bought Blue Prism. It also refused to commit to Blue Prism's UK headquarters. It wants to merge Blue Prism with Tibco, a Silicon Valley-based data analytics firm it bought for 3.1billion in 2014.

Critics have branded the deal 'private equity at its worst'. But Kingdon, a serial entrepreneur who joined Blue Prism in 2008, said: 'Vista and Tibco recognise the strength of what we have built and the exceptional products and services we provide.'
Private equity giants were licking their lips after Essentra suggested it will be exiting the packaging market.

The plastic goods and cigarette filter maker announced a 'strategic review' of the division, responsible for 363million in annual sales, after saying last month it would move to focus solely on components.

It said a similar review of its filters business, which makes 278.3million of yearly sales, is progressing as planned.

Change of direction: Essentra announced a 'strategic review' of the packaging division

Finance boss Lily Liu is also leaving the company next June and will focus on the shift purely to components, worth 255million in annual sales to the business.

The Milton Keynes-based group has sold off arms in the past to American private equity firms leading to speculation it could also be lining up bidders for its unwanted divisions. In 2019 it sold its speciality tapes business to Los Angeles-based Opengate Capital for 61million.

Private equity buyers have snapped up 68.5billion worth of British firms this year including Asda and Morrisons and most recently Unilever's tea division. Essentra, which makes plastic caps, workholding clamps, fasteners and knobs was itself spun out of FTSE 100 listed Bunzl (up 0.8p, or 21p, to 2835p) in 2005.

Shares in Essentra dropped 1.3 per cent, or 4p, to 309p. Analysts at Jefferies said: 'We see the strategic review progress as being a positive for sentiment, and we reiterate our buy recommendation.'

The investment bank expects the stock will rise to 425p. It was grim news on the blue chip FTSE 100 which crashed 3.64 per cent, or 266.34 points, to 7044.03 yesterday amid the huge uncertainty surrounding the latest Covid variant.

The FTSE 250 fell 3.19 per cent, or 742.07 points, to 22537.89. Meanwhile sofa and flooring seller ScS said it had seen a slowdown in 'big ticket' sales as the supply chain crisis drives up delivery times.

The Sunderland-based company, which has 100 stores around the country, said sales in the 16 weeks to November 20 dropped 10.6 per cent from a year ago when ScS saw an 'unprecedented' boom as stores reopened.

They were 0.9 per cent ahead of the same period two years ago before the pandemic. Shares crashed 8.6 per cent, or 21.5p, to 227.5p.

Drinks maker Diageo offered a sip of relief to pensioners and savers who were starved of payouts through the pandemic.

The Johnnie Walker and Guinness owner announced it will buy back 550m worth of shares between now and March 4.

It plans to return 4.5billion to shareholders by June 30, 2024. It has so far bought back 1.7billion of shares, it said yesterday, up to November 12. Buybacks give shareholders a boost as when repurchased shares are cancelled they drive up the value of remaining stock. Diageo shares dropped 3.9 per cent, or 152.5p, to 3759.5p amid wider market chaos.

Former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy joined electric car charging start-up Myenergi as it is reportedly lining up a London listing. It would join rival Pod Point which listed this month and has seen shares charge up more than 15 per cent since. Pod Point shares dropped 1.6 per cent, or 4p, to 250p yesterday.

Telecom group BT moved into a flashy London office yesterday as it continues to come under pressure from French telecom and media company Altice.

One Braham in Aldgate is part of the firm's 'root and branch' transformation programme.

It came amid reports this month that Altice's founder Patrick Drahi was looking to increase his stake in the group. BT shares dropped 4.3 per cent, or 6.85p, to 154p.
Britain's biggest nursery operator could be about to change hands for up to 3.5billion.

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan  the Canadian investor that owns the Camelot national lottery  is weighing a sale of Busy Bees that could lead to a formal auction process of the business next year, City sources said.

The fund, which manages more than 200 billion for Canadian teachers based in Ontario, bought a majority stake in the chain from the founders for 220million in 2013.

Growth mode: The Busy Bees empire was snapped up for 220million in 2013

Teachers John Woodward, who died last year, and Marg Randles hatched the idea of setting up Busy Bees in 1983 when they were having lunch with their spouses in a pub in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Woodward's wife Lynn was pregnant with their son and the couples were bemoaning the lack of flexible good quality daycare.

So the four sold their houses and bought a large property in Lichfield, turning the ground floor into a nursery.

They lived in the flat upstairs, sent their children to the nursery and used their kitchen as a staff room during the day.

Since then, the group has grown substantially and is now the largest provider of nurseries in the United Kingdom. It operates 379 across Britain and Ireland.

Teachers' investment has also led to international expansion. Busy Bees bought its first foreign business, Knowledge Universe in Singapore and Malaysia, in 2015 from American junk bond financier Michael Milken.

City sources said Busy Bees generates between 150 million and 200million of earnings, so the company could be sold for between 2.5billion and 3.5billion.

A spokesman for the Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund declined to comment.
Police fired tear gas in Burkina Fasos capital on Saturday during a demonstration against the governments failure to stop a wave of violence by Islamist militants.

Opponents of President Roch Kabore called for renewed protests in response to a recent surge of attacks in the West African country, including one by al Qaeda-linked militants that killed 49 military police officers and four civilians.

The assault two weeks ago near the northern town of Inata was the deadliest Burkinabe security forces have suffered since an insurgency broke out in 2015 and has fuelled anger against the government and the French military forces that support it.

Since then, there have been scattered protests and demonstrators in the city of Kaya prevented the passage of a French military convoy on its way to neighbouring Niger for nearly a week.

On Saturday, military police officers launched tear gas canisters to disperse about 100 protesters who were trying to march toward downtown Ouagadougou.

After retreating to side streets, the protesters began erecting barricades and burning tyres and trash cans.

The publics angry response to the latest attacks has unnerved the authorities, who cut mobile internet access a week ago and refused to authorise Saturdays demonstration.

The United Nations special envoy to West Africa said on Thursday he was concerned about the situation in Burkina Faso and warned against any military takeover, following coups in three neighbouring countries over the past year. read more

The political instability has undermined a regional fight against militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, who continue to gain ground across West Africas Sahel region.

Kabore promised in a speech to the nation on Thursday to end dysfunction within the military after reports the gendarmes at the base near Inata had run out of food weeks before the attack.

SOURCE: REUTERS
EASTON  Move over corn and hay. Theres a new crop coming into Washington County  grapes.

These tender orbs are not for jams or juices but for the drink of the gods, wine.

While the county hillsides and fields are not overly sown with vineyards, three county wineries are producing fine reds and whites in an 11-mile loop around Easton and Cambridge  a circle within the larger Upper Hudson Wine Trail that runs from Albany to Hoosick to Glens Falls to Schoharie and back again.

A trail puts us on a map, said Andrew Weber, the president of the Upper Hudson American Viticulture Area and owner and vintner of Northern Cross Vineyard in Easton, who worked to establish the trail. It helps consumers understand where we are.

Still, it isn't always easy to find these wineries  that include Victory View and South Dominion  as they can be situated on remote country roads. But with the recent posting of wine trail markers, the wineries have become more visible.

That, along with a growing enthusiasm for the beverage that has spiked during the pandemic, has attracted more tasters to the vineyards.

People are showing up, said Weber, whose tasting room is open on weekends. And since COVID, our business has doubled. We have been full nearly every weekend.

Co-owner of Victory View Vineyard, Gerry Barnhart, said he too has seen increased traffic at his Easton winery. And with outdoor tables and chairs, people feel safe imbibing during the pandemic.

Weve done really well with that, Barnhart said. People seem to feel comfortable.

But it's not the pandemic that is solely driving traffic, its the wine itself. Webers 2018 Frontenac just won best red hybrid varietal at the New York Wine Classic this year.

It was a surprise, Weber said. A lot of folks come in here and love it. Thats why I wanted to take it to a competition and see how it would fare. The judges loved it as much as the consumer loved it.

The vintners say while some people remain skeptical about the quality of New York state wines, those notions are being dispelled by those who stop in to taste the local wines.

Our biggest tool is word of mouth, Barnhart said. Once people have been here and tried our wines, they are universally complimentary. We often hear, I didnt know wines like this were made in New York state. Our reviews on Facebook, Yelp or Trip Advisor are pretty positive. We get a lot of people come here based on reading our reviews.

Weber and Barnhart say its all about the fruit, varieties that were grown specifically to endure the cold climate. These relatively new grapes like La Crescent, La Crosse, Marquette, Frontenac and Petite Pearl were developed in places like Minnesota and Wisconsin to withstand temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Barnhart said the grapes are mostly French-American hybrids, but he also has one from the Alsace region of France, Marechal Foch, that is also hardy that grow well in our vineyard. Most are dry.

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Our wines are crafted to complement food, Barnhart said. It reflects my wife and my bias; we enjoy wine with good food. We try to make wines that complement that kind of experience.

Right now, Victory View, where tasters can view the hills where the Battle of Saratoga was fought, has six wines  three whites and three reds  that Barnhart pairs with local cheese for tastings.

Weber says he also offers his six dry wines per tasting, his award-winning Frontenac, as well as Marquette and St. Croix (reds) and La Crescent, La Crosse and Prairie Star (whites), plus a seventh wine that he calls Battenkill Red. It's a blend of Marquette and Frontenac, which he creates for the guests as they watch.

We like to show them how much a difference it makes for the wines, Weber said. We also give them a square of chocolate. They will take the wine, then take a nibble of chocolate and taste the wine again and see what a difference it makes to pair chocolate with wine. Its fun for them. They can see everything. They look in the back of the building and see the tanks and look out the window to see where the vineyard is. Sometimes, folks will stay two or three hours.

Now that he has the attention of wine drinkers, who visit his wineries as well as at local farmers markets, Weber hopes to get his wines into local wine and liquor shops.

The bigger challenge is getting the wines to the store, Weber said. We have to introduce it to the consumer because they have so many wine choices on the shelf. Ive done tastings in stores of wines we produce and end up selling a dozen bottles. People are very surprised at the quality of wine being grown here.

And he believes the trail signs will further promote the product.

It took a while to get the signs up," Weber said. "Now that they are up, I think more folks will find us."
ALBANY  Advocates for supportive housing for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness are hoping Gov Kathy Hochul will make a bold commitment for their cause, including a financial pledge to help develop 14,000 housing units over the next decade.

Six years ago, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed onto a statewide housing plan to tackle homelessness, pledging to establish 20,000 living units over 15 years. The plan was funded through the first five years. Last year, $215 million was promised initially ahead of a potential new five-year plan.

The advocates, led by the "Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing," a coalition of at least 18 organizations, said they hope Hochul will include a new five-year supportive housing funding plan in her budget plan. Hochul has said she is in the middle of crafting her budget, which will be the lone one she puts together before her likely June primary for governor.

"I don't see them putting the brakes on, but I'm sure everyone is approaching the governor about their pet project, so we're hoping this rises to the top," said Laura Mascuch, Supportive Housing Network of New York executive director. The 30-year-old network works with 200 nonprofits and helps support 55,000 housing units across the state.

Out of the Cuomo-era plan, about 7,400 units have been funded, the campaign said in a letter to Hochul last month. The advocates are asking for Hochul to support creating 14,000 new units and preserving 6,000 existing units of supportive housing over the next decade.

Money for the statewide initiative dries up in March, the advocates said.

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"Without a commitment in this years executive budget for another five years of funding, production will come to a halt," the letter from the coalition reads. "Nonprofits and developers need predictability. They will stop buying sites, and many investors as well as

syndicators will also become wary of making investments, in the absence of concrete assurances that the program will continue."

The coalition said there are about 9,000 supportive housing units that are at "physical or financial risk."

There were about 1,800 people experiencing homelessness in the Capital Region, according to a 2020 estimate. Fifteen providers in the region were awarded funding for services in a recent allocation from the state.

More than 91,000 New Yorkers were experiencing homelessness in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. About 15,000 of them were family households. In the 2018-19 school year, nearly 150,000 public school students experienced homelessness, including nearly 5,500 who were unsheltered. Only California was reported to have more people than New York to be experiencing homelessness.
North Dakota wants to extend the states abandoned well plugging program by tapping into $4 billion made available in the federal infrastructure bill for the purpose of cleaning up old oil and gas sites across the nation
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Sheriff: Man charged in deaths of girl, 6, and her mother

Authorities in southern Maryland say that a man has been charged in the deaths of a 6-year-old girl and her 37-year-old mother
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More than any other mode of transit, COVID-19 basically shut down the Kansas City streetcar.



Remember . . .

Amid fear of COVID-19, ridership of the toy train fell to abysmal levels as strict but necessary precautions chased away most passengers.

As far as transit trends go, the used car industry enjoyed a boom as quite a few locals decided to avoid public transit altogether amid the plauge.

And now, the smart money and the world prepare for another "variant" of COVID . . .



Leaders are advising caution but not panic . . . Meanwhile, borders closing and stock sell-offs should convince the plebs that the concern is genuine and not conspiratorial.



Moreover . . .

The COVID Omicron variant reminds us that plans for the Kansas City streetcar and taxpayers supporting its expansion must account for resurgence of pandemic threats and how quickly locals abandoned this mode of transit out of genuine health concerns.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

New York governor warns of Covid rise as US braces for Omicron arrival New York, one of the states hit hardest and earliest by Covid-19, is taking steps to limit a new winter wave of infections as transmission rates approach those of April 2020 and the US braces for the Omicron variant, discovered in southern Africa.

At least 2 people in the U.K. have the omicron variant, health secretary says At least two people in the United Kingdom have the omicron variant of the coronavirus, the country's health secretary announced. The cases are linked and involve travel to southern Africa, where the latest variant was first identified, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Saturday. The individuals are isolating at home.

Fauci Says Omicron Is Likely Already Here, NY Issues Emergency Order Parts of the U.S. have begun an all-out assault against the new, highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 as Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that the variant is likely already circulating in the country. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday, limiting hospital capacity to emergency needs as of Dec.

Omicron, a new Covid-19 variant with high number of mutations, sparks travel bans and worries scientists The discovery of a new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant by South African health authorities has sparked a forceful reaction across the world, with a number of countries banning travelers from several southern African countries.

UK takes new measures to slow Omicron coronavirus variant LONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Britain announced new measures on Saturday to try to slow the spread of the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant and a top health official said there was a "reasonable chance" that vaccines could be less effective against it.

WHO skips over Greek letters 'nu' and 'xi'; names new variant 'omicron' The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed it skipped the Greek letters "nu" and "xi" in naming its new COVID-19 variant, which it dubbed the " omicron" variant.

World races to contain new COVID threat, the omicron variant | AP News BRUSSELS (AP) - Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on nearly every continent.

Developing . . .


As we've noted previously on this blog . . . The Kansas City holiday season traditionally hosts an uptick in deadly local violence.

Tempers often flare as weather gets colder and people are confined indoors with one another AND the holiday gift giving season creates stress among those who haven't learned how to lower their own expectations and the demands of their loved ones.

Accordingly . . .

This is likely the 137th homicide so far this year compared to 166 at this time last year and 136 the year before that . . . Here is the first report . . .



Homicide 43rd & Cleveland

(Friday night) just after 7:30 PM officers were dispatched to sound of shots in the area of 43rd and Askew. At the same time a second call came in on sound of shots and was updated to a shooting at 43rd and Cleveland.



Upon arrival officers found an adult male victim in the parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began CPR until EMS arrived and took over. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Theres no suspect information at this time.



Detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene and are actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene. If you have any information please call the Homicide unit at 234-5043. If you wish to remain anonymous you can call the TIPS hotline at 474-TIPS, with up to a $25,000 reward for an arrest in this case.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Kansas City police investigate after man fatally shot near 43rd, Cleveland Kansas City police are investigating after a man was gunned down Friday night near 43rd Street and Cleveland Avenue.Authorities said that just after 7:30 p.m., officers were called on a report of gunshots near 43rd Street and Askew Avenue.

Kansas City police investigating homicide at 43rd, Cleveland KANSAS CITY, MO. (KCTV) --- Police are in Kansas City are investigating a homicide at 43rd and Cleveland. Police say they were called out to the area around 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening. An adult male was found in the parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds.

KCPD investigating shooting at 4300 Cleveland Avenue KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is investigating a shooting just after 7:30 p.m. Friday at 4300 Cleveland Avenue. Officers were originally dispatched to 43rd and Askew on the sound of shots fired. After a second sound of shots was reported, the call was upgraded to a shooting at 43rd and Cleveland, according to police.

Man killed near 43rd and Cleveland in Kansas City, police say by: Makenzie Koch Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police are investigating a homicide Friday night after a man was shot to death. Police said the deadly shooting happened near 43rd and Cleveland in the parking lot of the Blue Valley Market around 7:40 p.m.

Developing . . .
There's one glaring error in small biz Saturday.

Social media denizens often focus on hipster biz and the hobbies of middle-class dropouts offering their 'crafted' goods to rich friends whilst ignoring longstanding local biz that has endured generations of opposition from government both local & national along with the rise of the Internets and consumer culture.

Reality check amid the debate over the death of retail . . .

It's a small miracle when any truly local biz can keep it's doors open.

Accordingly . . .



Here's a quick shout out to buying local stuff and opportunities to pick up some merch that's not made by a toddler somewhere in the Far East . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Small Business Saturday brings hopes to Kansas City owners KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Locally owned businesses around the Kansas City area are hoping people have enough energy from Black Friday to shop on Small Business Saturday. The day was created to get people to shop small and bring in more of that holiday shopping closer to home.

Small Business Saturday: Shop local in the Kansas City area this weekend KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Over a year-and-a-half into the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses need support now more than ever. The holiday season is one of the busiest times for companies as consumers rush to buy gifts for family and friends.

Waldo Has Plenty To Offer On Small Business Saturday - In Kansas City Sponsored content: The Waldo area is a quintessential neighborhood-a bustling 'burb to socialize, shop, dine, or reside. And with so many handy, local stores and services, Waldo has plenty to offer visitors on Small Business Saturday. Many local business owners are pulling out all the stops so you can get a jumpstart on your holiday...

KC shops participating in Small Business Saturday - KCtoday What's on your shopping list? | Photo via @astorenamedstuff. Black Friday brings out the best deals from all the major retailers, but Small Business Saturday is when the lovers-of-all-things-local come out to shop. From kickstarting your shopping adventure with a coffee at the Filling Station to picking up holiday gifts at Mid Coast Modern , you can make your entire Saturday a local experience.

How the relaunched Classic Cookie plans to craft KC's best breakfast sandwich (without overcomplicating it) A longtime Waldo restaurant and sweets shop is under new ownership, Chef Bryan Sparks announced, serving up a plan to fix the broken restaurant industry he thought he'd left behind. Up first: perfecting the best breakfast sandwich in Kansas City.

Small Business Saturday: White House encourages America to shop small The White House is encouraging Americans to shop Small Business Saturday after nearly two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the first cases of COVID-19 began to pop up in the U.S.

Biden-Harris administration sees strong outlook for Black businesses for Small Business Saturday EXCLUSIVE: Minority Business Development Agency Acting Director Miguel Estien chats with theGrio about how the administration is supporting minority entrepreneurs. Small Business Saturday is one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, routinely falling after the mad rush of Black Friday and the Thanksgiving holiday.

Walmart, Target and big chains will rake in cash this holiday. Small stores may not be so lucky Many Americans are shopping small Saturday to support mom-and-pop clothing, toy, furniture, sporting goods, hardware and electronics' stores.

Developing . . .
It seems that this holiday season we're already learn that "it's a small world after all" as the plague continues to cycle around the planet.



Here's the latest report . . .

It seems to spread rapidly, U.S. President Joe Biden said of the new variant, only a day after celebrating the resumption of Thanksgiving gatherings for millions of American families and the sense that normal life was coming back at least for the vaccinated. In announcing new travel restrictions, he told reporters, Ive decided that were going to be cautious.



Omicrons actual risks are not understood. But early evidence suggests it carries an increased risk of reinfection compared with other highly transmissible variants, the WHO said. That means people who contracted COVID-19 and recovered could be subject to catching it again. It could take weeks to know if current vaccines are less effective against it.



In response to the variants discovery in southern Africa, the United States, Canada, Russia and a host of other countries joined the European Union in restricting travel for visitors from that region, where the variant brought on a fresh surge of infections.



The White House said the U.S. will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries in the region beginning Monday. Biden said that means no travel to or from the designated countries except for returning U.S. citizens and permanent residents who test negative.

Meanwhile, the only thing we know for sure is that locals will continue to echo most of what comes down from D.C. as we hope for the best and await the next phase of the pandemic . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Public health experts: Too early to tell Omicron's impact on KC metro KANSAS CITY, Kan. - With the World Health Organization naming the latest COVID-19 variant on Friday, local doctors and public health officials say it's too early to say how this particular strain will impact the metro. Fears over the "Omicron" variant made Wall Street see its worst day so far this year, as the U.S.

Kansas City area health experts keeping an eye on omicron, new COVID variant KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The emergence of the new omicron variant of COVID-19 has the attention of public health officials everywhere. That's certainly true for health care providers in the Kansas City area, as well as passengers traveling to and from Kansas City International Airport, since new travel restrictions will affect airline travelers in the coming weeks.

World races to contain new COVID threat, the omicron variant BRUSSELS (AP) - Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on every continent.

What we know about the Omicron variant A new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa has prompted a fresh round of travel restrictions across the world and raised concern about what may be next in the pandemic.

The new South Africa covid variant is a stark reminder that we are still in the depths of the pandemic Covid variant Omicron has about 30 mutations in its spike protein, indicating it could be more resistant to vaccines than other strains.

Pfizer Vaccine Already Being Tested Against Mega-Mutated Omicron Variant Testing has already begun to determine whether the Pfizer vaccine protects against a mutant strain of COVID-19 that first appeared in Africa and has already made its way to East Asia and Europe, the Financial Times reported Friday.

Europe and Asia, alarmed by COVID variant, start to tighten borders LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - European and Asian countries tightened travel curbs on Friday after a new and possibly vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant was detected in South Africa, with the EU, Britain and India among those announcing stricter border controls.

U.S. stock market's COVID plunge puts these potential pullback lows in focus: analyst With U.S. stocks suffering a sharp, Black Friday selloff following the discovery of a fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, chart watchers are attempting to gauge just how deep any pullback could get.

Developing . . .


For the first time in modern Kansas City history, the top elected leader at 12th & Oak has engaged in a political war with local law enforcement.



More importantly, what incites our bloggy temper tantrums annoyance more than anything is the Mayor's hypocritical and, dare we note, cowardly insistence that he's not in a fight with the cops.

Fact check . . .

KANSAS CITY MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS IS NOW THE GREATEST ENEMY LOCAL POLICE HAVE CONFRONTED SINCE PENDERGAST!!!

Here's our top five list which includesin order to prove our thesis . . .

Mayor Q marched with activists amid BLM riots chanting 'No Justice, No Peace' alongside protesters.

This is the least of all his offenses. Everyone is allowed to express their opinion but standing arm in arm with protesters at a riot scene that caused MILLIONS worth of damage sent a clear message to the entire metro. Meanwhile, cops endured dozens of injuries and an officer was sent to the hospital with a lacerated liver.

After BLM riots the Mayor argued for 'local control' of police backed up by activists who were espousing even more strident rhetoric targeting law enforcement.



Again, this policy decision has been under discussion for quite some time. The current KCPD Chief rejects the idea and, ultimately, council dude Eric Bunch and the mayor backed off their promise to put the decision before voters when it became clear that the local electorate objected to the drastic change based on the DISASTER that STL has confronted after they did as much. Most recently, gunshots during Mayor Q's press conference with the STL mayor inspires locals to question the wisdom of following their lead.



Mayor Q Lost His Defunding Court Case With KCPD After Nearly A Year Of Bitter Feuding



Last month, a Jackson County judge ruled the Kansas City Councils changes to the police departments funding violate state law. The Mayor was at the forefront of pushing this effort and promises to continue his crusade to target police funding and exercise more "local control" that would "reallocate" cash to a "community" fund that has yet reveal any deets to voters.

The Mayor and his allies have leveled scathing criticism at supporters of the KCPD Chief and law enforcement in general



Here's a mean-spirited quote from the Mayor's office following THOUSANDS of Northland residents showing their support for KCPD this summer:

"While an out-of-state special interest group spent a beautiful night in the Northland peddling lies, dividing our community, and turning a profit on merchandise, Mayor Lucas himself spent his evening with a diverse group of folks on a neighborhood walking tour of Kansas Citys East Side to discuss with community leaders how we can best invest in our neighborhoods and mentor our young people . . ."



That's not exactly a unifying message and the social media chatter from the Mayor's Twitter bots was even more pointed.

Finally . . .



Mayor Q's Attempt To "Force Out" The KCPD Chief Signals All Out Political War With Police Leadership



It recently occurred to us . . . The newspaper contends the Chief has been "forced out" but they aren't really highlighting WHO has exactly ousted the top cop . . .

It wasn't Bishop Tolbert. He seems to be along for the ride but it's doubtful that guy could put together a church picnic without a lot of help from very nice people in his congregation.

Let's be crystal clear . . .

AS A MEMBER OF THE POLICE BOARD MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS IS THE LEADER OF THE EFFORT TO FORCE OUT THE KCPD CHIEF!!!

Like it not, this is a political reality even if the Mayor won't say as much . . . Sadly, no other Kansas City journalist has really bothered to mention this fact OR call out the mayor's silence.

Of course . . .



The mayor has declined to discuss the matter with mainstream media citing the issue as a personnel matter.

However . . .

Voters deserve to know that Mayor Quinton Lucas is, in fact, the leading vote in this palace coup targeting the top cop.

So far the alleged "paper of record" in Kansas City has tap danced around this issue that's merely just a matter of documentation.

The concerns of community leaders, activists and clergy are referenced in argument against the Chief but those people aren't accountable to voters . . . The Mayor is . . . And he hasn't even bothered to discuss his reasoning, plan or decision to target the Chief with the people who elected him.

What's more troubling is that few of the objections against the Chief have garnered much support outside a small circle of activists.

More questions for consideration . . .

Beyond constant critics & activists, does the average Kansas City resident believe that police Chief deserve to be replaced???

On the topic of inclusion . . .



Has the biz community or any other neighborhood organization outside of the 3rd & 5th district argued for the Chief's removal?!?!



About the reasoning . . .



What exactly did the Chief do that merits being "forced out" via a sketchy story in the newspaper?!?!



Fact is . . .

There is no scandal and most of the discontent and legal wrangling over police issues have been directed against the Mayor.

And now . . .

A quick pause to remind readers that TKC stand as INDEPENDENT in this debate . . .

A great deal of this crisis is to blame on police political leadership . . .



It deserves mention that police leadership endorsed Quinton Lucas for Mayor and so-far they've never faced serious questions about the miscalculation and misjudgment.

Police union leaders and top ranking leadership are great at tough talk online and behind the scenes but doing the humbling grunt work of community outreach and building real life coalitions with diverse communities isn't their strong suit.

Moreover . . .

Reps for former Council lady Jolie Justus warned police that Mayor Q would stab them in the back but the cops just couldn't fathom getting behind an openly lesbian candidate . . . Lulz.



But I digress . . .

Here's the point of all this . . .

Mayor Quinton Lucas is, in fact, an adversary of Kansas City Police.

No sane person cold deny as much.

Only a liar would dare claim his constant complaints only target KCPD leadership and doesn't, at some level, impact the rank & file.



What's important now is to acknowledge clearly defined opposition amid crisis and figure out how we move forward as rising violence, worsening plague and an increasingly divisive political discourse confront Kansas City and the nation.

You decide . . .
Yet another Kansas City tradition has been overshadowed by politics and culture war.



As objectively as possible, here's the situation . . .



Despite MILLIONS in support, many Kansas City residents plan to skip the Mayor's Christmas Tree lighting after the announcement of wrongly incarcerated Kevin Strickland was announced as the guest of honor.



This morning, here were some of the messages waiting for TKC . . .

"I plan to stay in Merriam, Kansas where our Mayor will celebrate Christmas accompanied by a choir. This event only interests me enough to remind me why visits to KCMO have become increasingly rare for my family."

A note about priorities . . .

"I want my kids to remember happy times with me . . . As a Black woman I feel the pain of this story and I'm not saying it shouldn't be covered. But it's not right for a Christmas celebration. The mayor should acknowledge it in a more appropriate venue . . ."



A final note of frustration . . .

"So I guess it's another 'woke' Christmas for Mayor Q. What kind of message does this send? There are plenty of good charities out there but the mayor is holding up a murder suspect as a role model. It's a disservice to our community and it reinforces the lie that police planted evidence, which was a questionable theory at best. NO THANKS. Won't be going to this event."

For what it's worth and only for close readers . . . We want to remind everyone that the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund is a great cause that formerly creative widespread sentiment of unity throughout the metro. In fact, the most legendary supporter of the event was a Jewish guy named Jerry Cohen who helped raise MILLIONS for charity and senior services throughout his tenure.



So, no matter how you might feel about tonight's festivities . . . Think about supporting the Mayor's Christmas Tree fund in order to help the less fortunate in Kansas City.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

$1 million from donors, other offers of help show 'a consensus' in support of Kevin Strickland A GoFundMe fundraiser to support Kevin Strickland has topped $1 million just days after he was freed from prison after spending 43 years incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. A Missouri judge exonerated and ordered Strickland, 62, to be released from the Western Missouri Correctional Center on Tuesday.

Season of celebration: Newly-freed Kevin Strickland to light Mayor's Christmas Tree by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There's a new reason to celebrate in Kansas City Friday evening. Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Thursday that Kevin Strickland will join him to turn on the lights for the Mayor's Christmas Tree at Crown Center. "God bless him.

Donations Top $1 Million For Wrongfully Convicted Man Who Spent 43 Years Behind Bars Supporters have raised more than $1 million for a man who was exonerated earlier this week after serving 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Kevin Strickland, now 62, was wrongfully convicted in 1979 in the murders of three people who were killed when four men broke into a home in Kansas City, Missouri, and shot them.

You decide . . .
If there's a mural in your Kansas City neighborhood that earns a great of social media love, odds are that you're probably worrying about your next property tax bill.

To be fair, murals are often used to spruce up slums.

Sadly, despite recent interest in local murals . . . Neither former Prez Trump not current Prez Biden have earned tribute from the creative class with a memorable al fresco.



However, there was a Bernie mural near Union Hill that, surprisingly, was barely touched by taggers.



Nevertheless . . .

Let's not forget Kansas City's greatest mural achievement amid a recent collection . . .



Several communities came together to create street installations for the Black Lives Matter movement in major thoroughfares throughout the city. These public art installations were designed by some of Kansas Citys most respected artists with hundreds of volunteers pitching in to help bring their visions into reality.



Discover murals in all shapes, sizes, and designs in Midtown, Overland Park, Westport, Crossroads, Kansas City, Kansas, North Kansas City and the Historic Northeast, as well as 18th & Vine, Troost, Downtown, Country Club Plaza, West Bottoms and River Market.

Accordingly, here's a guide to locals who spent way to much on an art degree . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Over the past day, November 26, the Russian occupation forces twice violated the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Operation zone in eastern Ukraine, including once with the use of weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements.

Thats according to a report by the JFO Headquarters, seen by Ukrinform.

"Toward Maryinka, the enemy fired 82 mm mortars. In the direction of Novomykhailivka, the enemy opened small arms fire. As a result of hostilities, a Ukrainian soldier sustained an injury non-compatible with life, the report reads.

The Command has expressed sincere condolences to the family and friends of the hero who died for Ukraine.

It is noted that the Ukrainian troops returned fire without employing weapons banned by the Minsk accords and forced the enemy to cease shelling.

As of 7:00 Kyiv time on November 27, Ukraine military reported no new ceasefire breaches by the Russian occupation forces.

"The Joint Forces are monitoring the situation, further carrying out their tasks to deter and repel Russias armed aggression," the JFO HQ said.

im
In Ukraines northern Chernihiv region, as part of the Polissia special operation, the countrys border guards have conducted an exercise involving reserve forces.

Thats according to the press center of the State Border Guard Service, Ukrinform reports.

Forces and means involved in the operation were deployed in four different sections of the border simultaneously to work out coordination of all units under the enhanced border protection protocol.

"The main task has been completed. As part of the reinforcement, we have practiced and fixed the required capabilities to respond to abrupt changes in the operational environment," said Oleksandr Chornyi, Chief of the local Border Guard Detachment.

As reported, on November 23, the active phase of the Polissia special interagency operation kicked off on the border with the Republic of Belarus. It is being coordinated by border guards, also engaging the National Guard, police, the Armed Forces, and other reserves involved in order to prevent a possible migration crisis and combat any illegal activity at the border.

On November 25, in Zhytomyr region, within the framework of the Polissia operation, more exercises were held to work out ensuring law and order in case of an escalation at the border with Belarus.

The situation on the Polish-Belarusian border has deteriorated sharply in recent weeks as hundreds of migrants are trying daily to force their way into Poland, breaking barbed wire barriers with the active support of Belarusian security forces.

Warsaw has blamed the Lukashenko regime and the Kremlin for engineering the crisis. At the same time, Poland is trying to build up broad international support and boost its border protection in the countrys east.

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Ukraine is NATOs partner, but not a member of the Alliance, so it is not protected by Article 5 of the Washington Collective Defense Treaty. Nevertheless, Russia must realize that any aggression against Ukraine will come at a very high price.

This was announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Friday, November 26, during a press conference ahead of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, Ukrinforms own correspondent reported.

"NATO provides support to Ukraine. We do that as an Alliance. And also NATO Allies provide support directly to Ukraine with different types of capacity building, with training, with supplies of different capabilities, different weapon systems. And therefore NATO Allies and NATO provide significant political and military support to Ukraine, Stoltenberg reiterated.

At the same time, he added that Ukraine is a partner of NATO, while it is not a member of the Alliance.

So our collective defense clause, Article 5 (of the Washington Treaty - ed.) does not apply to Ukraine," said the NATO chief.

He noted that NATO is closely monitoring the situation around Ukraine and sharing data with allies. At present, there is no certainty as to what Russia's next steps may be. But the fact that the buildup of Russian troops continues and that Russia has already used military force troops against Ukraine is cause for concern.

"They continue to illegally annex Crimea. They continue to destabilize eastern Ukraine, Donbas, and they continue to launch cyber and hybrid attacks against Ukraine. So if putting all this together, of course, there are reasons to be deeply concerned about the developments we see along the borders of Ukraine. Therefore, we call on Russia to be transparent, to de-escalate, and to reduce tensions. It is also clear that if Russia uses force against Ukraine that will have costs, that will have consequences," Stoltenberg stressed.

He warned Russia against miscalculating NATO's resolve capability, and will to defend all NATO Allies, Stoltenberg said.

As reported, a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers will be held in Riga from November 30 to December 1 to discuss the current security situation and preparations for the next NATO summit in Madrid.

The NATO Secretary General invited the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Georgia to participate in the NATO foreign ministerial in Riga.

im
Ukraine can count on Canada's support in countering Russian aggression.

This was reiterated by Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly during a phone call with Ukraines Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba on Friday, November 26, according to an Ukrinform correspondent

I have assured Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the Ukrainian people can count on Canada's unwavering support, Joly wrote on Twitter.

According to the chief of Canadas diplomacy, the situation with the amassing of Russian troops in and around Ukraine" was discussed during the call, as well as "our common commitment to bringing Iran to justice for the downing of flight PS752.

It should be recalled that on January 8, 2020, a UIA plane, flight PS752 (Tehran-Kyiv) was shot down shortly after taking off the Iranian capitals airport. All crew and passengers, a total of 176 people, citizens of Ukraine, Canada, Sweden, Iran, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom were killed in the crash.

On January 11, the Iranian authorities, after a few days of denying involvement in the jet crash, admitted that the Ukrainian airliner had been mistakenly shot down by an anti-aircraft missile system.

On November 22, 2021, the military court of Iran launched hearings of the case.

As reported, Ukrainian Presidents Office chief Andriy Yermak spoke with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

The parties discussed common concerns about Russia's continued military activity near the Ukrainian border and its harsh rhetoric targeting Ukraine.

Photo: Dmytro Kuleba, Facebook

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Ukraine sees participation in the Eastern Partnership as an important initiative that needs to be adapted to address the challenges of today, taking into account the level of ambition of all participants and the goals they seek to achieve in relations with the EU.

Vsevolod Chentsov, Ukraine's representative to the EU, said this in an exclusive comment to Ukrinform during the international conference "EU and Eastern Partnership" held in The Hague on Friday, November 26.

"Ukraine sees participation in the Eastern Partnership as an important initiative that must be adapted to today's requirements to meet the needs of its members, taking into account the level of their ambitions and goals they seek to achieve in relations with the EU. In the case of Ukraine and other EU partners  Georgia and Moldova  Partnership instruments should focus on gradual rapprochement with the EU in relevant sectors and preparation for the future of EU membership, and in this context, it is important for the EU to recognize the reality of the Association Trio united by a common order in relations with the EU, the ambassador said.

In his opinion, it is necessary to designate together with the EU achievable medium-term goals, such as, for example, participation in the EU common market, the implementation of green or digital transformation policies. "These are quite realistic things given political will and systemic hard work on both sides," Chentsov said.

The diplomat also stressed that these goals are quite achievable, because at one time the conclusion of the Association Agreement or securing visa-free travel seemed surreal tasks, but they were realized anyway.

The EU-Eastern Partnership International Conference in The Hague, among other things, focused on the challenges facing Ukraine and other project participants today.

It is in the EUs interest to invest in stability on its eastern borders, while strengthening democratic institutions, rule of law, and independent media will make partner countries more resilient and stable, according to Jaap Fredericks, Special Representative of the Dutch diplomacy for Europe and Eastern Partnership.

President of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, Lidia Izovitova, Vice President of the Association Valentyn Hvozdiy, and Chairman of its International Relations Committee Ivan Hrechkivskyi spoke about the progress and achievements of legal reforms in Ukraine.

Due to restrictive measures related to the coronavirus epidemic, some speakers spoke via videoconference.

The conference was held ahead of the Eastern Partnership summit scheduled to be held in Brussels in December.

The event in The Hague was organized by the LINKS Europe nonprofit in cooperation with the City Administration of The Hague and the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands, and with the support of The Hague Humanity Hub.

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Holodomor Remembrance Day is marked annually on the fourth Saturday of November, Ukrinform reports.

In the 20th century, Ukrainians three times were subjected to a mass famine: in 1921-1923, 1932-1933, and 1946-1947. However, the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was the most devastating one  it has been recognized as the genocide of the Ukrainian people by Joseph Stalins regime. Ukrainian peasants became victims of the Soviet government following full-out repression of the Ukrainian intelligentsia and clergy.

The mass famine in Ukraine was preceded by a number of events. On November 18, 1932, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine issued a resolution "On Measures to Strengthen Grain Procurement," which provided for penalties for failing to comply with grain harvesting targets. Subsequently, the list of foods subject to expropriation was expanded to include potatoes and lard, and at the end of the year  long-term storage products. In addition, the resolution issued the same day "On liquidating counter-revolutionary cells and tackling the kulak groups" allowed authorities to seize bread from peasants accused of "counter-revolutionary crimes."

On November 26, the People's Commissar for Justice and the Prosecutor General of the Ukrainian SSR issued an order emphasizing that "repression is one of the powerful means of overcoming class resistance to grain procurement." Thus, the artificial famine became a thoroughly crafted and disguised punitive operation.

Read also: Biden calls to prevent tragedies such as Holodomor

First of all, all grains the peasants had harvested was confiscated, then their food stocks were also seized through fines and raids. In December 1932, trade in food products was banned as such in 82 districts of Ukraine, while supplies of industrial goods also ceased. In early 1933, a ban on leaving the territory of starving Ukraine deprived peasants of their last hopes of salvation.

The famine terror that lasted in Ukraine for 22 months took lives of almost 4 million people.

For decades, the subject of the Holodomor has been tabooed. As long as the communist regime existed, even discussing the issue of famine of those years was strictly forbidden. Research into this tragedy began only in the late 1980s. Today in Ukraine, according to the law adopted on November 28, 2006, "On the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine," the famine of 1932-1933 is regarded as an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people, while its public denial is recognized as an insult to the memory of millions of Holodomor victims, humiliation of dignity of the Ukrainian people, and deemed illegal. "

On December 7, 2016, Ukrainian lawmakers called on other states to recognize the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people. So far, 17 countries have done so. Another 10 countries have officially condemned the Holodomor as an act of extermination by the totalitarian Stalinist regime or commemorated its victims. In addition, the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine was recognized as an act of genocide at the regional and municipal levels in eight countries.

National events dedicated to the Holodomor Remembrance Day will be held throughout Ukraine, including vigils, thematic scientific, media and art events, exhibitions, presentations of archived documents, photos, and videos. The State Flag shall be lowered to half-mast across Ukraine.

At 4:00 PM, Ukrainians light candles of remembrance in their homes and join a nationwide moment of silence.

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In the past 24 hours, 14,200 new coronavirus cases were reported across Ukraine.

Thats according to a Facebook report by Ukraines Ministry of Health, seen by Ukrinform.

"For the day of November 26, 14,200 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus disease were recorded across Ukraine (including 1,296 cases involving minors and 212 - medics)," reads the statement.

Also for the past 24 hours, 3,305 patients were hospitalized, 568 died, and 22,946 recovered.

Throughout the entire pandemic in Ukraine, 3,414,540 citizens contracted the coronavirus, 2,899,967 recovered, and 84,717 succumbed to the disease.

A total of 15,793,678 PCR tests have been run.

Also, the Ministry of Health says 279,776 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, of which 81,459 received their first shot and 198,317 were fully immunized.

Since the launch of the inoculation campaign, 13,246,110 Ukrainians have already been vaccinated, of which 13,246,108 have received a single dose and 10,808,676  both doses. A total of 24,054,784 vaccinations were performed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on November 25, Ukraine reported 15,936 new COVID-19 cases.

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Burlington Capital International, University of Nebraska at Omahas International Programs, and University of Nebraska Lincoln welcomed three former U.S. Ambassadors to the UNO campus on October 25th and the UNL campus on October 26th for the 10th annual Nebraska Ambassadors Forum. Together with the American Academy of Diplomacy, the Forum brought career diplomats to Omaha to share their expertise with the local community and area students. The 2021 forum focused on the continent of Africa, a region where all three guest speakers spent extensive time during their careers in public service.

The visiting ambassadors included Wanda L. Nesbitt, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar, Cote dIvoire, and Namibia, and held other postings in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zaire. Joining Ambassador Nesbitt on the panel was W. Stuart Symington IV, the former ambassador to Nigeria, Rwanda, and Djibouti, who also worked in Niger and the Central African Republic and was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Africa and African Security Affairs. Rounding out the trio was Tibor P. Nagy Jr., former ambassador to Ethiopia and Guinea who had assignments in Zambia, Seychelles, Togo, Cameroon, and Nigeria and was the former Assistant Secretary on the Bureau of African Affairs for the U.S. State Department. The panel was moderated by Sher Jan Ahmadzai, Director of UNOs Center for Afghanistan Studies.

The ambassadors spoke about Africas population boom, infrastructure projects being led by China along Africas northern borders, global warmings impact on migration, colonialisms harmful legacy on the continent, the importance of humanitarian aid to quelling extremist violence and the innovative young people who will shape the future of their nations.

Michael Jung, President and CEO of Burlington Capital International, shared his enthusiasm for the event:

"We are excited to be able to continue to have the Ambassador Forum available to the students and community in Nebraska. It is important for us all to have access to these distinguished diplomats to learn and hear first-hand their perspective and insight on a number of global matters that are pertinent to the US and Nebraska."

"We are excited to be able to continue to have the Ambassador Forum available to the students and community in Nebraska. It is important for us all to have access to these distinguished diplomats to learn and hear first-hand their perspective and insight on a number of global matters that are pertinent to the US and Nebraska." - Michael Jung, President and CEO of Burlington Capital International

The audience was engaged and curious, asking about the impact of China in the region, the role of ambassadors and federal agencies in promoting U.S. business relations in African countries, and opportunities for institutions to support education and international exchange for young African professionals.

Following the public forum, each of the ambassadors spoke personally with a small group of students, including Dr. Beth Chaleckis political science course. Many attendees commented that the student discussion gave them insight into a diplomats daily work and greater understanding of Africas role in international relations both now and in the future.

One such student, Kenshiro Tanaka, said:

I had a very good time in the discussion. I am an international student at UNO studying International Studies and Political Science. The discussion was very interesting because it is very rare to listen to diplomats thoughts and experiences Great opportunities for my future planning!

The event welcomed approximately 85 people to the Scott Conference Center, including community members, domestic and international students, and UNO faculty and staff. For those who missed this years forum, the program returns in 2022 to welcome distinguished guests to speak on topics of global importance to Nebraska.
Rome, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Nov, 2021 ) :Italy on Saturday said it had detected its first case of the new Omicron strain of Covid-19 in a traveller from Mozambique.

A top laboratory "sequenced the genome from the positive sample of a patient coming from Mozambique", the national health institute said in a statement.

"The patient and the members of their family are in good health," it added.

They would soon determine whether anyone in the family residing in the southern region of Campania -- of which Naples is the capital -- had also been infected by the variant.

Italy on Friday banned entry to all travellers who had been in southern Africa in the past fortnight after the new variant was discovered there.

It also suspended flights from the region.

It ordered anyone already in Italy who had travelled there in the past two weeks to immediately inform the authorities, test for Covid, isolate for 10 days, and then re-test at the end of that period.

Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic with more than 133,000 deaths reported since February 2020.

It has been recording more than 10,000 new cases daily for several days.

On Wednesday, the government announced it would be accelerating booster shots and ramping up restrictions for the unvaccinated.
PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Nov, 2021 ) :District administration Peshawar has sealed 25 private schools for refusing administering anti-measles and rubella vaccines to children.

This was told during a progress review meeting on the 12-day measles & rubella vaccination campaign held here with Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Gul Bano in the chair.

Besides, ADC (Relief), Mohammad Imran Khan, District Health Officer (DHO), Fazal Mulla, Deputy Polio Officer, Dr. Naveed Khurshid, Dr. Saifullah and administrative officers, the representatives of police, WHO, UNICEF and Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) attended the meeting.

The meeting briefed about the campaign and said so far 11,02,374 children had been vaccinated against measles and rubella diseases. In this connection, the officers of district administration along with the teams of the health department are administering vaccines to the children.

An awareness campaign is also being carried out through masajid and parents have been urged to administer vaccines to their children.
(@FahadShabbir)

President Dr. Arif Alvi Saturday held a meeting with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and discussed bilateral ties and the current regional situation

ASHGABAT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2021 ) :President Dr. Arif Alvi Saturday held a meeting with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and discussed bilateral ties and the current regional situation.

While meeting on the sidelines of the 15th Summit of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) here, the President thanked President Berdimuhamedov for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him and his delegation.

He congratulated him on thirty years of Turkmenistan's independence and 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan's policy of "Permanent Neutrality." Recalling their telephonic conversation held in September 2020, the two leaders took stock of existing level of relations and laid emphasis on enhancing bilateral interactions and contacts in all areas of mutual interest.

President Dr Arif Alvi underlined the need for taking concrete measures to enhance bilateral trade and economic relations through ensuring greater connectivity.

He underscored that road, rail and air linkages were essential to promote trade, tourism and people-to-people contacts. He reaffirmed Pakistan's continued support to timely completion of TAPI gas pipeline project.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional peace and security, in particular worsening economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

President Alvi highlighted the dire state of human sufferings in Afghanistan particularly in the wake of approaching winters. He stressed the importance of practical engagement with Afghanistan to coordinate provision of urgent food, medicines and shelter items by the international community.

He underlined the immediate need of financial assistance to Afghanistan to avert impending economic collapse. The President also stressed the importance of unfreezing Afghanistan's frozen financial assets in this regard.

President Alvi underscored that sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan were vital to reap the benefits of regional connectivity and prosperity.

The two leaders agreed to remain in touch on all issues of common interest.

The President also extended cordial invitation to President Berdimuhamedov to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.
The Taliban co-founder and now prime minister of Afghanistan Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund pledged Saturday that his government will "not interfere" in other countries' internal affairs, and urged international charities to continue offering aid to the war-ravaged country

Kabul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2021 ) :The Taliban co-founder and now prime minister of Afghanistan Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund pledged Saturday that his government will "not interfere" in other countries' internal affairs, and urged international charities to continue offering aid to the war-ravaged country.

Hassan's audio speech broadcast on state television -- his first address to the nation since the Taliban seized power in August -- came ahead of next week's meeting between the United States and the Taliban in Doha.

"We assure all the countries that we will not interfere in their internal affairs and we want to have good economic relations with them," said Hassan in a nearly 30-minute speech that came amid criticism on social media for remaining silent since the Islamists took power, even as the nation faced severe challenges.

The Taliban seized power on August 15 after ousting the previous US-backed government, as Washington hurriedly withdrew its troops from the country after a 20-year war.

Hassan's government faces a series of challenges, in particular reviving the country's dilapidated economy that has been dried of international aid, which used to make up 75 percent of the national budget under the previous US-backed governments.

"We ask all the international charity organisations to not withhold their aid and to help our exhausted nation... so that the problems of the people could be solved," Hassan said in his speech.

The United Nations' aid agencies have warned that a major humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Afghanistan, with more than half of the country's 38 million population expected to face hunger this winter.
The Church in Bangladesh launches a year of events to mark 50 years Journey with Love and Service to the people of the nation.

By Robin Gomes

Caritas Bangladesh is marking 50 years of service this year. The social service arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) kicked off its year-long golden jubilee programme with an event on November 25 at Hotel Shaikat in the southeastern port city of Chittagong.

The celebration began with a colourful morning rally from Saint Placids School and College premises to Hotel Shaikat. The programme included the hoisting of the national and Caritas flags, release of balloons and doves with festoons, planting of trees, launch of a photo gallery, prayers and lighting of candles, discussions, screening of a video documentary and cultural events.

Several Church dignitaries including Cardinal Patrick D Rozario, Archbishop-emeritus of Dhaka, Bishop Ramen Bairagi of Khulna, president of Caritas Bangladesh, Archbishop Bejoy D'Cruze of Dhaka and Archbishop Lawrence Subrata Howlader of Chattogram joined Caritas executive director Sebastian Rozario and other Catholic officials, civil authorities and faithful for the inaugural programme.

Earlier on November 12, Caritas Bangladesh held an event in Dhaka to launch the logo and song on the theme: 50 years Journey with Love and Service. The celebrations across the country will culminate in October 2022.

History

The origin of what is Caritas Bangladesh today began in 1967 as Caritas East Pakistan in what was then Pakistans eastern province. Following the cyclone of November 1970, which caused widespread havoc in the coastal areas, the Diocese of Chittagong (today Chattogram) set up the Christian Organization for Relief and Development (CORD). Later, under growing demand for relief work CORD and Caritas joined to form the Christian Organization for Relief and Rehabilitation CORR.



Meanwhile, the Bangladesh War of Independence broke out in 1971 and ended with the defeat of Pakistan on December 16, giving way to the birth of the new nation of Bangladesh. Also in 1971, the bishops of Bangladesh who earlier were members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan formed their own Catholic Bishops Conference of Bangladesh, CBCB.

On June 19, 1972, the new government of Bangladesh recognized CORR as a national organization. In 1976, CORR began to be called CORR-Caritas. The following year, CORR was dropped from the name and was simply called Caritas. On February 7, 1980, Caritas was registered as a charitable organization with the government of Bangladesh.

Caritas Bangladesh is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Headquartered in the capital Dhaka, Caritas Bangladesh has 8 regional or diocesan offices. It is active in 208 sub-districts in 53 of the countrys 64 districts, where it focuses on integral human development, disaster management and human resource development.

Caritas Bangladesh today is running 112 projects for about 1.6 million beneficiaries. It also operates 10 training centres, 248 cyclone centres, 11 technical schools, 32 tuberculosis centres and leprosy treatment centres, two drug treatment centres and 36 daycare centres. It also supports sex workers and street children. During emergencies, such as natural disasters, Caritas reaches out to any part of the country.

Commitment to justice and peace

Programme director James Gomes said Caritas aims to gain the support of more individuals and organizations to build an egalitarian, just and peaceful society that encourages the new generation to love their neighbours and serve the poor, regardless of faith, ethnicity or language.

In the light of the social teachings of the Church," he pointed out, "Caritas Bangladesh envisions a society which embraces the values of freedom, justice, peace and forgiveness, allowing all to live as a communion and community of mutual love and respect." He said Caritas is working to promote development and quality education that is inclusive, improve the living standards of indigenous peoples and encourage ecological conservation.
Amid growing tensions between the French and UK governments over how to stop migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats, Churches in France and England insist on the need for joint efforts to protect and assist refugees.

By Lisa Zengarini

As tensions between France and Britain escalate following the tragic drowning 27 migrants crossing the Channel, on Wednesday, Churches on both sides of the borders are calling for concerted action to protect refugees and migrants from life-threatening danger, and to address the root causes which force people to flee their homeland.

Cardinal Nichols: need for safe routes

Focused international cooperation, safe routes to sanctuary and joint efforts to tackle poverty are all needed in the face of a global flood of desperate humanity, said Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster. This event illustrates graphically both the ruthless evil of the traffickers and the desperation of those trying to escape poverty, conflict or persecution in search of a better life, he added.

Bishop McAleenan: concerted action

Echoing the Catholic Primates words, Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees in England and Wales, has remarked that these tragedies will continue to occur time and time again unless concerted action is taken immediately to protect refugees and to address the underlying causes which force these people to flee their country. War, poverty, persecution and climate change need to be recognised and addressed, he said. The depth and sincerity of belief in the value and sanctity of every human life will be seen in the response to what happened.

Archbishop Welby: need to reform the asylum system

For his part, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welbyhas called for a cross-border reform of the immigration and asylum system: We need a better system based on security, compassion, justice and cross-border cooperation. This cannot continue, the Anglican Primate wrote in a tweet on Wednesday.

Secours Catholique: these borders kill

According to the Secours Catholique, the French Caritas, the latest tragedy is a direct consequence of the militarization of the French borders and of the crackdown against migrants and refugees living in the makeshift encampments on the northern coast of the country. These borders kill, the Catholic charity writes in a statement.

Many French humanitarian organizations have repeatedly denounced the inhuman treatment of migrants and refugees gathering in and around the seaside town of Calais while attempting to reach the UK.

Churches and NGOs have repeatedly insisted on the need for humanitarian corridors so as to ensure a safe and legal transfer and integration of asylum seekers.

The Community Sponsorship Scheme in the UK

Church in England and Wales has also been encouraging Catholics to join the Community Sponsorship Scheme, a government-backed initiative that enables community groups to take on the role of supporting resettled refugees in the UK. Each community involved assumes responsibility for a refugee family, from first arrival through to settled independence as part of their local community.

The scheme is inspired by a Canadian model which has successfully resettled around 300,000 refugees since it began in 1978.
Pope Francis issues Motu Proprio, setting up a new commission to verify and implement new rules for marriage annulment cases in Italian dioceses.

Vatican News

Six years ago in September 2015, Pope Francis issued the Motu proprio Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (The Gentle Judge, our Lord Jesus), introducing new rules to streamline the process for obtaining marriage annulments, addressing complaints that the proceedings in marriage tribunals were too cumbersome, complicated, and expensive.

Motu Proprio

On Friday, the Pontiff made a further move in this area, issuing a motu proprio to establish a commission to verify and help the implementation of the reform in Italy, so as to give "new impetus" to those rules.

The purpose of the commission, which has been set up at the Roman Rota with the participation of a bishop of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), is to "support the Churches in Italy to welcome the reform". The Holy Father recalls that the bishop has received the power to judge marriage cases, and stressed again that "the judicial ministry" of the bishop "by its very nature postulates closeness between the judge and the faithful", thus giving rise to "at least an expectation on the part of the faithful" to be able to turn to their bishop's court "according to the principle of proximity".

Recalling the norms issued in 2015, the Pope in his new Motu Proprio, dated November 17, reiterates that although diocesan bishops are permitted to have access to other tribunals, this faculty should be considered an exception and therefore every bishop "who does not yet have his own ecclesiastical tribunal, must seek to erect it or at least work to ensure that this becomes possible". He says that the equal distribution of the human and economic resources to the dioceses for the exercise of judicial power, will be a stimulus and help individual bishops to put the reform of the marriage annulment process into practice.

Pope Francis reiterates what he already indicated in his address to the Italian Bishops' Conference in May 2019: "The reform drive of the canonical marriage annulment process - characterized by proximity, speed, and gratuitousness of the procedures - necessarily passes through a conversion of structures and persons".

A new Pontifical Commission

To encourage this "conversion", six years after the new norms came into force, the Pope set up a Pontifical Commission at the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, to verify and help all the particular Churches in Italy. The Commission will be chaired by the Dean of the Rota, Father Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, and will include the two Rota judges, Vito Angelo Todisco and Davide Salvatori, and Bishop Vincenzo Pisanello of Oria.

The Commission's task will be "to ascertain and verify the full and immediate application of the reform" in Italian dioceses. It will suggest to the same dioceses what is considered appropriate and necessary to support and help the fruitful continuation of the reform, so that the Churches in Italy may show themselves to the faithful as generous mothers, in a matter closely linked to the salvation of souls", which has also been encouraged by the Extraordinary Synod on the Family.

At the end of its work, the Commission will draw up a detailed report on the application of the new rules on marriage annulment cases in Italy.
Pope Francis receives in audience Albanian prime minister Edi Rama at the Apostolic Palace on Saturday morning.

Communique of the Holy See Press Office

On the morning of Saturday, 27 November 2021, the Holy Father Francis received the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, His Excellency Mr. Edi Rama, who subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

The cordial talks highlighted the good relations existing between the Holy See and Albania and discussed topics of common interest concerning relations between the ecclesial and civil communities, the contribution of the Church to the common good of Albanian society, migration and peace.



The main regional issues were also discussed, including the situation in the Western Balkans and the progress of Albania and other countries towards full integration into the European Union.



(Working translation of the original text in Italian)



Exchange of gifts

Following their discussions, both leaders offered a traditional exchange of gifts. Pope Francis presented Prime Minister Rama with a bronze bas-relief of Noah. He also gave him papal documents, including this year's message for the World Day of Peace on the theme "A culture of care as a path to peace", the document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, and the volume Statio Orbis of 27 March 2020 recalling the extraordinary moment of prayer during the pandemic lockdown in Italy.

Prime Minister Edi Rama offered Pope Francis an icon of the "Madonna dell'Avvento" (Our Lady of Advent) and an icon of Saint Francis. He also presented him with two paintings and a letter from Fr. Gjergj Fishta, an Albanian Franciscan who was a poet, philosopher, and considered one of the most influential Albanian writers of the 20th century.
Five U.S. lawmakers arrived in Taipei on Thursday, Nov. 25 to meet with government officials in regards to security matters. This was the second meeting between the U.S. and Taiwan in a month, raising protests from Communist China, which claims the democratically governed island is a rightful part of its territory.

Peoples Republic of China (PRC) foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a daily press briefing on Nov. 26 that the visit to Taiwan by certain US lawmakers gravely violates the one-China principle and stipulations of the three China-US Joint Communiques and sends a seriously wrong signal of supporting the Taiwan independence separatist forces. China strongly deplores and firmly rejects this and has lodged solemn representation with the US side.

Beijing also urged Taiwanese authorities to heed warnings and not seek support from other nations, stating that attempting to solicit foreign support and rely on the US to seek independence will prove a dead end.

Taiwan is officially governed as the Republic of China (ROC), which ran all of China prior to its 1949 defeat on the mainland by communist rebels.

The U.S. and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic ties after the ROCs seat was removed by the United Nations in favor of recognizing the PRC as representative of the one China in 1971.



Beijing has repeatedly warned other countries not to interfere with what it considers to be internal affairs between the PRC and Taiwan.



The de-facto American embassy in Taipei formally announced that the delegation would consist of Mark Takano, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Colin Allred, Elissa Slotkin, Sara Jacobs and Nancy Mace. The delegations visit was part of a thanksgiving trip that also visited Japan and South Korea, the embassy added.



According to the embassys statement: The congressional delegation will meet with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, and other significant issues of mutual interest.



Takano praised the island as a force for good in the world during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen on Nov. 25. He further stated that under Tsai, the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan has been more productive than it has been in decades.



Our commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and has remained steadfast as the ties between us have deepened. Taiwan is a democratic success story, a reliable partner and a force for good in the world, the chairman said.



Taiwans official Central News Agency confirmed that the trip was expected to focus on meetings with ROC defense officials as well as with Tsai. The U.S. has remained the largest international supporter of the island, providing valuable military training and weapons sales.

RELATED:

Taiwan Invited to US Democracy Summit, Drawing Protest From Beijing



Tsai wrote on a Nov. 26 Twitter post that the delegations visit and support of Taiwan continues to strengthen the democratic partnership between the two nations and is a key force for good in the region and the world.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen meets with the team of U.S. delegates on Nov. 25, 2021. (Image: Twitter/Screenshot)

President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have also confirmed on several occasions that the U.S. and other democratic nations would come to Taiwans aid in the event that China used military force to overtake the island. However, the White House released a statement on Oct. 22 following Bidens remarks that there was no change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan.



The statement read: The U.S. defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act. We will uphold our commitment under the Act, we will continue to support Taiwans self-defense, and we will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo.
The United States is vulnerable to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks from hostile nations like communist China and North Korea. The warning came from a group of experts taking part in a forum hosted by the Universal Peace Foundation. The group also insisted that America is at a pivotal moment that will decide whether it can avoid such catastrophic scenarios.

EMP attacks target a countrys infrastructure like communication networks, water supply systems, energy grids, and transportation services. Though such attacks do not directly kill people, the infrastructure damage they inflict would create social chaos. According to the U.S. Task Force on National and Homeland Security, Beijing already possesses super EMPs that are capable of releasing a massive energy burst. By combining EMP weapons with modern military tactics, China can inflict serious damage on America.

This is regarded by Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran as potentially the most decisive military revolution in history By attacking the technological Achilles heel of a nation like the United States, you could bring us to our knees and not even have to do battle with the Marines or the Navy or the Air Force, and win a war in 24 hours with a single blow  a combined EMP cyberattack, Peter Vincent Pry, executive director of the task force, said at the forum.

EMPs can allow communist China to win a war with a single targeted blow. Moreover, Beijing will be using EMP in conjunction with physical sabotage and cyberattacks, Pry warned. At present, America doesnt have the ability to protect itself against such an attack. The issue does not lie with technology. Instead, it is a political problem, he said while pointing to federal bureaucracy and other factors that complicate decision-making on the matter.

In March 2019, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prepare the United States against an EMP attack. The Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses order instructs integrated action from several federal agencies.

In August 2020, some media outlets reported that communist China had possibly conducted its very first EMP weapons test. Beijing is said to have used EMP pulses to knock out drones from the sky. Recently, there have been reports of China testing a hypersonic glide vehicle that can travel at high speeds and is better at avoiding detection by radars. If true, these hypersonic vehicles could give Beijing the perfect tool to deploy EMP weapons.

It is not just the U.S. that is vulnerable to Chinese EMP attacks. The Chinese, as well, are not safe against EMP attacks from the United States.

Not only is communist China home to the worlds largest power grid, but it also has the worlds largest 4G and 5G networks, a massive population of smartphone users, and a government that increasingly depends on AI, big data, and other technologies to run the country. An attack could break up these systems and create huge problems for the communist regime.

In an interview with SCMP, an anonymous researcher affiliated with the state-backed China power grid said that fortifying the current infrastructure against EMP attacks would entail an enormous cost, but it could be done and wont break the bank. He believes that the key factor against an EMP war would lie in the ability to recover quickly after facing an attack.

If a blackout happens, we will be able to rebuild our networks faster than our competitors in the US The winner is not who attacks first, but who recovers first, the researcher said.
The U.S. government has taken action against Chinese companies involved in quantum computing and other advanced technologies, putting them in an export blacklist. Washington argues that these firms pose a threat to national interests as they might gain access to American technologies that can end up benefiting the Chinese military.

In the trade blacklist released on Nov. 24, the U.S. Commerce Department added 27 new entities from four nations, many of them from China and its ally Pakistan. Some of these institutions are said to be playing a critical role in Pakistans missile program and nuclear activities.

The blacklist includes eight companies from China  Hangzhou Zhongke Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Shanghai Quantum Tech Co., Ltd, Hunan Goke Microelectronics, Yunchip Microelectronics, New H3C Semiconductor Technologies Co., Ltd., Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Xian Aerospace Huaxun Technology, and Quantum Tek Co.

The commerce department stated that there is a risk of critical technologies like counter-stealth, counter-submarine, and encryption, being accessed by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) via Chinese firms. By restricting exports to these companies, the PRCs military modernization efforts would be negatively impacted.

Sixteen entities and individuals operating in China and Pakistan were added to the list. Three affiliates of a Chinese company, Corad Technology Limited, were also included as they were suspected of transferring technology from the West to North Korea and Iran. One entity from Russia, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, was added as well due to it being involved in producing military goods for a military end-user.

Todays actions will help prevent the diversion of U.S. technologies to the PRCs and Russias military advancement and activities of non-proliferation concern like Pakistans unsafeguarded nuclear activities or ballistic missile program. The Department of Commerce is committed to effectively using export controls to protect our national security, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo said in a statement.

China expressed its displeasure at the U.S. move. Shu Jueting, a spokesperson for the Chinese commerce ministry, said during a news conference that Beijing opposes the blacklisting. The Chinese Embassy in Washington accused the U.S. government of using a catch-all concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress and restrict Chinese entities in all possible means.

Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu insisted that the United States follow the spirit of the recent virtual meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden. He asked Washington to meet China halfway instead of going down the wrong path. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Beijing will take all necessary steps to protect Chinese companies as well as initiate countermeasures to the blacklisting.

Some experts supported Washingtons decision. This is a sensible move and an important reminder of the scope and scale of Chinas efforts to achieve technological breakthroughs that erode US national security, Martijn Rasser, a former CIA official who heads the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security think-tank, told FT.

The Commerce Department blacklist comes as U.S. intelligence agencies are taking proactive steps to protect the countrys institutions from external threats.

On Oct. 22, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) launched an outreach campaign to instruct and warn American organizations involved in critical technologies about the dangers posed by foreign spying operations. It singled out China and Russia in particular as seeking to steal or co-opt American technologies.

In recent months, NCSC has begun engagements with various entities in these sectors to provide information on nation-state threats to their organizations and ways to mitigate risks We plan to step up our engagements and broaden our reach going forward. Our goal is to reach the broadest audience possible, Dean Boyd, chief communications executive for the NCSC, told The Epoch Times.
Olayemi Olurin, a public defender with the Legal Aid Society in New York City and Mollie Saltskog, an expert in disinformation and domestic extremism at the Soufan Center, discuss the ramifications of the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, a young man charged with homicide in the deadly Kenosha, Wisconsin shootings of August 2020. Olurin tells VOA the self-defense argument was unsupported and Saltskog expresses dismay over the celebration of Rittenhouse as a hero among right-wing media/politicians and domestic and foreign terrorist groups. The guilty verdict for three white men who fatally shot a young Black jogger, Ahmaud Arbery, on the other hand, was hailed by civil rights leaders across the country.
Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
Portugals Golden Visa program puts people who invest in the country on a path towards Portuguese citizenship and thus greater access to the European Union. Its long been attractive to people from mainland China, but now more people from Hong Kong and other parts of the world are signing up. These new investors are looking to take advantage of a good investment climate but with a deadline looming.
Britain, Germany and Italy detected cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new steps to contain the virus, while more nations imposed restrictions on travel from southern Africa.

The discovery of the variant has sparked global concern, a wave of travel bans or curbs and a sell-off on financial markets on Friday as investors worried that Omicron could stall a global recovery from the nearly two-year pandemic.

Israel said it would ban the entry of all foreigners into the country and reintroduce counter-terrorism phone-tracking technology to contain the spread of the variant.

The two linked cases of Omicron detected in Britain were connected to travel to southern Africa, British health minister Sajid Javid said.

Johnson laid out measures that included stricter testing rules for people arriving in the country but that stopped short of curbs on social activity other than requiring mask wearing in some settings.

"We will require anyone who enters the UK to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result," Johnson told a news conference.

Anyone who had come into contact with people testing positive for a suspected case of Omicron would have to self-isolate for 10 days and the government would tighten the rules on wearing face coverings, Johnson said, adding the steps would be reviewed in three weeks.

The health ministry in the German state of Bavaria also announced two confirmed cases of the variant. The two people entered Germany at Munich airport on November 24, before Germany designated South Africa as a virus-variant area, and were now isolating, said the ministry, indicating without stating explicitly that the people had travelled from South Africa.

In Italy, the National Health Institute said a case of the new variant had been detected in Milan in a person coming from Mozambique.

Czech health authorities also said they were examining a suspected case of the variant in a person who spent time in Namibia.

Omicron, dubbed a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization, is potentially more contagious than previous variants of the disease, although experts do not know yet if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains.

England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Witty, said at the same news conference as Johnson that there was still much uncertainty around Omicron, but "there is a reasonable chance that at least there will be some degree of vaccine escape with this variant."

Vaccine escape describes a phenomenon where a new strain evades immunity already conferred by vaccines or generated by prior infections.

The variant was first discovered in South Africa and had also since been detected in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

Flights to Amsterdam

Dutch authorities said 61 of around 600 people who arrived in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa on Friday had tested positive for the coronavirus. Health authorities were carrying out further tests to see if those cases involved the new variant.

One passenger who arrived from South Africa on Friday, Dutch photographer Paula Zimmerman, said she tested negative but was anxious for the days to come.

"Ive been told that they expect that a lot more people will test positive after five days, she said. It's a little scary, the idea that youve been in a plane with a lot of people who tested positive."

Financial markets plunged on Friday, especially stocks of airlines and others in the travel sector. Oil prices tumbled by about $10 a barrel.

It could take weeks for scientists to understand fully the variant's mutations and whether existing vaccines and treatments are effective against it.

Travel Curbs

Although epidemiologists say travel curbs may be too late to stop Omicron from circulating globally, many countries around the worldincluding the United States, Brazil, Canada and European Union nationsannounced travel bans or restrictions on southern Africa on Friday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State Department added on Saturday to Washington's previously announced travel restrictions, advising against travel to eight southern African countries.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters on Saturday that the administration will take it "one step at a time," when asked about additional travel restrictions. "For now we've done what we think is necessary," Harris said.

Also on Saturday, Australia said it would ban non-citizens who have been in nine southern African countries from entering and will require supervised 14-day quarantines for Australian citizens returning from there.

Japan and Britain said they were extending travel curbs to more African countries, while South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Oman, Kuwait and Hungary announced new travel restrictions.

South Africa is worried that the curbs will hurt tourism and other sectors of its economy, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, adding the government is engaging with countries that have imposed travel bans to persuade them to reconsider.

Omicron has emerged as many countries in Europe are already battling a surge in COVID-19 infections, and some have re-introduced restrictions on social activity to try to stop the spread. Austria and Slovakia have entered lockdowns.

Vaccinations

The new variant has also thrown a spotlight on disparities in how far the world's population is vaccinated. Even as many developed countries are giving third-dose boosters, less than 7% of people in low-income countries have received their first COVID-19 shot, according to medical and human rights groups.

Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Vaccine Alliance that with the WHO co-leads the COVAX initiative to push for equitable distribution of vaccines, said this was essential to ward off the emergence of more coronavirus variants.

While we still need to know more about Omicron, we do know that as long as large portions of the worlds population are unvaccinated, variants will continue to appear, and the pandemic will continue to be prolonged," he said in a statement to Reuters.

"We will only prevent variants from emerging if we are able to protect all of the worlds population, not just the wealthy parts."
Calm returned to the Solomon Islands' capital, Honiara, Saturday after days of rioting left at least three dead and reduced sections of the city to smoldering ruins.

Petrol stations, shops and other businesses began to reopen, with Honiara residents flocking to buy basic provisions as the violence ebbed.

"The situation is very tense and anything could happen anytime," said Audrey Awao, a working mother who worried there would soon be no food left in the shops.

What began as a small protest on Wednesday quickly descended into a violent free-for-all, with poor Honiara residents joining anti-government protesters to rampage through the shattered glass and burnt-out remains of businesses for things to eat or sell.

For three straight days, angry mobs cut through the usually sleepy seaside capital, demanding the removal of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Two years of pandemic-induced closed borders have left the already ravaged Solomons economy in tatters, deepening widespread joblessness and poverty among the population of around 800,000.

"Now the PM needs to step down," a self-employed 32-year-old who gave his name as Selson told AFP. "That's the demand for all citizens of the Solomon Islands."

Local police said a forensic team was working to identify the charred remains of three bodies found in a shop in the city's burnt-out Chinatown district.

Heavily armed police were a visible presence on nearby streets as locals began cleanup operations and limited bus services resumed.

A nighttime curfew and the presence of roughly 150 foreign peacekeepers from Australia and Papua New Guinea appeared to have helped cool tensions.

But the scale of the recovery was coming into sharp focus, even as the city remained on edge.

"It is very frustrating as it took me more than three hours to reach the fuel pump to get my vehicle fueled," Awao told AFP.

Hungry mobs

Many Solomon Islanders believe their government is corrupt and beholden to Beijing and other foreign interests.

"Most people are barely getting one meal a day, there are no tourists and very little economic stimulus," Douglas Kelson, chief officer at St John Ambulance Service, told AFP.

"People do things they normally wouldn't when they are hungry," Kelson said.

Anger was channeled directly at Sogavare and his government, with mobs attempting to torch parliament and the prime minister's private residence as police fired tear gas and warning shots.

Over 100 people have been arrested for riot-related activity, Solomon Islands police said Saturday as they tried to restore order.

"No one is above the law," said commissioner Mostyn Mangau, urging residents to "respect each other, as well as our visiting friends from abroad.

'Brought to its knees'

As tensions escalated, Sogavare had begged neighbors for urgent help.

In a letter obtained by AFP, the prime minister told his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape that "certain elements" had "attempted to overthrow a democratically elected government" and called for peacekeepers to be sent for a "period of three to four weeks."

In an address to the nation, Sogavare told citizens the Solomons had been "brought to its knees" by the rioting but vowed to resist calls for his resignation.

But the political situation remained fraught. Opposition leaders on Saturday called for a vote of no confidence in Sogavare's leadership.

They may not yet have enough votes to pass the motion and remove Sogavare from office, but the move could produce another flashpoint.

The pro-Beijing leader claimed foreign powers opposed to his 2019 decision to switch the Solomons' diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China were behind the disturbances.

But others pointed to inter-island tensions and widespread joblessness among the country's population  40% of whom are under 14 years of age.

The archipelago nation has for decades endured ethnic and political tensions.

Residents of the populous Malaita province have long complained that their island is neglected by the central government, and divisions intensified when Sogavare recognized Beijing.

China's government on Friday condemned the violence and vowed to "safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions.
Papua New Guinea has joined Australia in sending police officers to neighboring Solomon Islands after violent disturbances this week. The unrest has threatened to topple the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says his government is still in control but has asked Australia and Papua New Guinea for help to provide security.

Australia has sent a contingent of about 120 federal police officers and troops. Papua New Guinea has sent about 35 police and corrections officers.

The deployments follow days of violence and looting in the Solomon Islands.



This week smoke was seen rising from the capital Honiara's Chinatown district after demonstrators tried to storm the parliament. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sogavare. He was elected leader for the fourth time in 2019.

Police said Saturday that three bodies were found in a burnt-out building in Honiaras Chinatown district. The cause of the deaths is unclear.

Analysts say the current unrest has deep roots. Among the triggers have been long-standing ethnic tensions, allegations of official corruption, and disputes over the government's move to more closely align with China.

In 2019, the Solomon Islands switched its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China.



James Batley is a former Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands and a distinguished policy fellow at the Australian National Universitys Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs.

He says community tensions over links with China have stoked the unrest.

"It is not foreign policy per se, but I think this diplomatic switch has fed into those pre-existing grievances and in particular the sense that the Chinese have interfered in politics in Solomon Islands, that Chinese money has somehow fostered corruption, has distorted the way politics works in Solomon Islands, said Batley.

There were disturbances following national elections in the Solomon Islands in 2006. Much of Honiara's Chinatown was destroyed then because of speculation that businesses with ties to China had influenced the ballot.

Australia led a multinational peacekeeping mission to the Solomon Islands in 2003, and it maintained a security presence on the South Pacific archipelago until 2017.

The islands are 2,000 kilometers north-east of the Australian city of Brisbane.

The mostly Melanesian South Pacific nation is home to about 700,000 people and has about 120 Indigenous languages.
Chinas COVID-19-era border closures are stunting foreign-invested business growth in the worlds number 2 economy and testing Beijings quest for self-reliance, economists believe.

Chinas pursuit of zero COVID-19 cases, rather than managing a steady caseload as many Western countries do, has kept foreign travelers out since March 2020, barred some long-term permit holders from returning and diverted marine shipping traffic.

Those barriers, which several media outlets anticipate will extend into 2022, have made foreign companies shrink their China presence, analysts say.

Just in general they seem to be less open for any kind of cross-border activities, whether thats domestic companies or foreign companies, said Zennon Kapron, founder and director of the Shanghai-based financial industry research firm Kapronasia.

From factory managers to managing directors of overseas-invested companies, border restrictions mean China-based foreign nationals risk not being able to return after home leave, Kapron said. Some expatriates in those roles are skipping family events overseas, to remain in China, or moving out completely.

A lot of expats are leaving China, Ker Gibbs, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said in a Facebook post November 18. I'm one of them. COVID-related travel restrictions are part of the reason.

Hardest hit are tech firms and other companies that are exploring the Chinese market, said Dexter Roberts, U.S.-based author of The Myth of Chinese Capitalism.

I think those companies that really were focusing on the Chinese market, certainly foreign companies in like the knowledge services industries doing advertising, maybe trying to do commerce within China, really getting to know the Chinese consumer, I think those companies are probably harder to attract to come and live there because theyre not going to be able to leave for a long time, Roberts said.

And then I think also the Chinese government is less welcoming to a lot of different investors, he said.

Financial sector investors and companies with suppliers on the ground should be able to withstand the border curbs, Roberts added. Other investors, he said, are figuring that China is not what we thought before as a market or lets pull out.

COVID-19 Regulations by the numbers

In an omen for Chinese nationals leaving on business, the number of new and renewed Chinese passports fell more than 95% in the first half 2021 over the same period in 2019, the investment bank Jeffries said this month.

Shipments to and from China, known as the worlds factory for its $4.84 trillion manufacturing sector, sometimes get delayed when China closes a port to control a COVID-19 outbreak, said Song Seng Wun, an economist in the private banking unit of Malaysian bank CIMB. Detours to other ports add costs and disrupt supply chains, he said.

For all of us in trade, whether youre talking about a material, whether youre talking about the construction industry, the nuts and bolts, all the way down to just foodstuff, its a case of which port do you ship out from becomes also a cat and mouse sometimes, so businesses essentially plan around it. Port A, port B, port C, worst case, if we have to ship out from Hong Kong, we will, Song said.

A possible, partial reopening of the mainland China-Hong Kong border would become a key growth driver next year for Hong Kong banks because of their China exposure, bond ratings service Fitch said in a statement Friday.

Beijings state-run China Daily news website defended the Chinese zero-COVID-19 approach on November 9 and called the disease largely under control. Mainland China has reported no deaths since January, China Daily says.

There is no doubt that, like any other place in the world, strict containment measures do affect people's lives and local businesses to some extent, the report says. However, it's simply not right to question China's efforts to eliminate the virus.

Trend toward self-reliance

Some senior leaders in China think their country should go it alone without foreign business support, and the border closures give them a chance to steer the economy in that direction, Roberts said. An upcoming twice-per-decade congress of the ruling Communist Party will push leaders to make risk-free decisions and pull China inward, he forecast.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called in October for a higher level of self-reliance and linked that goal to development of enterprises along with an upgrade of industries through independent innovation, state-run broadcaster CGTN reported.

Foreign direct investment last year stood at $1.9 trillion after a 6% gain in 2020 over 2019, a U.N. Conference on World Trade and Development report said. Chinas statistics bureau estimated total investments in fixed assets last year came to $8.2 trillion.

Officials are seeking breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, chips, robotics and the blockchain. The effort could cost half-a-trillion dollars every year.

The goal of self-reliance descends from the Communist Partys first head of state, Mao Zedong, the Chicago-based Paulson Institutes research organization, MacroPolo, said in 2019. The party will retain ultimate control over Chinas economic developmentan enduring consensus that has heavily influenced policy across generations of leaders, the think tank says.

Chinas long-term goal and how it shapes up over the next two years is anyones guess, Kapron said.
When South Koreas former military strongman, Chun Doo-hwan, died Tuesday at 90, a dark chapter of the countrys history seemed to close.

But it didnt feel that way for people like Lee Jae-eui.

Chun Doo-hwan had occupied my mental space throughout my entire life, said Lee. Hearing the sudden news he died  though I expected he will one day pass away  I frankly felt empty at that moment.

Lee, 66, observed firsthand the violent suppression of the 1980 uprising against Chuns military rule in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The protests, which would eventually become known as the Gwangju Democratization Movement, served as a key moment in South Koreas path to democracy.

On May 18, 1980, a year after former army general Chun seized power through a military coup, his forces swept into the city of Gwangju to crush the student-led, popular protests.

The cost of calling for the end of military dictatorship and demanding the introduction of a direct electoral system was a total military crackdown: elite paratroopers arrived in tanks and helicopters armed with batons, rifles, and bayonets.

The following 10 days mark one of the bloodiest moments in South Koreas modern history. According to local government figures, more than 200 civilians were killed, 3,643 were injured, and 1,813 were arrested and tortured regardless of their participation in the protests.

Forty-one years later, Chun, who many Gwangju survivors see as responsible for their collective trauma, died of a heart attack at his home in Seoul, leaving no apology behind.

Many Gwangju citizens were filled with rage when they heard the news Tuesday. Its regrettable that Chun left without responding to the demands of history. He denied the massacre and his responsibility until the very end, Lee said.

On the final day of Chun's funeral, his wife Lee Soon-ja delivered a cursory apology to those who were pained and hurt during her husbands presidency. However, organizations representing the victims of the Gwangju massacre have responded in unity that her empty gesture, which fails to address or acknowledge Chuns responsibility in the crackdown, provides little consolation.

Demand for justice

Chuns death came less than a month after that of his close associate Roh Tae-woo, who played a key role in the military coup and later succeeded Chun as president. Both men were eventually convicted on charges related to the coup, corruption, and the Gwangju massacre, but were later pardoned.

Families of victims and survivors of the Gwangju massacre are grappling with the deaths of Chun and Roh and what it means for their journey towards meaningful healing.

The criminals, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who wielded state violence to cause so much civilian suffering, lived long lives and died in wealth. Meanwhile, the pain of Gwangju citizens continues. The fact that we can no longer even hope to receive an apology or consolation has brought even more depression for many of us, said Lee Gi-bong of the May 18 Memorial Foundation, a group created by survivors of the massacre.

Though Chuns passing has left an open wound, many victims are determined to prevent his death from burying the truth of Gwangju.

I believe there are many others still alive, besides Chun and Roh Tae-woo, who can testify to what happened on the ground. I hope that many of these people will come forward with their accounts and respond to their conscience before its too late, he said.

Many details about the incident remain unknown, including the exact death toll, as well as who ordered the use of helicopters that eyewitnesses say fired on civilians.

Ideological battleground

Chun remained unapologetic until his death, insisting he did not order troops to fire at civilians. Many of his conservative descendants defend Chuns use of force, alleging without evidence that the protest in Gwangju was a riot hatched by North Korean infiltrators and deserved to be quelled.

The issue still impacts South Korean politics. Last month, conservative presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl came under criticism for praising Chuns political skills, aside from the coup and the events of May 1980. Yoon later visited Gwangju to apologize for his remark but was blocked by protesters from entering the victims altar and delivered a silent tribute at the entrance instead.

Meanwhile, left-leaning President Moon Jae-in has promised full support for an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the crackdown.

Legal matters

At the time of his death, Chun was in the process of appealing an eight-month suspended prison sentence for defaming victims of the Gwangju crackdown and a late priest, who had testified to witnessing martial law troops firing on protestors from helicopters.

In his memoir, Chun had called the priest a shameless liar and Satan in disguise. He died a week before the final hearing in the appeals trial, which is expected to now be dismissed.

After Chuns death, about 70 victims of the Gwangju massacre filed a lawsuit against the government, alleging emotional trauma.

We sincerely hope Chun and Rohs deaths mark the end of a dark era of Koreas history tarnished with atrocious, inhumane abuses of power, said Lee Gi-bong of the memorial foundation.

However, we know that we still have a long way to go, as state violence and human rights violations against minority populations are still rampant in our society today, only in different forms. As we strive closer to the truth of Gwangju, I hope our society will grow more sensible, human rights-oriented values, he added.

For Lee Jae-eui, the mission also continues, even after Chuns death.

I dedicated my whole life to documenting and raising awareness of the tragedy that I witnessed, said Lee, who co-authored a book about the uprising, which served as a critical record that emboldened South Koreas democracy movement throughout the 1980s.

Now, we are still left with the historical responsibility to complete the fact-finding mission in order to tie up the loose ends without him, he said.
Dutch health authorities said Saturday they had detected 61 COVID-19 cases among people who flew Friday from South Africa and were now doing further tests to see whether any are infected with the new omicron variant.



The cases were discovered among around 600 passengers who arrived at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on two flights Friday before the Dutch government halted air traffic from southern Africa due to concerns over the variant.





Dutch health authorities said Saturday they also would seek to contact travelers who had arrived from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe since Monday and urge them to take a test as soon as possible.



The passengers from Friday's flights were kept separated from other travelers and those who tested positive are being kept in isolation at a hotel near the airport.



A spokesperson for the health ministry said it would not be known until later Saturday whether any of passengers are infected with the new variant.



A spokesperson for KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France, said the airline was trying to determine what rules were in place as of Friday morning to prevent people with COVID-19 infections from boarding the flights, which departed from Cape Town and Johannesburg.





Rules on the company's website said passengers had to present a negative COVID-19 "rapid antigen" test result taken 24 hours before departure but were not required to show proof of vaccination.



'Really Weird'



Paula Zimmerman, a Dutch photographer who returned from a family visit in South Africa on Friday morning, said the situation for the passengers on the planes was chaotic, as they were kept waiting on the tarmac and in the terminal for hours.



Zimmerman was told she had tested negative at 4 a.m., almost 18 hours after landing in Amsterdam, but said she then found out she was standing right next to a man who knew he had tested positive for an infection.



"It was really weird. There was no coordination. There were too few people and there really wasnt anybody who took control."



Having spent hours on a flight that likely had many infected passengers made Zimmerman anxious for the days to come, she said.



"Ive been told that they expect that a lot more people will test positive after five days. It's a little scary the idea that you've been in a plane with a lot of people who tested positive."



The Dutch flight ban does not mean that all flights from southern Africa to the Netherlands are halted, as Dutch citizens are allowed to return home, while EU citizens are allowed entry in transit to their home countries.



Medical staff, airline crews and people with pressing needs are also still allowed to travel. KLM will continue flights to the region, but travelers need to stay in quarantine for at least five days upon arrival in the Netherlands.



The new variant has been detected just as many European countries are grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases.



The Dutch government on Friday announced the nighttime closure of bars, restaurants and most stores as it tries to curb a record-breaking wave of COVID-19 cases that is swamping its health care system.
France is willing to discuss autonomy for the French Caribbean territory of Guadeloupe if it is in the interests of the people who live there, government minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

Guadeloupe and the nearby French island of Martinique have seen several days of protests against COVID-19 measures that have spilled over into violence.

Lecornu, the minister for France's overseas territories, said in a YouTube video issued late on Friday that certain elected officials in Guadeloupe had raised the question of autonomy, changing its status as an overseas region.

"The government is ready to talk about this. There are no bad debates, as long as those debates serve to resolve the real everyday problems of people in Guadeloupe," he said.

That was one of a series of initiatives he said the government in Paris would be taking in Guadeloupe, including improving healthcare, infrastructure projects, and a scheme to create jobs for young people.

The French government this week announced that it would be postponing a requirement that public sector workers in Guadeloupe and Martinique get a COVID-19 vaccination.

That had sparked protests, fanning long-standing grievances over living standards and the relationship with Paris.

In Guadeloupe there is a historic mistrust of the French government's handling of health crises after many people were exposed to toxic pesticides used in banana plantations in the 1970s.
A documentary about pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong won a high-profile award Saturday in Taiwan at the Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-speaking world's version of the Oscars.

Kiwi Chow's "Revolution of Our Times" was named best documentary, prompting a long round of applause and shouts of support for Hong Kong from audience members at the glitzy event in Taipei.

Chow, who sent a pre-recorded message from Hong Kong expressing thanks for the award, dedicated the film to Hong Kong's people, saying he hoped it would bring them some comfort.

"I cried a lot when I produced this film; several times I comforted myself with this film, to express my anger, hatred, to face my fear and trauma," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.



Native Hongkonger Chow's film follows several protesters and documents clashes with police during the 2019 demonstrations, and he has previously told Reuters he hoped the documentary would help the pro-democracy movement live on.

It was shown at this year's Cannes Film Festival in a surprise addition to the lineup. China introduced a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong over a year ago to crack down on what it deems subversion, secessionism, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Since then, cinemas, universities and art galleries have canceled screenings or exhibitions of protest-related works. The protesters have won broad support and sympathy in democratically-ruled Taiwan.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, in 2019 blocked the country's movie industry from participating in the Golden Horse Awards, which were founded in 1962 and take place annually in Taiwan.

Beijing's move followed uproar in 2018 in China and among Chinese stars at the awards ceremony after Taiwanese director Fu Yue made comments in support of Taiwan's formal independence, a red line for Beijing.
Warnings of potential foul play are flying from all sides ahead of Sunday's presidential election in Honduras, raising fears of possible disputes and unrest if leading challenger Xiomara Castro does not win by a clear margin.

The charged political atmosphere reflects memories of the disputed 2017 election, which the ruling National Party won after a delayed count and that the Organization of American States said was riddled with irregularities before calling for a fresh vote.

The opposition said the result was fraudulent and both sides claimed victory. More than two dozen people were killed in the ensuing riots and repression.

The current election cycle has already claimed more political violence than four years ago, with more than 30 killed so far, according to researchers at Honduras' national university.

Salvador Nasralla, the 2017 runner-up, is the current candidate for vice president for the leading opposition slate led by self-declared democratic socialist Castro. He accuses the National Party of planning a repeat of what he said was voter suppression in 2017.

"I don't have any confidence in our electoral process," he told Reuters.

The conservative National Party routinely uses its full control of government institutions and funds to reward supporters, punish opponents and influence elections, politicians from both sides say.

This week, the party itself issued a statement blasting the electoral authority for already committing errors including a lack of transparency that could lead to a "national crisis" with delayed and suspect results.

"It creates a situation of high risk to the election," it said.

Sunday's vote will mark the latest fraught political showdown in Central America, after Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega cruised to re-election this month after detaining all leading rivals.

In a sign of concerns in the final week before the election, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden took the unusual step of sending a high-level delegation to meet with the main candidates, government officials and election organizers.

After the visit, a senior U.S. State Department official said the main objective of the delegation was to encourage a fair, free and peaceful election, given what it describes as democratic backsliding in the region.

If poll leader Castro wins, she would bring the Honduran left to power for the first time since her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, was ousted in a 2009 coup.

If ruling party candidate Nasry Asfura prevails, he will have overcome the unpopularity of outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is fighting accusations of corruption and links to drug smugglers.

Hernandez denies wrongdoing.

A Look at the Candidate's Phone

During an interview, Nasralla showed Reuters a video on his phone he said was captured by his home-security cameras a few days ago. It showed someone painting slurs on a wall of his house. In the video, the person can be seen removing an outer layer of clothing to reveal a shirt bearing the logo of Castro's Libre party underneath.

Nasralla said the video was evidence that National Party agitators were disguising themselves as Libre supporters, and worried they will provoke violence or property destruction to erode opposition votes.

"They're the ones that cause violence," he said. The National Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday, a handful of businesses in the capital Tegucigalpa covered glass store entrances with wood and metal panels, in a sign some were taking the possibility of unrest seriously.

Rixi Moncada, the Libre Party's representative on the electoral council, said the government and the National Party have caused "a lot of obstruction" in its efforts to organize a fair vote.

She specifically accused the finance ministry of interfering with the council's budget and causing delayed deliveries of polling station equipment, like printers and finger-print readers.

Moncada, a lawyer, expressed concern that any post-election dispute might reach the courts, widely seen as loyal to the ruling party.

"This country has very little faith in our system of justice," she said.
The worlds largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India has resumed exports of coronavirus vaccines to COVAX the partnership that is distributing vaccines to developing countries. The resumption of exports comes at a critical time when a new variant found in South Africa is causing concern around the world.

India suspended exports of vaccines in March this year following a severe surge in infections during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as it used its stocks to ramp up its domestic inoculation program.

The first shipments went out Friday.

This will go a long way in restoring vaccine supply equality in the world, Serum Institute chief executive Adar Poonawalla said on Twitter.

The company said in a press statement that said that it expects the supply of vaccines to COVAX to increase substantially in early 2022. The Serum Institute of India was expected to be one of the main suppliers to the vaccine sharing facility which was created to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines after the outbreak of the pandemic.

The Serum Institute linked the resumption of exports to surpassing its target of producing 1 billion doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine by the end of this year  it has produced 1.25 billion doses so far.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which leads the COVAX program along with the World Health Organization, called the restart of exports from India an important development as it enters its busiest period yet for shipping vaccines to participating economies.

The export curbs by India were a huge setback to efforts by COVAX, which had been relying on supplies of the affordable and easy to store AstraZeneca vaccine from Indias Serum Institute to distribute to low-income countries. The vaccine is called Covishield in India.

While COVAXs portfolio is now much more diversified than it was earlier this year when we received our first SII deliveries, COVISHIELD remains an important product which has the potential to help us protect hundreds of millions of people in the months ahead," according to Seth Berkley, chief executive of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.

India has allowed exports to resume as its vaccination program makes substantial progress and vaccine supplies improve  about 80% of the country has received one dose and about 40% is fully vaccinated. Cases of coronavirus have also reduced dramatically  on Friday, India reported about 9,000 cases.

However, a new variant found in South Africa, dubbed omicron, is causing widespread concern and has prompted experts in India to caution against complacency. Designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, omicron has already been found in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong and has prompted several countries, including the United States and Britain to impose travel curbs.

India has said it is scaling up screening of passengers from overseas. At a meeting held Saturday to review the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked officials to review plans to ease international travel restrictions.

In light of the new variant, we remain vigilant with a focus on containment and ensuring increased second dose coverage, he tweeted.
Scattered internet outages and slowdowns were reported across Iran Saturday, as the government cracked down on water protests in Isfahan this past week. Dozens of protesters in the Isfahan region reportedly were arrested by government security forces to clamp down on the protests, although smaller protests have been reported in other parts of the country.

Amateur video posted on social media showed protesters Saturday outside Iran's third largest city of Isfahan, blocking roads to disrupt traffic into the region and preventing government security forces from continuing their clampdown on protests over a water shortage on the Zayandah Rud River. Dozens of protesters reportedly were arrested over the past 48 hours.

Iranian opposition groups reported that internet service was being disrupted across many parts of the country, making it difficult to gather information about protests Saturday, following a large turnout of protesters in Isfahan Thursday and Friday.

Iranian military commander Gen. Mohamed Reza Mir Haydari told government TV that protests Saturday were "limited in scope," and that the security forces had the situation under control.

The BBC Persian service reported that two student protesters at Isfahan University were in serious condition following demonstrations Friday, while an opposition Iranian human rights group said three people had been killed by gunfire or tear gas canisters during the past 24 hours. VOA could not independently confirm the death toll.

Amateur video posted on social media showed government security forces and volunteer militia forces (basij) firing tear gas at protesters. Some reports indicated the security forces also fired live ammunition. VOA could not independently confirm the reports.

Amateur video showed a young protester coughing after tear gas was fired in his direction during water protests in Isfahan Friday. Other video showed clouds of tear gas floating over the heads of protesters along a major Isfahan thoroughfare.

Mehrdad Khonsari, a former Iranian diplomat now based in London, tells VOA the government violence has silenced protesters in Isfahan, but that resistance continues in other places.

"The use of violence in Isfahan has reportedly been so excessive that it has quieted down in that particular spot, but there has been a resurgence of resistance in other areas of Iran, not related to that particular spot, and that is not under control," he said.

Khonsari goes on to say that "people in Iran have lost the optimism that existed when [former President Hassan Rouhani came to power amid] hopes for a nuclear deal and a better economic situation." The level of pessimism, he argues, "has returned to that of the Ahmedinejad era, and the [current President Ebrahim] Raisi has no economic means to appease the people," given the oil embargo reimposed on Iran by former U.S. president Trump.



Social media reported scattered protests Saturday in Tabriz and Ahmadabad.
The smuggler had said the car would come in 10 minutes, but Zaid Ramadan had been waiting in the dense forest straddling the Poland-Belarus border for three hours, desperate for signs of headlights in the mist - and a new life in Europe.

His pregnant wife Delin shivered under a blanket. She had been against leaving their life in Dohuk, a mountainous province in the northern Kurdish-run region of Iraq. The journey was perilous, expensive and the change too drastic, she told him.

But I convinced her to leave. In Dohuk, we cant live a real life; there is corruption, no work, repression, the 23-year-old said.

The couple were among a disproportionate number of Iraqi migrants, most of them from Iraqs Kurdish region, who chose to sell their homes, cars and other belongings to pay off smugglers with the hope of reaching the European Union from the Belarusian capital of Minsk  a curious statistic for an oil-rich region seen as the most stable in all of Iraq. But rising unemployment, endemic corruption and a recent economic crisis that slashed state salaries have undermined faith in a decent future for their autonomous region and kindled the desire in many to leave.

Iraqi Kurdistan is co-ruled by a two-party duopoly under two families that carved the region into zones of control - the Barzanis in Irbil and Dohuk, and the Talabanis in Sulaymaniyah. This arrangement created relative security and prosperity, compared with the rest of Iraq, but it has been accompanied by nepotism and growing repression. Those downsides prompted would-be migrants to leave. Many were school dropouts, certain an education would not guarantee them work. Others were government employees and their families, no longer able to survive amid salary cuts.

Of the 430 Iraqis who returned from Minsk on a repatriation flight last week, 390 disembarked in the Kurdish region. Among them were Zaid and Delin Ramadan, now back living with Zaids parents in Dohuk.

Like thousands of others, they had been lured to the European Union's doorstep by easy visas offered by Belarus. The EU has accused Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of using asylum-seekers to retaliate for sanctions imposed after he claimed victory in a disputed 2020 election.

The migrants flocked to Belarus in hopes of getting into the EU. Most were from war-scarred Iraq and Syria. Smuggling networks appeared to be particularly efficient in Iraq's Kurdish area, where an economic crisis triggered by a crash in oil prices rendered the regional government insolvent.

Oil prices have rebounded but the region relies on budget transfers from Iraq's federal government to pay public sector salaries. The payments have been intermittent because of disputes over the Kurdish region's independent oil export policy.

Thousands of students in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah have taken to the streets this week to protest lack of funding from the Kurdistan government. Dozens gathered in front of the KRG Ministry of Higher Education to demand stipend payments frozen for eight years.

Kurdish officials said Iraqi Kurds were lured to Belarus by traffickers with false promises of an easy journey. This isnt a migrant issue but a criminal human trafficking issue, tweeted Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Migrants said they left by their own accord, desperate for a life with the dignity they couldnt find at home, and were not coerced by smugglers.

No work

Ramadan had dropped out of school in the 9th grade. At first his father, a teacher, and mother, a nurse, were against it. But they relented when Ramadan countered that his two older sisters were trained dentists in Dohuk and still unemployed.

He was never able to secure steady work. Since 2013, Ramadan has been a valet, waiter, construction worker and taxi driver. He never made more than $200 a month, barely enough for rent. In 2019 he volunteered as an ambulance driver, hoping in vain it would turn into a paid job.

The government is the main employer in the Kurdish region. Last year's austerity measures, including salary cuts of up to 21%, spurred protests and deepened disenchantment with the ruling class. The cutbacks were reversed in July, but the impact is still felt.

Young men often look to the peshmerga, the Kurdish branch of the Iraqi armed forces, for work. Ramadan tried but said he didnt have the right connections.

Iraqi Kurds say repressive policies of the ruling Kurdish elite are also driving their departure.

Over the last year, journalists, human rights activists and protesters who questioned or criticized actions by Kurdish authorities have faced intimidation, threats and harassment as well as arbitrary arrest, according to reports by the UN and Human Rights Watch. The Kurdish government has rejected allegations of systematic stifling of dissent. KRG officials say nepotism is a product of individuals abusing their power.

Ramadan said in the current repressive environment, he was too scared to speak up.

In October, after hearing about the Belarus route, Ramadan deposited $10,000 at a local money exchange office in Dohuk that had connections with a smuggler.

He and his wife were expecting their first baby and he was determined to start over in Germany.

Back where he started

As dawn broke, the car that would supposedly take them to Germany hadnt arrived, and Ramadan grew concerned.

He and his wife had walked along with 12 others through the soggy woods, crossing into Poland in search of a GPS point marked by the smuggler. Hours passed.

When the vehicle finally arrived, it was a minibus, not the small car they expected. Ramadan knew a larger vehicle would raise the suspicion of Polish authorities but the migrants got in anyway, unable to withstand another day of cold.

A few kilometers down the road, they heard sirens. The minibus and his dreams came to a halt.

Ramadan and his wife, now five months pregnant, returned to Dohuk on last week's repatriation flight, his dream of an escape dashed.

What can I say? My heart is broken. I am back where I started, he said.

' How can I live in Kurdistan?'

Many other Iraqi asylum-seekers have decided to remain in Belarus, hoping they can somehow still cross into Poland. About 2,000 people are currently staying at a warehouse facility near the border.

Miran Abbas, 23, once a day laborer and former barbershop assistant, is among them.

His father, Abbas Abdulrahman, spoke to him via video call this week from the family home in Sulaymaniyah province. Hows it going? he asked the hollow-eyed face on the screen.

Abbas said food was running low and that Belarusian authorities had poured cold water over them to push them to cross into Poland.

But he wont return.

How can I live in Kurdistan? I prefer to stay here even if they disrespect me thousands of times, he said.

He could not secure work in Kurdistan, his mother Shukriyeh Qadir said.

It was the time for him to get married, but he couldnt afford it. He wanted to buy a car, but he couldnt afford that either. He wanted to build a family and settle down in a house, but that was not possible, she said.

So, he left because of his sufferings.
A challenge to Malawis 2020 presidential elections has been dismissed by the countrys constitutional court. The opposition Democratic Progress Party had asked the court to rule on voting results, which put President Lazarus Chakwera into office. Party officials have not yet decided their next move.

Reading the final judgment Friday, chairperson of a five-judge panel Sylvester Kalembera faulted the opposition Democratic Progress Partys argument that Attorney General Chakaka Nyirenda was not supposed to handle the case because he was not yet sworn into his position.

"Our finding is that the framers of the constitution did not intend for the attorney general to take an oath of office," said Kalembera. "We have found that the attorney general is properly before us.

Kalembera said the DPPs court challenge was irregular on seven grounds.

"Six, the claimant being precluded from benefiting from its own illegality," said Kalembera. "And seven, the proceeding being frivolous, vexatious and abuse of courts process. The claimant actions have been struck out. The claimant has been condemned in the attorney generals costs. This is the ruling of the court.

Attorney General Nyirenda, who is also the defense lawyer in the case, said the ruling was not a surprise.

"This is what we expected," said Nyirenda. "From [the] word go we said that its a hopeless case, so I am happy that I am vindicated.

Public reaction to the closely followed case has been swift. Rhoda Chigalu, a resident of Ndirande Township in Blantyre, says the judge has saved the country from spending a lot of money on the case.

"And I applaud the court because the DPP should not take Malawians for granted. And this is the small country, said Chigalu. "Why do we have to be doing elections now again. And I think the court is standing for the people, protecting Malawians who pay taxes

However, political analyst George Phiri says both sides could have saved time by addressing the issue without involving the court.

"The hiring of commissioners and firing of commissioners is a process, especially on the appointment, its a process, said Phiri. "And the process went through well. Why didnt they object to the appointment right at the time of the appointment and not through the court, just like it has happened?

Charles Mhango is the lead lawyer for the DPP. He says the party will decide whether to appeal the judgment after going through the detailed judgment document.

"At the moment, the only thing that I can say is that yes, our clients case has been dismissed, and we are going to consult with our client because we want to read through, reflect on a sober manner on the issues they have raised, said Mhango.

The court says it will release a detailed judgment on December 30.

The DPP petitioned the high court in June to nullify results of last years rerun presidential election, and the court had been considering the case since September.

The partys court challenge came soon after the high court quashed the appointment of four DPP commissioners, saying their appointment was invalid and unconstitutional.

The party also wanted the court to invalidate the rerun election because it was managed by commissioners who it says were wrongly appointed.

Former president Peter Mutharika appointed commissioners Jean Mathanga, Linda Kunje, Steven Duwa and Arthur Nanthuru during the 2020 re-run presidential elections.

DPP lawyers argue that Malawis Constitution does not recognize an election that was presided over by undeserving commissioners.

During a preliminary hearing on the case in September, however, Attorney General and government defense lawyer Nyirenda, asked the court to dismiss the case, saying it lacked merit.

Nyirenda accused the DPP of trying to benefit from the mistake it made by wrongly appointing its own commissioners. He said the DPP cannot be rewarded for its own irregularities.

He also argued the election result challenge should have been filed by the candidate, Peter Mutharika, who represented the party in the presidential election, and not by the party itself.
Nigeria has designated armed groups blamed for hundreds of abductions and killings in northern areas as terrorist organizations, a major swing in response to a key security challenge facing Africa's most populous country.

The office of Nigeria's attorney general, Abubakar Malami, said in a statement Friday that the designation was made by a court following an application by the federal government. The court made its decision Thursday.

The decision will allow authorities to charge suspected members of the groups with terrorism-related offenses, which some believe will lead to a more effective crackdown on their activities.

The Nigerian government argued in court documents that the groups' activities should be considered terrorist acts as they "can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and [pose] a threat to national security."

The groups mostly consist of young men from the Fulani ethnic group, who had traditionally worked as nomadic cattle herders and are caught up in a decades-long conflict with Hausa farming communities over access to water and grazing land.

They often plunder villages in the northwest and central parts of the West African country, where they have killed thousands and have kidnapped hundreds of travelers and schoolchildren for ransom. The attacks have sometimes taken on religious dimensions.

In many remote communities in northern Nigeria, the gunmen outnumber and outgun security forces. When troops deployed to respond to attacks end their operations and depart, the groups return.

Some of the gunmen  who often operate in bands of more than 100, hiding out in abandoned forest reserves  have been joining forces with Islamic extremist rebels, security analysts and residents say.

Assaults on villages can often last hours. Last week more than 40 people were killed in the northwest Sokoto state in an attack that lasted through the night.

In the first half of 2021, at least 2,500 people were killed in the northwest and central states, mostly as a result of such attacks, according to an analysis of media reports collated by the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations.

The gunmen, often referred to in Nigeria as bandits, have also abducted about 1,400 children from their schools over the last year and more than 100 of them have yet to be released. Sixteen children have died in the attacks.

The troubles in the northwest come in addition to the 10-year Islamic extremist insurgency in northeast Nigeria.

Prosecution of the gunmen in the northwest is rare even when the military announces that dozens of them have been arrested. Umar Gwandu, a spokesperson for Nigeria's attorney general, said that part of the challenge was that the groups had not been banned as terrorist organizations.

"The security agencies can now lawfully declare war on the bandits," he told The Associated Press on Friday.
South African businesses are worried about the implications of the new coronavirus variant called omicron that was discovered in the country this week. Travel bans already are mounting and many fear lockdown restrictions will return.

Mimosas were guzzled Saturday at the trendy Altar Bar in Johannesburg.

But despite the steady stream of brunch-goers, the staffers were on edge.



The discovery of the new coronavirus variant called omicron has sparked fears that another lockdown is looming.

Bar manager Josh Young says it would be devastating for the business that only opened in September.

"I have warned my staff members that there could be a lockdown coming in and how we're going react to it, how we're going to operate after that. It is worrying because you're basically taking money out of people's pockets because this is what they do to survive," Young said.

Scientists are still scrambling to determine what risks omicron poses.

Dr. Michelle Groome with South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases says getting vaccinated is still vital to preventing severe illness or death.



She says ongoing precautions like wearing masks and social distancing and limiting indoor gatherings also will help reduce the viruss spread.

Groome says if hospitals get overburdened, South Africa will have to consider more restrictions.

"I know no one is in favor of the alcohol bans, but I think it really has shown to decrease the number of trauma-related hospitalizations, and if we get to the point where there, you know, is a need for additional hospital capacity, you know, something like that may need to be considered," Groome said.

That is worrisome news for restaurants, bars and stores that are still struggling to recover from lockdowns in June and July.

Mike Kotsiovos co-owns a liquor store in Johannesburg.

"Im panicking a bit," Kotsiovos said. "Turnover is down quite a bit and it's only a slight improvement over this last period that we've been trading normally, which is about a month. So, we [are] suffering basically.



Its also affected his personal life.

The 71-year-old said he hasnt seen his daughter who lives in Britain in two years.

Britain was the first country to halt flights to and from South Africa when omicron was discovered.

The United States and European Union have followed suit.

Kotsiovos says seeing his daughter over the holidays is now unlikely.

"I think this time she's not going to come. She was planning to come," Kotsiovos said. "I think they booked a flight and everything, but I dont think they'll come. Its her and her husband.

The South African government says travel bans are unfairly punishing the country for having the expertise to identify new variants.

It says variants are found elsewhere in the world, but those countries arent punished with travel restrictions in the same manner as southern Africa.

South Africas foreign ministry says it's working to persuade countries that have imposed bans to resume flights.
As the world grapples with the emergence of the new highly transmissible variant of COVID-19, worried scientists in South Africa  where omicron was first identified  are scrambling to combat its lightning spread across the country.

In the space of two weeks, the omicron variant has sent South Africa from a period of low transmission to rapid growth of new confirmed cases. The countrys numbers are still relatively low, with 2,828 new confirmed cases recorded Friday, but omicrons speed in infecting young South Africans has alarmed health professionals.

Were seeing a marked change in the demographic profile of patients with COVID-19, Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Sowetos Baragwanath Hospital, told an online press briefing.

Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated, said Mathivha. Im worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.

She said urgent preparations are needed to enable public hospitals to cope with a potential large influx of patients needing intensive care.

We know we have a new variant, said Mathivha. The worst-case scenario is that it hits us like delta ... we need to have critical care beds ready.

What looked like a cluster infection among some university students in Pretoria ballooned into hundreds of new cases and then thousands, first in the capital city and then to nearby Johannesburg, South Africas largest city.

Studying the surge, scientists identified the new variant that diagnostic tests indicate is likely responsible for as many as 90% of the new cases, according to South Africas health officials. Early studies show that it has a reproduction rate of 2  meaning that every person infected by it is likely to spread it to two other people.

The new variant has a high number of mutations that appear to make it more transmissible and help it evade immune responses. The World Health Organization looked at the data on Friday and named the variant omicron, under its system of using Greek letters, calling it a highly transmissible variant of concern.

Its a huge concern. We all are terribly concerned about this virus, Professor Willem Hanekom, director of the Africa Health Research Institute, told The Associated Press.

This variant is mostly in Gauteng province, the Johannesburg area of South Africa. But weve got clues from diagnostic tests ... that suggest that this variant is already all over South Africa, said Hanekom, who is also co-chair of the South African COVID Variant Research Consortium.

The scientific reaction from within South Africa is that we need to learn as much as soon as possible. We know precious little, he said. For example, we do not know how virulent this virus is, which means how bad is this disease that it causes?

A key factor is vaccination. The new variant appears to be spreading most quickly among those who are unvaccinated. Currently, only about 40% of adult South Africans are vaccinated, and the number is much lower among those in the 20- to 40-year-old age group.

South Africa has nearly 20 million doses of vaccines  made by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson  but the numbers of people getting vaccines is about 120,000 per day, far below the governments target of 300,000 per day.

As scientists try to learn more about omicron, the people of South Africa can take measures to protect themselves against it, said Hanekom.

This is a unique opportunity. Theres still time for people who did not get vaccinated to go and get the vaccine, and that will provide some protection, we believe, against this infection, especially protection against severe infection, severe disease and death, he said. So I would call on people to vaccinate if they can.

Some ordinary South Africans have more mundane concerns about the new variant.

Weve seen increasing numbers of COVID-19, so Ive been worried about more restrictions, said Tebogo Letlapa, in Daveyton, eastern Johannesburg. Im especially worried about closing of alcohol sales because its almost festive season now.
Protesters in Burkina Faso called Saturday for the president's resignation over the government's handling of security.

About 8 a.m. Saturday, protesters began to gather near the Place de Revolution, in downtown Ouagadougou. Military police had already cordoned off the square to prevent protests, which the mayor of Ouagadougou called illegal on Thursday.

Protesters have been fighting running battles with the municipal police for about two hours now. Security forces are driving up and down the streets of the downtown area of Ouagadougou, firing tear gas at large groupings of people. Many journalists have been tear gassed, including VOA reporter, even after they identified themselves as journalists to police.

Protests have spread across Burkina Faso in the last week, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of President Roch Kabore because of his handling of security during his six years in power. In that time, terror groups linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State have spread across the country. An attack on a military base in Inata, in the north of the country, saw more than 50 military police killed and triggered the recent protests.

Meanwhile, demonstrators also blockaded a French military convoy in the city of Kaya last weekend, claiming the French were arming terror groups. There is no evidence to support that claim.

One protester, who did not give their name, explained Saturday why they were protesting in the streets.

No! We are here today to ask Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who has shown himself to be nothing but mediocre, we are simply asking that he resign, said the protester.



Another said this: My logic: it is to march to show the government our dissatisfaction with the management of the security crisis, which is grieving Burkina Faso today.

On Thursday night, President Kabore made a televised address to the nation. He implored the youth of the country to exercise restraint in the face of protests and misinformation and said he would reorganize the military, implement an anti-corruption drive and announce the results of an inquiry into the Inata attack.

I will watch scrupulously, more than previously, questions of logistics, bonuses and strengthening of the operational capacities of our fighting forces, said the president.

The Inata base had not been supplied with food for two weeks prior to the attack.

Andrew Lebovich is a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He says its too early to draw conclusions about what these protests mean for the government moving forward.

Many Burkinabe want the government to improve security because of ongoing attacks and the widespread perception the security situation is getting worse every day.
Anxious-looking travelers thronged Johannesburg international airport and stood in long queues on Friday, desperate to squeeze onto the last flights to countries that had just shut their doors to South Africa.

Many cut short their holidays, rushing back from safaris and vineyards when Britain announced late Thursday night that all flights from South Africa and its neighbors would be banned the following day.

A flurry of nations  including the United States, Canada and several European countries  have followed suit, concerned about the discovery of a new coronavirus variant, renamed omicron, with several mutations fueling an infection resurgence in South Africa.

United Kingdom citizen Toby Reid, a 24-year-old trader in London, was camping on Cape Town's Table Mountain with his girlfriend when the ban was announced.

"At about 5:30 a.m., we got up to see if we could catch the sunrise, and at six in the morning, we found out that there was still a possibility to get back," he told AFP while standing in line for check-in at the Johannesburg airport just hours later.

The couple managed to grab the last two seats on an evening flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

Others who were not so lucky discussed options at ticket counters, eyes widening at proposed prices and convoluted itineraries.

"There should have been more notice," muttered Christian Good, 50, returning to Devon, England, via Frankfurt with his husband after a beach holiday.

By chance, the pair had originally planned to return on that flight, meaning they would arrive home before mandatory hotel quarantine begins on Sunday  a requirement for citizens returning from "red list" countries.

"It's ridiculous. We will always be having new variants," his husband, David, exclaimed, passports in hand.

"South Africa found it, but it's probably all over the world already," he told AFP.

The variant has so far been detected in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

'Tired of this'

At the airport, red "canceled" signs flashed next to London-bound flights listed on the departures board.

Other destinations were still in limbo.

A KLM flight to Amsterdam was delayed by several hours after passengers were suddenly compelled to produce negative COVID-19 results.

Rapid PCR tests were offered at the airport, with results guaranteed in two hours, but at a cost of $86, compared with the standard fee of around $52 for results delivered in roughly 12 hours.

An AFP correspondent observed Some African passport holders being told they would not be allowed to fly to Europe.

Earlier, travelers milled around a closed Air France check-in desk, waiting to find out whether an evening flight to Paris would take off as scheduled, just hours after France announced its own ban.

Among them were U.K. citizen Ruth Brown, 25, who lives in South Africa and had planned to return home for the first time since 2019 next week.

Britain kept South Africa on its red list until early October, meaning many of its citizens have been unable to travel back since the pandemic started because of the costly hotel quarantine.

They had only a few weeks of leeway before the status was revoked.

"We are tired of this situation," said Brown, who spent the morning on the phone trying to change her flight.

"Apparently (this one) is full, but we are trying to see if we can still get seats," she sighed.

Further down the line, Elke Hahn cradled a toddler.

She had traveled to South Africa with her partner to adopt the child and was desperate to get back to their home in Austria.

The child's paperwork was only valid for a specific flight route that had since been changed.

"We will have to get another flight, but I don't know how that will work," she said.
Tunisian police on Friday shot and wounded an extremist who sought to attack them with a knife and cleaver in the capital, authorities said.

The 31-year-old man, whose identity was not disclosed, shouted, "God is great. You are infidels," as he ran toward police officers near the interior ministry, the ministry said in a statement.

Witnesses and local media said police shot the man in the leg and arrested him. The man, who was previously labeled an extremist by the government, was taken to hospital and is being investigated by an anti-terrorism unit, officials said.

Tunisian security forces have thwarted most militant plots in recent years and they have become more efficient at responding to those attacks that do occur, Western diplomats say.

The last major attacks in Tunisia took place in 2015 when militants killed scores of people in two separate assaults at a museum in Tunis and a beach resort in Sousse.
Ukraine's military is ready and able to repel any attack, says Ukrainian soldier Oleksander, standing in a trench just a few hundred meters from pro-Russian separatists.

Ukraine's military intelligence said last week that Russia had more than 92,000 troops massed around Ukraine's borders and was preparing for an attack by the end of January or beginning of February.

Russia's foreign intelligence chief said Saturday that such suggestions were "malicious U.S. propaganda." But Ukrainian forces who control the borders are prepared for any escalation between the two sides.

"If there is an attack, we have means for defense. We are well-prepared. We're getting ready, better day by day, considering different options. We can repel an attack without big problems and we're not afraid of it," said Oleksander.

Ukraine, which wants to join the NATO military alliance, has blamed Moscow for supporting separatists in a conflict in its east since 2014.

Russia has said it suspects Ukraine of wanting to recapture separatist-controlled territory by force. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Friday that Kyiv had no such plans and Russia's rhetoric opposing Ukraine's bid to join NATO was worrying.

Ukraine received a large consignment of U.S. ammunition and Javelin missiles earlier this year, and soldiers say they also have mortars and Turkish attack drones.

"It's a bad idea to be afraid when someone comes to your house, and you hide in your basement. It won't work. One should get up and go to fight," another soldier Vlad said.

"We're fighting here to not let them come, and then it's luck of a draw."
U.S. President Joe Biden announced the United States will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other African countries, effective Monday.

Any non-U.S. citizen who has been in one of the eight nations during the 14 days before coming to the United States will be denied entry. The restrictions do not apply to American citizens and lawful permanent residents; however, they must test negative before traveling, as must all international travelers.

Biden made the announcement Friday after consulting with Dr. Anthony Fauci, his chief medical adviser. Besides South Africa, the other countries are Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Biden took the action after the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the new variant, B.1.1.529, a variant of concern and dubbed it omicron.

In his announcement, Biden said he had two important messages for the American people: For those fully vaccinated, "get a booster shot as soon as you are eligible." And "for those not yet fully vaccinated, get vaccinated today."

What is omicron?

Omicron is the fifth WHO-designated variant of concern. It was first detected in recent weeks in South Africa, which has seen an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases.

There are about 30 mutations on the virus' spike protein, and scientists worry that some of them could make the virus easier to transmit. But scientists do not yet know whether omicron is in fact more transmissible or dangerous.



Worries about the new variant sent financial markets reeling Friday and pushed the price of oil down by $10 a barrel.

The WHO said understanding the variant could take weeks and cautioned against travel restrictions. Its director of emergencies, Mike Ryan, urged "no knee-jerk responses."

Ryan's advice went unheeded as travel restrictions were immediately reinstated in places including Britain, the European Union, Canada and the U.S. Other countries, such as India, Japan, Israel, Turkey, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates enacted some form of travel curbs, Reuters reported.

Some epidemiologists warned that they were likely too late. Omicron has already been found in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong. Dozens of passengers disembarking in the Netherlands from flights from South Africa initially tested positive for the coronavirus.

"Travelers with a positive test result will be placed in isolation at a hotel at or near Schiphol," Dutch health authorities said in a statement. "Of the positive test results, we are researching as quickly as possible whether they are the new variant of concern."

Travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in Switzerland in reaction to omicron have caused the World Trade Organization to postpone its biennial meeting, originally set to begin Tuesday. One of the main agenda items for the gathering was improving the availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

Several of the ministers and delegates would not be able to attend the meeting because of the restrictions, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. This has not been an easy recommendation to make, she said. But as Director-General, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants  ministers, delegates and civil society.



But some authorities have held out hope that early detection of the new variant, coupled with the new restrictions, could have a bigger impact than the initial response to delta variant, Jeffrey Barrett, director of COVID-19 Genetics at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, told The Associated Press.

"With delta, it took many, many weeks into India's terrible wave before it became clear what was going on and delta had already seeded itself in many places in the world and it was too late to do anything about it," he said. "We may be at an earlier point with this new variant, so there may still be time to do something about it."

The South African government has called the travel restrictions "rushed" and raised concerns about the impact on business.

The CEO of South Africa's inbound tourism association, David Frost, says the effects will be devastating on the sector.

"We got off the red list in October, and it was sorely needed. We've been shut down for over 18 months," Frost said. "You know, the industry really is on its knees. The impact of this is absolutely dire to livelihoods, to families."

South African Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told The New York Times that her country is feeling punished for the omicron research its scientists have done.

Dr. Michelle Groome, head of the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, said social distancing and mask use could help combat the virus, but she questioned the efficacy of travel bans.

"We haven't been able to contain the spread initially of the original virus, and all subsequent variants have spread globally, you know," Groome said. "I think there's limited value in terms of these restrictions."

Instead, she said, vaccinating more of the population would help prevent the most severe cases and deaths.

Low vaccination rates

Roughly 35% of the South Africa's adult population is vaccinated, a figure far below targets of 70%.

Figures are even lower across much of the African continent.

Experts have warned vaccine inequality would create a breeding ground for virus mutations.

Astrid Haas is an independent urban economist in Kampala, Uganda.

"In Europe now and in North America, in particular, they're talking about booster shots and third vaccines, whereas we know now from the WHO that less than 10% of African countries are going to even meet their vaccine target for this year.  Just a very sad manifestation of the global vaccine inequity," she said.

In the absence of vaccinations, lockdowns may be on the horizon.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
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CASS LAKE, Minnesota (AP)  Animal neglect used to be such a problem on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota, with basic services like sterilization out of reach for many due to poverty and remoteness, that packs of stray dogs would sometimes bring traffic to a halt on the main highway.

Today, strays are rare. Kids are helping their elders in animal rescues, pet food and supplies are routinely distributed in the community and the first veterinary clinic in the main town, Cass Lake, is one final permit away from breaking ground.

Its all thanks to a yearslong and increasingly organized push by several community members to improve animal welfare that is deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual values regarding the Ojibwe peoples relationship with all living creatures.

It helps animals, but it brings people up too, said Rick Haaland, who has been leading the efforts among his fellow Ojibwe as community outreach manager with the Leech Lake tribal police. Our pets are the ones who walk with us.

Animals are central to Ojibwe beliefs and sacred origin stories.

According to one, which by tradition may be told only once snow blankets the northland, the Creator asked the original man and his wolf to travel the earth together, and on their journey they became as close as brothers. Their task completed, the Creator told them to go on separate paths, even though they both would be feared, respected and misunderstood by the people later joining them on earth.

Since dogs are the wolfs relatives, the story teaches, they should be brothers to todays Native people, honored though separate.

So things like promoting pet care and bringing much-needed vet services to the reservation nestled among forests and lakes reinforce the Creators intentions for harmony between humans and animals  a value that some say faded over the years.

Traditionally we were told to be grateful to animals. Cats and dogs have chosen to be with us and comfort us. But as we were assimilated, and went into deep poverty, our stories werent told. People forgot we need to care for them, said Elaine Fleming, who started rescuing animals 10 years ago after holding a ceremony for them with prayers, singing and drums.

Now, Were taking back our culture, added Fleming, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe elder and teacher at Leech Lake Tribal College.

Nearly 40% of Leech Lakes population lives in poverty, making it hard to afford routine spaying and neutering, let alone emergency care that can run up to hundreds of dollars per surgery.

That meant that all too often, injured animals would die or be abandoned, as would litters of puppies and kittens nobody could afford to care for.

Things started to turn around about a decade ago, when the Twin Cities-based nonprofit Leech Lake Legacy began taking in surrendered animals  more than 9,000 to date  for adoption elsewhere and regularly bringing a visiting mobile clinic to the reservation for low-cost vet services.

The pandemic has dealt a setback as care, especially spaying and neutering, was shut down for several months in 2020, according to Leech Lake Legacy founder Jenny Fitzer, and now its a scramble to get back on track.

I cant imagine when well be able to catch up, she said, adding that more than 400 animals are on her waitlist and might not get fixed for a year.

But a game changer for Leech Lake will be the permanent veterinary clinic, which Haaland hopes to start construction on before the winter deep freeze and could open its doors in the spring, supported by national animal welfare organizations as well as local fundraising. A veterinarian living right on the reservation would not only take care of routine sterilizations but also treat emergencies  currently it costs $500 just to get a doctor to come into Cass Lake after hours, according to Haaland.

He envisions having informational screenings playing in the waiting room, building on awareness programs the community is already doing on best practices like leashing and kenneling to keep pets from harm.

I dont think people dont care, said Haaland, who owns three dogs and a cat. Its education. Thats our way out of this.

In the meantime, Haaland has been rescuing abandoned pets and driving injured animals to far-flung veterinaries, putting some 27,000 miles in just a year on a new van he acquired thanks to a grant from the Humane Societys Pets for Life program. At $115,000 this year, the grant has also allowed him to work on animal care full-time.

Pets for Life's national director, Rachel Thompson, said the communities it serves from Louisiana to Alaska face the same challenge: structural inequalities that perpetuate poverty also put animal care out of reach.

At the end of a recent day spent rescuing a cat, two kittens and two 10-week-old golden-haired puppies, Haaland pulled up pictures on his phone of a pit bull stuck with hundreds of porcupine quills that required months of surgeries and treatment, donated by a veterinarian college. Fights with porcupines can kill dogs that are not properly housed, leashed and trained.

The yard where Haaland found the pit bull had garbage strewn all over, so Haaland offered the owners help cleaning up before returning the dog. When he arrived one early morning with other tribal members, the family had already done most of the work.

They wanted to do better, he said. We are a proud people, with a chance to rise above the trauma of the past.

Erik Redix, a scholar of Ojibwe history and member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe, said that animals have spirits, just like us, and their neglect is both an affront to the spiritual imperative of treating all living beings well and a symptom of broader social distress in impoverished Native lands.

So animal care revivals like the one in Leech Lake also signify a revitalization for Ojibwe society, he added  to get us back to where it should be.



Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
According to US lawyer Geoff Shepard (photo), documents found at the National Archives in Washington show that Watergate was not a Nixon plot to spy on the Democratic Party, but a plot orchestrated by the Democrats against him.

In his book, The Nixon Conspiracy: Watergate and the Plot to Remove the President, released last Wednesday, Shepard claims that Congress members and prosecutors met on a regular basis behind closed doors to get their act together. He also casts doubt on several witnesses for the prosecution. Even though they were convicted, he underlines that none of the witnesses has ever served a day in prison.

Mr. Geoff Shepard is not just any lawyer. He was a top member of President Nixons Watergate defense team. In 2015, he had already brought up these facts but the documents were not available at the time.

In 2005, Vanity Fair disclosed the identity of "Deep Throat," the source of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. It happened to be the assistant to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, a certain Mark Felt.

If Geoff Shepards version is authenticated (we did not see the referenced documents), it sheds new light on the role of the US deep state to undermine Presidents Richard Nixon and Donald Trump. The latters honesty was also called into question by a former director of the FBI: special prosecutor Robert Mueller.
Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images

Dave Chappelle recently invited students at his old high school to speak with him amid continued controversy surrounding his Netflix special The Closer. According to a Politico report, he and a camera crew made a surprise visit to D.C.s Duke Ellington School of the Arts on November 23 for an hourlong Q&A session. Chappelle was reportedly met with a mixture of boos and cheers. A spokesperson for Duke Ellington told Politico that the comedian specifically invited the voices of discontent to question him, adding that this made his supporters the silent majority. Around eight out of 580 students in attendance were said to have stepped up to the mic. One student reportedly called the comedian a bigot, adding, Im 16 and I think youre childish, you handled it like a child. According to two anonymous students who spoke with Politico, Chappelle responded, My friend, with all due respect, I dont believe you could make one of the decisions I have to make on a given day. (As with many of his live shows, phones were confiscated at the door to prevent recordings.)

Another question that Politico merely described as antagonistic reportedly prompted Chappelle to reply, Im better than every instrumentalist, artist, no matter what art you do in this school, right now, Im better than all of you. Im sure that will change. Im sure youll be household names soon. Per Politico, after a student in the audience shouted, Your comedy kills, the comedian shot back, N- - - - - are killed every day. He reportedly then asked, The medias not here, right? The two students who spoke with Politico said they were afraid to speak up during the assembly because Chappelle often responded to questions by laughing or making jokes. The comedian reportedly singled out a student who left the room, saying, Of course she left early. Seemingly confirming the interaction, Chappelles spokesperson told Politico that the person in question couldnt even entertain the idea of a conversation.

Chappelle was said to have softened his tone toward the end of the event, noting that he did not want to hear of any death threats against students who protested against him. This is my family and whether they know it or not I love these kids, a student recalled him saying. Before leaving, Chapelle also gave out tickets to a screening of his documentary Untitled, along with 600 Thanksgiving meals for students and staff. According to his alma mater, the comedian has contributed millions of dollars to the school and created several high-profile opportunities for its students. The naming of Duke Ellingtons theater in his honor was previously postponed due to student pushback. But according to a November 12 statement from the school, the delay was only made in order to address community concerns and create an opportunity for a teachable moment around artistic freedom and responsibility. In the statement, the school said it still planned to move forward with the event, which was initially requested by one of its founders, in April. However, Chappelle later wrote on Instagram that he would gladly step aside if a majority of donors noted that they objected. Asserting that his only intention is to help the school train its artists, he said he would follow the opinion that brought in the highest collective dollar amount by the naming ceremony in the spring. And if you dont care enough to donate  please, shut the fuck up, forever, he wrote.
Italy bans arrivals from southern African countries amid concerns about Omicron variant.

Italy's premier infectious diseases hospital, the Spallanzani in Rome, has established a task force to study data relating to the new Omicron covid-19 variant, a heavily mutated strain also called B.1.1.529, first detected in southern Africa.

The Rome hospital said it is in contact with experts from South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to "monitor the trend of the spread of the variant and the containment measures to adopt."

Describing the task force as "the Spallanzani's immediate response to the concern that arises among citizens with regard to this variant", the hospital's director Francesco Vaia said: "The message we are putting out is: be careful, let's observe first, let's study and then we assess what action to take to combat this new variant".

In a statement the hospital said: "With regard to the concern that is spreading in the country over the new variant, we wish to reiterate, once again, how fundamental it is first to observe and study the phenomenon and then establish the necessary measures to be taken, avoiding emotional reactions not supported by scientific grounds."

Travel restrictions

The Spallanzani announced its task force after the Italian health minister Roberto Speranza issued an order banning entry into Italy to anyone who has been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini in the last 14 days.

The EU and the UK have also brought in a flight ban for arrivals from southern Africa, with similar measures to be introduced in the US and Canada.

First case in Europe

On Friday Belgium detected Europe's first confirmed case of the new variant in an unvaccinated Belgian woman who developed symptoms 11 days after returning from Egypt.

Italian deputy health minister Pierpaolo Sileri said on Friday that so far authorities in Italy had not detected the new variant.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Omicron as being "of concern," stating that preliminary evidence suggests that it carries a higher risk of reinfection than other variants.

WHO added that it will take a few weeks for scientists to understand the impact of the new variant and how transmissible it is.
In its new and very pessimistic Global State of Democracy Report 2021, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, based in Sweden, worries that the U.S., the bastion of global democracy, fell victim to authoritarian tendencies itself. Its become a hyper-polarized society in which the loser of a fair election refuses to concede and spreads lies about a steal. Americans used to lecture other countries about such evils as voter suppression and political violence. Nowadays, theyre the ones having to answer questions.
Maybe well get lucky. The authors of a study published in the journal Nature in September found the presence of abundant neutralizing antibody targets on the spike protein of the SARS-Co-V-2 virus; it apparently takes a lot of mutations to escape vaccines or natural infection. Then again, omicron has around 50 mutations and more than 30 in the spike protein, far more than the delta variant. Ten of the mutations are in the so-called receptor binding domain (RBD), which is the part of the virus that makes contact with cells first; thats compared to two with delta.
Art in the metaverse makes news mainly because so much of it sells for what seem astonishingly high prices. But the prices arent why NFTs matter. They matter because more and more people will be spending more and more time in a reality that some consider as real as our own. We live after all in an age when at least one country  Barbados  has already arranged to open an embassy in one virtual world built atop the blockchain and is negotiating to do the same in others. Others will follow.
Meanwhile, both Macron and Draghi face political challenges. The French president is up for election next year, although current polls see him keeping his job. Draghi is entering increasingly tough territory getting his fractious unity government to back reforms necessary for Italy to get its more than 200 billion euro ($225.2 billion) handout from Brussels. Italy also faces presidential elections next year. The big unknown is whether Draghi will try to win that office and give up the role of prime minister, which in any case ends in 2023 when the current legislature expires. He is known to want the presidency.
The compensating truth is about fatigue. Its written on the face of Erasmus, who had every right to be exhausted after his herculean intellectual labors. But it also is in one of the smallest and most intriguing of the portraits, a round, lidded portrait of Philipp Melanchthon, a supporter of Martin Luther and one of the major early figures of the Reformation. He was a homely man, and in ill health, and he is seen modestly dressed in Holbeins hand-size portrait. But the scale of the image magnifies the intimacy of our access to him and his weariness, as if seen through the wrong end of a telescope, immensely clear but remote. And the sumptuously detailed patterning on the lid offers an abstract metaphor for psychological depth: vines, leaves and tendrils are intertwined, weaving from foreground to background and back again, like thoughts.
If the laws in Texas and Mississippi were the law of the land when I needed an abortion, I could not have gotten one legally. Prohibiting abortion is not what most people want  especially not women  and yet the war against it continues. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 75 percent of those surveyed said abortion should be a decision made between a woman and her doctor, not regulated by laws. And 6-in-10 Americans believeRoe should be upheld by the high court, even in states where a reversal of the landmark ruling would see serious restrictions or an all-out ban on abortions.
Hejl Roussel has a vague recollection of that day, because it was unusual to meet with only a few soldiers. Over the years, Jankowski, now 73, told Roberts, shed sometimes felt guilty about her time in Vietnam. The Dollies were almost like celebrities, she said in the Zoom meeting, because there are so many people who want to be in your life for that moment.
On July 15, Andy and Gloria went on their first date, to the National Portrait Gallery, where they lingered to admire the newly unveiled portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama, then went down the block to grab a gelato. Neither wanted the date to end, so they wandered over to Hawk n Dove to get a frose  millennial-speak for a frozen rose. They answered each others first-date questions: She told him she was from Raleigh, the only daughter of an immigrant entrepreneur and a mother who prices computer parts; he told her he was an identical twin from Hartford, Conn., the son of a sociology professor and a nonprofit leader. They both love the water and prefer intimate gatherings with close friends over hitting the town. They both worked for their home state representatives and were eager to make a difference. To Gloria, Andy did not seem at all like a stereotypical Hill workaholic social climber.
In this case, the St. Marys commission, known as Metcom, warned the public as soon as the overflow began Oct. 28 because of failing grinder pumps, a type of infrastructure that helps sewage flow. A post on Metcoms Facebook page said waters near 16668 Piney Point Rd. on St. George Island should be avoided for 10 days, and said signs advising against any contact with the water were posted in that area.
There are curious pieces of art arranged over a hundred-yard stretch of concrete slabs in the Potomac River opposite Old Town Alexandria. To come up with the concept, construct the pieces, and then get them up on those treacherous slabs is a lot of work for something so under the radar. I cant find anything online. Im wondering if Answer Man can come up with anything.
After spending the past two years railing against the raft of gun-control laws passed under Democrats, the gun-rights group has a relatively modest agenda for the coming session  repeal of perhaps two laws, but more likely one, and the removal of a gun-control lobbyist, Lori Haas, from a state board six months before her term expires. (On the latter of these, it is not clear that Youngkin has the power to remove her  or any interest in doing so.)
Juror candidates who have made it to the final round of selection have sworn they can be fair despite the enormous amount of publicity both Epstein and Maxwell have received. During a voir dire process that began in mid-November, many prospective panelists said they knew very little about Epstein and Maxwell, although a number of them recalled hearing news of Epsteins jailhouse suicide.
These cases could start anywhere, especially in areas with low vaccine coverage. We know that Africa has low vaccine coverage, so it will start in countries in the world where there is no vaccine coverage, she said in an interview with The Washington Post. That said, there are a lot of countries that are having huge outbreaks at the moment.
Michael Nesmith of the Monkees at a news conference in New York in 1967. (AP)

The former Monkee, who died Friday, paired Texas twang with witty wordplay.
Rahmoni said he is certain the men who slept in his tent were on the boat, too. Yet he said he has no doubts that he will attempt the same  the last leg of a journey for which his uncle has already paid around $3,400 to smugglers.
The Russian environment could not produce this cultlike figure, Firsov added. And it is an easy import because Musk is not associated with some Wall Street billionaire, he is not a native American and he engages with Russia. So he is not perceived as a stranger, and this image is important to a stratum of people who are in need of one.
Our society is a multicultural liberal democracy. It is comprised of people from diverse cultural backgrounds, religions (and no religion) and races. These attributes are essential to the people we are. They define us. Our Australian-ness and humanity also bind us, as many threads woven together. Yet in the fabric of our society, one thread is seen as less important and given little to no recognition: the thread of religious belief, which is essential to the core and identity of so many among us.

As Prime Minister Scott Morrison said when introducing the Religious Discrimination Bill, our anti-discrimination laws play an essential role in protecting the liberty of our citizens and yet they do not provide for protection against religious discrimination.

Scott Morrison puts the case for his religious discrimination bill on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

At a Commonwealth and NSW level, there is generally no protection against religious discrimination. As a consequence, people of faith who are subjected to discrimination based on their religious belief or practices have little to no legal remedy. This includes in public places and workplaces.

In the above context, the introduction of this bill is significant. It extends protection to religious belief, something other attributes such as sex and race have enjoyed for many decades. This is all the more significant in states such as NSW and South Australia, where there are no protective laws against discrimination based on religious belief.
Now a sensible centrist, Lambie worries that the right fringe is growing. She doesnt hold One Nations senators in very high regard. But she doesnt demonise the partys followers, nor the followers of the wider right-wing populist movement. They have good cause to be angry. People are disgruntled. I have people in my ear all the time. They are sick of it. They are sick of all the rorting, sick of pissing money up against the wall. Politics has got worse. People dont like whats happening to our country. Theres no accountability, there are no repercussions. Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the division when Bridget Archer crossed the floor to vote against the government. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer She nominates three examples of Morrison government ministers who were engulfed in controversy and left or lost their posts, but were later appointed to other ministry positions: Christian Porter, Linda Reynolds and Bridget McKenzie. People here, she says, gesturing at Parliament House, are untouchable. The people are onto em, its in their face, and theyre sick of it. The beginning of a solution is a national anti-corruption commission, says Lambie: People are screaming at me, put in the political police, put in ICAC. Meaning a federal version of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption or similar body. Lambie is a strong supporter of the integrity commission bill drafted by the independent MP Helen Haines.

Thats whats killing Scott Morrison, he cant even see it, says the leader of the Jacqui Lambie Network. Its true that, in opinion polls, an extraordinarily high proportion, between 70 and 90 per cent of Australians, consistently support the idea of a federal anti-corruption commission. Every Australian state and territory has one. Only the federal government, the biggest of all, does not. The Prime Minister has said he will propose the governments own version. Lambie scoffs at this: Thats not an ICAC, thats a feather duster. Jacqui Lambie supports calls for a federal corruption watchdog. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Its true that the earlier draft of the governments integrity commission was roundly dismissed as toothless, unable to investigate members of Parliament, for instance. In that form, the governments version is a dead letter. Opposed by Labor, the Greens and most crossbenchers including Lambie, it will never pass the Senate. While Lambie calls for the political police, Morrison wants it to have no power over politicians. Still, Morrison made an election promise to create a national integrity commission. If he were interested in negotiating to create one, he had an opportunity this week when the Haines bill was presented to the House for debate.

The government said no, even to a debate. But one of Morrisons MPs dissented. Another woman from Tasmania, Bridget Archer, the member for Bass, crossed the floor of the House to vote in favour of debating the Haines bill on Thursday. In doing so, she voted against the government of which she is a member. We shouldnt be afraid to have the debate, Archer told the House. We have to get the adults in the room and find the common ground, she told me later, and thats the only way people will trust whatever we come up with. Why not use the Helen Haines bill as the starting point? Independent Helen Haines supports Liberal MP Bridget Archer after she crossed the floor on Thursday. Credit:Dominc Lorrimer Most of the MPs present agreed with her and the House voted to debate the Haines bill by 66 votes to 64. But a procedural rule requires an absolute majority, 76 votes in the 151-seat House. So nothing happened. Except that Archer was criticised by fellow Liberals who told her she was in the wrong party. Says Archer: I dont think so. One of the reasons I was attracted to join the Liberal Party was that we all have the right to cross the floor, unlike Labors stricter rules. I dont think this is any sort of revelation.

And then she was invited to the Prime Ministers office where Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne awaited. Morrison told reporters on Friday that it was a friendly meeting: I wanted to ensure that she was being supported. Loading Archer saw it a little differently: I wasnt invited into the meeting necessarily to enquire about my welfare. I was invited to explain my actions. It was a frank and robust conversation about a whole range of things. Including the year weve had and the fact that I havent felt supported through the year. Theres pretty broad support for a federal integrity commission and I should be able to represent my constituents. Its what were here for. So is there any chance that Australia could get a national anti-corruption body from this Parliament, before Morrison asks the Governor-General to prorogue it for the election due by May 21 next year? Morrison is still on the record promising to bring a bill to the Parliament. Archer points out that the PM probably made his view clear in question time yesterday. He did give the strong impression that he wasnt interested in any compromise. He said the NSW ICACs treatment of former premier Gladys Berejiklian was a disgrace.

Im not going to have a kangaroo court taken into this Parliament, said Morrison. These matters should be looking at criminal conduct, not who your boyfriend is. Of course, its a false binary. The Federal Parliament doesnt have a simple choice between a NSW-style ICAC or the Morrison feather-duster alternative. It could take the best features of the eight different integrity commissions already operating in Australia and reject the worst, as it sees fit. But that would require real negotiations across the aisle. Loading Morrison seems more intent on protecting politicians from scrutiny than on delivering a meaningful anti-corruption commission. If he wont deliver, the task would pass to the next government. It would be an essential beginning of restoring public trust, but more would still be required. Lambie says that the worst thing about the lockdowns is that people have spent too much time on social media and got fed all this crap, all this disinformation, and it needs to be fixed. And shes surely right. The Morrison government has shown that it can successfully demand change from the big US tech companies. Their platforms lead people to ever-greater extremes. More reform is needed.
A 28-year-old man has died after he was stabbed in the chest in a violent attack in Northbridge in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The alleged attack involving three men broke out on the corner of Lake Street and Aberdeen Street in Northbridge at about 2.30am, when police officers were in the area.

Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams said a 28-year-old man has died after being stabbed in an attack in Northbridge. Credit:Channel 9 Perth

One of the men was stabbed and was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital where he later died as a result of his injuries.

Police arrested two men, aged 18 and 19, soon after the incident. Both are now in custody and assisting police with inquiries.
Activists protesting the $16 billion Scarborough project took to the street outside Woodsides CBD office on Thursday, claiming the project was not safe for workers or the climate and could destroy Aboriginal heritage.

The stand against the biggest fossil fuel project currently proposed in the whole of Australia included a protester locking her arm in a concrete barrel at the buildings main entrance.

A protest was held outside the Woodside building in Perth on November 25, calling for the end of the Scarborough gas project.

Her actions echoed the protest held the day before at the Burrup Peninsula, in WAs Pilbara. There, protesters parked their Subaru Forrester and caravan across the two-lane Burrup Road near King Bay Road in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The vehicle blocked access to the only sealed road to the countrys biggest LNG hub which includes the Karratha Gas Plant, Yara Fertilisers, the Dampier Port and Woodsides Pluto LNG plant, which will be expanded under the plans to develop the Scarborough gas fields.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The Coalition is a broad church, and as Parliament dealt with the problems of religious freedom, Prime Minister Scott Morrisons congregation felt free to speak their minds. Its lucky for him he said he doesnt want mere drones and warm bodies in his pews because his faith might have been tested. Traditionally, the final sitting weeks of the year can be dangerous times for political leaders. People are tired, tempers are frayed and theres an impetus to clear the legislative decks ahead of the long summer parliamentary break so the new year can start afresh. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has endured a messy week in Parliament. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Even by those low expectations from watchers of politics, the past week has been a messy one for Morrison. It started with headlines highlighting threats from senators unhappy with state vaccine mandates that they would withhold their support until someone did something (possibly unconstitutional) to stop the premiers. The issue had dragged on Morrison during his mini-campaign fortnight ahead of the sittings, with persistent protests in Melbourne and larger marches around the country at the weekend.

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Labor was already prepared to accuse him of having an each-way bet after hed condemned protesters calling for violence against Victorian leader Daniel Andrews but went on to say he understood peoples frustrations with ongoing coronavirus restrictions. The government agreed to give time in the Senate for debate on a bill from Pauline Hanson intended to end vaccine mandates after she threatened to withhold One Nations two crucial crossbench votes on all legislation. Hanson had told a rally in central Queensland town Yeppoon the week before Parliaments return the issue was so important that she was personally going down [to Canberra] this time to push it. Instead, she attended Parliament via videoconference all week. Without the physical presence of Hanson or her offsider Malcolm Roberts, their votes on their own bill werent recorded. You need to rock up to vote, Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie called out to Hanson, who complained that her number wasnt formally counted among the supporters. But those of former resources minister Matt Canavan, South Australian Liberal Alex Antic, Queensland maverick Gerard Rennick, Liberal backbencher Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Northern Territory senator Sam McMahon  whose bill on territory rights was bumped off the program to make way for Hansons  were recorded as they broke ranks.

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The bill was defeated overwhelmingly. Hanson still wasnt happy. She had her bill put back on the agenda for further debate later on. Asked for the partys position on voter ID laws  which the government hopes to push through next week  a One Nation spokesman told this masthead the party was still opposing all government legislation. Rennick and Antic have also formally asked to be paired against Coalition colleagues for procedural votes and indicated publicly they cant be relied on until the mandate issue is dealt with. Loading Morrison on Friday declared he was content to let my party breathe when there were issues colleagues were passionate about. In the Liberal Party, we encourage our members to be themselves. I dont lead a team of drones and warm bodies that I just move around in the Parliament, he said. I want people in my team who speak their mind. Im not afraid of that.  Theres been a lot of breathing.

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At the regular Tuesday meeting of Coalition MPs, Morrison made pointed remarks about the choices you make over the next two weeks and the need for discipline and unity to win elections. If you surrender that, you surrender government, he told them  although not all who needed to hear that message were in the room. The meeting was dominated by divisions over the long-promised religious discrimination bill. The changes have been four years in the making and seek to fix a problem many advocates are hard-pressed to explain. Morrison told Parliament it addressed an important weakness in discrimination laws, which cover sex and sexuality, race, disability and age, but not faith. Hes made a virtue of keeping an election promise by delivering the legislation. That has inevitably raised questions about whats happened to the promises to provide greater protections for gay students and teachers as religious schools (which may be dealt with in 2023 on the current timeframe) and to establish a Commonwealth integrity agency. Inside the Coalition meeting, Melissa McIntosh, Matt OSullivan, Ben Small, Lucy Wicks and Canavan spoke up in favour of the changes on religious discrimination.

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Northern Queensland MP Warren Entsch said he did not see the need for the bill and questioned provisions including the defence for statements of faith. Others who expressed concerns were Bridget Archer, Angie Bell, Andrew Bragg, Fiona Martin, Dave Sharma and Trent Zimmerman. During Wednesdays question time, out of those who had spoken out against the religious discrimination bill, only Bell was included on the list to quiz a minister. Its the kind of slight not obvious to most but remembered by the partys ranks. In the lower house, the government got its way overall but lost a series of skirmishes. Loading The old spectre of Morrisons family holiday to Hawaii two years ago when bushfires were burning along the east coast returned amid Labors efforts to brand the Prime Minister a liar. Why had his office denied to journalists he was in the island paradise, asked Labors MP for Gilmore Fiona Phillips. Morrisons reply boiled down to, it didnt matter what the media were told because he had personally informed Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese: He was fully aware of where I was travelling with my family.

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The sight of chaos in Parliament never helps a government when voters expect prime ministers to lead a unified team.

Scott Morrison took a hammering this week when at least seven members of his own side turned against him in votes on the floor of Parliament, while a handful of others pushed back on his signature policy on religious freedom.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the division when Bridget Archer crossed the floor to vote against the government. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

But the Prime Minister will have good reason to thank some of his renegade Liberals and Nationals if he is lucky enough to win the next election.

Why? Because some of the rogue MPs are likely to hold their seats by standing up for what they believe rather than following the Morrison line.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Liberal Party members are running in the upcoming council elections as independents and under the banner of community tickets, with no mention on their websites or promotional material that they hold Liberal Party membership. The NSW Liberal Party does not endorse candidates in some council areas, including North Sydney, Kiama and Shoalhaven. Local Liberals who wish to run for office in those councils are not allowed, under Liberal Party rules and the NSW Electoral Act, to use Liberal Party branding, even if they openly identify as Liberals. Elle Prevost, a first-time candidate who is running as an independent for North Sydney council, said she was a proud Liberal party member. North Sydney candidate Elle Prevost. Credit:ellefornorthsydney.com I am a Liberal, but we are not endorsed in the North Sydney area, she said. Maybe its me being naive, but because I am not endorsed by the Liberal Party, my understanding is Im an independent. Ms Prevosts ticket is called Team Elle. Its website announces her as an Independent for North Sydney council and her Liberal Party membership is not mentioned. The membership is disclosed in Ms Prevosts candidate nomination form, filed under a subheading in a PDF document on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

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This is a really Liberal area, so I should be screaming it from the rooftops because it would win me more votes, she said. Retired naval officer Mark Croxford is a member of the executive of the NSW Liberal Party, and a Liberal Party member. But his connection to the Liberal Party is not mentioned on the promotional materials for his run at the Kiama council in the upcoming elections on December 4. Mark Croxford is standing for election in the Kiama LGA elections. Credit:Janie Barrett Mr Croxford is at the top of the Your Community Candidates ticket, which pledges to form a council free from party political agendas. The groups website urges voters not to risk a council influenced by party politics and says that party politics has no place in local government. Mr Croxfords bio on the Your Community Candidates website lists his background as a lobbyist and a senior ministerial adviser in the Howard government, but not his position as a country representative on the NSW Liberal Party executive, or his party membership. The membership is declared on his nomination form on the Electoral Commission website. I hide in the open, Mr Croxford said. I am in the Liberal Party for the purpose of federal and state politics. I personally dont believe there is any room for party politics in local politics.

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He said he always discloses his Liberal Party roots when he is speaking to constituents. I am happy to say I am a Liberal member but as a councillor I want to be a representative of my community, he said. The Declaration of Independents Local Government, created by the Voices of North Sydney group, has been signed by 56 candidates in the Lane Cove, North Sydney, Willoughby, Hunters Hill and Georges River councils. Rod Simpson, the co-convener of the Voices of North Sydney group, says the intention of the declaration is to get some transparency into local government. Its asking people what their political status is and whether they have been [a member of a political party] in the past and whether they have made political donations or been a staffer, says Mr Simpson, who is a former environment commissioner with the Greater Sydney Commission. Its really hard for people to untangle this and we are just trying to bring it up to the surface and make it easy for people to see what on earth is going on. The Declarations stated intention is to differentiate community-minded independents from independents who are affiliated with political parties. A community minded independent is defined as a candidate who is not currently a member of a political party, and will vote as an individual.

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At the Shoalhaven Council, Serena Copley is billed as an independent on the ballot form, but the NSW Electoral Commission records show she is also a Liberal Party member. Serena Copley is a candidate for Shoalhaven City Council. Credit:Facebook/Serena Copley for Shoalhaven City Council The same goes for the other candidates on her ticket, Fred Campbell, Leonard White and Francoise Sikora. Ms Copleys team is called A Fresh Approach and does not mention any connection with the Liberal Party in its promotional materials. Council candidates Fred Campbell OAM and Leonard White. Credit:Facebook/Serena Copley for Shoalhaven City Council Loading In response to questions from The Sydney Morning Herald, Ms Copley said she had been a member of the Shoalhaven community for more than 30 years.

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Gofer Ice Cream announced their ninth Connecticut location will open Spring 2022 on 1240 Post Road in Westport.

Gofer has a variety of products and something for everybody. With our premium soft and hard serve, plant based and fat free options, I am confident the diverse set of neighboring businesses will benefit from our shop as well," Jay Ragusa, CEO of Gofer Franchise Systems, said in a release.

The Westport ice cream shop will be located in the same plaza as the CT School of Music, Fortunas Deli and Splatterbox.

"It is a great location with great parking and several nearby schools," Ragusa said. "I like that it is away from the Main Street area of town. I believe it is similar to the neighborhood Greenwich shop on the Cos Cob town line that has been a huge success since opening in 2003."

Gofer Ice Cream continues to expand in the Fairfield County area and currently looking to grow upstate in Connecticut as well into nearby Westchester County and Long Island New York areas.

The company recently opened their eighth location in Ridgefield on Oct. 15.

The ice cream shop is planning on opening their second Stamford location at 2367 Summer Street in the Ridgeway Shopping Center in early 2022. If all goes as planned we hope to enter our 20th season with nine operating shops," Ragusa said.

Gofer Ice Cream will open Spring 2022 on 1240 Post Road.
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

 Elite Salon & Suites to open at the Promenade Shops of Saucon Valley in 2022. Independent salon owners will have their own suite space within the store

 Purr Haus opens at 27 South Seventh Street in Emmaus. The boutique will offer a collection of pet supplies and cat-themed apparel.

. The Hummus House opens Bethlehem location at 518 E. Third Street

 New beauty studio, Glow Factory, opens at 1708 Washington Blvd. in Easton

 New salon, Mirror Beauty Studio, to open at 2002 Hanover Avenue in Allentown. Grand opening set for Dec. 3.

 A Red Wing shoe store will open on Airport Road in Allentown at the site of the former Zoup! restaurant.

 Paisley & Company Bath Boutique & Fragrance Bar in Kutztown reopens for in-person shopping

 Bitty & Beau's Coffee opens at 74 W. Broad Street in Bethlehem

 American Family Care opens urgent care center in the County Line Plaza, off of Route 113 near Souderton, Bucks County

 Charming Charlie, a women's contemporary fashion and accessories retailer, will return to the Outlets at Wind Creek.

 All Weather Selvedge Denim Co. (AW) opens at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley in suite 608, next to Evolve Salon & Spa.

 PrimoHoagies, the casual restaurant known for its gourmet hoagies, plans to open two restaurants in Stroudsburg.

 Laura McLain, executive director of the Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce, will retire at the end of 2021 after 21+ years of service.

 Thomas Ripsam has been named the new CEO of Martin Guitar. He succeeds longtime Chairman and CEO Christian Frederick Martin IV.

 Owners of Tucker Silk Mill to open wine bar and garden in down Easton in early 2022. Kabinett will have a mostly Australian and German wine list, with light fare, and an outdoor patio overlooking the Delaware River.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mainly cloudy, turning windy, and warm with record high temperatures possible. A few showers, mostly later in the day, but far from a washout..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, windy, and mild early with evening showers and perhaps even a thunderstorm, then clearing, brisk, and colder late.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Mainly cloudy, turning windy, and warm with record high temperatures possible. A few showers, mostly later in the day, but far from a washout..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, windy, and mild early with evening showers and perhaps even a thunderstorm, then clearing, brisk, and colder late.
Tributes have been pouring in from across the theatre community to celebrate the life of Stephen Sondheim, who has died aged 91.

The creator of a raft of iconic musicals including Follies and Sunday in the Park with George, Sondheim is said to have died suddenly at his home in Connecticut.

In a statement, composer and producer Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "Farewell Steve, the musical theatre giant of our times, an inspiration not just to two but to three generations. Your contribution to theatre will never be equalled."

The ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) president Paul Williams said: "The magnitude of Stephen Sondheim's contribution to American musical theatre is immeasurable and matched only by his immense generosity in influencing and mentoring new generations. We are forever grateful for his groundbreaking work, which truly evolved the art form of the Broadway musical, and for his support to The ASCAP Foundation to expand the possibilities for young people to experience the magic of the Broadway musical."

You can see a series of tributes from social media below:

& last week, when I wrote him to say his ears must be burning from the countless Sondheim kindnesses being shared from the generations of writers he mentored, he wrote this in reply.

Steve: you repaid your debt to Oscar 1000 times over. We love you. I love you. THANK YOU. -LMM pic.twitter.com/6aeHW4CWFH  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 27, 2021

The last of the great Musical Comedy composers has died. Steve, I will never be a able to properly thank you for the lessons learned. You are the Gold Standard.  Patti LuPone (@PattiLuPone) November 27, 2021

I am so so sad to lose my friend Steve Sondheim He gave me so much to sing about I loved him dearly and will miss him so much Thank you for all the gifts you gave the world Steve  Bernadette Peters (@OfficialBPeters) November 26, 2021

You were a gift to us all and I will never ever forget being your first female Bobbie. It was a profound immense honour. Heartbroken pic.twitter.com/4tAlRoXkNa  Rosalie craig (@Rosiemae) November 26, 2021

Thank the Lord that Sondheim lived to be 91 years old so he had the time to write such wonderful music and GREAT lyrics! May he Rest In Peace pic.twitter.com/vshNSdkvpQ  Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) November 26, 2021

"As a writer, I think what I am is an actor. I write conversational songs, so the actors find that the rise and fall of the tune, the harmonies, the rhythms, help them as singers to ACT the song. They don't have to act against it." -Stephen Sondheim pic.twitter.com/zQlN7gKfSh  Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 27, 2021

He left us with so many words, but none enough for this post. Goodbye, old pal. Thank you, Stephen Sondheim, for so much brilliance in the theatre and sharing your music with us all. pic.twitter.com/Qe55GcDQeS  The Tony Awards (@TheTonyAwards) November 27, 2021

Rest In Peace Stephen Sondheim. pic.twitter.com/qzWUQEcYfM  Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) November 27, 2021

Every so often someone comes along that fundamentally shifts an entire art form. Stephen Sondheim was one of those. As millions mourn his passing I also want to express my gratitude for all he has given to me and so many more. Sending my love to his nearest and dearest. pic.twitter.com/4KlnJJJipq  Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 26, 2021

The fact that THIS IS STEPHEN SONDHEIM's VOICEMAIL in #TickTickBoom makes this simply heartbreaking. @Lin_Manuel shared Sondheim had also re-rewritten and re-recorded this. #RIPStephenSondheim pic.twitter.com/3YxvohvHdI  Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) November 27, 2021

He only wrote one screenplay, but it's an absolute gem of a whodunnit. Why not pay tribute to the great Stephen Sondheim by watching his parlor game cult classic The Last Of Sheila'. (Co-written with Anthony Perkins, no less). RIP x pic.twitter.com/Cqd2FpUgtw  edgarwright (@edgarwright) November 26, 2021
The faces are familiar and the concept is comfortable.

The faces are familiar and the concept is comfortable.

"Its a passing of the torch," says Rachael King, co-owner of Bonnie Day, a new restaurant set to open Wednesday in the former home of Ruby West. "We are so thankful that the original owners had the forethought to turn the building into a fully licensed restaurant for the community."

King and her partner, Brian Johnson, have taken over the small eatery in the heart of Wolseley from previous owners (and neighbours) Jamie and Laura Hilland and Pete and Erin Keating with plans to ramp up the cosiness and elevate the menu.

"Laura and I are very pleased to see the restaurant remain in the hands of another Wolseley family with similar values in wanting to create a community gathering space," Jamie says via email.

Ruby West opened in the fall of 2019 and Johnson has been the restaurants kitchen manager since Day 1.

Rachael King and Brian Johnson of Bonnie Day. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)

Food is a passion, but aside from running a not-quite-legal pizza joint out of his backyard for several years, Johnson doesnt have much in the way of culinary experience. Hes excited to have chef Pamela Kirkpatrick on board for the next iteration.

"Weve reached out to these people that have way more experience than us and its been great," he says. "Pam has whipped the kitchen into shape, but yet will still collaborate on the menu with me, because she knows the food is important."

Kirkpatrick, of Cake-ology and Forth Projects fame, has helped create a new menu that revolves around comfort food  charcuterie, pizza, burgers, risotto, macaroni and cheese, pavlova  and caters to vegan and gluten-intolerant diners. Bartender Josey Krahn of Tiny Bar has also lent his mixology expertise to a new cocktail list.

The menu at Bonnie Day was created in collaboration with chef Pamela Kirkpatrick. (Rachael King)

"It wasnt like I wanted to come in and fix anything," Kirkpatrick says. "Theres opportunities here and (King and Johnson) can take this place to the next 15 levels. I think my background in systems and organizations and people connections, too, just all fit together so nicely."

King, who is a photographer by trade and one-half of Luckygirl Creative, is focused on the atmosphere.

She joined the business in May and has been busy re-imagining the dining room while learning the ropes of front-of-house food service.

The Bonnie Day burger is made with lean ground chuck and topped with bacon, onion jam and fontina cheese. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)

Overhead lights have been replaced with tabletop candles, carpeting has been removed and walls have been repainted.

"I think this space really needed to become more cosy," King says. "I imagine looking in from the outside in the dead of winter and (the restaurant) glowing like an ember."

Her cousins Hilary and Jimmy have also joined the ownership group. It was only fitting, then, that the family venture would be named after a well-known family witticism. The late David King, uncle and father to the owners, was a playwright with a penchant for one-liners.

Pavlova is one of several new dessert items at Bonnie Day. (Rachael King)

"Whenever we would all get together we would commiserate as to where to go and break bread," King says. "We would name all these different restaurants and as soon as we struck upon the one he loved, hed yell bonnie day, which is beautiful day in Scottish and then also good idea (bonne idee) in French."

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King and Johnson have been living and raising their family in Wolseley for roughly 18 years. Theyre looking forward to building on the restaurants legacy as a community gathering place  prior to Ruby West, the space at 898 Westminster Ave. was home to the Neighbourhood Cafe and Bookstore for more than a decade.

"To have a vessel to host something that creates community in a very authentic way is really important to us," King says. "And to not be totally Wolseley-centric, but to also bring other people into this neighbourhood."

Chef Pamela Kirkpatrick (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)

Bonnie Day will open for dinner Mondays through Saturdays beginning Dec. 1. Unsurprisingly, King, who has organized dozens of Luckygirl pop-up markets, is hoping to host chef and artist pop-ups in the restaurant. The owners are also mulling adding extended daytime hours in the future for the coffee-drinking crowd.

Follow Bonnie Day (@bonniedayresto) on Instagram for more information.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney
LE GOSIER, Guadeloupe (AP)  Frances government is offering to discuss some autonomy for the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which has been wracked by virus-related rioting and strikes that reflect long-running frustrations over inequality with the French mainland.

Emilie shows how she escaped her home during a fire after riots in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, Sunday, Nov.21, 2021. French authorities are sending police special forces to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France, as protests over COVID-19 restrictions erupted into rioting. In Pointe-a-Pitre, the island's largest urban area, clashes left three people injured, including a 80-year-old woman who was hit by a bullet while on her balcony. A firefighter and a police officer were also injured and several shops were looted there and in other towns. (AP Photo/Elodie Soupama)

LE GOSIER, Guadeloupe (AP)  Frances government is offering to discuss some autonomy for the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which has been wracked by virus-related rioting and strikes that reflect long-running frustrations over inequality with the French mainland.

The overnight offer by the government minister for overseas affairs, Sebastien Lecornu, drew sharp criticism Saturday from conservative and far right candidates for Frances April presidential election.

Guadeloupe uses the euro currency and has close political ties with the mainland. But high unemployment in Guadeloupe and nearby Martinique, high costs of living and lingering anger over historical abuses have prompted some local officials to demand change. Both Guadeloupe and Martinique are overseas departments of France.

Some officials have asked the question of autonomy, Lecornu said in a televised address Friday night to Guadeloupe residents. According to them, Guadeloupe could manage itself better than it is managed from Paris, and they notably want more autonomy to manage health-related issues locally, he said. The government is ready to talk about it.

Marylis Colzin, a nurse protesting France's mandatory vaccinations for health care workers, poses in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, Sunday, Nov.21, 2021. French authorities are sending police special forces to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France, as protests over COVID-19 restrictions erupted into rioting. In Pointe-a-Pitre, the island's largest urban area, clashes left three people injured, including a 80-year-old woman who was hit by a bullet while on her balcony. (AP Photo/Elodie Soupama)

He denounced rioters whose pillaging is hurting local merchants and workers, and whose road barricades are preventing some patients from getting medical treatment and forced schools to close. But he also acknowledged structural issues behind the anger, and called for a collective" response.

The recent tensions in Guadeloupe and Martinique started because of France's obligatory vaccinations for health care workers, and nationwide health pass to get into restaurants and other venues. To get the pass, people need to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test or recent recovery from the virus.

Most medical personnel in Guadeloupe  85%  have had at least one dose. But uptake in the broader population remains limited, at 46% of the adult population compared to 89% on the mainland.

Anger and resentment over the government's handling of a toxic pesticide called chlordecone  used for years in the French Caribbean after it was banned on the mainland and in the U.S.  have fueled mistrust in the government's COVID-19 vaccine polices and the central government in general.

Chlordecone, used mainly in banana fields, is blamed for record levels of breast and prostate cancers in the region, and experts say it will remain in polluted soils for the next 700 years.

Debris left by demonstrators block a street of Le Gosier, Guadeloupe island, Sunday, Nov.21, 2021. French authorities sent police special forces to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France, as protests over COVID-19 restrictions erupted into rioting and looting for the third day in a row. On Sunday, many road blockades by protesters made traveling across the island nearly impossible. (AP Photo/Elodie Soupama)

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines shared on WhatsApp or Telegram groups has also fed skepticism in Guadeloupe and Martinique.

For the four months since the mandatory vaccine for health workers and health pass rules were announced, demonstrations have multiplied by several trade unions. They want the government to abandon the measures, or at least adapt them for overseas territories.

Feeling they hadn't been heard, unions launched a general, indefinite strike Nov. 15  the deadline for health workers to get vaccinated or risk suspension without pay. Anger erupted into rioting 10 days ago, and in Pointe-a-Pitre, the islands largest urban area, clashes left three people injured, including a 80-year-old woman hit by a bullet while on her balcony.

The French government on Friday decided to delay mandatory vaccinations for health care workers in the region until Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, the protesters' demands have spread to include higher salaries and jobless benefits and the hiring of more teachers.

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A third of the Guadeloupe population lives below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate is 17%. The cost of living, meanwhile, is higher than the mainland because the island relies heavily on imports, yet salaries are lower.

Water supplies have been a major problem in recent years because of obsolete pipes, that leaves some residents without water for hours at a time  or even up to a week.

___

Angela Charlton reported from Paris.

___

Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors devastating the environment.

Protesters stand on the highway during protest in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors devastating the environment. (AP Photo/Milos Miskov)

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors devastating the environment.

Hundreds of people on Saturday appeared simultaneously in the capital Belgrade, the northern city of Novi Sad and other locations to block main bridges and roads for one hour in what organizers described as a warning blockade. They pledged further protests if the laws on property expropriation and referendum weren't withdrawn.

Police officers blocked the demonstrators from reaching the bridges, which led to skirmishes as police helicopters flew overhead. The protesters then marched around while managing to stop traffic at a key bridge in Belgrade and in various central streets.

Organizers said a number of people have been detained. Police earlier have warned that any blockade of bridges is illegal.

A number of environmental groups and civil society organizations are angry that the authorities have lowered the referendum threshold and allowed for swift expropriation of private property if deemed to be in the public interest. Activists argue this will pave the way for foreign companies to circumvent popular discontent over projects such as the bid by the Rio Tinto company to launch a lithium mine in western Serbia.

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Serbias authorities have rejected the accusations, saying the new laws are needed because of infrastructure projects. The country's autocratic president, Aleksandar Vucic, said a referendum will be organized on the Rio Tinto mine.

Environmental issues recently have drawn public attention as local activists accuse the populist government of allowing for the devastation of nature for profit. Experts have warned that the planned lithium mine in western Serbia would destroy farmland and pollute the waters.

Following decades of neglect, Serbia has faced major environmental problems such as air and water pollution, poor waste management and other issues. Serbia is a candidate nation for European Union entry, but little so far has been achieved with regards to improving the country's environmental situation.

Protesters on Saturday blew whistles during the blockade and chanted We won't give up Serbia. Huge columns of cars and other vehicles formed at several locations as the demonstrators allowed only the emergency services to pass.

The protest coincided with a convention of Vucics populist Serbian Progressive Party as thousands of his supporters were bused into the capital for the gathering that was designed as a show of support for his policies.

Although formally seeking EU membership, Vucic has refused to align the countrys foreign policies with the 27-nation bloc and has instead strengthened the Balkan countrys alliance with Russia and China.
CALGARY - Canada's main energy regulator has rejected Enbridge Inc.'s proposal to fill its Mainline pipeline network through long-term contracts.

The Enbridge logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Canada's main energy regulator has rejected Enbridge Inc.'s proposal to fill its Mainline pipeline network through long-term contracts.

The Calgary-based pipeline giant had applied to enter into long-term contracts for 90 per cent of the Mainline system's capacity.

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The pipeline's demand has exceeded capacity over the past few years. Enbridge had argued firm contracts would give customers more predictable access to the pipeline.

But some Canadian oil producers argued the proposed change would worsen the existing capacity constraints and could lead to lower oil prices.

The Canada Energy Regulator says it concluded Enbridge's proposal would dramatically change access to the pipeline. It said certain companies would benefit from long-term stability, but others would lose access to the pipeline.

Enbridge's Mainline is Canada's largest oil pipeline system, moving over three million barrels per day of petroleum products to market. The pipeline provides approximately 70 per cent of the total oil pipeline transportation capacity out of Western Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ENB)
The minister in charge of Manitoba Hydro has denied any part of the publicly owned "crown jewel" will be privatized even though his government has directed the utility to implement measures in the Wall report, including selling non-core assets.

The minister in charge of Manitoba Hydro has denied any part of the publicly owned "crown jewel" will be privatized even though his government has directed the utility to implement measures in the Wall report, including selling non-core assets.

"Privatization is not on the table," Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton said Friday after question period, where the NDP had asked him about a "secret" ministerial directive mentioned in a Sept. 29 Manitoba Hydro letter to the Public Utilities Board.

"They've repeated that line throughout, then they pursue partial privatization," NDP Leader Wab Kinew said, referring to Teshmont, a subsidiary that Manitoba Hydro had an interest in that was sold. "This directive turns that from being a little bit of political spin and misdirection to that being the official government policy," he said in a phone interview.

Hydro said in the letter that it had received a directive from the PC government in May "to implement the 51 recommendations in the Economic Review of Bipole III and Keeyask report" issued by former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall in February. "The implications of this directive will be understood, including cost implications, over the next 12 months," it said.

The Wall report lambasted Manitoba's former NDP government, saying it mishandled and overspent on construction of the two massive capital projects. It recommended selling off, or shutting down, non-core hydro assets to relieve the debt burden sooner, public-private partnerships for any future capital projects, and a review of transmission tariffs "to ensure that they are not a barrier to other companies building new generation in Manitoba for export" to "foster competition."

His report also said the province shouldn't charge Hydro hundreds of millions of dollars every year for water rental when government decisions are to blame for it being so deeply in debt.

Wharton said there was nothing "secret" about the province telling Hydro to adopt the Wall report. Former premier Brian Pallister announced months ago the recommendations would be enacted and, in May, Wharton announced a three-person panel to review all 51 of them and report back by the fall of 2022.

On Friday, Wharton wouldn't say what are considered Hydro's non-core assets and potentially on the chopping block.

"We'll review and go through that process with Manitoba Hydro... but to determine core and non-core is early stages for us."

He repeated that no part of the utility  not Centra Gas, nor any customer-service functions  would be privatized. "There's not going to be privatization on anything."

When asked if the province would follow Wall's recommendation to reduce the water rental fees it collects from Hydro  $480 million this fiscal year for a surcharge on the water that flows through generating stations, debt guarantees and capital tax  to reduce the utility's debt burden, Wharton said it will be discussed.

"Manitoba Hydro's financial status is not good, especially this year, losing in excess of $300 million," he said referring to the Crown corporation's latest fiscal update that accounts for drought conditions.

"That's going to be exacerbated by the fact that now they're going to have to start to pay for the capital assets of Bipole and Keeyask. It's going to get worse before it gets better."

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While the government has focused on the utility's massive debt, when pressed, Wharton acknowledged the massive producer of hydroelectric energy remains "Manitoba's crown jewel."

Manitoba Hydro, he said, has been encouraged to explore new foreign and domestic contracts.

The negative narrative from the PC government about Hydro sinking in debt sounds like a prelude to privatizing it piece by piece, Kinew said, and that would result in rising energy rates for customers and fewer good-paying jobs.

"Privatization of any form, to me, is a big concern," he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Manitoba's sick leave program covered more than $4 million in wages for 16,000 workers who would have otherwise lost income due to COVID-19-related illness.

Manitoba's sick leave program covered more than $4 million in wages for 16,000 workers who would have otherwise lost income due to COVID-19-related illness.

The provincial government is in discussions on whether it will renew the pandemic sick leave program, which concluded at the end of October, Finance Minister Scott Fielding said.

"We think that theres been benefits to the sick leave program that we put in place. It was a pretty generous program, its been well used," Fielding said Friday.

A total of 16,379 workers benefited from the program, which ran from May 7 to Oct. 29, and covered wages for people on COVID-19 sick leave, including time off for vaccination, he said.

The program reimbursed employers who continued to pay workers while they were away for COVID-19 testing, vaccination and illness, with up to $600 available per person.

The program also ensured cash kept flowing to workers who were waiting for financial support from the federal government, or who did not qualify for Ottawas programs.

More than 1,400 employers applied to the program and nearly $4.5 million was distributed, Fielding said; on average, employees received $275.

With parents and guardians now booking appointments for children to be vaccinated, booster shots recommended more widely and a high number of cases reported daily in the province, Manitobans can expect a decision on the sick leave program in the near future, he said.

"We have a really high vaccination rate here in Manitoba, so were proud of that. The big focal point now is obviously with children, so were happy that process has started, and we need to get as many kids vaccinated as we can," Fielding said.

"So anything we can do to make it easier to get people vaccinated, thats the best way to mitigate the issues of COVID-19."

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On Friday, NDP MLA Danielle Adams called on the government to introduce a permanent sick leave program to ensure people do not have to make a choice between staying home when ill or giving up their paycheque.

"We know that employees who do not have access to paid sick leave are often those workers who are low-wage and in precarious jobs and are more often women and racialized workers," the Thompson MLA said.

On Wednesday, the British Columbia government announced all workers would be guaranteed five paid sick days beginning in 2022.

While demand has been strong for Manitobas pandemic sick leave program,the introduction of a permanent program, similar to that of B.C. would require consultation, Fielding said.

"Before you would look at any permanent (paid sick leave), youd do some consultations, not just with labour, but also businesses that would be impacted by a program like this," he said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
A labour mediator says striking faculty members at the University of Manitoba should put down their pickets and return to class so students "should not continue to suffer during a leisurely and ultimately futile negotiation."

A labour mediator says striking faculty members at the University of Manitoba should put down their pickets and return to class so students "should not continue to suffer during a leisurely and ultimately futile negotiation."

In his final recommendation to the administration and the faculty association, Arne Peltz said the union's position that all non-monetary issues be settled by negotiation before salary matters are settled by arbitration is "wholly unrealistic and unworkable."

He had earlier recommended the two sides seek arbitration to settle every facet of the dispute. The strike by 1,200 professors, instructors and librarians started Nov. 2.

Peltz made his comments in a document released by the university Friday.

"I urge (the faculty association) to reconsider. There is no need for this strike to continue. If it does, this will not be because of a restrictive government mandate or employer intransigence.

"Like the University, (the association) should be willing to subject all its proposals to scrutiny before an independent arbitrator and to live with the result."

Peltz also drafted a "customized arbitration referral" which he said was fair to both sides.

In Peltz's referral, he said after agreeing an arbitrator would be called in, the association would end the strike and its members would return to work with all issues related to pay and benefits to be decided by the arbitrator.

Peltz said the arbitrator, to make a salary award, would also look at helping professors make "reasonable advancement in the U15 Group of Canadian Research University salary standings towards the 25th percentile during the life of the collective agreement."

And Peltz said any bargaining mandates issued by the provincial government would not be considered by the arbitrator. The union has repeatedly said a provincial mandate on salary increases has interfered in the bargaining process.

In response, the faculty association accused Peltz of prolonging the strike.

"Last night, the universitys administration chose to reject (our) proposals relating to governance and working conditions," said faculty association president Orvie Dingwall in a statement. "Our proposal would have allowed students and faculty to return to the classroom, while issues of compensation would have been referred to binding arbitration.

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"Today, we learned that part of the reason for this rejection is that the mediator failed to adequately communicate information regarding our most recent proposals to the administration. We strongly believe that we can reach an agreement with the administration that prioritizes recruitment and retention and will continue to focus on an outcome that is favourable to students and our members."

The administration would only say "the University of Manitoba has agreed to accept the mediator's recommendations."

Dingwall said the two sides will bargain without a mediator throughout the weekend and remains "open to arbitration if certain issues relating to governance and working conditions for our members can be resolved beforehand," he said.

"We remain committed to bargaining in good faith directly with the administration."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
It took more than a century, but the final resting spot of a Winnipegger who died fighting in the First World War has been located.

It took more than a century, but the final resting spot of a Winnipegger who died fighting in the First World War has been located.

Cpl. George Ledingham, of the Cameron Highlanders of Canada, died on Oct. 1, 1918. His grave in a Canadian war cemetery in Tilloy-lez-Cambrai, France, only identified him as an unknown soldier. Now, his headstone will bear his name and a rededication ceremony is planned.

Corporal George H. Ledingham (Supplied by family of Corporal Ledingham)

Wayne McKay, Ledingham's great-nephew, said the family is pleased to know where Ledingham is buried.

"My grandfather was wounded and was sent back, but his brother George died there," said McKay.

"I knew him by a photo on my grandmother's wall which then went to my mother and now me. I just thought, up until now, he was in a shell hole covered in mud."

McKay, who is 84, said he doesn't think he will make it to France for the headstone rededication, but his granddaughter hopes to be there.

"This is satisfying," he said. "We can be at peace now and he can be at peace and we know where he is."

Ledingham's attestation papers say he was born on Feb. 17, 1887 and was almost 29 when he walked into a recruiting office and enlisted on Nov. 15, 1915.

Not much is known about his life before he enlisted. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, to Alexander and Barbara Ledingham; he was single and lived in the Sherman Hotel, formerly the Metropolitan Hotel, which was near the current city hall complex on Main Street; and he served in the active militia.

Ledingham also worked as a teamster, at that time meaning he was either a horse team driver or a stable hand.

He joined the 179th Battalion and left for England in October 1916, where his unit was absorbed into the 17th Reserve Battalion. Then he joined the 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, the Cameron Highlanders, on Nov. 13, 1916.

Ledingham, who was promoted to corporal in mid-September 1918, was one of many who fought to take Cambrai. During battle, he was shot in the head and died. After the battle ended, he was buried as an unknown corporal with the 43rd Battalion based on the rank and unit badges found on his uniform.

In 2019, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission received information from independent researchers who believed the grave was that of Ledingham based, in part, because only one of the battalion's corporals died that day, and Ledingham was a corporal and died that day.

Lt. Col. Jon Baker, commanding officer of the Winnipeg-based Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, said it was one of the honours of his career to travel to Almonte, Ont., to give official notification to Ledingham's family that his remains had been identified.

"Whether a casualty of our unit yesterday or 100 years ago, this is important and we need to do this," said Baker.

"Usually we would do this as a knock on the door at a family member's residence for the private notification, but here we worked with the family ahead of time."

All those years ago, Baker said, someone would have knocked on the door of Ledingham's parents to tell them the bad news.

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"They would have been notified he had been killed," he said.

"What wasn't known then was where his remains were. Now we know."

In a statement, Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay said thousands of First World War soldiers are in unmarked graves.

"It's important, even after all these years later, that we not forget that each of them was a person with a name and a story when they died," said MacAulay.

"Days like today remind us of that, and I'm glad that we're now able to provide Cpl. Ledingham with the recognition that he and all of his comrades deserved."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
IF you winter in Winnipeg, your vocabulary includes the phrase shovel out, as in: Lots of snow fell overnight, we have to shovel out.

Opinion

IF you winter in Winnipeg, your vocabulary includes the phrase shovel out, as in: Lots of snow fell overnight, we have to shovel out.

If you are one of those wonderful Winnipeggers who helps other people get through winter, you might also shovel out the sidewalk of an elderly neighbour, or shovel out a vehicle that is hung up in a snowbank and has stranded its driver who, unlike you, doesnt carry a shovel in their trunk when the snow starts.

Even these good neighbours  winter warriors who use their shovels as tools of kindness  usually stop short of doing public walkways. City sidewalks, city responsibility.

It doesnt have to be that way. In fact, it shouldnt be that way. The owners of homes and businesses should shovel the city-owned sidewalks that border their properties, and it should be mandatory.

The argument to offload this responsibility onto citizens  and the argument is strong  starts with the obvious. Go for a walk outside. Leaving the job up to the city has left public sidewalks in appalling condition since a moderately-large snowfall a couple of weeks ago was followed by melty temperatures and then a quick freeze, leaving many sections of sidewalk like paths of ice.

People with mobility issues have become shut-ins. Pedestrians who risk sidewalks do it gingerly, fearful of falling and injuring a hip or knee at a time when, by all accounts, Winnipeg hospitals cant offer rapid attention to people who need hip or knee surgery.

Many people blame city hall, saying crews should have more cleared the sidewalks more promptly, before freezing temperatures turned slush into rock-hard ruts that will stick around longer than our out-of-town Christmas visitors.

If people can temper their frustration with a smidgen of objectivity, however, we should consider the full scope of the challenge. There are about 3,000 kilometres of sidewalks in Winnipeg, partly because of this citys unchecked urban sprawl. Expecting crews to clear so much sidewalk rapidly is perhaps unreasonable, especially since they also need to clear the streets and keep up with the relatively new active-transportation demand for cleared bike routes.

But we shouldnt give up and resign ourselves to dangerously-slippery sidewalks. We need safe, passable sidewalks for our kids to walk to school, for our seniors to walk to bus stops. There must be a solution.

There is a solution, and most other Canadian cities have already found it. Make residents do it. Winnipeg is the only major city on the Canadian Prairies where the city is still responsible for clearing city sidewalks.

Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton have already shifted the obligation onto the owners of homes and businesses to clear city sidewalks. Reginas bylaw begins Jan. 1.

Outside of the Prairies, cities that have adopted such a bylaw include Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor and Kitchener. A typical bylaw is like the one in Vancouver: residents must clear sidewalks by 10 a.m. the day after every snowfall, with $250 fines for home owners who dont.

Winnipeg council should learn from these other cities and introduce such a bylaw, but before it does, it should consider how to deal respectfully with citizens who, perhaps from advanced age or infirmity, cant clear their section. In Saskatoon, homeowners get 48 hours after a snowfall to clear the city walks and, for those who dont, the city does it for them but then recoups the cost through taxes.

Saskatoons system seems harsh, penalizing citizens who are physically unable to wield shovels, or perhaps are away on vacation. A more courteous way for Winnipeg to proceed is to have a verified registry of addresses whose residents have legitimate reasons not to shovel, and have those sidewalks cleared by volunteers or paid workers if necessary.

Until 2020, Take Pride Winnipeg had an initiative called Snow Angels, which paired youth volunteers with seniors in need of snow clearing. It also included a partnership with the Hire-a-Refugee organization.

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A proposal to make it mandatory for Winnipeggers to shovel city sidewalks was made by city administrators in 2015, but the idea lacked council support. The time is right to try again.

The benefits of such a bylaw will start on the surface level, literally. Winnipeg sidewalks will be cleaned better, while the snow is fresh, rather than waiting until city crews get around to it.

The benefits will go deeper, though. As Winnipeg gradually emerges from the isolation required by the pandemic, shovelling a portion of city sidewalk will be every citizens hands-on opportunity to show they care about their city and the fellow residents who rely on the neighborhood sidewalks.

Everybody remember to stretch.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.
Journalism is not a crime.

And yet, on Nov. 19, photojournalist Amber Bracken and documentary filmmaker Michael Toledano were among the 29 people  including Indigenous elders, land defenders and supporters  arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Wetsuweten territory in British Columbia. Their equipment was confiscated.

The journalists were there to cover the renewed protests by members of the Wetsuweten Nation against the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, and were released Monday after agreeing to appear in court in February. RCMP personnel were enforcing an injunction granted to Coastal GasLink.

CP Two journalists were arrested while covering the renewed protests by members of the Wetsuweten Nation against the Coastal GasLink pipeline project. (Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press files)

In an online statement, the RCMP claimed the journalists "later" identified themselves as members of the media. But in Mr. Toledanos footage, both he and Ms. Bracken clearly identify themselves as press during their arrests.

More than 40 news organizations, including the Winnipeg Free Press, joined the Canadian Association of Journalists in calling for Marco Mendicino, Canadas public safety minister, "to take immediate steps and investigate and correct the RCMPs actions and to ensure that going forward, journalists right to report will be protected."

This incident is the latest in a disturbing patten of behaviour. In the summer, the CAJ, along with a coalition of news organizations and press-freedom advocates, won a B.C. Supreme Court case against the RCMP, which was restricting media access to the Fairy Creek logging blockades.

These arrests of journalists should be deeply concerning to all Canadians. A strong, independent, free press  which is essential to a democracy  cannot function without the ability to engage in on-the-ground reporting. Journalists are the publics eyes and ears. The public needs journalists to physically be where events are occurring, so they can know and better understand whats going on.

Related Items Click to Expand Articles Nov 24, 2021: Critics call it unnecessary and excessive. Watch how these RCMP arrests on Wetsuweten territory went down Jeremy Nuttall - Vancouver Bureau,Kieran Leavitt - Edmonton Bureau, Toronto Star

Its worth noting that this story isnt just about the arrest of journalists  who, undoubtedly, would prefer not to be the story at all. Its about what they are there to document. Ms. Brackens photos and Mr. Toledanos footage show the door of a tiny cottage being smashed into, with a police dog barking and a chainsaw whirring. A gun pointed, Indigenous people arrested. The amount of force used in response to a peaceful protest by unarmed people.

These are images the public should see. These are images the public almost never saw.

Such is the case with many of the most affecting news images of our time. Consider the iconic photo of Canadian soldier Patrick Cloutier and Anishinaabe warrior Brad Larocque staring each other down, nearly nose-to-nose; the image was taken by Canadian Press photographer Shaney Komulainen during the Oka crisis in the early 1990s.

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More than 40 news organizations, including the Winnipeg Free Press, joined the Canadian Association of Journalists in calling for Marco Mendicino, Canadas public safety minister, to investigate the incident. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)

That defining photo wouldnt exist if she hadnt been there to capture it. (Ms. Komulainen, its worth noting, was charged  and later acquitted  on four counts related to the Oka crisis.)

Think also of the wrenching image of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, who along with his mother and brother drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece in the hope of eventually finding a new home with relatives in Canada.

Powerful images and on-the-ground reporting can shape and shift public opinion and prompt necessary political action. But in order to so, the stories and images need to be told and shown.

University of Victoria environmental and climate journalism professor Sean Holman, a noted advocate for press freedom, said in light of the public outcry after the arrests of Ms. Bracken and Mr. Toledano, its unlikely they will ever face trial.

"A free press and the work that journalists do are essential for democracy," he said.
A Winnipeg woman doesn't understand why she could pay out of pocket for a new knee in Calgary, but she can't pull out her wallet to get the procedure here.

A Winnipeg woman doesn't understand why she could pay out of pocket for a new knee in Calgary, but she can't pull out her wallet to get the procedure here.

The woman, who didn't want her name used, said she would prefer to get her knee replaced here in the public health-care system, but as the wait for surgery lengthens she would be willing to pay for it at home.

But she can't, and it's because of the Canada Health Act.

The same federal law that provides universal health care to residents at home allows Canadians to pay for a procedure as long as they travel to another province to have it done.

"It's very wrong," the woman said. "If I can go to Calgary to pay for knee surgery, why can't I pay here? I've been on the waiting list for two years already and I was supposed to get surgery before the end of this year. Now they are saying it will be in April to June, but that was before they had more cancellations lately.

"Who knows when this will be done?"

There are an estimated 8,000 patients waiting for hip and knee replacements in Manitoba. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)

Pandemic-related adjustments in the health system have worsened an already-long wait; an estimated 136,000 surgeries and other procedures are backed up, including more than 8,000 patients waiting for hip and knee replacements.

Former Winnipeg travel agency owner Max Johnson, who recently spent about two weeks in Lithuania getting a knee replacement, has submitted a $14,000 bill to the provincial government, which he said is thousands of dollars less than what it costs here. He argues Manitoba Health could quickly shrink the waiting list for hip and knee replacements  and save money  if it paid to have people flown to the same Lithuanian clinic.

The Free Press has reported on two Manitobans who were able to get new hips or knees months earlier than they could have got them here because they paid for the procedure at Clearpoint Surgery Centre in Calgary.

Clearpoint Health Network is one of the leaders in private surgeries in Canada, with locations in Calgary, Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver.

And Winnipeg.

Dr. Chris Cobourn, Clearpoint's chief medical officer, said the Winnipeg facility in the Maples is only allowed to do insured services on Manitoba residents.

"We have long-standing contracts with Shared Health and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority," said Cobourn. "Over 95 per cent of the procedures done at Maples are publicly funded (by either) government or WCB (Workers Compensation Board)."

Winnipegger Max Johnson travelled to Lithuania for a knee replacement and sent the province a $14,000 bill. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Clearpoint is fully supportive and compliant with all aspects of the Canada Health Act, he said.

"If staying within their home province for care, the CHA stipulates that medically necessary elective surgical procedures be provided and covered by the provincial government. These medical services cannot be billed to the individual directly."

A provincial spokesperson confirmed that's the case for Manitobans.

"Provincial legislation (The Health Services Insurance Act) includes provisions to ensure that the requirements in The Canada Health Act are met in Manitoba," she said.

"I can confirm The Health Services Insurance Act prohibits charges to patients for insured services."

No private surgeries should be allowed in Canada that are paid for in the public system, said Arthur Schafer, the founding director of the University of Manitoba's Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics.

"The government should not allow health-care resources to be siphoned off," said Schafer. "In general, the government has turned a blind eye.

Canadians can pay for a medical procedure as long as they travel to another province to have it done. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"But the underlying ethos is supposed to be health care is a necessity of life available to everybody based on need, rather than based on how wealthy you are."

Doctors can be paid directly by patients by agreeing not to receive payment from government for any procedures, a spokeswoman for Health Canada said.

"Should a physician choose to become 'unenrolled' from the public plan, they may not bill the public plan for services they provide and they can charge patients directly for their services," she said, adding there are very few unenrolled doctors across the country.

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"If it can be confirmed that patient charges exist within a province or territory, a mandatory dollarfordollar deduction from the Canada Health Transfer payments to that province or territory are required under the act."

The Winnipeg woman said all she knows is she is in constant pain and has the money that could end her suffering but she would rather spend it here.

Had she known how long the wait would be when she went on the list prior to the pandemic in early 2020, she would have taken money from her retirement savings to pay for surgery elsewhere, she said.

"It hurts all the time... It's a slow deterioration of the bone. I have bone on bone rubbing. I would definitely have got it elsewhere if I could travel. For the price of a car I could get two knees done and no longer have this pain. I could then do what I had planned to do in retirement," she said.

"You just get so tired of it."

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
An increasing number of nursing positions in the Southern Health region has been left unfilled as health centres across rural Manitoba struggle to keep beds open due to staffing shortages.

An increasing number of nursing positions in the Southern Health region has been left unfilled as health centres across rural Manitoba struggle to keep beds open due to staffing shortages.

Approximately 21.2 per cent of registered nursing positions in Southern Health were vacant as of the end of September, documents obtained by the Manitoba NDP show. Over the past six months, the regions overall vacancy rate grew to 20.3 per cent from 16.7 per cent, or 507 total positions, the documents, obtained through freedom of information, show.

In addition, 97 health-care workers in that region are on unpaid leave for refusing to take regular rapid antigen COVID-19 tests or to be vaccinated against the virus.

A spokesperson for Southern Health said the region couldnt specify which professions those 97 workers belonged to, but contingency plans, including moving workers between sites, are in place to maintain staffing levels "while the effects of leaves are still being felt."

At least one nurse who works in the region said the mounting stress of covering vacancies and the constant threat of being redeployed from her home unit is pushing her towards resigning.

TRIBUNE MEDIA TNS Approximately 21.2 per cent of registered nursing positions in Southern Health were vacant as of the end of September. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune files)

"I dont see a choice in how I can work in health care anywhere in this province," said the nurse, who didnt want her name published due to fear of repercussions for speaking about her experience. "They just pick you up and move you wherever they want."

While the guilt over leaving her co-workers, patients and the profession she loves weighs heavily, the lack of control over her professional life is becoming untenable, the nurse said.

"I fail to see how this is going to be fixed anytime soon with the vacancies we have, the rates people are leaving and moving to agencies," she said.

Manitoba NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara called the situation in rural Manitoba health facilities a "crisis."

Documents obtained by the NDP also show nearly one in five registered nursing positions was vacant in Prairie Mountain Health as of Sept. 30, 2021.

In the Northern Health region about 25 per cent of registered nursing positions were empty, with that figure climbing to 29.3 per cent at the Thompson General Hospital.

Asagwara said the provincial government needs to make sure the voices of health-care workers are heard and begin to repair its relationship with staff.

Incentives currently being offered to nurses would be considered progress only if they lowered vacancy rates, Asagwara said.

"Unfortunately, the efforts that theyre making now just seem to signal the fact that theyre waiting until the very last possible second to maybe start showing some semblance of respect to nurses," the former psychiatric nurse said. "This is after literally dozens, droves of nurses have left our health-care system."

CP There are 97 health-care workers in Southern Health on unpaid leave for refusing to take regular rapid antigen COVID-19 tests or to be vaccinated. (Thomas Kienzle / The Canadian Press files)

In the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, 21 hospital beds have been put temporarily out of order due to a lack of staff, said chief executive officer David Matear.

That includes 10 beds in Beausejour, six in Gimli, and five in Stonewall.

"We will suspend beds until such time we can have sustainable staffing for those beds," Matear said. "Weve made some inroads into that, in that weve secured agency staff, and were expecting them to come on in December, and that should at least address the Stonewall suspensions."

The health authority boss said the baseline staffing levels for the hospitals can be augmented by agency staff and through redeployment of employees within the region, but when that baseline cant be sustained, beds must be suspended.

Matear said part of the staffing shortage is due to regional nurses being called to assist with public health assignments and to work in intensive care units.

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"When those staff are transferred away to do those various duties, theres no pool of nurses to be able to fill in that," he said. "This has just created another draw on the same limited pool."

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the growing workload for nurses is hazardous.

"Ive heard many times from nurses who are afraid that theyre going to have their licences pulled because they are so tired after working 16- and 20-hour shifts day after day, they're going to make a mistake that hurts or kills a patient," Lamont said Friday. "What does that say about our health-care system? That its broken."

Responding to questions raised by Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew in the legislature Friday, Premier Heather Stefanson said the government is adding 400 nursing education seats and is helping internationally educated nurses become licensed to work in Manitoba.

"We recognize theres challenges. We recognize theres more work to be done. Were committed to getting that work done," Stefanson said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A shooting at an Indianapolis apartment complex killed a man early Friday, giving the city a record-tying 245 homicides so far this year with five weeks still remaining in 2021, police said.

Officers responding to a report of a person shot found the man unresponsive outside of an apartment just after 1:45 a.m. on the city's northwest side.

The man suffered injuries consistent with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene, Officer Genae Cook of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department told The Indianapolis Star

His death marked the 245th homicide in Indianapolis in 2021, tying last years record, and ending a more than weeklong streak where there were no homicides in the city.

Its disappointing and frustrating that you get there with this much time left in the year, Indianapolis police Chief Randal Taylor told WRTV-TV.

The city saw between 172 and 179 for three consecutive years before experiencing a sharp jump in homicides at the end of 2020.

Taylor said the killings have been fueled by disputes over drugs, gangs and people upset with random slights that often arise from social media posts.

Nationally, homicides increased by nearly 30% from 2019 to 2020, based on FBI data.

Mayor Joe Hogsett said his administration is trying to address rising gun violence with programs targeting poverty, while boosting the police force and other more direct crime-fighting efforts.

I think over time, theyre going to make a real difference," he said.
GOODLAND, Ind. (AP)  Human remains have been found in a house in northwest Indiana that caught fire after a man officers were trying to take into custody fled inside the residence, police said.

The Newton County Sheriffs Department said the department is awaiting DNA test results to positively identify the remains found Thursday in a burned home in the town of Goodland.

Police said they received a call Thursday morning about a 40-year-old man who was out of control and destroying a house in Goodland, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northwest of Lafayette, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

Responding officers tried to speak with the man and place him in handcuffs, but he became violent and attempted to flee back into the house, police said. Officers said a stun gun had no effect on the man, who charged officers, prompting them to again try to subdue him with stun guns, and also pepper spray.

The man then fled into the house while officers tried to make contact with him using a loud speaker, before he started breaking windows in the residence, located

A short time later, smoke was seen coming from a broken upstairs window and the house became fully involved in fire," police said in a news release.

After firefighters doused the flames they found human remains in the home's upstairs, police said.
The Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowships Encouraging Others to Serve Their Nation

The Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowships are offered annually to four outstanding undergraduates from across the nation, chosen from students serving in a summer internships with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, and the U.S. Embassies in London and Paris. The fourth fellow is the Harriman World Fellow, a William & Mary student who serves as an intern at any world capital.

About Pamela Harriman

Patriot, diplomat, philanthropist, friend of the arts, and mentor to a generation of public servants, Pamela Harriman's accomplishments continue to inspire those who succeed her. Former French President Jacques Chirac praised her keen understanding of world affairs and dedication to her country in February 1997, stating, "Seldom since Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson has America been so well served in France."

President Chirac also conferred upon the late Ambassador France's highest honor, The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. Ambassador Harriman, who liked to say she was an American by choice, represented America with wisdom, grace, and dignity. Her legacy will be continued with these fellowships that bear her name -- and extend her public service by encouraging others to serve their nation.

Learn more about Ambassador Harriman's remarkable life.

For more information please contact:

Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowships
Layla Abi-Falah '17, J.D. '20 Layla is from Richmond, Virginia, and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in international studies and a concentration in human rights in the Middle East and Africa. She is committed to a future in human rights. Layla had the opportunity as an undergraduate student to conduct policy relevant research alongside peers and professors and continues such research on development in Africa now as a project manager for the Center for African Development. At William & Mary, she was vice president of the Comparative Legal Society, symposium coordinator for the Human Security Law Center, and secretary of the Muslim Law Students Association. Layla spent summer 2018 as a Decentralization Unit intern for the USAID Jordan CITIES Project in Amman, Jordan. Mark Grubb, Chief of Party, asked me before I left if I was getting what I wanted out of my internship and of course the answer was: Way more. That has always been crystal clear and unquestionable. I was never just the intern. I had a part to playresponsibility. I began my time in Jordan conducting a comparative analysis of the legal frameworks on decentralization in Jordans neighboring countries, namely Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, looking to their best laws, regulations, by-laws, and manuals for models that could be replicated and adapted here in Jordan in the area of the four essential functions of decentralized government: project planning, budgeting, implementing, and monitoring. My research spanned nearly five to six weeks and culminated in the creation of a chart that is divided into each of the four functions and then further divided by country under each function to provide a user with an overview of what Moroccan, Tunisian, Iraqi, Lebanese and Palestinian decentralization laws have to say about planning or budgeting or implementing or monitoring. I was able to get a big picture view of the data organized in this way to see that, for instance, Morocco has the best planning laws but an ideal budgeting model comes from a mixture of the procedures laid out in Moroccan, Tunisian, and Iraqi laws. The end goal within the next three years is to use this compiled data to create a desk reference or practice manual for the next generation of newly elected and even appointed officials within each level of government on budget preparation, which includes project planning and budgeting, and budget execution, which includes project implementation and execution. With this in mind, I drafted an idealized example of a table of contents that can be used for such a budget preparation desk reference or oven a local government code based on Moroccan, Tunisian, and Iraqi models of planning and budgeting. Such a manual is merely based on the neighboring countries examples and so the next process moving forward as I continue to work for USAID remotely is understanding the Jordanian context and how to adapt these models to what is already in place in Jordan and what needs to be added to fill in any gaps.

Brooke Cox '19 Brooke Cox is a rising senior in the B.A. International Joint Honours Degree Program between the University of St. Andrews (UK) and the College of William and Mary (USA). This special four-year program allows her to study at both universities and receive a joint-honours degree in International Relations upon graduation. Brooke hopes to pursue a career in international development after graduation and her time interning with Citizen DEMOS has brought her one step closer to pursuing her dreams. My time with Citizen DEMOS has made me realize the importance of preserving democracy and why we must fight to maintain it. Given the political instability throughout the world, its important to nurture and strengthen citizens and teach them what it means to be truly democratic. During my internship, I learned about the failing democracies of India, Poland, Hungary, Israel, and to some extent America. Each case study improved my understanding of why we see democracies today falling to demagogues and why its so important to not have the same situation happen to the US and other western nations. My internship coordinator experienced first-hand the decline of Indias democracy and has created this start-up organization to guarantee that other nations will not fall to alt-right nationalists and exclusionary politics. My position as the Social Media and College Program Intern gave me the critical role of outreach and promotion. I was tasked with creating and promoting the Citizen DEMOS Campus Leadership Program, which aims to educate students about their role in democracy, along with managing various social media platforms for Citizen DEMOS. As an International Relations major, it was very interesting to take on more of a marketing approach to international issues rather than a purely research one. The thing I loved most about my internship was that I was not considered simply an intern but rather an integral part of the Citizen DEMOS team. During my internship I gained valuable and transferable social media and marketing skills as well as a new appreciation for democracy. I am so thankful that the Reves Center has helped me throughout this internship by supporting me financially.

Drew Ingram '19 Drew Ingram is a senior at William & Mary majoring in French and minoring in Marketing. He is a Camp Kesem counselor and very interested in strategy and film. The scholarship I received from the Reves Center allowed me to work with Les Eco Maires, an environmental NGO based out of Paris, France. With Les Eco Maires, I worked on a variety of tasks throughout the summer. Given that my office was French, I often acted as the liaison between Les Eco Maires and American NGOs when it came to event planning. Another project I spearheaded was our Sauvons les grands singes! (Save the great apes!) campaign. This consisted of planning events with the Jane Gooddall institute, finding brands that could effectively represent the campaign, and general research. While in France, I had the opportunity to explore a new culture and broaden my world view. I gained the most experience in the workplace as French work customs are entirely different from those I have experienced in the United States. Not only did working with a French organization help me with my language skills, but I learned intricacies of their culture that a classroom environment could not teach.

Emilie Smetak M.P.P. '19

Emilie is a graduate student at William and Mary, where she studies public policy and international development. Her areas of interest include security and defense, government accountability, and conflict resolution. After graduation, Emilie hopes to work for the U.S. government in strengthening the United States global image and engaging foreign policy. Emilie is originally from Pennsylvania, where she pursued several internships advocating for holistic community development. This summer I spent twelve weeks interning at the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe in their Political Affairs and Economic section. Throughout the internship, I wrote cables, participated in high-level meetings, monitored voter registration, and learned how to deliver a demarche. I also worked heavily in the Small Grants Office, where I reviewed and short-listed applications, attended pre-selection site visits, wrote evaluation memos, prepared remarks for the Ambassador to deliver at ribbon cutting ceremonies, and created success stories. As a student pursuing my Masters in Public Policy and International Development, this internship afforded me with first-hand experience in engaging in foreign policy and promoting U.S. interests abroad. I learned how to represent the United States in high-level bilateral meetings, rural site visits, and diplomatic events. I also gained exposure in ensuring that United States funded projects were held accountable to taxpayers in delivering the intended results. This internship showed me that the education I received at William and Mary equipped me with the skills necessary to be a valuable team member within the U.S. Government. Within weeks of my internship, I was treated as part of the team and trusted with cable writing, selection memos, and diplomatic meetings. I also solidified my desire to work for the U.S. Government in protecting our interests abroad and strengthening bilateral partnerships both politically and economically. Because of this internship, I feel like I gained the skills and contacts necessary to be competitive in securing a job within the U.S. Government and will be better able to promote foreign policy in my future career. Without financial assistance, I would have been unable to pursue this internship. Yet thanks to generous donors through the Reves Center, this internship has solidified my academic studies, strengthened my experience in foreign policy, and provided me with the skills necessary to promote a strong image of the United States globally. I am truly grateful for the financial support of the Reves Center and the education I received through William and Marys MPP program in enabling me to complete this internship. I look forward to using this internship to secure a competitive career engaging foreign policy and to support future William and Mary students pursuing similar internships for years to come.

David Warsof '20 David Warsof is a junior at William & Mary. He is a Government Major and a History Minor with a passion for international affairs and Middle Eastern politics.He has gained leadership experience as the Vice President of the Tau Pi chapter of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity plans to pursue future internships and career paths that connect government affairs with the private sector. This summer I participated in a 12-week internship with the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) at the United States Mission to the European Union (USEU) in Brussels, Belgium. The main goal of the FCS at USEU is to further improve the Transatlantic Partnership between the United States and the European Union. The FCS office at USEU works with U.S. businesses to make sure that they can access markets in the European Union and also works to mitigate all tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. As an intern at the FCS USEU, I had the opportunity to work closely with five highly dedicated Foreign Commercial Service officers. This was a great opportunity because it showed me firsthand what it is like to have a career in the Foreign Service/Foreign Commercial Service, a goal of mine since I was in high school. I was tasked with daily monitoring of E.U. legislation that affected Product Standards and the Digital Tech sector and learned important monitoring skills. Writing whitepapers was another one of my main assignments at the FCS USEU, which involved summarizing recently proposed and passed E.U. legislation and reporting on how the legislation might affect U.S. businesses. I really value the experience of working on these assignments, as it allowed me to gain a better understanding of how government legislation can impact the business sector and learn important skills that serve as the foundation for policy research and analysis. After working at the FCS USEU, I realized that I want to explore a minor in business to explore the connection between the public sector and the private sector. Another part of my internship was organizing the arrival of special guests to the USEU. During my internship I helped plan the arrival of the new Ambassador to Belgium and the new Ambassador to the E.U. This planning included writing and compiling a booklet of biographies of Important European officials in the European Commission, Council, and Parliament to help the Ambassadors transition into their new roles. In addition to preparing for the arrival and meeting with the two new Ambassadors, I also had the honor of meeting President Donald Trump, the First Lady Melania Trump, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when the President came to give a speech at USEU. These experiences ignited my passion for politics and have inspired me to purpose a career in public service. Overall, this internship was an unbelievable opportunity that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am so thankful to the Reves Center and their donors for providing me with a scholarship that allowed me to have this opportunity of a life time. Photo: On the left, Deputy Chief of the US Mission to the E.U. presenting to me a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the U.S. Ambassador to the EU. In recognition of your exemplary efforts to prepare for the arrival of the U.S. Ambassador to the E.U. that led to and supported his successful meetings with the President of the European Council and other top EU leaders
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A Chinese worker and a Russian worker communicate with each other as they walk in a construction site where Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are about to be built, in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 18, 2021. [Xinhua/Lu Huadong]

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin respectively sent congratulatory letters to the closing ceremony of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation on Friday.

In his message, Xi recalled that when the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation opened in August 2020, he and President Putin respectively sent letters to express their congratulations and high expectations.

For more than a year, Xi said, China and Russia have joined their hands, overcome the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and carried out in a creative fashion more than 1,000 cooperation and exchange activities related to scientific and technological innovation.

He also noted that the two countries have actively facilitated the achievement of fruitful cooperation in such fields as pandemic prevention and control, aerospace and aviation, nuclear energy, and digital economy, while highlighting the successful launch of the China-Russia science and technology innovation fund and important cooperation progress in major strategic projects.

Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows the launch ceremony for the construction of Unit 3 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant in Huludao City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng]

It has been proved that there is a great potential, as well as a broad prospect, for the China-Russia cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, he said.

Xi stressed that China and Russia, which are each other's largest neighbors, have jointly been playing an increasingly important role in the current international political and economic arena.

The Chinese president called on the two sides to uphold the concept of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and push forward cooperation in various fields in a practical manner.

He also urged the two sides to promote bilateral relations to a higher level, higher quality and higher standards, and to inject new impetus into the forging of a new type of international relations, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

In his congratulatory letter, Putin said with joint efforts from both sides, the Russia-China Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation has been a success, which has fully demonstrated the significance of undertaking bilateral scientific and technological cooperation under the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Visitors watch plane models at Russia pavilion during the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 6, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Peng]

Over the past two years, Russian and Chinese scientific researchers have overcome the impact of the pandemic and carried out more than 1,000 scientific research activities, he said.

Principal results from the cooperation, he underlined, includes China's participation in the construction of the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider facility (NICA), a large-scale scientific facility, and the establishment of the Russian-China Mathematical Center by both sides.

Putin said he believes the two sides will continue to uphold the notion of enduring friendship and win-win cooperation, and continue to inject strong impetus into the promotion of all-round cooperation between Russia and China.

The China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation concluded on Friday.

(Source: Xinhua)
The United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland that together makeup the United Kingdom is almost universally considered part of Europe. Although not part of the European mainland, many, if not most, people in the UK are descendants of people who originally came from the mainland. The UK is also inextricably linked with the rest of Europe from a historical standpoint. However, the UK does have a history of distinguishing itself from the rest of Europe in politics and economics. In other words, although the UK has strong political and economic links with the rest of Europe, it has traditionally been reluctant to cede its sovereignty on both fronts to institutions that promote the greater integration of Europe, especially the European Union.

Ethno-Linguistic Links With Europe

United Kingdom map.

In the 5th century CE, three Germanic peoples, the Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes began migrating from what is now northern Germany to the island of Great Britain. The term Anglo-Saxon is derived from the eventual blending of these Germanic peoples with native Celtic Britons and subsequent Viking and Danish invaders. Today, most of the population in the UK descends from these Anglo-Saxons. Thus, the origins of the British people and the English language lie on the European mainland.

Historical Links With Europe

England, and later on, the United Kingdom, have always played a major role in shaping the history of Europe. English involvement in European affairs dates back to the 11th century when the English controlled Denmark and Norway as part of what was known as the North Sea Empire. In 1066, England was invaded and conquered by the Normans, who were people from Normandy, a northern region of present-day France. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, England controlled significant amounts of territory in France. Englands struggles with France alone lasted until the 19th century.

Countries on the European mainland have also had a major impact on English and British history. In 1588, for example, Spains King Philip II sought to overthrow Englands Queen Elizabeth I, along with the nascent Protestant Church of England. The defeat of the Spanish Armada was a turning point in European history as it marked the emergence of England as a great naval power. A century later, the Netherlands William of Orange became the king of England following the so-called Glorious Revolution of 1688.

The UK played a very pivotal role in shaping the politics and international relations of Europe from the 18th century onward. Arguably, if not for the efforts of the British during the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon Bonaparte may have maintained his conquest of Europe. The British again helped prevent the conquest of Europe by other European powers in World War I and World War II.

People gathered in Whitehall to hear Winston Churchill's victory speech and celebrate Victory in Europe on May 8, 1945.

Despite the relentless efforts of the Nazis to conquer the UK, the British were able to prevent a full-scale German invasion of Great Britain, which would likely have ended the war and made Hitler the master of Europe. In 1944, the UK became the staging point for the eventual liberation of Europe, which began with the storming of the beaches of Normandy by Allied forces.

The UKs Aversion To European Integration

In one of British Prime Minister Winston Churchills speeches following the end of WWII, he spoke about the prospect of a United States of Europe in the future. In a way, the speech was prophetic as the Western European countries have been on a path of integration since the 1950s. This integration began with the founding of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. However, this first step in integrating the economies of Western Europe did not include the UK, nor did the subsequent formation of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1958.

The seeds of distrust between the UK and the rest of Europe on the matter of integration were arguably first sewn in the 1960s when French President Charles De Gaulle vetoed the UKs application to join the EEC twice. It was not until 1972 that the UK was allowed to join the emerging economic bloc, two years after De Gaulle resigned the French Presidency. During the 1980s, the Labor Party, one of the two main political parties in the UK, advocated strongly for withdrawing from the EEC. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher largely snubbed the EEC and preferred to maintain close relations with the United States.

In 1992, the EEC became the European Union. A so-called social chapter for the EU was established, as were the criteria for joining a future single European currency. The UK opted out of both these facets of the EU. In 1994, the Schengen Agreement allowing for seamless, customs-free movement between EU member countries was signed. Again, however, the UK decided to opt out, maintaining customs barriers between itself and other EU countries. In 2002, the new single European currency, known as the Euro, went into circulation, but the British maintained the use of their own currency, the Pound Stirling. The year 2011 saw the passage of a law in the UK mandating that a country-wide referendum be held in the event that the UK was to transfer any further powers to the EU.

Brexit suporters in central London holding banners campaigning to leave the European Union. Editorial credit: Ink Drop / Shutterstock.com

During the 2010s, opposition to the EU in the UK grew with the rise of right-wing, anti-EU politicians, like those of the UK Independence Party. This opposition culminated in a referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EU, which took place in 2016. In this referendum, 51.9% of British voters opted to leave the bloc. Thus, the wheels of the UKs exit from the EU, nicknamed Brexit, were set in motion. Finally, on January 1, 2021, the UK officially left the EU, its single common market, and its customs union.

The UK And Europe Today

Today, the UK is one of the few European countries that are not part of the EU. Nevertheless, the UK continues to maintain strong political and economic ties with the bloc. For example, the EU remains the UKs biggest trading partner. Furthermore, the UK continues to be part of international governmental organizations that are of great importance in Europe, including NATO and the Council of Europe, the latter of which oversees matters concerning human rights. It should also be noted that although the UK as a whole has historically been skeptical of European integration, most of this so-called Euroscepticism is concentrated in England and Wales. In contrast, most people in Scotland and Northern Ireland are generally supportive of European integration.
Kevin Strickland answers questions during an evidentiary hearing regarding his innocence on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, Mo.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters from the roof of the Canadian Embassy in Washington [Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite]

With the presentation Tuesday of the Speech from the Throne that inaugurates a new session of Canadas parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his minority Liberal government laid out their agenda at the start of their third term in office. Whilst there was much media hype over it being delivered by Canadas first indigenous Governor General and it abounded with vapid election rhetoric, the throne speech made clear the government is moving sharply right. The main thrusts of its program will be austerity and mass infection for workers at home, coupled with militarism and war abroad.

The cutting edge of the Trudeau governments stepped up onslaught on working people is its elimination of the limited pandemic relief provided workers. Late last month, Trudeau announced that the Canada Recovery Benefit, which paid workers a miserly $400 per week if they were unable to work due to COVID-19 restrictions, would be immediately abolished.

In its place, a new benefit is to be introduced that will be available to workers only in the event of an anti-COVID-19 lockdown and limited to just $300 per week. Given that all of Canadas provincial governments have ruled out future lockdowns even as they let the virus run rampant, this effectively means an end to all financial support for workers.

To underscore its determination to deny further financial aid to working people, the Liberal government unveiled even more stringent requirements for the new lockdown benefit this week. According to the bill introduced in parliament Wednesday, the Liberal cabinet will have the power to determine what constitutes a lockdown. As a minimum, workers must be ordered to stay home for 14 straight days by their employer. In addition, the government intends to bar any financial support to unvaccinated workers.

The best way to get the pandemic under control is vaccination, declared the Throne speech. In fact, the Liberal governments reliance on vaccines alone, with virtually all non-pharmaceutical anti-COVID-19 public health measures now withdrawn, has facilitated widespread transmission of the virus.

Reports of the emergence of a new (Omicron) variant in southern Africa that potentially is resistant to existing vaccines underscores just how dangerous is the ruling elites rush to reopen the economy and its class-based opposition to implementing a science-based strategy to eliminate the deadly virus.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, the Liberal governments spending cutter-in-chief, summed up the ruling elites callous indifference to the lives and well-being of working people, declaring that the bill establishing the bogus new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit is the last step in our COVID support programs. It is what I hope and truly believe is the final pivot.

In other words, as a winter wave of infections and death gathers pace, which current developments in Europe suggest could prove to be the worst yet, Trudeaus Liberal government is telling workers, Youre on your own. This is no different from the fascistic let-it-rip pandemic policy pursued by the German establishment, whose political representatives voted this week to declare the COVID-19 emergency over. Freeland and Trudeau would no doubt agree with German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who asserted chillingly that by the end of this winter, people would either be vaccinated, recovered, or dead.

While the Liberal government strips workers of any financial aid so they are forced to return to the labour market to generate profits for big business, the governments support for corporate Canada continues to know no bounds. After transferring over $650 billion to the banks and corporate elite virtually overnight in the early stages of the pandemic, the Liberals made clear that wage and rent subsidies for a wide range of businesses will continue at least until May 2022. These programs have largely functioned throughout the pandemic as slush funds for corporate executives and super-rich shareholders. Canadas 48 billionaires saw their combined wealth shoot up by $78 billion during the pandemics first year.

Under conditions where British Columbia is being devastated by floods in the latest in a series of climate change-driven extreme weather events that have ravaged the countrys West Coast province since June, the Liberals throne speech again made clear that any action they take to mitigate global warming will be entirely subordinate to the profit and geo-political interests of the Canadian elite. It called for Canadian capitalism to seize on the climate change crisis to become a leader in clean tech. By focusing on innovation and good, green jobs, and by working with like-minded countrieswe will build a more resilient, sustainable, and competitive economy, stated the speech. As a country, we want to be leaders in producing the worlds cleanest steel, aluminum, building products, cars, and planes.

The Throne speech underscored that the Trudeau government intends to heed the demands drummed home by Canadas corporate elite in recent months for a pivot to austerity and will dramatically curtail social spending. [W]ith one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, and employment back to pre-pandemic levels, the Government is moving to more targeted support, while prudently managing spending, the speech declared.

Tellingly the government has dropped all talk of incorporating the millions of gig economy and other involuntarily self-employed workers into the Employment Insurance system, meaning they will continue to have no protection against a sudden loss of income.

The main area to which fiscal responsibility and prudence do not apply is military spending. The Trudeau government remains committed to hike military spending by over 70 percent compared to 2017 levels by 2026. But even this vast increase, which amounts to the allocation of more than $12 billion in additional spending each year on weapons of destruction and death, is a mere down payment.

The Throne speech referred to comprehensive plans for an aggressive militarist foreign policy across wide swaths of the globe. A changing world requires adapting and expanding diplomatic engagement, stated the speech. Canada will continue working with key allies and partners, while making deliberate efforts to deepen partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and across the Arctic. Discussions are reportedly ongoing about an expanded deployment of Canadian troops to Ukraine, justified with lurid claims of Russian aggression, although it is NATO that has systematically encircled Russia and ratcheted up tensions.

Coming just five days after Trudeau met with US President Joe Biden and pledged his governments firm support for Washingtons diplomatic, economic, and military offensive against China, the Throne speechs reference to the Indo-Pacific is highly significant. It underlines that Canadas foreign and military policy is being adjusted to conform even more closely with the Pentagons aggressive plans for an all-out conflict with Beijing, which top military commanders have asserted is only a few years off.

Senior foreign policy experts speaking to the right-wing National Post described the Throne speech as offering a new foreign policy direction. Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, told the newspaper, This is not only about bringing India and the Indian Ocean into perhaps greater emphasis in Canadian activities, but Indo-Pacific as a frame is essentially a response to the rise of Chinese influence and power.

On the eve of the federal election campaign, the Trudeau government signed an agreement with the Biden administration to modernize NORAD, the Canada-US aerospace and maritime defence command. This Cold War-era bilateral alliance for continental defence is to be upgraded with the aim of providing Washington and Ottawa first-strike capabilities against rivals like Russia and China and enabling the North American imperialist powers to wage a winnable nuclear war.

The fact that no party, apart from the Socialist Equality Party, raised Canadas NORAD modernization commitment during the election campaign was tacit admission that they all unreservedly support this provocative move. The multibillion-dollar bill for upgrading NORAD is not included in Canadas planned defence spending increases.

To enforce this deeply unpopular agenda of austerity at home and militarism and war abroad, the minority Liberal government can rely on an effective all-party coalition in parliament. Over recent weeks, Jagmeet Singhs New Democrats held secret, high-level talks with the Liberals on concluding a formal confidence-and-supply agreement, under which the social democrats would be committed to propping up the Liberals in parliament for two or more years. Singh bluntly explained why this plan was shelved last week, telling the media that Trudeau could rely on the Conservatives or the Bloc Quebecoisa close ally of Quebecs chauvinist, unabashedly pro-big business CAQ governmentto impose the elimination of COVID-19 supports for workers, and the NDP to secure a majority for other policy items, like the Throne speech.

Outside of parliament, the Trudeau government will rely on an even closer corporatist alliance between government, big business and the trade unions to suppress working-class opposition. As the speech noted with respect to the governments climate change policy, which is in reality a massive government subsidy program to make corporate Canada profitable in the emerging clean energy economy, The Government will bring together provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities, as well as labour and the private sector, to tap into global capital and attract investors.
Right-wing demonstrators walk into the entrance of Lee Park surrounded by counter demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

A jury in a civil suit brought by the victims of the right-wing attack at the deadly August 2017 Unite the Right rally in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, has found that the fascist organizers conspired to commit acts of violence. The jury ordered the defendants, including organizer and Charlottesville resident Jason Kessler, neo-Nazi Richard Spencer, Matthew Heimbach and Christopher Cantwell, to pay damages to nine victims of the melee that left dozens critically injured and one counterprotester dead.

In all, 14 individuals and 10 organizations were found liable. The jury was deadlocked on two claims of racially motivated violent conspiracy, based on the 1871 federal Ku Klux Klan Act. However, the jury agreed that every defendant was liable for conspiracy under Virginia state law and ordered them to pay a total of $26 million in damages to the plaintiffs.

According to the state of Virginia, defendants are not required to meet with one another or directly engage in acts to conspire to commit violence. Instead, all that is required is an anticipation of and an intention to provoke bloodshed.

The August 11-12, 2017 rally saw a violent rampage by armed white supremacists unfold through the streets of Charlottesville, culminating in the murder of 32-year-old anti-fascist activist Heather Heyer and the maiming of dozens more when neo-Nazi James Alex Fields, Jr. rammed his car into a crowd of antifascist protesters.

Fields, who is serving multiple life sentences, was liable for more than $14 million in damages. Since he is in prison and without funds, this punishment is purely symbolic and none of the victims will receive a penny. Another $11 million in punitive damages against the other defendants was awarded to the plaintiffs, with each named defendant liable for $500,000 and five organizations liable each for $1 million.

In addressing the violent happenings, President Donald Trump infamously and, in hindsight, ominously, stated there were fine people involved in the Nazi riot.

Writing at the time, the World Socialist Web Sitewarned that the ultra-right provocation was part of Donald Trumps strategy to build an extra-constitutional fascist movement outside the framework of the two parties, itself an expression of the putrefaction and collapse of American democracy under the weight of staggering levels of social inequality.

The civil lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs who had participated in counterprotests that day. Four of them were injured by the car attack. Among them was Natalie Romero, who was then a 20-year-old college student when she was struck by Fieldss car, fracturing her skull. Recounting her memories of that day, Romero, who is Colombian American, told the Washington Post, I got spit on by people who hate me and who do not think I should be alive.

It is an open question whether the plaintiffs will ever receive much of what the jury awarded. Lawyers for the defendants have announced plans to appeal the fines against their clients. Many of the defendants, such as Spencer, represented themselves and have claimed bankruptcy. Several of the organizations named in the lawsuit have since disbanded.

The defendants claimed that their actions were protected as free speech by the First Amendment and that any violence that took place was either in self-defense or the result of poor planning by the local police. Statements made by event organizer Kessler in the days following the event undermine this claim to innocence, as the latter stated that he had networked with law enforcement in its planning.

Many of the defendants were unapologetic about their openly racist and fascistic sentiments, including the use of racial slurs in the courtroom, admiration for Adolf Hitler and calls to gas or oven Jewish people. Several of the defendants used the public opportunity of the trial to air their fascistic views and boost their credentials among their followers.

At one point Cantwell, a neo-Nazi podcaster currently serving 41 months imprisonment for his part in the events, asked a co-defendant to tell his favorite Holocaust joke. Cantwell is documented on Facebook referring to murdered counterprotester Heather Heyer as bleeding commie filth we sent to the morgue.

Another defendant, Michael Hill of the League of the South, went on a far-right radio show to brag that he was very honored  to have gotten to face off with this New York Jew attorney. Defense attorney Joshua Smith repeatedly used an anti-Semitic slur in the hopes that it would, in his own words to the WashingtonPost, desensitize the jury.

Much of the trial was focused on the presenting of data, including seized communications among the leaders of the rally, and chats on a Discord server that had featured participants discussing plans and actions. Samantha Froelich, an ex-associate of the defendants, testified that hitting protesters with cars was discussed at a party earlier that summer in the home of Richard Spencer in Alexandria, Virginia, according to the New York Times .

The communications revealed extensive preparations for violence among both the organizers and the rank and file. The Discord chat included instructions on how to fashion makeshift weapons, along with expressions of violent fantasies and racist language.

Many of the defendants claimed that the use of such language was meant to be hyperbolic or humorous. However, their communications demonstrate clearly that the rally was planned not as a peaceful demonstration but as a violent offensive. In exchanges, Kessler texted Spencer two months before the rally saying, I would go to the ends of the earth to secure a future for my people. This is war. Spencer texted another colleague around this time, stating, [T]his is going to be a violent summer.

Prior to the event, Kessler requested that Jeff Schoep, former leader of the now-defunct National Socialist Movement, show up  ready to participate in and protect our event. There will be a thousand or more antifa and s---libs eager to start violence.

The verdict in Charlottesville comes less than five days after a ruling in Kenosha, Wisconsin, finding 18-year-old fascist vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty for the shooting deaths of several people during anti-police violence protests last year. While Kessler, Spencer and their associates have been ordered to pay restitution to their victims, Rittenhouse and other elements of the far right have been emboldened to inflict violence upon left-wing and working-class demonstrators.

Furthermore, the political conspiracy hatched within the Trump White House, which culminated in the January 6 fascist coup attempt to stop the 2020 presidential electoral vote count at the Capitol, has yet to be fully investigated and its participants jailed.

Plaintiffs attorney Karen Dunn, in language that could be applied interchangeably to all of these far-right conspiracies, excoriated the neo-Nazis claims that their actions were guarded by the First Amendment: Plausible deniability, just like mace and shields and flagpoles, was a tool of this conspiracy.  Plausible deniability is when you set up a situation in such a way that you can claim later that you had nothing to do with it.
Andrew Cuomo (Image credit- Andrew Cuomo Flickr)

On Monday, the New York State Assemblys Judiciary Committee released the findings of a report commissioned in March to investigate whether articles of impeachment against Democratic former Governor Andrew Cuomo would be justified.

The assemblys Speaker, Democrat Carl Heastie, decided after Cuomos August 10 resignation to continue the impeachment investigation, particularly into allegations of sexual harassment. These had already been examined by the office of Tish James, the states attorney general.

Cuomo was forced from office by a #MeToo campaign led by the New York Times and a group of Democrats in the state assembly, which eventually involved complaints from 11 women, including staffers, other state employees and constituents.

As the WSWS indicated in August, the attorney generals 165-page report concerning sexual harassment allegations Cuomo deserved to be treated with contempt. The report went into inordinate detail in regard to a number of unproven and minor episodes, at best a series of micro-aggressions.

We wrote that our political opposition to Cuomo and the Democrats hardly needs mentioning. However, the process currently under way, aimed at removing the thrice-elected governor from one of the most powerful offices in the US (which has been held by four future presidents and six future vice presidents) through a manufactured sex scandal, will only further degrade and move American politics to the right. The working class has no interest in endorsing either the forces seeking to square accounts with Cuomo or the sordid means theyre using.

The largest single section (15 pages) of the 46-page state assembly report examines the allegations of sexual harassment in some detail, finding them to be credible, particularly in two cases, and rejecting the former governors defense. Much of this material had also been presented in James investigation, but new information was brought forward, including a more detailed examination of the timeline of claims by one of the women, as well as new text messages and records of phone calls. The report concluded (to no ones surprise), there is overwhelming evidence that the former Governor engaged in sexual harassment, according to New York states own definition of the term.

Attorney General Letitia James in 2020 (Photo creditWBLS)

Since it was unlikely that sexual harassment charges would be enough to impeach the governor, the Judiciary Committee instructed the law firm that conducted the investigation to examine three other alleged episodes of misconduct by Cuomo: whether he used time and resources belonging to the state government to write and promote his book, later published as American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic; whether he covered up structural flaws in the Mario Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge, which spans the Hudson River; and whether he distorted the number of elderly who had died in nursing homes in the first part of 2020.

To varying degrees, the report discovered that Cuomo behaved inappropriately, though not criminally, in regard to the three other issues. The report argues that Cuomo violated state ethics standards by having his staff work on American Crisis while on the state payroll. It made no final finding on his role in covering up the existence of structural weaknesses in the Mario Cuomo Bridge and the Judiciary Committee asked the report writers not to investigate any safety issues associated with the bridge.

The most serious aspect of the investigation was also truncated: the role that Cuomo played in covering up nursing home deaths in a July 2020 report by the states Department of Health (DOH) that was substantially revised by the Executive Chamber [Cuomos inner circle] and largely intended to combat criticisms regarding former Governor Cuomos directive that nursing homes should readmit residents that had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The DOH initially wanted to include in the report those residents, who, up to the summer of 2020, had died from COVID in-facility, (in the nursing homes themselves) as well as residents who died out-of-facility (in hospitals or in transit). The total figure was about 10,000 people.

The governors executive chamber opted to use in the report only the figure of those who had died in-facility, about 6,500 people. The report notes that its authors were not charged with a medical review of the causes of deaths in the nursing homes. Its conclusion with regard to this is that Cuomo and his staff helped to produce a reporton the deaths of thousands of people from the pandemicthat was not fully transparent.

The impeachment report notes that the DOH study came about as a response to criticism of Cuomos infamous March 25, 2020 directive allowing people into nursing homes even if they had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and stipulating that a COVID-19 test was not necessary for admission.

While the report notes that the directive was slightly amended in May and observes that the former governor was subject to public criticism, it passes over the central issue: that Cuomos policies produced a sharp uptick in deaths in nursing homes.

The impeachment report also ignores further incriminating evidence published by the Associated Press in February 2021 that the number of patients released into nursing homes under the murderous 2020 directive was 40 percent higher than the DOH initially claimed, a total of nearly 9,000 elderly people.

The report also ignores the testimony of a leading DOH official, identified as Dr. Elizabeth Dufort. She makes clear that Cuomo, through the executive chamber, managed the DOH so arbitrarily and so poorly that it hampered its mission in assessing and suppressing the pandemic.

In particular, the Cuomo administration blocked the state DOH from communicating vital information to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City, then the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

Dufort recounts how she spoke to one of the DOHs lawyers and told him: I just want you to tell them to stop, the labs have to get to the doctors and the local health departments immediately with this disease, its very important.

She notes similar interference from Cuomos office in communicating to school districts: We would be trying to get guidance out for schools how to open safely, but it would come out after schools opened.

This obstruction and negligence were going on while Cuomo was telling the world in his much-lauded daily press briefings, for which he was awarded an Emmy, to follow the science.

Duforts testimony was given in May 2021, ample time for it to be obtained and considered for the impeachment report.

It is not surprising, then, that the report fails even to mention the role that Cuomo played in legislation that protected the owners of nursing homes and hospitals from liability in COVID deaths. The omission of this fact, even as a side remark, is also telling. The legislation was passed by the Democratic-dominated assembly, the very institution that commissioned the impeachment report.

The report raises no other questions, no doubt at the direction of the Judiciary Committee, about Cuomos conduct during the pandemic, except to note that the governors aides worked on his book when the staff was supposedly working round-the-clock to prevent the spread of the virus.

The report is a sop to the identity politics that dominates the Democratic Party. The impeachment report lavishes attention on the alleged bad behavior, potential misdemeanors toward women by the former governor.

But more fundamentally, the report shows that the sexual harassment witch-hunt of Cuomo after December 2020 was, among other things, a diversion from much bigger issues. It leaves untouched (in a mere five pages) his criminal indifference during a crisis in which tens of thousands of New Yorkers died.

The impeachment report was bound to do this as the entire Democratic Party is implicated in the deadly mismanagement of the pandemic in its first days and the subsequent reopening of the economy after July 2020. It was the section of the corporate media most closely linked to the Democratic Party, the New York Times in particular, which lionized Cuomo after the outbreak of the pandemic, when most of those who got sick and died were in New York, and promoted him as an alternative to Donald Trump.

After December 2020, the Times began to pass on allegations of harassment by Cuomo that became a full-throated witch-hunt by March involving columnists, editorial writers and op-eds designed to take Cuomo down. The recent report is the final product of that campaign.

As the report itself notes, it is unlikely that Cuomo, who is no longer in office, can be impeached. The document has been produced by the New York State Assembly, one of the most notoriously corrupt political institutions in the US. The assembly attempts to present itself as a moral breakwater at a time when bourgeois rule is being shaken to its foundations by a pandemic that has killed over 15 million people globally, more than 57,000 of them in New York.

It only highlights the vital need for a detailed inquest run by the working class into the causes and effects of the management of the pandemic by the ruling class.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Monday that fully-vaccinated eligible visa holders, including international students, skilled workers, and working holiday makers will be allowed to enter the country, without an exemption, from December 1.

Hundreds of international students lining up for food vouchers in Melbourne last year having been denied government assistance [Credit: @BeauNewham, Twitter]

Quarantine requirements will be left up to the states. Students and workers bound for New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory will not be required to quarantine at all upon arrival.

Morrison made clear the motivation behind the reopening, saying it will further cement our economic recovery, providing the valuable workers our economy needs and supporting our important education sector.

The move comes partly in response to a clamour from business lobbyists for the resumption of international travel to ensure the return of cheap immigrant labour as Labor and Liberal-National state governments across Australia rapidly lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions in the lead-up to Christmas.

In NSW and Victoria, despite ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, virtually all measures to contain the spread of the virus have been ended. Restaurants, pubs, cinemas, stadiums, and other high-risk public venues have reopened, but businesses are lamenting a supposed labour shortage.

According to the Australian, job vacancies in the hospitality sector are set to top 100,000 this month, with the most sought-after applicants being baristas (20,713), wait staff (14,737), bartenders (13,758) and chefs (11,028).

Restaurants and Catering Australia Chief Executive Officer Wes Lambert claimed in October, evidently in horror, that numerous CBD establishments were offering $40 per hour for barista positions and up to $50 per hour for wait staff to lure workers into jobs.

While some high-end restaurants in Sydney and Melbourneamong the least affordable cities in the worldmay offer higher wages in the short-term, to casual workers without any guaranteed hours or future employment, business is not prepared to accept this as the norm in an industry where workers are typically paid half or less of the figures Lambert cites.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Accommodation and Food Services workers earn an average of $650 per week, the lowest median wages in the country.

The claim that there is a labour shortage flies in the face of reality. The latest Roy Morgan employment data reported that Australia had an unemployment rate of 9.2 percent and an underemployment rate of 8.6 percent. In other words, roughly 1.32 million people were not working and 1.23 million were working fewer hours than they wished.

What businesses really mean by labour shortage is a lack of workers prepared to work for poverty-level wages. This is what is behind the demands to bring international students and backpackers back into the country, to turn back on the tap of cheap labour.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Andrew McKellar declared earlier this month: To get our economy back up to speed, were going to have to move beyond quarantine requirements for all fully vaccinated international arrivals Fully vaccinated skilled migrants, working holidaymakers and international students must be allowed into the country as soon as possible to fill skills gaps.

McKellars comments give expression to ruling-class demands for the reopening of international borders, which is critical to the resumption of profit-making and the super-exploitation of immigrant workers.

Hospitality workers have been among the hardest hit by the slashing of jobs and hours during the pandemic. The sector is dominated by low wages and high levels of casualisation and relies heavily on international workers and students.

According to a report released by Monash University in January, Migration and COVID-19, the food and accommodation industries employed approximately one million workers in June 2019. The report revealed that across the hospitality sector, 79 percent of all workers were in casual employment.

In 2019, skilled migrants, international students and working holidaymakers (WHM) were an essential part of the hospitality sector. Around half of all workers in the restaurant and cafe industry and the accommodation sector were WHMs and 12 percent were temporary migrants.

The report continued: For international students, hospitality work is the most common form of employment, on a par with cleaning, with significant numbers working in food processing. While those on WHM visas are most often working in agriculture, hospitality related occupations are also a common place of work.

In one indication of the widespread and highly exploitative practices in the hospitality sector, a 2018 Fair Work Office (FWO) audit covering Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane showed 72 percent of businesses in the hospitality industry had breached workplace laws, most commonly underpayment of wages, and failure to provide pay slips.

A 2018 publication in the Economic and Industrial Democracy journal featured a survey of 1,433 international student visa holders, which showed that 100 percent of those working part time as wait staff and retail shop assistants were paid less than the minimum wage.

According to Austrade, there were 552,491 international students in Australia in August 2021, 149,100 fewer than in 2019. This sharp reduction is due in large part to the callous attitude of the federal government toward international students and other temporary visa holders during the pandemic.

Morrison said in April 2020: As much as its lovely to have visitors to Australia in good times, at times like this, if you are a visitor in this country, it is time to make your way home.

With businesses closed during lockdowns, these visitors were not needed as a cheap source of labour and they were driven out by the refusal of the government to provide them even the meagre welfare and wage subsidies offered to Australian workers and students.

Regardless of citizenship, casual workers were excluded from JobKeeper subsidies if they had not been in the same job for 12 months. In the hospitality sector, with its high levels of turnover, many students and young people were not eligible.

As co-architects of the JobKeeper scheme, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) played a key role in the slashing of jobs across the hospitality industry during lockdowns.

Hospo Voice, the hospitality section of the United Workers Union, published a statement on November 15 entitled 5 Ways To Make The Most Of The Hospo Labour Shortage. The union implores workers to use their position of power to negotiate with bosses to get the pay you deserve, get job security and get a safer workplace. Should these appeals to management fail, the statement suggests workers write a negative review of their employer on the unions Fair Plate website and get a better job.

The statement is a declaration that the union, which has hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, will not wage any fight against low pay, rampant casualisation and wage theft throughout the industry. In addition to placing the onus of seeking to improve conditions on atomised, individual workers, this is a pledge to management that the UWU and its counterparts will ensure that the poverty-level wages and miserable conditions in the sector remain.

Decent pay and conditions for hospitality workers, regardless of nationality and ethnicity, cannot be won through the unions, which are a corporatised police force of company managements. Instead, workers should fight to build rank-and-file committees, unified across workplaces, completely independent of the unions.

Through these committees, workers must oppose the homicidal ruling class policy of forcing the population to live with the deadly virus. This should include a struggle for scientifically-based travel restrictions, a medically-grounded quarantine program for all necessary international arrivals, aimed at preventing transmission, and for lockdowns and other safety measures aimed at eliminating COVID.

This requires a complete rejection of the attempts by the Labor Party and the unions to pit Australian-born workers against their foreign counterparts. The unending assault on jobs, wages and conditions is not caused by immigration. Instead, it is the outcome of continuous sell-outs imposed by the unions, alongside Labor, both of which are committed to boosting profits at the expense of the pay and even the lives of workers.

The fight for the social rights of ordinary people, including to health and safety, requires the unity of the working class, in Australia and internationally, on the basis of a socialist program aimed at ending the pandemic and guaranteeing full-time, permanent jobs with decent wages to all.
The catastrophic public health crisis in Michigan deepened on Friday as the federal government committed to send 44 military medical personnel to the state to assist in treating the largest surge in COVID-19 cases in the state since the beginning of the pandemic.

A Health Department worker fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency medical workers and healthcare personnel [Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum]

On Wednesday the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service (MDHHS) confirmed that the Biden administration had granted a request from Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer for assistance and was sending two teams of 22 medical personal to one hospital in the Detroit area and one in Grand Rapids.

An MDHSS statement said the teams would support staff at Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn and Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. The teams, which will include registered nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists will arrive next week and begin treating patients immediately, providing support for the next 30 days.

Michigan is now the epicenter of the pandemic in the US, accounting for approximately one in ten new cases in the country, while the population of the state represents just 3 percent of the US total. New cases in Michigan have increased by 67 percent and new hospitalizations by 46 percent in the past two weeks.

These devastating increases have eclipsed any previous surge in Michigan since the first wave of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. As of Thanksgiving Day, the seven-day average number of new cases in the state rose to 8,457, shattering the previous average record set last April during the third wave.

As reported on Thursday by the World Socialist Web Site, the rapid increase in cases and hospitalizations in Michigan is a canary in the coal mine. Medical facilities are beyond full capacity and health care staff have been burned out as the situation continues to spiral out of control as the pandemic hurtles towards its third year.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that emergency rooms at Spectrum Health facilities in Grand Rapids were already packed with people suffering other medical issues. The health care system was upgraded to red status, the most serious tier available, and hospitals and EMS providers in the area are facing a tipping point.

While Michigan health care officials have been focusing on the numbers of the unvaccinated as being responsible for the current surgein Michigan 54.4 percent of the public is fully vaccinated and just 59 percent have received both doses in the USthe Whitmer administration not only failed to prepare for the present crisis but enabled it.

Although the winter surge had been predicted for months by epidemiologists and public health experts, Whitmer pressed ahead with lifting all pandemic restrictions at the beginning of the summer. Even as the highly infectious Delta variant was steadily spreading around the state during the summer and fall, schools were reopened for in-classroom learning and businesses were permitted to act as though the virus had been vanquished.

Elizabeth Hertel, Director of MDHHS, claimed that the state government is working hard to give support to the overwhelmed health care staffs in Metro Detroit and Grand Rapids, but we need every Michigander to do their part by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status, social distancing and staying home and getting tested if they have symptoms.

On November 19, the department issued a public health advisory specifying that all persons in public indoors settings are advised to wear a face mask, regardless of their vaccination status, and that public establishments are advised to implement masking policies and encourage compliance with such policies. Meanwhile, the advisory said, that those who are not fully vaccinated or who are immunocompromised are advised to avoid large crowds or gatherings.

Both the inadequate commitment from the Biden White Houseless than four dozen medical personnel sent to just two hospitals in Michiganas well as the abdication of responsibility by the Whitmer administration for any emergency measures to meet the spiraling crisis are proof that the Democrats are just as responsible as the Republicans in allowing the pandemic to spread.

The complicity of the governors office in facilitating the surge is only outdone by the executive management of the states leading health care providers. In the MDHSS press release announcing federal assistance in Michigan, Beaumont Health CEO John Fox and Spectrum Health President and CEO Tina Freese-Decker were given prime billing.

CEO Fox says that he deeply appreciates the much-needed support from Whitmer and Biden and that the pandemic is not over by any means. Freese-Decker, speaking on behalf of our physicians, team members and patients, says she is grateful for the Department of Defense medical team as we take every measure to care for our community.

Reading this public relations bluster from the state government on behalf of two multi-billion-dollar health care conglomerates in Michigan, no one would know that Fox and Freese-Decker and their respective executive teams have been preoccupied over the past six months with merger negotiations.

Far from taking every measure to care for the community, the leadership of Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health has indeed been acting like the pandemic is over and focusing all their energy on creating what would be the largest health care system in the state with a combined revenue of more than $12 billion.

It is no accident that the two hospital systems, which includes the insurance monopoly Priority Health, that are receiving federal staffing support are those who are currently working with the Federal Trade Commission to gain regulatory approval of their merger and acquisition deal.

The response to the pandemic in Michigan and throughout the US and internationally cannot be left in the hands of the political representatives of the corporate and financial elite who are committed to allow the virus to spread among the public through herd immunity and thoroughly inadequate mitigation measures.

The fight for a strategy of eliminating the pandemic must be mounted by the working class through independent action based on factory, school and neighborhood rank-and-file committees.
Scientists have detected a new variant of COVID-19, the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, which the World Health Organization (WHO) stated on Friday was officially recognized as variant of concern (VOC). The variant appears to have originated in southern Africa but has already been detected in several other countries. Initial indications are that an unusual constellation of mutations make the variant far more infectious than the Delta variant and potentially vaccine-resistant.

In its statement Friday, the WHO said that preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs, including the Delta variant. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.

The WHO said that the first known confirmed case of infection from the Omicron variant came from a specimen collected on November 9. In just over two weeks, however, it has quickly become the dominant strain in South Africa.

The seven-day moving average of new cases in South Africa has risen fourfold from 265 to over 1,043 new COVID-19 cases per day in two weeks. Yesterday, the country reported 2,465 new infections. Seventy-five percent of all currently sequenced coronavirus cases are attributed to the latest variant, soon expected to reach 100 percent. New infections are exploding in highly urbanized Gauteng, a small northeastern province in South Africa, accounting for less than 2 percent of the countrys land area but home to a quarter of its population.

Dr. Tulio de Oliveira, a bioinformatician at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine and director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & Innovation, explained that the variant is really worrisome at the mutational level. The new variant possesses over 50 mutations, with 32 on the virus spike protein, which it uses to bind to human respiratory cells.

Dr. de Oliveira explained that many of these mutations are linked to increasing antibody resistance, which raises concerns that vaccines and therapeutics will be less effective in combating the new variant.

Expressing the gravity of the threat to the entire world population, the European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement, warning, given its immune escape potential and potentially increased transmissibility advantage compared to Delta, we assess the probability of further introduction and community spread in [Europe] as HIGH. It added, In a situation where the Delta variant is resurgent in [Europe], the impact of the introduction and possible further spread of Omicron could be VERY HIGH.

According to Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam, a complex system physicist who has been studying pandemics for nearly two decades, current rough estimates indicate that the Omicron variant is six times more transmissible than the original variant and twice as transmissible as the Delta variant. Bar-Yam also estimates that the mortality rate for Omicron is eight times higher than the original variant.

Dr. Anthony Leonardi, a T-cell immunologist, told the World Socialist Web Site, The [Omicron variant] is probably everywhere, and it now has a huge capability to mutate. As it outpaces Delta, it's going to create even more infections. It will therefore evolve even faster than Delta.

Genomic sequences in South Africa (B.1.1.529(Omicron) in Blue). Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding Twitter feed.

Hong Kong, Israel, and Belgium have already identified infected patients with the new variant, which means that the current iteration of the virus has spread globally. In Israel, one of the infected individuals, who had returned from Malawi, was previously fully vaccinated and had received their booster shot two months ago. Two others are also in quarantine, awaiting further testing.

The young unvaccinated woman identified in Belgium was traveling to Egypt via Turkey and had no links to South Africa.

European governments and the US scrambled to announce travel restrictions from countries in southern Africa. Early on Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted, The EU commission will propose, in close coordination with member states, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the Southern African region due to the variant of concern, B.1.1529.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Bidens chief pandemic adviser, attempted to assure the US public that there was no indication the Omicron variant had reached the US. This is an attempt to deflect public alarm and anger while the Biden administration works out its response.

In line with the EU, the Biden administration imposed air travel restrictions from southern African countries Friday afternoon. As a precautionary measure, until we have more information, Biden said in a statement, Im ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on Monday.

The travel restrictions have the character of stop-gap measures, which will come too late to stop the spread of the variant globally. The removal of all restrictions on the virus in the US and the major European countries (including the reopening of schools and workplaces) guarantees that if the variant has been introduced, it is already rapidly spreading.

Even prior to the announcement of the discovery of the new strain, COVID-19 cases have surged globally, particularly in Europe and the United States, which are entering the winter months when infection rates usually spike.

Biden encouraged Americans to get vaccinated or to get their booster shot. If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, Biden said, now is the time.

While vaccines are a critical tool in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists warned that vaccination is not a magic bullet that will end the pandemic. Lockdowns, in coordination with a robust testing, contact tracing and quarantine program, are essential to controlling the spread of the disease. Allowing the virus to continue to propagate internationally, scientists have repeatedly warned, will lead to new and more infectious variants, such as Omicron, that could evade the immunity that the vaccines provide.

Biden has made the full reopening of schools and businessesbefore the virus has been brought under control and while millions of children remain unvaccinateda pillar of his administration. Under Bidens watch, state governors have abandoned almost all mitigation measures, such as state-wide mask mandates, even as close to 100,000 people fall ill and more than 1,000 die every day from COVID-19 in the United States.
Pedro Castillo delivers speech on his first 100 days in office (Credit: Andina)

Pedro Castillo, the former rural teachers union leader elected as president of Peru, traveled to the southern city of Ayacucho on November 10 to deliver a speech marking his first 100 days in office.

Castillos narrow election victory over the far-right candidate Keiko Fujimori and his taking office last July was greeted by sections of the pseudo-left internationally as a victory for the Peruvian working class and oppressed. Some went so far as to hail a second coming of the so-called Pink Tide, i.e., the wave of bourgeois nationalist governments that came to power in Latin America at the turn of the century on the back of the commodities boom. Most prominent among them was that of Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, who advanced the notion of a Bolivarian revolution and 21st century socialism.

One of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for Castillo has been Jacobin magazine, the semi-official organ of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which proclaimed in a headline that Perus Pedro Castillo Can Break With Neoliberalism for Good.

If the first 100 days of the Castillo presidency have served any purpose, it is to mercilessly shatter such ill-founded illusions peddled by the pseudo-left.

Castillos speech in Ayacucho sounded much like those he delivered on the campaign trail, long on empty and, in the final analysis, right-wing populist rhetoric, and short on any concrete policies to address the grinding poverty and vast social inequality, immeasurably deepened by the COVID-19 pandemic, that plague the masses of Peruvian workers and rural oppressed.

He addressed himself to all men and women of Peru, the powers and institutions of the state, the political forces, the businessmen, the workers, to tell them that now is the time for national reconstruction. According to the state-run daily El Peruano, Castillo issued a special appeal to businessmen to invest in the country and generate decent jobs for Peruvians, those who have always demonstrated their drive and who maintained productivity and the advance of the country during the pandemic.

He made no mention of the cost of this effort, enforced in the interests of the mining transnationals and big business and driven by popular desperation born of poverty and hunger. With more than 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, Peru ranks as the country with the highest rate of fatalities per capita in the world  nearly 6,000 per million, as compared to roughly 2,400 for the United States. According to health experts, the Castillo government has made no changes to the homicidal policies pursued by its predecessors in relation to the pandemic.

In his first hundred days in office, Castillo has managed to move faster to the right than any of his predecessors. He has sacked virtually every member of his cabinet to accommodate relentless pressure from the Peruvian right, which continues to seek his ouster through a parliamentary coup.

This began with his foreign minister, Hector Bejar, who was accused of offending the honor of the Peruvian Navy and ousted before the new government was more than a month old. He replaced his prime minister based on unsubstantiated charges of a decades-old association with the Sendero Luminoso guerrilla movement and, most recently, dismissed his defense minister, who was accused of interfering with the institutionality of the armed forces.

Obsequious support for Peruvian military

Castillo has missed no opportunity to deliver obsequious declarations of his own loyalty to the Peruvian military. In one recent statement, he declared his unconditional respect for the institutionality of the armed forces, i.e., their autonomy from civilian rule, while lauding the military as the guarantors of territorial integrity, the rule of law and constitutional order.

Last month, he went so far as to call the Army into the streets on the pretext of combatting crime. His action followed by only weeks that of President Guillermo Lasso, the right-wing banker and former Coca-Cola executive, who called out the Ecuadorian Army on the same pretext.

Also sacked in the past week was the secretary general of the office of the presidency, Bruno Pacheco, who was also accused of interfering with the institutionality of the military in the area of officer promotions. Subsequently, a search by prosecutors and police investigators found $20,000 in cash in his personal bathroom at the presidential palace.

Named to replace Pacheco as chief presidential adviser is Carlos Jaico of the right-wing populist party Alianza para el Progreso. On LinkedIn, he describes himself as a corporate lawyer who works with global businesses, executing strategies and negotiations for them that significantly improve their value chain and competitive advantage ...

The only senior government official with reliable job security has been Julio Velarde, the right-wing economist who chairs the Central Reserve Bank of Peru. He has held his position at the helm of the Peruvian economy since 2006. This champion of transnational and Peruvian capitalist interests has been kept in place to signal the Castillo governments commitment to making no fundamental changes to the neo-liberal policies pursued over the three decades following the rise of the dictatorship of the now imprisoned Alberto Fujimori. Upon being sworn in for a new term last month, Velarde warned that Perus mining protests were affecting the perception of the country in terms of future investments, and echoed calls by the mining companies for the government to re-establish order.

To the same end, Castillo tapped Pedro Franke, an ex-World Bank official, as his minister of economy and finance, traveling with him within his first weeks in office to Washington and New York City to reassure the State Department, IMF and Wall Street of his governments commitment to the profit interests of international and Peruvian capital.

In one brief departure from script, Castillo and one of his ministers spoke of nationalizing the private gas consortium Camisea, owned by US and Argentine conglomerates. In response to an uproar from the right, Franke was brought out to explain that the government was using the word nationalization merely to express its belief that the company should operate in the service of Peruvians and, in no way does it mean taking state control over a private activity.

So jarring was the lurch to the right by Castillo that the party that ran him as its presidential candidate, Peru Libre, called last month for a vote of no confidence in his government, with its congressional delegation splitting roughly down the middle. Castillo has done everything in his power to placate the demands of the Peruvian ruling elite that he distance himself from Peru Libre leader Vladimir Cerron, a corrupt regionalist official and populist who has been cast by the Peruvian right and the media as a communist bogeyman.

Among those voting against the government was Castillos ex-chief minister Guido Bellido, who stated that the president was not a socialist or even on the left, but just a basic trade unionist.

Castillo is following the well-worn path of previous left-talking Latin American presidents, including most similarly Perus Ollanta Humala, who went from flirting with Bolivarian socialism before his election in 2011, to unleashing savage violence against the working class in defense of corporate interests once in office. Under conditions of unprecedented social inequality and deepening poverty, it is only a matter of time before the Castillo government carries out similar attacks. Already last month, it dispatched the Peruvian National Police to Ayacucho to break up a mining protest with tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets.

Castillos turn to the right and his failure to carry out any significant policies in the interests of Peruvian working people have cost him significant support. A poll released by the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos (IEP) on October 31 showed that his approval rating in the impoverished south of the country, his principal base of support, had fallen from 58 percent to 42 percent over the course of the previous month.

Jacobins alibis for Castillos rush to the right

Castillos pseudo-left cheerleaders have shown no such qualms, however. Jacobin magazine, which lavished coverage on the new supposed left president and champion against neo-liberalism, has, in the period following Castillos victory at the polls, repeatedly offered political alibis for the incoming president shifting sharply to the right. In a September 4 article, it opined that the challenges Castillo faces in delivering social change will come down to the minutiae of everyday politics rather than ideological grandstanding. The success  and survival  of any democratic government in Peru often has more to do with navigating a minefield of petty corruption scandals, glad-handing key allies, and projecting an image of strength while under constant siege.

In other words, the supposed victory of the left in Peru can only be consolidated in the form of another corrupt bourgeois government, which is already taking shape in Lima.

Nicolas Allen, a Jacobin contributing editor and the managing editor of the Spanish-language Jacobin America Latina, became the point man in this political operation. In a July interview published by Jacobin, Allen declared that, with Castillos electoral victory, There may be something like a new Pink Tide underway.

As for the results of the first Pink Tide, Allens pseudo-left jargona hegemonic draw between insurgent left-wing governments and a capitalist restorationonly serves to cover up for corrupt bourgeois governments, like those of Lula, Maduro and Correa, whose populist rhetoric gave way to structural adjustment programs and frontal attacks on the working class in the face of a receding commodities boom.

In regard to the prospects for the new left government in Peru, Allen states that its fate ultimately depends on how far the Peruvian people are willing to accompany a process of radical transformation, adding, That answer might not satisfy some armchair leftists ...

He goes on to state that Peru is a country where neoliberalism has seeped into the popular mentality and shaped so much of what passes for common senseeven if that common sense has been shaken. Its not the kind of thing that can be undone through a set of well-crafted progressive policies imposed by presidential fiat.

In other words, Castillos rush to the right is the fault of the Peruvian masses and their neoliberalist popular mentality. When he refers to armchair leftists, what he really has in mind is anyone beginning not from this supposed popular mentality as a justification for supporting a bourgeois government, but rather from the profound objective crisis of Peruvian and world capitalism and the necessity of building a revolutionary socialist leadership in the working class.

The foreign policy of the DSA, as expressed in Jacobin and its Latin American editions, is an extension of the organizations domestic policy. As a faction of the Democratic Party, the DSA is dedicated to lending this 200-year-old instrument of imperialist reactionresponsible for scores of fascist-military coups, invasions and CIA destabilization operations in Latin America over the past centurya left face, as well as to propping up the corporatist AFL-CIO unions as they confront an ever-widening rebellion by militant rank-and-file workers.

In Latin America, the DSA functions as what amounts to State Department socialists. They promote the likes of Castillo in Peru and Lula in Brazil as a means of suppressing an uprising from below, subordinating the working class to supposedly left bourgeois regimes with which Washington can do business. In its coverage of Castillos election, Jacobin made no mention of Washington being among the first to congratulate him, having been suitably impressed by his gratuitous denunciation of Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro during the course of his campaign.

A new revolutionary leadership in the working class can be built only in implacable hostility to political tendencies like Jacobin and the DSA, whose politics reflect the social interests of a privileged layer of the upper middle class and serve the deepest needs of imperialism. This is the struggle being waged by the International Committee of the Fourth International, the world Trotskyist movement, which alone advances a genuine internationalist socialist program to unite the workers of Peru and Latin America with workers in the United States and internationally in a common fight to put an end to capitalism.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of a new variant of COVID-19, which it termed Omicron, that spreads more rapidly than other variants and is potentially more deadly and resistant to vaccines.

This electron microscope image made available by the US National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 [Credit: NIAID-RML via AP]

The emergence of this new strain of COVID-19 is a devastating exposure of the policy implemented by capitalist governments, spearheaded by the United States and Europe, which have opposed lockdowns and other critical public health measures necessary to stop the spread of the disease.

The World Socialist Web Site and leading scientists have repeatedly warned that without the elimination and eradication of COVID-19, it is only a matter of time before new and more dangerous variants evolve.

On August 20 of this year, the WSWS wrote, As long as the virus spreads it will continue to mutate into new, more infectious, lethal and vaccine-resistant variants that threaten all of humanity. Unless it is eradicated on a world scale, the embers of COVID-19 will continue to burn and create the conditions for the virus to flare up anew.'

These warnings have been vindicated, with disastrous consequences.

The Omicron variant, which is by far the most heavily mutated of any detected so far, has spread widely throughout South Africa, replacing other strains with unprecedented speed.

A plot of COVID-19 mutations produced by Computational biologist Trevor Bedford, with the Omicron variant marked in red

On Friday, the European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned, In a situation where the Delta variant is resurgent across Europe, the impact of the introduction and possible further spread of #OmicronVariant could be VERY HIGH. It concluded, The overall level of risk for the EU/EEA... is assessed as HIGH to VERY HIGH.

The WHO stated that the new variant poses an increased risk of reinfection, and that it is increasing in almost all provinces of South Africa. The variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

New variant = new pandemic wrote Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam, a complex system physicist who has been studying pandemics for nearly two decades. Infections we know about today happened a few days to two weeks ago. Infections that happened today will only be known in a few days to two weeks from now. He calculated that the new variant is six times more infectious than the original strain and eight times more deadly.

Given how rapidly the disease has been spreading, scientists warned, there is no doubt it is present in countries throughout the world. There is likely community transmission in Belgium, said virologist Angela Rasmussen, suggesting theres also likely community transmission elsewhere.

The emergence of the Omicron variant takes place against the backdrop of a catastrophic winter surge of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Worldwide, the number of cases has surged 40 percent in just one month. In Germany, the seven-day moving average of cases has reached 55,000, more than double the highest level ever recorded.

In the US, more than 1,000 people are dying every day, and Michigan, Minnesota and other states are recording the highest levels of new cases on record, despite the availability of vaccines.

Speaking Monday, Biden announced that there would be no measures taken in response to the new variant, other than travel restrictions from southern African countries. He declared, We will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.

This is a lie. Biden has not followed the advice of scientistswho have been warning that his policies would lead to a resurgence of the pandemicbut the profit interests of Wall Street.

Bidens signature domestic policy, like that of Trump before him, was the reopening of schools, the most significant source of outbreaks according to statistics from the COVID hotspot of Michigan. Over the summer, the Biden administration urged the public not to wear masks, and it promoted the lie that children cannot catch or transmit COVID-19.

The fascistic right led by Trump, along with his counterparts internationally, has demanded the abandonment of public health measures, promoted conspiracy theories, and sought to discredit vaccination, a critical component of the fight to stop the pandemic.

Whatever their differences with the far right, Biden and other proponents of inadequate mitigation measures agree on the most essential question: that no measures can be taken that impinge on the wealth of the corporate and financial elite. Their criminal and unscientific claim that the pandemic could be stopped through vaccination alone has been exposed with the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The major US newspapers, speaking for the financial oligarchy that dominates American society, have responded to the emergence of the Omicron variant with a campaign against public health measures. Americans and the rest of the world need to learn to live with an ever-mutating virus, wrote the Wall Street Journal, which added, The biggest danger is more government lockdowns.

The Washington Post published a column by Megan McArdle, headlined, The US must defend itself from the omicron variantwithout resorting to lockdowns.

The costs of further lockdowns would be heavy, McArdle declared, from eating disorders and opioid overdoses to small-business failures and schools falling behind We must be more selective in our policies, opting for anti-covid measures that disrupt daily life as little as possible.

How do these consequencesall of which could be prevented through the mobilization of social resourcescompare to the deaths of millions of peoples? What McArdle, the Post and the entire ruling class really mean is that no measures can be taken that threaten the endless rise of the stock markets.

The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and the rest of the media can talk themselves hoarse about COVID-19 going away on its own or turning into the flu, but this is real life, and the disease doesnt care about their lies.

Workers must base their response not on the deluded and self-serving lies of the ruling class, but the scientific reality of the pandemic.

The working class, in the US and internationally, must intervene and demand the implementation of critical emergency measures to stop the pandemic, based on a strategy of elimination and eradication. This requires that:

All non-essential production be immediately stopped until the disease is brought under control. All workers must receive 100 percent pay either for remote work or, when remote work is impossible, to fully compensate them for lost income.

All self-employed tradesmen and tradeswomen, contractors and small business owners receive full compensation for all lost earnings resulting from the halting of non-essential production.

All in-person education be immediately suspended and replaced with remote instruction. Billions of dollars must be made available to ensure that every child and adolescent is provided with his or her own modern laptop and high-speed internet service, along with a safe, spacious and comfortable learning environment at home.

The public health system be massively expanded and tens of thousands of public health coordinators hired. Everyone infected with the disease, or exposed to it, must have immediate and timely access to public health staff, nurses and doctors who can monitor their symptoms and help them safely quarantine without infecting others.

Trillions of dollars be allocated for the creation of a global vaccination program. The distribution of vaccines must be administered by scientists and public health experts with a mandate to protect the whole world.

The resources for this emergency program exist. Since the start of the pandemic, US billionaires have become more than 60 percent wealthier, their fortunes swelled by massive cash handouts from the Federal Reserve. The wealth of Elon Musk alone has increased from $30 billion at the start of 2020 to over $300 billion now.

The entire policy of the ruling class has been built on a mountain of lies. At every point, from the initial emergence of the pandemic to the present, the ruling class has justified its homicidal measures by denying the reality of the threat and the measures that must be taken.

The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Parties affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International have initiated the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Inquest will examine and refute all the lies promoted by governments and in the media over the past two years, an essential part of developing within the working class an understanding of what has happened and what must be done. The WSWS has already begun taking testimony from workers and scientists.

The Inquest must be connected to the organization and mobilization of the international working class as an independent force, through the formation of rank-and-file committees in every workplace and neighborhood. A change in policy will not be realized outside of a massive social and political movement to demand a strategy of global elimination and eradication.

The development of a movement in the working class raises the necessity of a confrontation with the entire ruling class and the capitalist system. The policy of the corporate and financial oligarchy has produced a catastrophe. The international working class must fight for socialism.
The rifts and disarray wracking Australias Liberal-National Coalition government, and continuing record low support for the opposition Labor Party, underscore the necessity for the campaign being waged by the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) against the anti-democratic electoral laws that the two ruling parties jointly rammed through parliament at the end of August.

These laws are a naked, yet desperate, bid to prop up the entire discredited political establishment. By deregistering parties without seats in parliament, they seek to stifle dissent as opposition grows to the corporate-driven live with the virus drive in the face of the resurging COVID-19 pandemic, escalating social inequality, climate change disaster and danger of war generated by the bipartisan commitment to the intensifying US confrontation with China.

Amid this developing political crisis, on November 11 the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) rejected the SEPs request for a six-week pandemic extension of the sudden December 2 deadline set by the laws to submit the names and details of 1,500 members.

If the SEP fails to meet that requirementa tripling of the previous 500-member ruleit will be deregistered and barred from having its party name on ballot papers alongside its candidates for the looming federal election, which the beleaguered prime minister, Scott Morrison, must call by May.

Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media in Sydney, Monday, March 1, 2021 [Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft]

That would deprive voters of the basic democratic right to vote for candidates identified as socialists under conditions of an intensifying global pandemic catastrophe, now fuelled by the even-more deadly Omicron variant, and rising hostility toward all the parties of the parliamentary establishment.

The emergence of Omicron is a product of the decision of capitalist governments, including in Australia, to reject a strategy of eliminating COVID-19, instead allowing it to run rampant. Scientists have been warning for months that so long as the virus continues to spread, more infectious and possibly vaccine-resistant variants will emerge.

The events of the past week in Canberra have shown that Morrisons government is increasingly paralysed. Internal revolts have effectively reduced it to a minority government. But media polls show Labors support languishing at the near-historic low of just over 30 percent that saw Labor suffer a humiliating defeat at the last federal election in 2019. This points to a deepening of the political instability over the past decade of minority or near-minority parliaments and short-term prime ministers.

In fact, the political turmoil has produced another hung parliament even before the federal election. Seven government MPs crossed the floor to vote against government legislation this week, and two others declared they would withhold support from all government bills, demanding an end to vaccine mandates.

Todays editorial in the Australian Financial Review gave vent to the alarm in ruling circles. Scott Morrison enters this election season as the first prime minister to survive an entire three-year term since John Howard, four prime ministers ago, it noted, but the government had begun fraying with unexpected ferocity.

Yet the government is able to cling to office because of the equally widespread popular disgust for the Labor Party. Labor suffered a debacle at the 2019 election because working class voters did not believe its phoney fair go rhetoric after decades of enforcing big business dictates in partnership with the trade unions, especially since the Hawke-Keating governments of 1983 to 1996.

Since then, Labor has only shifted further to the right. Via the bipartisan National Cabinet it has operated lockstep with the government throughout the pandemic, supporting every pro-business measure, including the massive JobKeeper and other handouts to the financial elite.

Now the demand by governments, both Coalition and Labor, for the population to live with the virus has turned reopened schools into pandemic petri dishes. More than 1,200 schools have reported infections in the two most affected states, Victoria and New South Wales. Underfunded for decades, public hospitals and their staff are under enormous strain, with frequent ramping of ambulances, as reported COVID-19 cases continue to exceed 1,500 daily in Victoria and NSW combined.

There is deep anger among teachers, parents and health workers, who also look with alarm at the resurgence of the pandemic in Europe and the United States. This is producing growing demands and votes for industrial action despite the efforts of the unions to keep suppressing workers opposition.

For all the hype about economic recovery, an estimated 2.5 million workers remain unemployed or under-employed. Those with jobs face declining real wages, and escalating attacks on working conditions and job security. Young workers especially are being hit by the intensified gig economy.

For the wealthy, however, the pandemic has been a bonanza. On the backs of the working class, Australias richest 200 individuals and families have increased their wealth by 40 percent to nearly $500 billion.

On every crucial frontfrom support for the AUKUS pact to align Australia even more behind US preparations for war against China, to making a mockery of reducing carbon emissions by backing another giant gas project off the Western Australian coastLabor has not allowed an inch of light between it and the Morrison government.

That is not the result of a cynical small target election ploy but of fundamental commitment to the requirements of the corporate elite. It is a warning of the program to be pursued by any new Greens-backed Labor government.

Media polls provide only a distorted picture of the rising political discontent. According to the latest Resolve poll published in Nine media outlets this week, Labors primary vote support is just 32 percent, behind the Coalition on 39 percent. Morrisons net approval rating has plummeted to -9, but Labor leader Anthony Albaneses is on -14.

Thus far, this unrest is being channelled in big business-backed, mainly right-wing directions, producing a showing of 9 percent support for supposed independents and 8 percent for other parties, including the far-right One Nation and mining magnate Clive Palmers United Australia Party. However, the real fear in ruling circles is that the disaffection will find conscious expression in the opposed socialist perspective fought for by the SEP.

While Labor and the unions are doing everything they can to keep workers suppressed, violent protests by anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination minorities are being given extensive media coverage in order to cultivate extreme right-wing elements. The aim is to intimidate working people and turn the political elite further in right-wing and authoritarian directions.

As in the current presidential elections in Chile, and earlier in Italy, Greece, France and Spain, the old parties of capitalist rule are fracturing under conditions of immense social polarisation. That underlines the need for the development of a new socialist leadership in the working class, fighting against the lurch of the ruling class to war and fascistic Trump-style forces.

That is the task being taken up by the SEP, not just in the fight to retain its right to run socialist candidates in elections but in the expansion of its base among workers and youth. Regardless of the December 2 deadline set by the government and Labor, we will continue our campaign to win new SEP electoral members.

The opposition to the dictates of big business must be guided by a socialist program that puts the social needs of working peoplefirst and foremost their health and livesahead of the private profits of the wealthy few. Only the SEP fights for this perspective, together with our sister parties internationally.

We therefore appeal to our electoral members and all working people, students and youth: Help us push ahead to recruit the extra electoral members that we need, not just to retain our party registration but to take forward the fight for a genuine socialist alternative, and consider applying to become full members of the SEP.
Kemerovo Governor Sergei Tsivilyov, center, speaks to the media in the Listvyazhnaya mine building, near Belovo, in the Kemerovo region of southwestern Siberia, Russia, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Sergei Gavrilenko)

A suspected methane gas explosion killed 51 people on Thursday in Belovo, a mining town in the Kemerovo region (also known as Kuzbass) in Siberia. Many of them were in their 20s and 30s, with the youngest just 23 years old.

Almost 50 miners are still being treated in a hospital. Several of them are in serious condition. It is the worst mine disaster in Russia since the 2010 Raspadskaya mine explosion, which left 91 people dead, and one of the worst in the three decades since the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

At around 8:20 a.m. local time, 283 miners were in the Listvyazhnaya mine when a methane gas explosion occurred. Those who died are believed to have suffocated. The high level of the deadly gas in the mine made the rescue operation, which lasted over a day, extremely difficult. It is also assumed to be the reason for the death of five rescuers. One rescuer, who had been believed dead, was found alive on Friday. Many bodies still have to be recovered.

A miner who survived the disaster in the conveyer building provided a harrowing account to a local radio station: You know, I was saved from death by a few minutes. I was just looking at Tik-Tok. Then the explosion occurred, the methane exploded. The whole conveyor line stopped, I could hear it. It was the one that carries the coal.

He described how his colleagues, upon hearing the explosion, immediately grabbed respirators and went down into the mine to save their colleagues. They were very brave, you know, really. It makes me want to cry. These people should be given a medal. My brothers, comrades, they just ran there. They were able to bring 10 miners up alive, and two others who had already died.

You cannot imagine what was going on there.  They were all terrified, very sick. They were black and wheezing, they could hardly breathe, but they were breathing. He added that his colleagues could not go further down to save more of their brothers because their respirators were not working properly.

The miner stressed that the disaster was both predictable and preventable.

They (the mine management) dont do anything about the rules of industrial safety. We need to make public what is happening in the mine.

I have read that the mine was in a state of emergency [because of the violation of safety regulations], but thats ridiculous. Its been in this kind of state for a month, even more. You know, this all happened because there is no ventilation in the mine. Imagine, every time youre going into the mine, you have to think about what might happen if you run out of oxygen. He added that he had worked as a miner all his life but never under such horrendous conditions. The only reason he had stayed on the job was because he received 50,000 rubles a month for it, roughly $660, two or three times more than other jobs in the town.

The head of the mine, his first deputy and chief of the section of the Listvyazhnaya mine were arrested on Thursday.

What occurred on Thursday was an act of social murder. Responsibility lies not just with the mine management but the government and the entire Russian ruling class.

There is no question that the mine should have stopped operations long ago.

According to Russian media reports, just this year 914 safety violations were registered in 127 safety checks. Operations had to be stopped nine times because of these violations. The mine had neither proper ventilation nor a working fire alarm system. The methane and air control systems were also known to be defective.

Yet the mine management was let off the hook with a ridiculously small fine of 2.8 million rubles (about $37,000), little more than a slap on the wrist. The mine employs almost 1,700 people and produced 4.7 million tons in 2020, resulting in a net profit for its owners of 836.7 million rubles (about $11.06 million) and revenues of over 9.4 billion rubles (over $120 million).

The Listvyazhnaya mine belongs to the SDS-Ugol (Coal) company, which is owned by Vladimir Gridin and Mikhail Fedyaev, both of whom were counted by Forbes among Russias 200 richest individuals. They are part of a section of the oligarchy that has made its fortunes through the hyper-exploitation of the working class in Russias coal sector, which is one of the largest in the world.

The same dynamic that underlay the disaster at the Listvyazhnaya minethe conscious violation of even the most basic safety standards for the sake of profit and de facto cooperation between the state and the oligarchyhas led to countless similar disasters in Russias mining sector since the restoration of capitalism. Many of these have occurred in the Kuzbass region, the center of Russias coal production.

Between 2003 and 2010 alone, over 270 workers died in the five biggest mine disasters in the Kuzbass. At the Listvyazhnaya mine itself, there have been several fatal incidents in the past two decades, with the last occurring in 2017. In March 2018, a horrific fire at the shopping mall Winter Cherry in Kemerovo, the regional capital, killed 64 people, among them 41 children, who were trapped in the burning building. Yet again, the cause was the violation of safety standards by management, with the full knowledge of the authorities.

While particularly stark in the heavily working-class region of Kemerovo, these conditions are not unique to the Kuzbass. Hardly a week goes by without reports in the Russian press about factory fires or explosions.

These conditions are a direct result of the restoration of capitalism by the Stalinist bureaucracy three decades ago. The Stalinist bureaucrats-turned-oligarchs systematically dismantled the social and industrial infrastructure that had arisen as a result of the 1917 October Revolution. The level of safety standards is no higher than it was in mid-19th century England, as all the conquests of the workers movement in this regard were rolled back.

The same criminal indifference to the lives of workers and the subordination of every aspect of social life to the private profit interests of the oligarchy has guided the response of Russias ruling class to the COVID-19 pandemic, just as it has in Europe and the US. With the pandemic completely out of control in Europe, it still claims over 1,200 lives every day in Russia, more than during any previous wave. The Kremlin rejects any public health measures that could curtail, let alone stop, the spread of the virus.
Last Tuesday, South Korea recorded 4,116 new COVID-19 cases, the greatest number for a 24-hour period since the pandemic began almost two years ago. The new high surpassed the previous record set the previous Thursday of 3,292. Another 3,937 new cases were registered on November 25. The explosion in infections is the direct result of the Moon Jae-in administrations abandonment of any attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

A medical worker in a booth takes a nasal sample from a man at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021 [Credit: AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon]

Seoul initiated its so-called with COVID era on November 1, in which the population would supposedly live with the virus while health officials only treated the most severe cases. Most social distancing restrictions have been lifted throughout the country under the rationale that nearly 80 percent of the population has been vaccinated and that masks are still required in public.

The new infections demonstrate the factalready made clear around the worldthat there is no living with COVID-19. Daily deaths have been climbing steadily since September with 38 people losing their lives on Thursday, the most since January.

At the same time, the number of patients in a critical condition also reached an all-time high of 617 yesterday, up five from the previous day, putting a strain on the countrys intensive care unit (ICU) wards, particularly in the Seoul metropolitan area. As of Tuesday, 83.7 percent of ICU beds in the capital city, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province were occupied. Nearly three quarters of ICU beds have been filled nationwide. As of Wednesday, 778 people have also been left on a waiting list for a hospital bed, unable to access care.

Despite the surge and the danger to the population, the government is doing all it can to avoid even moderate social distancing measures that would negatively impact big business. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jeong Eun-gyeong stated November 22 that no new measures to stop the spread of the virus were being considered, despite evaluating the situation as very dangerous, and noting the growing pressure on the health care system.

Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom backed this position on Wednesday, stating, Our gradual return to normal life has faced its first hurdle. We are at a point to review whether we should move to the next phase or not, but the situation is more serious than we expected. In other words, while the country faces record highs in infections and the danger of an even wider spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, the government is content to do nothing besides review the situation.

The lifting of restrictions comes with the full reopening of schools on November 22, resulting in a surge of new cases among children. In an interview that day with Arirang News, Dr. Alice Tan of MizMedi Womens Hospital in Seoul said that children between the ages of 0 and 19 were one of the fastest growing demographics in terms of new cases with COVID. I think school administrators, superintendents need to keep that in mind, that there are just that many more children with COVID in the community right now.

Mass infection and death are the realities of the so-called return to normal, being ushered in by the Moon administration, which has lifted social distancing measures at the demand of big business. For the wealthy in South Korea, the pandemic has already been an enormous boon and inequality has risen sharply.

Large companies have used the pandemic as a pretext to slash thousands of jobs. A survey of 313 companies by market researcher Leaders Index found that these companies had cut approximately 18,200 regular jobs while adding 5,400 irregular positions. Irregular workers earn significantly less pay than their regular counterparts despite doing the same jobs. They also receive fewer benefits and risk being fired at any moment without recourse. The number of irregular workers has surged this year to 8.07 million people, an increase of 640,000 from 2020. This officially represents 38.4 percent of the total workforce.

Workers who have been fired or furloughed also face enormous difficulties. Over the past year, there has been a 75 percent surge of new cases from workers seeking workers compensation as a result of mental illness. Indicative of the pressures that workers face is the suicide of a flight attendant last fall after she had been furloughed by Korean Air. Following a review on September 30, the Workers Compensation Insurance Eligibility Review Commission ruled the case a work-related accident.

Internet-based companies, such as food delivery apps, have taken advantage of the situation and seen their sales surge through the exploitation of low-paid workers in South Koreas gig economy. The leading food delivery app in South Korea, Baedal Minjok, has had sales increase by 94.4 percent over last year, bringing in 1.09 trillion won ($US917 million).

Inequality is also being driven by a sharp rise in real estate and stock prices. The price of an average apartment in Seoul has doubled over the past four years, from 607 million won ($US510,689) to 1.21 billion won ($US1 million). This includes an 11.98 percent jump between January and September this year, the biggest increase in 15 years.

The value of all assets has escalated to an all-time high, ranging from stocks, real estate, and virtual assets, which is pretty unprecedented, Cho Young-hyun, from the Korea Insurance Research Institute, told the Korea Times in October.

Rising household debt is also worrisome, not only from the perspective of its size, but also from the speed of the debt increase rate, which is one of the fastest among OECD countries. As it could later impact mid- to long-term financial stability, it is necessary to alleviate such an imbalance, Cho said.

As a result, the wealth gap has sharply increased. The bottom 20 percent of income earners hold, on average, 24.7 million won ($US20,779) in assets. By contrast, the top 20 percent hold 35.2 times more for an average of 870 million won ($US731,940). This is an increase of two percent from last year.

The current policy of the government to live with COVID is designed to continue and normalize these conditions to allow big business to deepen its attacks on working and living standards. The working class in South Korea must demand policies that put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. This can only be done by a turn to international socialism and workers throughout the world.
About 130 Katukelle Estate workers on Monday rejected management demands to sign a harsh new productivity agreement before being allowed to resume work at the tea estate. The workers have been locked out since September 29.

Kaddukelle estate workers protesting near the muster shed on September 29 [Photo: WSWS media]

Katukelle, which is part of the Talawakelle Estate and managed by the Maskeliya Plantation Company, is in Nuwara Eliya district, about 130 kilometres from Colombo.

Managements attack on the workers followed a six-day strike from August 18 to 24 over increased workloads. Management demanded individual tea-plucking targets be increased from 16 to 20 kilos per day and pesticide spraying rates be doubled.

Katukelle workers walked out again on September 26 in response to management harassment following the August strike. They struck again on September 29, after management victimised P. Ponnirselvi, a female worker, because she opposed the company using outside workers to break the strike.

To fight the witch-hunt against Ponnirselvi, workers held a demonstration outside the muster shed. A clash ensued during which three estate officials and two workers, including Ponnirselvi and S. Sri Devi, were injured. Workers accused management of provoking the conflict.

Management called the police and 11 workers, including Srikanth, Sivagnam, Sashiraho, M. Sivaneshwaran, M. Vajidaran Balachandran and P. Wijayalakshmi, were arrested. Ponnirselvi and Sri Devi were taken into custody while they were being treated at the hospital on the same day.

All the arrested workers were remanded until October 7, with harsh bail conditions imposed by Nuwara Eliya magistrate, including having to personally report to the police station on the last Sunday of every month and to not engage in any protests. No management officials were arrested.

Victimized Kaddukelle estate workers on their way to home after being released on harsh bail conditions bail on October 7 [Photo: WSWS media]

Katukelle management then stepped up its anti-democratic actions, insisting that estate workers would not be employed until they signed a repressive work agreement, whose conditions include:

* Workers and union leaders must agree not to be involved any illegal action, such as physical attacks on management officers. They also must agree to work under the direction of those officers involved in the September 29 clash.

* Katukelle workers must agree to allow outside workers being hired for field work. In other words, they must accept management using strike-breakers.

* To receive the 1,000-rupee ($US5) daily wage, employees must accept the new increased productivity targets. Those unable to meet the targets will be paid according to their production and working hours.

Workers were also told that they could not gather near the muster shed in the morning, as they usually do, before they start work, and they were directed to get their wages from the estates office or through their bank accounts.

On November 17, company officials organised a discussion with local union leaders. The officer in charge of Talawakelle police station was also invited to the meeting. Management reportedly agreed to allow all employees, apart from the 11 charged workers, to return to work. But on November 22, managers insisted no one could resume work unless they signed the new agreement. Workers immediately rejected the company ultimatum.

Katukelle management is able to unleash these attacks because it has the full backing of the plantation unionsthe Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), National Union of Workers (NUW) and the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU).

The CWC is part of the Rajapakse government and its leader, Jeevan Thondaman, is Sri Lankas state minister for estate infrastructure affairs. The NUW and LJEWU are in alliance with the opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya and its leaders were ministers of past regimes. None of these unions have defended the Katukelle workers but deliberately, and systematically, isolated them.

By contrast, workers from two other divisions of the estate, and independently of the unions, decided to back their colleagues at Katukelle by joining the September 29 walkout.

In early October the unions organised a discussion in Hatton with the governments assistant commissioner of labour and Katukelle management to try to dissipate local plantation workers rising anger. The Katukelle manager refused to discuss any of the workers demands and walked out of the meeting.

The Planters Association, which represents senior estate managers, has sent a letter to government authorities accusing workers of increased violence, and demanding they take stern action against the perpetrators of these attacks and ensure that incidents of this nature are not repeated.

The Sunday Times reported on October 3 that the Planters Society, which also represents estate officials, has called on the government to intensify the night army patrols within the estate to avert threats posed by the workers.

The open calls of estate companies and their managers for state repression is a warning, not just to Katukelle estate employees but all plantation workers. The ruthless productivity targets and escalating attacks on jobs, wages and living conditions are an attempt to place the full burden of the economic crisis worsened by the global pandemic on the working class.

Tea plantation industry chiefs and their managers have long demanded the adoption of a revenue share scheme in which workers and their families are allocated around 1,000 tea bushes to cultivate, maintain and harvest, with companies supplying essentials, such as manure and basic equipment. The companies would take the harvest and, after deducting their expenses and profits, give the remainder to the worker. Workers have overwhelmingly opposed this socially regressive share-cropper style system.

The ongoing attacks on Katukelle estate workers are similar to the repressive actions early this year against striking Alton estate workers who demanded a 1,000-rupee daily wage. The Alton workers were subjected to a series of provocations by management. The company, working with the police, assisted by unions, including the CWC, had 24 workers arrested on bogus violence charges and then victimised and sacked 38 workers. The Socialist Equality Party was the only organisation that campaigned against the witch hunt.

Deeside estate workers protest against increased workloads on September 28 [Photo: K. Kishanthan]

The determined action of Katukelle estate workers is reflected in recent strikes by other plantation workers, who have fought back against company and police attacks.

On November 22, about 200 workers from Welioya estate in Hattons upper division walked out to demand an end to higher workloads and for the reinstatement of five workers targeted by management following a demonstration in June. These workers were arrested after protesting to demand COVID-19 pandemic relief when infections hit the estate.

On November 19, over 300 workers from the Deeside division of Glenugie estate in Up-Cot, Maskeliya held a three-day strikethe second time in two monthsto protest increased workloads and wage cuts.

These strikes are part of a wave of workers struggles across Sri Lanka, including a more than 100-day strike action of teachers, demonstrations by 100,000 development officers, and strikes by tens of thousands of public and private sector workers for higher pay and improved conditions earlier this month.

Kaddukelle estate workers meet to explain their grievances to WSWS reporters, 16 November [Photo: WSWS media]

Plantation workers at the Glenugie, Abbotsleigh and Alton estates have recently established Action Committees independent of the trade unions. On November 16, SEP Political Committee member M. Thevarajah addressed a gathering of Katukelle estate workers, explaining that they had to build action committees, independent of the unions. It was necessary, he said, to turn to other sections of the working class in order to develop a unified struggle to defeat employers attacks on wages and conditions, on the basis of socialist program.
The 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) was due to start on 30 November and run until 3 December, but the announcement of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in Switzerland and many other European countries led General Council Chair Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) to call an emergency meeting of all WTO members to inform them of the situation.

Given these unfortunate developments and the uncertainty that they cause, we see no alternative but to propose to postpone the Ministerial Conference and reconvene it as soon as possible when conditions allow, Amb. Castillo told the General Council. I trust that you will fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation.

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the travel constraints meant that many ministers and senior delegates could not have participated in face-to-face negotiations at the Conference. This would render participation on an equal basis impossible, she said.

She pointed out that many delegations have long maintained that meeting virtually does not offer the kind of interaction necessary for holding complex negotiations on politically sensitive issues.

This has not been an easy recommendation to make  But as Director-General, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants  ministers, delegates and civil society. It is better to err on the side of caution, she said, noting that the postponement would continue to keep the WTO in line with Swiss regulations.

WTO members were unanimous in their support of the recommendations from the Director-General and the General Council Chair, and they pledged to continue working to narrow their differences on key topics like the WTO's response to the pandemic and the negotiations to draft rules slashing harmful fisheries subsidies.

The Director-General and Amb. Castillo urged delegations to maintain the negotiating momentum that had been established in recent weeks.

This does not mean that negotiations should stop. On the contrary, delegations in Geneva should be fully empowered to close as many gaps as possible. This new variant reminds us once again of the urgency of the work we are charged with, the DG said.

Director-General Okonjo-Iweala said she had scheduled a series of discussions over the weekend with ambassadors and visiting negotiators and that she planned to go ahead with these meetings. Negotiating group chairs said the same thing.

This marks the second time that the pandemic has forced a postponement of the 12th Ministerial Conference. The meeting was originally due to take place in June 2020 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Although the General Council decided to move the meeting to Geneva, Kazakhstan was chosen to chair the meeting and the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was due to give a keynote speech at the Conference's opening ceremony on 30 November.

The Director-General and the General Council Chair, along with many ambassadors who took the floor, paid tribute to Kazakhstan for its support and commitment to the WTO and the multilateral trading system.

No date has been set for the rescheduling of the Ministerial Conference.
Alec Baldwin and Rust Productions LLC will be represented by attorney Aaron S. Dyer of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman for civil suits stemming from the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western Rust, Deadline has confirmed. Dyer, who once served as L.A.s assistant district attorney, will also rep other producers involved with the film.

Baldwin fatally shot Hutchins while filming at Santa Fe, NMs Bonanza Creek Ranch on October 21. He did so with a prop gun that assistant director Dave Halls told him was cold, which in fact contained at least one live round of ammunition. Also injured on the set of the film produced by and starring Baldwin was director Joel Souza.

More from Deadline

Thus far, two lawsuits have been filed in the aftermath of the tragic incident. Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell filed a suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing physical and emotional injuries shed suffered as a result of the events on the Rust set, which named Baldwin, along with other producers and crew members. Also filing suit was gaffer Serge Svetnoy, who claimed to have suffered similar harm, having likewise been in close proximity to Baldwin when he fired the fatal shot. Mitchell is being represented by attorney Gloria Allred; Svetnoy, by Gary A. Dordick.

While Hutchins husband and son are repped by attorney Brian J. Panish, they have not yet filed suit. Whether Baldwin will face criminal charges for the shooting on the set of Rust is not yet clear. Investigations into the fatality on the set of Rust, on the part of the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office and OSHA, are ongoing.

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The latest development with regard to the Rust suits was first reported by The Daily Journal.

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A look at some of today's top stories, the weather forecast and a peek back in history.

Two Arizona consumers ran into similar issues when their cellphone and TV providers continued to bill them after trying to cancel or pause service. Read more about their fight for help.

Mesa leaders will soon decide whether to rezone the land used as a popular, and contentious, food truck park. Read more about the controversy.

Missing the '80s? Check out the totally awesome art and fashion at this new Grand Avenue boutique in Phoenix.

Today, you can expect it to be sunny, with a high near 77 degrees. It's expected to bemostly clear at night, with a low near 51 degrees. Get the full forecast here.

For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com.

Today in history

On this date in 1893, William Hicks, charged with the sale of whiskey to an Indian in Yuma, pleaded in federal court that hed actually been in California at the time of sale. The defense argument would have placed all of northern Yuma, including the Territorial Prison, in California.

In 1915, the 12th U.S. Infantry under Col. W.H. Sage at Nogales, Arizona, and Obregon troops attempting to drive Pancho Villa from Nogales, Sonora, fought a 30-minute battle across the international border. Later, both commanders met at the border and apologized.

In 1929, while 250 men were working underground at the mine in Globe, flames nearly consumed a nearby blacksmith shop and threatened machinery in a house.

In 1943, during World War II, the HMT Rohna, a British transport ship carrying American soldiers, was hit by a German missile off Algeria; 1,138 men were killed.

In 2000, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified George W. Bush the winner over Al Gore in the states presidential balloting by a 537-vote margin.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Briefing: 2 consumers fight to pause or cancel phone, TV services
Though not a single case has yet been detected in the United States, a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has raised concerns around the world and has Arizona analysts working through the holiday week to watch for it.

First flagged in South Africa two days ago, genomic tests showed the variant the World Health Organization has dubbed omicron was spreading rapidly in South Africa in November. The strain, officially called B.1.1.529, has also been identified in other countries including Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong.

While the new variant rockets into headlines and triggers public health alerts and travel bans  the White House has implemented new restrictions on flights from eight African countries as a precautionary measure  experts say the effects of this variant are still uncertain.

The concern about how much this strain has changed compared with other versions of the novel coronavirus puts greater focus on long-term questions about the trajectory of the pandemic. Scientists and health officials have been on high alert for any mutations that might allow a new version of the virus to evade COVID-19 vaccines, which are currently the most effective tool to keep the disease at bay.

Thats already happened to a certain extent with the Delta variant, which has proven more adept at evading immune defenses and caused surges across the U.S since the summer. Now scientists are watching to see whether omicron will enter the scene.

How many COVID-19 cases are delta variants?: Nearly all of them, Arizona researchers find

We have not seen any B.1.1.529 in Arizona and none have been found in the U.S. or the Western Hemisphere to date, said David Engelthaler, director of the pathogen and microbiome division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). In partnership with state and tribal public health partners, Arizona State University, University of Arizona and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TGen analyzes positive COVID-19 tests in Arizona to monitor for new and emerging variants.

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The omicron variant  which some experts briefly referred to as Nu before the WHO made its official designation  has a large number of mutations, and some of these mutations have some worrying characteristics, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the COVID-19 technical lead with the WHO Health Emergencies Program, in a video posted by the WHO.

The WHO said in a statement that the mutations may have the potential to increase the risk of reinfection. But we don't yet know how (the mutations) act together, or how a virus with so many changes will behave, said Jeffrey Barrett, director of the COVID-19 Genomics Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, in a tweet.

Efrem Lim, an assistant professor at the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute and a virologist whose lab helps sequence SARS-CoV-2 genomes to track variants, said that the unusually high number of mutations in omicron is of particular cause for concern. Most variations of the Delta variant demonstrate at most between five and 10 mutations across the whole genome, but omicron has almost 30, Lim said.

How so many mutations arose at once is a mystery thats still developing in real time, according to Lim. We will probably try to pinpoint exactly how (the mutations) arose, Lim said. In the past, we've seen cases where, particularly (in immunocompromised) people that have prolonged infections ... the virus accelerated (its) mutation rate. (But) we don't know for sure.

Changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation and ability to evade immunity are going to be the three key pieces to look for as more is learned about the variant in the next several weeks, said Dr. Joe Gerald, an associate professor of public health at the University of Arizona. He emphasized that even with a dominant Delta strain, Arizona is already seeing hospitals pushed back to capacity.

We've got problems aplenty as it is moving into the Christmas holidays, Gerald said.

The White House has issued a statement imposing air travel restrictions on flights coming from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi. President Biden also urged unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated and for those eligible for booster shots to take them.

Gerald said that there may be a short-term benefit to travel restrictions, since they may offer scientists more time to understand differences between omicron and existing strains like Delta. However, he emphasized that the U.S. is vulnerable to global spread of new COVID-19 variants due to high levels of international travel.

If this virus is in fact more transmissible than Delta, there's just no way to contain it, he said. We have enough historical precedent to understand you could delay (the spread of a new variant but) you can't prevent (it).

Gerald added that although vaccine companies like Pfizer and Moderna have been evaluating whether to update vaccines and booster doses to more precisely address new variants of COVID-19, it would likely take them three to six months before they could roll out enough new doses to make an impact.

Lim and Gerald both noted that more time is needed to see whether the variant is more transmissible or more likely to dodge vaccines. And if it can evade vaccines, Gerald is waiting to see the consequences of breakthrough infections.

If vaccine immunity or prior infection immunity is still keeping people out of the hospital, then that should give us a little bit of a sigh of relief. If it doesn't, then we're going to be in a little bit more difficult situation, Gerald said.

Though the new strain was first reported in South Africa, that doesnt necessarily mean it originated there. South Africa has a robust variant surveillance program, which probably contributed to the countrys ability to report the omicron variant. But public health officials are calling for increased access to vaccines around the globe, particularly in developing countries.

Vaccine inequity (and) health inequities are huge, pervasive, persistent problems ... I think this just illustrates one more example of where we could and should do more to try to create a will to close the gap, Gerald said. We're all in this together, and the better prepared developing countries are to surveil, monitor and respond to these infections, including having access to vaccines, the better off we all are.

In the meantime, Lim said he put aside Thanksgiving celebrations to come to work on monitoring cases in Arizona.

That is our job, to be vigilant (and) keep looking out for these new variants, Lim said.

Independent coverage of bioscience in Arizona is supported by a grant from the Flinn Foundation.

Melina Walling is a bioscience reporter who covers COVID-19, health, technology, agriculture and the environment. You can contact her via email at mwalling@gannett.com or on Twitter @MelinaWalling.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: COVID-19 omicron variant in Arizona: Here's what you need to know
Viral Image on Facebook: "Build Back Illegal: 'Parole' amnesty for millions of criminal illegal aliens."

PolitiFact's Ruling: Mostly False

Here's Why: An image showing a bare-chested, heavily tattooed man attacks the Build Back Better bill by claiming:

"Build Back Illegal: 'Parole' amnesty for millions of criminal illegal aliens."

The image, shared on Facebook, was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

The claim gives the misleading impression that people who entered the U.S. illegally and were convicted of crimes would be paroled and allowed to stay. But parole has a different meaning in immigration law, and the parole provisions of the bill as theyre currently written would not be available to people convicted of crimes in the U.S.

Fact-check: Will Biden's Build Back Better Plan negatively impact inflation?

Claim by America first group

The viral image alludes to members of criminal gangs. The photo of the man in the image appears to be cropped from a photo of three men that appears with articles about the MS-13 gang, which grew out of poor Los Angeles neighborhoods that housed many refugees from civil wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua in the 1980s. In the United States, law enforcement officials have indicted MS-13 members for a wide range of crimes, including racketeering, murders, attempted murders, assaults, obstruction of justice, arson and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The image was shared by the Great American Movement in a post that urges people to tell their congressional representatives to oppose the Democratic-supported Build Back Better bill. The slogan of the group, which has 135,000 Facebook followers, is: "'America First' should not just be a political slogan. It should be a way of life for all Americans."

Great American Movements Facebook page lists GreatAmericanMovement.com as its contact information, but that link did not lead to a working website when we checked it on Nov. 23.

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Were fact-checking the claim, made Nov. 15, based on the version of the Build Back Better Act that passed the House on Nov. 19. The bill could be changed in the Senate.

Fact-check: Under Build Back Better, will you be audited by the IRS if you spend more than $28?

Misleading use of parole and criminal

In the criminal context, the word "parole" typically is understood as the early release from prison of a person convicted of a crime who must abide by certain conditions after release.

But the term "parole" is also used in immigration law to describe a process that gives people who are in the U.S. without legal authorization temporary permission to stay.

The permission is granted for humanitarian reasons or other reasons in the public interest, said Washington University law professor emeritus Stephen Legomsky, former chief counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security.

Section 60001 of the Build Back Better bill would give a form of this parole to some 7 million immigrants who are in the country without permission, protecting them from deportation and formally admitting them into the United States if they file an application, pay a fee and pass criminal and security background checks.

To be eligible, the immigrants must have arrived before Jan. 1, 2011, and have lived here ever since. If approved, they could get work permits that would be valid for five years and could be renewed one time for another five years, expiring on Sept. 30, 2031.

People convicted of crimes in the U.S. would not be eligible for immigration parole under this provision, said Theresa Cardinal Brown, managing director of immigration and cross-border policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

The wording of the claim in the post may suggest that simply living in the U.S. without permission makes a person a criminal. But thats not necessarily the case.

Entering the U.S. without permission is a crime  though its not always prosecuted on its own  but living in the United States without authorization is a civil violation, not a criminal offense.

Many people who are in the U.S. without authorization entered legally but committed a civil violation by overstaying their visas or violating their conditions of admission, such as by working without authorization or dropping out of school, Cardinal Brown said.

Under the bill, people who entered illegally, or entered legally but have overstayed, would be eligible for parole, she said, but convicted criminals would not.

Legomsky said that while "almost every serious crime will disqualify you from the parole program under this bill, illegal entry will not."

Fact-check: Was unleaded gas as high as $7 per gallon in a California city?

Our ruling

A viral image shared on Facebook alluded to members of criminal gangs and stated that the Build Back Better bill provides "'parole' amnesty for millions of criminal illegal aliens."

The post gives the impression that people who entered the U.S. illegally and committed crimes in the U.S. would be eligible for parole. But parole means something different in immigration law: temporary permission to stay for people who are in the country without permission.

Under the bill, immigration parole would be available to people who entered the country legally or illegally before 2011, but not to people convicted of crimes.

We rate the post Mostly False.

Our sources

Facebook post, Nov. 15, 2021

Congress.gov, "H.R.5376 - Build Back Better Act," accessed Nov. 22, 2021

House Rules Committee, "Build Back Better Act  Rules Committee Print 117-18 Section-By-Section," accessed Nov. 22, 2021

Email, Theresa Cardinal Brown, managing director of immigration and cross-border policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, Nov. 22, 2021

FWD.us, "Immigration Protections and Work Permits," Nov. 4, 2021

FWD.us, "Visa Recapture & Backlog Reduction in the Build Back Better Act," Nov. 10, 2021

Email, Washington University law professor emeritus Stephen Legomsky, former chief counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security, Nov. 22, 2021

Email, Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, associate professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Nov. 22, 2021

The Hill, "House outlines immigration provisions in latest Build Back Better package," Nov. 3, 2021

The Hill, "Giveaway to Big Tech in Build Back Better will hurt American workers," Nov. 4, 2021

The Hill, "The truth about green card recapture," Nov. 19, 2021

U.S. Justice Department, news release, July 28, 2021

Wall Street Journal, "Democrats Push Fix for Green-Card Logjam in Social-Spending Bill," Nov. 5, 2021

Fox Business, "Build Back Better Act: Immigration provision grants 5-year parole to some migrants, shielding from deportation," Nov. 5, 2021

Washington Post, "How the House spending bill sets a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants," Nov. 19, 2021

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Fact-check: Would Build Back Better parole criminal immigrants?
Texas Senator Ted Cruz (L), Donald Trump Jr. (R). Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images (L), Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images (R)

The WHO skipped two letters of the Greek alphabet to name the new coronavirus variant Omicron.

Some have speculated that the letter Xi was skipped to avoid confusion with the Chinese President's surname.

The WHO reportedly said they made the decision because Xi is a common last name in China.

Right-wing figures, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump Jr., have criticized the World Health Organization for skipping the Greek letter Xi and naming the new coronavirus variant Omicron.

The WHO has been naming coronavirus variants after Greek letters of the alphabet, believing this would "be easier and more practical to be discussed by non-scientific audiences."

Using that system, the following variant should have been called Nu and, after that, Xi.

Following an announcement on Friday that the new variant would be called Omicron, speculation arose that the two letters were skipped to avoid confusion with the English word "new" and avoid antagonizing Chinese President Xi Jinping.

(The Greek letter and Chinese surname are written the same but pronounced differently.)

"If the WHO is this scared of the Chinese Communist Party, how can they be trusted to call them out the next time they're trying to cover up a catastrophic global pandemic?" Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted.

Cruz responded to a tweet that suggested the WHO decided to skip Xi to "avoid stigmatizing a region."

Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in, tweeting: "As far as I'm concerned the original will always be the Xi variant."

Both echoed rhetoric common in right-wing circles that blames China for the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Former President Trump and his allies have often referred to the virus as the "China virus."

Washington Examiner reporter Jerry Christmas said that the health body decided not to use Xi because it's a common last name in China.

The WHO chose not to use the name as its best practices for naming diseases suggest "avoiding causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional, & ethnic groups," he said.

He said they also confirmed that Nu was not used because of its similarity to the word "new."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Malala Yousafzai and Asser Malik

Asser Malik/Twitter Malala Yousafzai and Asser Malik at her graduation

Malala Yousafzai is celebrating her college graduation!

A year and a half after the Nobel Peace Prize winner earned her degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Oxford, Yousafzai, 24, finally got to walk at her pandemic-delayed commencement ceremony.

"Some Latin was said and apparently I have a degree," she wrote on Instagram beside several snaps from the big day.

Among the photos was Yousafzai in her cap and gown on the England campus, ones of her smiling beside her friends and new husband Asser Malik, as well as one shot of her parents, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Toor Pekai Yousafzai, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

RELATED: Malala Yousafzai Graduates Oxford University, Says She's Ready for 'Netflix, Reading and Sleep'

Malik also celebrated his new wife's accomplishment with a post of his own on social media.

"The place we first met felt a little more special on Malala's graduation day," he wrote on Twitter beside two photos, including one of him and Yousafzai and another with their family.

Yousafzai's degree ceremony was initially planned for May 2020 but was postponed in the wake of the spread of COVID-19. According to the famed university's website, Oxford resumed graduation ceremonies in September, holding multiple dates throughout the last two months.

The final one, which appears to be the one Yousafzai attended, was held on Friday.

Malala Yousafzai and Asser Malik

Asser Malik/Twitter Malala Yousafzai and Asser Malik with their families at Oxford's graduation

RELATED: Malala Yousafzai Admits She Was 'Nervous' to Attend Oxford, But She's Been 'Welcomed as a Friend'

Yousafzai started at the University of Oxford in 2017 and told PEOPLE one year later that she had been "really nervous" to begin her studies, citing how her name had long been in headlines before she stepped foot on the campus.

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Along with being awarded the Nobel in 2014, the children's rights activist wrote a memoir, I Am Malala, and was the subject of a documentary, He Named Me Malala.

In both, she detailed her journey after being shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012 after spending years championing women's rights and girls' education in her native Pakistan.

"I was worried about how I would make friends. People knew me already and that was challenging for me to be there as a student and not to be there as a person who's already known in the media," she told PEOPLE. "But once I came, everyone here just welcomed me as a friend and I was just so happy that I am part of Oxford. I am just an Oxford student and I think that's how they treat me."

Yousafzai also noted then that being a regular student meant more to her than the world would ever know.

"It's a really good experience learning just like other students. It is an amazing time of my life, because I'm getting to know people of my age a bit more," she said. "It's amazing how many young people here are doing incredible and amazing work. Each and every person here has an amazing story and has done amazing things."

RELATED VIDEO: Malala Yousafzai Is Married! Activist Shares First Photos from Ceremony: 'Partners for Life'

In June 2020, Yousafzai announced that she had completed her studies at Oxford with a social media post that stated, "Hard to express my joy and gratitude right now."

The Pakistani activist also included two pictures with the exciting news  one of a cake cutting in celebration with her family, and another of her covered in cake and confetti.

"I don't know what's ahead," she wrote. "For now, it will be Netflix, reading, and sleep."

The degree marked the second one that Yousafzai has earned, after receiving an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2013.

The Oxford graduation is the latest celebration for Yousafzai. Earlier this month, she revealed on social media that she had gotten married in an intimate ceremony in Birmingham, England.

"Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life," she wrote alongside a series of photos of her and Malik from their happy day. "We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead."
ALBANY - Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in New York late Friday amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and the looming threat of a new variant found recently in South Africa.

The move by Hochul comes as hospitals are again warning of being overrun with COVID patients and as the state's positivity hit 3.8% on Thursday, the highest since mid-April.

In some regions, the rates were even higher: nearly 10% in western New York and almost 9% in the Finger Lakes.

Are more COVID rules ahead?: The omicron variant has sparked new travel restrictions

Hochul said the omicron variant that has stoked fears of a new spread across the globe has yet to be found in New York, but warned it is likely to arrive.

By declaring a state of emergency, the state Department of Health will be allowed to limit non-essential, non-urgent procedures for hospitals or systems "with limited capacity to protect access to critical health care services."

The state said that limited capacity will be "defined as below 10% staffed bed capacity, or as determined by the Department of Health based on regional and health care utilization factors."

Shoppers wearing face masks on a crowded sidewalk in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. As the world grapples with the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19, scientists in South Africa where omicron was first identified are scrambling to combat its spread across the country.

The new protocols will begin Friday and will be re-assessed on Jan. 15. The measure will also allow the state to acquire more quickly any supplies to combat the pandemic, Hochul said.

"We've taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it's coming," Hochul said in a statement.

Hochul said hospitals should themselves expand hospital capacity in anticipation of the variant hitting New York and because rates are rising.

The Democratic governor has yet to implement any new widespread COVID safety protocols, such as requiring masks indoors in all public spaces, as some counties are considering.

Erie County last week reestablished an indoor mask requirement as cases continue to grow in upstate New York's largest county.

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"The vaccine remains one of our greatest weapons in fighting the pandemic, and I encourage every New Yorker to get vaccinated, and get the booster if you're fully vaccinated," Hochul continued.

New York does require masks in all health care facilities and schools, prisons and transit systems.

Additionally, she said the goal is to bolster New York's vaccination rate, which has jumped from 79% in August to 90% this month among adults with one dose.

Expanding access to booster shots is another effort by the state: more than 2.2 million boosters have been administered.

Counties are urging the public's support as they consider stronger protocols to stop the virus' spread through the holiday season and winter months.

"Our chief elected officials must make decisions in real time based on the most up-to-date data, and these decisions can be unpopular but they are necessary to protect our communities," Stephen Acquario, the executive director of the state Association of Counties, said in a statement.

"Our local public health officials, emergency managers, and coroners are experiencing high levels of fatigue and burnout. We respectfully ask for continued cooperation and civility as we go through this next COVID phase."

More: Ex. Gov. Andrew Cuomo misrepresented COVID-19 nursing home toll, report says

More: Will New York renew mask mandate and COVID-19 restrictions? What to know as cases surge

Joseph Spector is the Government and Politics Editor for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Group, overseeing coverage in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. He can be reached at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany

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We cover the stories from the New York State Capitol and across New York that matter most to you and your family. Please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription to the New York publication nearest you.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Omicron COVID-19 variant: NY state of emergency as virus surges
Volunteers sort produce to be donated to needy local families at Ozarks Food Harvest on June 21, 2021. The nonprofit serves 28 Missouri counties and hopes to bring in $30,000 in monetary donations for Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30, 2021.

As families gather to share their gratitude and prepare for the Christmas and holiday season, the News-Leader put together this guide that includes just some of the ways local residents can share their prosperity and give back to those in need this year  the second Christmas season since pandemic disruptions began affecting so many aspects of Missouri life. To submit a donation opportunity to be added to this list online, email gholman@gannett.com with complete details.

Giving Tuesday: You can help 60 charities

Each year, Community Foundation of the Ozarks publishes a highly comprehensive guide to holiday season charitable giving. Just before Thanksgiving, CFO's Aaron Scott told the News-Leader that he and the foundation team were putting the finishing touches on this year's guide, which features at least 60 nonprofit groups serving a range of human needs. While many are located in Springfield and Greene County, the nonprofits featured in the guide span the southern half of Missouri, Scott said.

The CFO guide, available at cfozarks.org/giving-guide, connects you to Giving Tuesday campaigns from the 60-plus local charitable groups featured, along with other campaigns and particular needs.

Dubbed "the biggest day of generosity" by its international promoters, Giving Tuesday is an effort to get people to give donations and volunteer their time for worthy causes shortly after Thanksgiving.

Scott said that CFO's guide also features tax tips for those interested in making financial donations. The CARES Act of 2020 included a number of tax law changes that Congress extended into 2021, allowing taxpayers to take additional deductions for cash gifts to charities. Opportunities are available for taxpayers who itemize their deductions, as well as for those who don't, Scott said.

Meanwhile, Scott said CFO advises money donors to consider giving "unrestricted" funds to charities for their operations and other needs, instead of earmarking donations for specific purposes.

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"Those are going to be a lot more helpful," he said.

More: Share your Christmas with a Springfield family in need. Here's how you can donate

Giving Tuesday: Fight hunger

Another key Springfield-area participant for Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30 is Ozarks Food Harvest, which helps provide food for local families facing hunger. The nonprofit set a fundraising goal of $30,000 for #GivingTuesdayOzarks, which they say will help provide more than 120,000 meals.

Jordan Browning, a spokesperson for the group, said they're seeking monetary donations because they can stretch each dollar much further by purchasing food items for those in need, as opposed to getting resources through in-kind donations.

"We can make sure to supplement our agencies with food that they may not otherwise see, like protein items, which can be really expensive, and fresh produce," he said in an interview a few days before Thanksgiving.

Browning said Ozarks Food Harvest's 28-county footprint covers one-third of the state of Missouri. Demand for food assistance has greatly increased due to the effects of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, OFH estimated hunger affected one in six children and one in seven adults in southwest Missouri. "Now we're looking at one in five children and one in six adults facing hunger," Browning said.

Like so many other parts of society, OFH is affected by pandemic supply-chain issues. Food orders they could once place for delivery in 30 days now require three to six months of extra scheduling, Browning said.

You can help OFH on Giving Tuesday by visiting ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate.

More: Here's how some Springfield nonprofits think the city should spend $40 million in COVID aid

Miracle Week: Help kids facing health issues

From Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, CoxHealth is asking for donations during "Miracle Week" in support of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

"These are very challenging times for children because of COVID-19, RSV (a cold-like respiratory virus) and mental health issues," said Tim Siebert, executive director of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals at Cox, in a news release issued earlier this month.

Each donation of $100 or more allows CMN to give Giggle Boxes filled with toys and games to kids staying in the hospital.

The funding supports a lot of other care, too: The Special Needs Fund helps pay for care not covered by insurance or Medicaid coverage: Think of items like wheelchairs and hearing aids. Family Care Grants direct resources to families with children in the hospital or who need special therapy. This opportunity also helps sustain educational programs to build awareness about helping children living with heart conditions and diabetes and efforts to end drinking and driving and to prevent shaken baby syndrome.

Miracle Week also supports the C.A.R.E. Mobile, a mobile health clinic for children's health screenings and immunizations.

For more information or to make a donation, call 800-856-7978 (open 24 hours daily through Dec. 5) or visit coxhealthcmn.com.

More: People of color in Missouri face lack of 'health equity' in low-ranking state health system, report says

Toy drives

The Springfield area's holiday toy drive tradition continues in abundance this year. Here are two key efforts.

The Drive-Thru Toy Drive offers the chance to make a toy donation to the Salvation Army, visit with Santa Claus and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas carol-singing around a fire pit. Held at East Sunshine Church of Christ (3721 E. Sunshine St., across from Sam's Club), the event is set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11 and is open to the entire community.

Adopt a Family for Christmas with Pyramid Roofing is another gift-giving opportunity. Families or organizations can email aclark@pyramidroofingmo.com to adopt a family's Christmas wish list and drop off all gifts, unwrapped, by Dec. 15 at 2956 W. Chestnut Expressway.

More: Springfield's 2021 'Community Focus' report unveiled, praising collaboration, hoping for citizen engagement

Give a used car to help rebuild a life

Catholic Charities of Southwest Missouri calls out each month's "urgent needs" on their website, but the nonprofit network is always looking for used cars in good working order with a clear title free of any liens and a current state inspection. Many vehicles donated go to CCSM clients who are working toward self-sufficiency. To learn more, call 417-720-4213 (the office is closed for Thanksgiving weekend but open next week) or email Mandy Long, chief development officer, at mlong@ccsomo.org.

Reach News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman by emailing gholman@gannett.com. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Here are 5 easy Springfield-area holiday donation opportunities
When noted Wilmington architect, E. William Martin, returned from The Netherlands, he had several sketches made under great difficulties in rain and hail and an idea of how to design one of southern Delawares iconic buildings.

In the early 20th century, Martin helped to design the Legislative Hall in Dover, a number of schools and other Delaware public buildings.

In 1930, he was commissioned to design a building that would commemorate the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Dutch colonists in Delaware, and at the same time, be a permanent monument to the first European settlement in Delaware.

With that in mind, Martin set sail for the city of Hoorn in the Netherlands, the hometown of David Pietersen de Vries.

The 88-year-old Zwaanendael Museum commemorates the founding of Delaware's first European settlement by the Dutch in 1631. The terra cotta roof tiles and decorative shutters are fashioned in the same style as those of the city hall in Hoorn, Netherlands.

Born in 1593, David de Vries came from a prominent merchant family during the golden age of The Netherlands. At that time, Dutch ships carried European goods to far-flung ports, Dutch banks handled a major share of Europes money, and Dutch artists, such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, painted some of Europes greatest masterpieces.

Baruch Spinoza and Rene Descartes were among Europes leading thinkers; and Antony van Leeuwenhoek made startling discoveries in science. It was a time when the mania for tulips sent bulb prices sky-rocketing, until a single bulb could be worth as much as an average person could earn in a year.

The Netherlands shared with England a vigorous seafaring heritage and a desire to plant colonies in all parts of the world. David de Vries was just one of the many Dutch entrepreneurs who helped set up colonies in Asia, Africa, and America.

After establishing settlements at Jamestown, Virginia, and Plymouth, Massachusetts, England was poised to take control of the entire North American coast north of Florida. In 1624, the Dutch countered by planting a colony on Manhattan Island; and within a few years, several other settlements were founded on the Hudson River.

Buoyed by the success along the Hudson River, several Dutch businessmen joined with De Vries to establish a colony near Cape Henlopen.

Story continues

In 1631, de Vries and his partners outfitted the ship Walvis to carry the first European settlers to Delaware. While de Vries remained in Holland to gather supplies for the new colony, the Walvis set sail from Holland.

When the Walvis arrived in Delaware Bay, the Dutch colonists lost no time in erecting a wooden stockade on a low bluff opposite the mouth of Lewes Creek.

The colonists named their new settlement, Swanendael, Valley of the Swans. Many years later, it became fashionable to call the Dutch settlement near Cape Henlopen, Zwaanendael, but that name does not appear in colonial documents.

After the Walvis returned to Holland, de Vries received disturbing news that something catastrophic had happened at the new Dutch colony along Lewes Creek. When de Vries returned to Delaware in late 1632, he discovered that the colony had been destroyed.

The downcast de Vries decided that the Dutch attempt to establish a colony near Cape Henlopen should be abandoned, and after burying the bones of the colonists, he returned to Europe.

Michael Morgan

In the 20th century, to commemorate the tricentenary of the failed Dutch settlement, architect Martin designed a scaled-down building inspired by the town hall at Hoorn.

The Zwaanendael House (now the Zwaanendael Museum) is situated on a plot of land at the intersection of Savanah Road and Kings Highway.

In 1931, the Delaware Coast News, proclaimed, Nearly everyone familiar with Lewes agrees that the location is ideal. The site selected is in itself historic as it was the site of the first private school (the Lewes Academy) in the State of Delaware.

Martin made one addition to the Lewes building that was not on the Hoorn Town Hall. He topped the distinctive Dutch-style structure with a statue of David Pietersen de Vries, the entrepreneur behind the first European settlement in Delaware.

Principal sources:

Zwaanendael Museum (Zwaanendael House) |https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/DE-01-ES23 Delaware, A Guide to the First State, Federal Writers Project, New York: The Viking Press, 1938, p. 202.

David Pietersz de Vries, Voyages from Holland to America, 1632-1644, translated by Henry C. Murphy, New York, 1853, pp. 18-19, 23-24, 31-32.

Delaware Coast News, June 12, 1931.

More: How the fight over a piece of Lewes history is tearing apart the town

More: Her famous husband casts a shadow. Dogfish Head co-founder Mariah Calagione still shines.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Lewes icon honors 300 years of failed Dutch settlement
Dr. Wendelin Hume is an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of North Dakota. She grew up on an Anishinabe reservation in Northwestern Ontario and holds graduate degrees in criminal justice and criminology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
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A year and a half after the first outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Hungarys economic output has returned to pre-pandemic levels, Peter Szijjarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Thursday.

Getting the economy back to normal by the summer required Hungarys government to find allies that were prepared to expand their capacities even in such a difficult period, the foreign ministry cited Szijjarto as saying at the Business Services Hungary 2021 conference.



Whereas during the global economic crisis of 2008-09 the Socialist government relied on providing welfare and taking out loans, the current government decided to tackle the crisis caused by the pandemic by concentrating on job protection and protecting peoples health, the minister said.



While the Hungarian economy needed five years to recover from the global financial crisis, this time it only needed a year and a half, he added.



Szijjarto said the emerging new era of the global economy was characterised by a redistribution of production capacities, adding that countries that have been successful in developing their economies would be the winners of the new era.



The record employment, investment and quarterly growth rates seen in Hungary over the past two years are a reflection of the strength of the economy, Szijjarto said.



Hungarys GDP grew by a record 18% in the second and by 6% in the third quarter of this year, he noted.



Over the past two decades Hungary has become a regional hub for business services, Szijjarto said, underlining the growing importance of that sector in the dimensional shift of the Hungarian economy.



He added that the government was prepared to cut payroll taxes by another 4%.



Citing fresh data, Szijjarto said there were 156 business service centres employing more than 70,000 people in Hungary, a 50% increase in five years. Some 40% of these service centres operate on a global scale, he added.



Szijjarto said certain Hungarian foreign missions will be organising events together with these companies with the aim of persuading Hungarian professionals working abroad to return home.



Szijjarto also highlighted the role of Hungarys investment promotion system in the rapid development of the business service sector, saying that the sector saw a record 14 investments in 2019 that created 2,500 new jobs.



Last year, a total of nine investment projects were greenlit in the sector, creating another 2,000 jobs, he added.



The sectors future prospects are also good, he said, noting that five business service investment projects were currently in preparation.



The Business Services Hungary conference was organised by the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).





MTI Photo: Balazs Mohai
There is a crisis in democracy that is already palpable in the United States, with authoritarian regimes gaining ground worldwide, 2016 Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton told MSNBC.

The tools of disinformation and propaganda, as well as the manipulation of people by algorithms and artificial intelligence, will only make it more difficult to fight anti-democratic processes, the former US Secretary of State said to host Rachel Maddow.



Specifically, there are people fighting the current liberal democratic system in the United States, those who see as a threat the civil rights, cultural, and social changes that have been achieved so far, and are willing to turn the clock back.



Referring to Trump supporters who besieged the U.S. Capitol, Clinton said that these people didnt like the world we live in right now, and on this point, they have that in common with autocratic leaders from Russia to Turkey to Hungary to Brazil and so many other places, who are driven by personal power, and greed, and corruption.



But who utilize fears about change to try to get people to hate one another and feel insecure, and therefore, be easily manipulated by demagogues and by disinformation.
Ace Indian shuttler P V Sindhu's impressive campaign at the Indonesia Open came to an end after she lost her hard-fought semifinal to former world champion Ratchanok Intanon, on Saturday (November 27).

Third seed Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, lost 21-15 9-21 14-21 to world number eight and second-seeded Ratchanok in 54 minutes for her third semifinal finish on the trot. The 26-year-old Sindhu had made it to the last four in Indonesia Masters last week and also at the French Open in October.

#Badminton #IndoesiaOpenSuper1000 A tough first round match against Aya Ohori forced PV Sindhu to dig deep. Match highlights below: Video: BWFpic.twitter.com/Tt2OIOmShF  The Field (@thefield_in) November 24, 2021

World number 11 men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, seeded sixth, lost exited the Super 1000 tournament after a 16-21 18-21 defeat to top-seeded Indonesian combination of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo in the semifinals. It was the 10th straight defeat for the Indian pair against the world number one pair, a two-time former All England Open champions and reigning Asian Games gold medallist.

It was thus curtains for India at the USD 850,000 tournament. Sindhu, ranked seven in the world, came into the match with a 4-6 head-to-head count, having lost to the Thai player in the last two meetings. The Indian made a good start, slowly moving to an 8-3 lead early on. Ratchanok narrowed it down to 9-10 before Sindhu entered the break with a slender one-point advantage.

Sindhu grabbed three straight points to march ahead and didn't look back as she pocketed the opening game. Ratchanok got her bearings back and came back roaring into the match as she build up a lead of 11-7 at the interval in the second game. The Thai shuttler grabbed nine of the next 10 points from 12-8 to leave Sindhu gasping.

It was Sindhu who handed 11 game points to Ratchanok after going to the net and the Thai shuttler sealed it with a smash on her opponent's forehand. The thai player continued her impressive run in the decider as she ran to a healthy 11-6 lead with Sindhu committing too many errors.

Sindhu resumed with a cross-court drop but a misjudgement at the backline and then an error at the net meant Ratchanok continued to move ahead. The Indian had a good run of four points as she reached 13-16 but Ratchanok once again snapped the run of points and moved to seven match points.

A net error delayed the inevitable as Ratchanok sealed the contest with a precise return at the forecourt. Sindhu, the reigning world champion, last reached the finals at the Swiss Open.
New Delhi: Allahabad HC refused to interfere in a criminal investigation being carried out by Crime Branch of Gautam Buddh Nagar Police of Uttar Pradesh. Bench of Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi wrote in its order that, We are of the opinion that the writ jurisdiction should not be exercised to stifle the legitimate investigation. It is well settled that the High Court should normally refrain from giving prima facie decision, in case, where the entire facts are incomplete and hazy, more so, when the evidence has not been collected and produced before the Court.

HC further noted in its order that  The issues involved whether factual or legal are of magnitude and cannot be seen in their true perspective without sufficient material. In the present matter, we lack sufficient material. Therefore, we are of the opinion that disputed facts cannot be examined under Article 226 of Constitution of India and once efficacious statutory remedy is available to the petitioner against the notice impugned, then we decline to exercise our discretionary jurisdiction under Article 226 of Constitution of India. Accordingly, the writ petition fails and is dismissed on the ground of availability of statutory remedy.

Crime Branch had issued notice on Nov 5, 2021 to Yes Bank and NSDL for freezing the shares of Dish TV, shares were pledged to the bank and later invoked by the lender. Yes Bank had challenged the freezing of shares by Crime Branch in Allahabad HC, where bank pleaded that it has to exercise its voting rights in general body meeting to be held on November 30.

During HC, prosecution labeled serious allegations of misleading by Yes Bank to the high court using manufactured documents. Prosecution also blasted the plea of Yes Bank seeking quashing of FIR, by asking when the Bank is not made an accused in the case, then on what basis, quashing is sought by Yes Bank.

Prosecution also told to the court that freezing of the shares by crime branch is based on 1.5 years of serious investigation into the various aspects of the case.



Dr Subhash Chandra, Mentor of Essel Group had filed a criminal complaint with the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police , where in he alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Rana Kapoor, former Chairman and CEO of Yes Bank, Venugopal Dhoot, Former CMD of Videocon Group and others to cause loss by forcing for merger of Videocon D2H with Dish TV. He alleged that Kapoor forced this deal so that the proceeds of the same can be transferred to Videocon and later to Yes Bank, as Videocon Group loans were on the verge of tagged as NPA. He alleged that Kapoor has threatened if the deal is not done, then, he will recall all the loans given to the Essel Group companies.
New Delhi: With every passing day, buzz about Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal's rumoured wedding seems to be getting stronger. According to numerous reports, the duo is supposed to be tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in December in Rajasthan.

While there has been no official statement from the couple till now, the internet is filled with speculation about their wedding ceremonies, and whether it will be an extremely close-knit affair.

As per reports, the wedding will be held at a fort resort in Rajasthan with a strict 'no phones' policy. A lot of other rumours are also there about the probable guest list of the couple.

Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has reportedly been invited to the wedding along with his family. However, it is unsure if the actor will attend the starry affair.

A Bollywood Life report stated that Shah Rukh Khan who is known to keep his social obligations may attend the December wedding in Rajasthan. However, there is no surety if he will attend the wedding ceremony with his wife Gauri Khan.

"They are going to keep a low profile, staying away from the media glare. Shah Rukh may make a quick entry and exit. He also has to get back to his shoots and will definitely not attend the entire 3-4 day wedding," the website quoted a source as saying.

Ever since the news broke about Katrina and Vicky's wedding, the rumoured couple has been extremely tight-lipped about it. In the past few weeks, there have been numerous speculations about the hush-hush wedding between the two parties.

Earlier this year, the couple reportedly had a 'Roka' ceremony at filmmaker Kabir Khan's residence in Mumbai. Rumours are also there that the couple will have a court marriage in Mumbai before flying to Rajasthan for their grand but intimate wedding.

It is no secret that Katrina prefers to keep her personal life extremely private and away from the public glare.

In fact, despite numerous reports about the two being in a relationship for the last few years, both Katrina and Vicky refrained from sharing pictures with each other on social media. Neither, they made any public appearances together.

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New Delhi: If you notice any change in your body, do not ignore it. Sometimes these changes can be a sign of a serious disease like cancer. If detected early, the spread of cancer can be arrested, while ignoring early symptoms can prove to be fatal. While there's no need to panic, here are some signs that one should watch out for. It might be nothing serious, but don't ignore and check with doctors.

Losing weight

If you are losing weight fast, that too without trying to, be alert. Pancreas, stomach, oesophagus or lung cancer can lead to weight loss.

Swelling or lump in the body

If swelling or lump is seen in any part of the body, do not ignore it. Lumps in the abdomen, breast or testicle can be because of cancer.

Persistent cough

Persistent cough, constant phlegm for three to four weeks are worrying signals. Persistent cough, blood with phlegm and difficulty in breathing can be symptoms of lung cancer.

Change in mole or wart

Any change in a mole or wart shouldn't be ignored. Most people do not notice it, but it can be a sign of skin cancer. If a new wart appears or if there is a change in the colour and size of the already existing wart or mole on the skin, visit a doctor.

Blood in urine

Blood in urine can be a warning sign for bowel cancer. Change in toilet habits - for example if you go to the toilet more often than you normally do or if there is a problem of constipation - for a longish period, do not ignore it. Blood in urine can also be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer. Frequent pain during urination and pain in lower back can hint at prostate cancer.

Sensation of pain

If pain is felt continuously for weeks, and there's no plausible reason, it can also be signs of cancer. According to cancer researchers, pain associated with cancer occurs because tumours put pressure on bones, nerves and other organs.

Persistent heartburn

If you are constantly feeling a burning sensation in the chest, then it can also be a symptom of cancer. This happens in stomach or throat cancer.

Difficulty in swallowing food

Feeling pain or difficulty in swallowing while eating food, food getting stuck in the throat again and again - these can be symptoms of oesophageal cancer.

Night sweats

Sweating at night can also be a warning sign of many types of cancer. This mostly happens in the case of lymphoma. This type of cancer occurs in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of blood vessels and glands spread throughout the body.

Point to note: Once again, don't panic. These symtomps are not necessarily signs of cancer but in rare cases, they might be. So don't ignore your body and listen to it if it gives a signal and take timely action.
As the date of delivery of S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems from Russia to India approaches, China's concern is growing. China is constantly monitoring India's defence preparedness and monitoring India through satellites, drones. According to exclusive information accessed by Zee Media, China-based cyber attackers targeting Indian Defence and Power Sector to get information about India's defence preparedness.

China-based cyber threat actors targeted Defence,Telecom and Power Sectors. Cyber threat actors were also noticed using compromised Indian computers to access sensitive details," an officer aware of these developments told Zee Media.

As reported by media this month, Russia has started delivering the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems to India, the deliveries are going as planned, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev told Sputnik ahead of the Dubai Airshow. Russia will deliver the first lot of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system during Putin's visit to India starting from December 6th.

India has finaliaed an agreement with Russia to procure a batch of the missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. According to sources, a large number of cyber attack cases have been reported from China as well as Pakistan in the last few months. Intelligence agencies are continuously identifying cyber attacks on the country's critical infrastructure sector and sharing information with the Centre as well as states.

During the period between September 1- September 30, cyber threat intelligence in respect of 40 compromised computers and nearly 100 vulnerable web applications were shared with 20 states and Union Territories. It was found that state police, Cooperative Banks and other Government departments were the main targets of Cyber threat," said a senior security official.

Pakistan-based cyber threat actors targeted Defence and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). As per the report total 11 Computers were found to be compromised in Jammu & Kashmir followed by 7 in Karnataka and 6 in Uttar Pradesh.

It has been reported in the past too that the Peoples Liberation of Army of China is running a secret unit for cyber espionage and eyeing information related to India's defence and research, According to report People's Liberation of Army (PLA) has intensified its activities against India.Many cases have been reported in the last few months in which Chinese hackers associated with the PLA attempted to gather sensitive information of the country through cyber espionage.

Since 2015, PLA has centralized its space, cyber and electronic warfare (EW) assets in the newly raised PLA Strategic Support Force (PLASSF). Therefore the cyber espionage unit which deals with cyber warfare and was under erstwhile 3 PLA (General Staff Department Third Department) have been subordinated under the network system department of the PLASSF.

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New Delhi: In view of the very poor air quality in Delhi, only CNG-run and electric vehicles will be allowed entry into the city from Saturday (November 27), while all the petrol and diesel transports will remain banned till December 3.

Delhi's Department of Environment and Forests on Saturday issued an order banning entry of trucks in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities till November 30.

Air pollution: Delhi's Department of Environment & Forests has issued an order banning entry of trucks in the national capital except those carrying essential commodities from today till Nov 30 CNG/electric trucks carrying non-essential commodities allowed to enter Delhi pic.twitter.com/VGrzDFxFgJ  ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2021

The Delhi government had announced this measure on Wednesday (November 24) to tackle air pollution. After chairing a high-level meeting, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had said, "As pollution level in Delhi is reducing leading to an improved Air Quality Index (AQI) similar to pre-Diwali days, the Delhi government has taken a slew of measures to maintain it. Entry of trucks and other vehicles, except for those involved in essential services, from outside Delhi has been stopped."

"From November 27, only CNG-run and electric vehicles will be allowed entry into the national capital. All the other vehicles will remain banned till December 3, IANS had quoted him as saying.

Earlier on November 18, the Delhi government had banned the entry of all trucks (except those carrying essential commodities) from other states into the national capital till November 21.

Delhi schools and other educational institutes have been allowed to reopen from November 29, the government directed.

In another effort to control pollution, the Supreme Court reimposed the ban on construction activities in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday. "In the meantime, as an interim measure and until further orders, we re-impose the ban on the construction activities in the NCR, the top court said. However, non-polluting activities relating to construction including plumbing work, interior decoration, electrical work and carpentry can continue.

Meanwhile, Delhi Air Quality Index (AQI) on Friday morning slipped to 368 in the 'very poor' category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

(With agency inputs)

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Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday (November 27) lashed out at the ruling BJP, accusing it of trying to instil fear among people while alleging that its supporters mowed down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri last month. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. The farmers were mowed by vehicles allegedly carrying BJP workers. Police have arrested Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish in the death case of farmers.

Addressing a public meeting in Sandila in UP, Yadav said, "Farmers had come out to demand the withdrawal of three farm laws and BJP's MoS for Home and his supporters crushed them under the tyres of a Jeep." "The British had fired from the front at the Jallianwala Bagh and the BJP people mowed down farmers from behind," Yadav said. "They think they can do politics by making people afraid. The British ruled by dividing and they think they can rule by making people afraid. This time, no one will get afraid and we will wipe them out," he said referring to the upcoming Assembly polls.

Yadav further said people want change because the state under the BJP has "lagged behind". On coming to power, the SP chief said they will work for the poor, backwards and farmers. He also slammed the BJP over employment creation and pointed to the hike it electricity charges. Electricity became expensive as no new power generation plant was started, he said.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav said nowadays he (Yogi) is learning names of power plants but by the time he learns them, his government will go. Yadav assured that the power sector will be reformed if his SP forms next government in the state. His party was bringing different hues of political parties together to make a colourful bouquet, he said. Claiming that this time the BJP is going to be wiped out from Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said, "The kind of crisis the government has created, no one is able to offer laddoos to anyone," referring to the renowned delicacy of Sandila, whose business he said has been hit under the BJP rule.

Addressing the rally earlier, SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar charged the BJP with telling lies and said that the 2022 Assembly elections will be a do or die battle. "If leaders who tell lies are found anywhere in the world, they are in the BJP," he said. Taking a swipe at the ruling party, he said the price of fuel was slashed after the BJP lost bypolls in several states recently. "This time, if you defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, then the price of petrol and diesel will be halved," he said.

He also promised a caste census if the SP-led alliance comes to power in the state. Earlier, the SBSP had joined hands with the SP. In the 2017 Assembly elections, Rajbhar's party had tied up with the BJP. Rajbhar was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the state government. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rajbhar broke the alliance with the BJP.

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New Delhi: The Centre on Saturday has agreed to the protesting farmers demand of decriminalising stubble burning, announced Union Agriculture Minister Naresh Tomar. The minister also urged protesting farmers to call off their agitation and go back home.

"After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers' agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home," the Agriculture Minister told ANI.

"Farmer organisations had demanded to decriminalise stubble burning by farmers. The government of India has accepted this demand as well," ANI quoted Tomar as saying

Later, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, announced the postponement of their tractor rally to parliament on November 29 after a meeting at Singhu border.

The Agriculture Minister also informed that PM Narendra Modi has announced to constitute a committee to deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming, and making the MSP system more transparent and effective.

"This committee will have representatives from farmers' organisations. With the constitution of this committee, farmers' demand on MSP stands fulfilled," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 announced the repeal of three contentious farm laws, which sparked a widespread protest at various border sites in New Delhi.

Later, the Centre announced that the Farm Laws Repeal Bill has been added to the Winter Session agenda and will be presented in the Parliament on November 29.

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New Delhi: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers unions, on Saturday (November 27, 2021) decided to postpone the tractor rally to Parliament, which was scheduled to take place on November 29, said farmer Darshan Pal Singh in New Delhi.

The decision came after a meeting of farmers' unions in New Delhi to discuss the future course of action as the Centre announced the repeal of the controversial farm laws.

The farmers' union earlier this month, decided that at least 500 farmers will participate in peaceful tractors marches to Parliament every day during the Winter Session starting November 29 to mark a year of their protest.

The farmers' body also called out the state governments and railways to nullify cases registered against protesting farmers.

"PM Narendra Modi should direct state governments and Railways to withdraw the cases registered against farmers during the protest," said a Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader.

About the cases and the compensation are concerned, Union Agriculture Minister Naresh Tomar on Saturday said that the legal matters lie under the state government jurisdiction and they will take the final call.

On calling off the protests, the farmers' leaders clarified that the agitation will continue if the Centre doesn't budge on the MSP.

On November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address to the nation on the occasion of Guruparb, announced that the three contentious farm laws that triggered nationwide outrage among farmers will be taken back.

Meanwhile, it has been reported Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will present the Farm Laws Repeal Bill in the parliament on Monday, November 29.

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Dhaka: Acting on a tip-off, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) recovered Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) valued at Rs. 7.35 crore from a house in Dhaka on Saturday.

The police arrested one lady identified as Fatema Akhtar Opi from the Khilkhet area and after prolonged examination, they were led to a house in the Dakshinkhan area where they recovered the FICN concealed in a secret chamber of the house. The police also arrested another person identified as Abu Taleb from the Sarulia area in Demra.

According to sources in Dhaka Metropolitan Police, these notes were reportedly manufactured in Pakistan and arrived at Chattogram port, Bangladesh in a marble container from Sri Lanka.

The arrested accused Abu Taleb told the police that he smuggled the fake notes with the help of two Pakistani nationals Sultan and Shafi from Pakistan through Sri Lanka. These two Pakistani nationals - Sultan and Shafi are said to be the kingpin of the International FICN smuggling nexus. Fatema and Abu Taleb are said to be a part of an International nexus of FICN smuggling.

These recovered FICN were handed over to Fatema by Abu Taleb on November 23. Later, Fatema who is also a part of the International FICN smuggling nexus was to push the fake currency into India, said a senior police official of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Police had been tracking the movements of the two arrested accused after they received a tip. The police are investigating the matter, a case has been registered at the Khilkhet Police Station and efforts are being made to nab more involved in the nexus.

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New Delhi: A day after marking one year to farmers agitation, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday (November 27) will hold a crucial meeting to decide the future course of action.

After attending a meeting, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal had told mediapersons on November 21 that all the programs will continue as before including march to Parliament on November 29.

Farmer leaders have maintained they intend to continue the protests at the Delhi borders until the Centre officially repeals the farm laws in Parliament. In a surprise move, PM Modi had announced on November 19 that the three bills will be withdrawn in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament. On Wednesday (November 24), the Union Cabinet cleared 'The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021' for repealing the three controversial farm laws passed by the Parliament last year.

President of All India Kisan Sabha, an umbrella body of farmer unions, Ashok Dhawale, on Friday reiterated that the farmer's protest will continue till demands are fulfilled by the Centre.Dhawale told ANI, "Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has organised protests in different states to mark the first anniversary of the farmers` movement. The winter session of the Parliament will commence from November 29, the Centre should take actions on Minimum Support (MSP)."

Earlier, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait had said that farmer leaders wrote a letter to the Central government and alleged that the government does not want to talk about the Minimum Support Price (MSP). "The government of India did not have any conversation with us after January 22 when the last meeting was held. Now they have decided to repeal the laws. But our issues remain which include the MSP, compensation for the death of 700 farmers and Shahid Smarak of the dead farmers. The government should make a committee to address other issues like the electricity amendment bill, pesticide bill and others," Tikait said.

Meanwhile, farmers organized a slew of rallies and protests across the country to mark one year of agitation on November 26.

(With agency inputs)

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Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday urged the farmers protesting against three farm laws on different borders of Delhi to end their agitation and go home as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to repeal these laws.

"The bill to repeal the three farm laws will be tabled in the Parliament on the first day of the winter session (on November 29). PM Narendra Modi has announced to constitute a committee to deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming, and making the MSP system more transparent and effective. This committee will have representatives from farmers' organizations," Tomar told ANI.

"With the constitution of this committee, farmers' demand on MSP stands fulfilled. Farmer organizations had demanded to decriminalize stubble burning by farmers. The Government of India has accepted this demand as well," he said.

"After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers' agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home," he said.

Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the winter session of Parliament beginning later this month to repeal the farm laws. The Prime Minister also said that the government will constitute a committee to work on a new framework for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been listed for introduction and passage. It is among 26 new bills on the agenda of the government. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

READ | PM Narendra Modi chairs meeting with top officials on COVID-19 situation amid Omicron scare

However, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers will go home after the government accepts their demand for a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

"We will withdraw our protest and will go home after the government accepts our demand for law on Minimum Support Price (MSP). We don`t have the intention to stay put at Delhi border till January 26. If the government accepts our demand on MSP and compensation for 750 farmers who died during the protest, then we will go back home," Tikait had said.

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Srinagar: With the assembly elections likely to be held by May-June next year, various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have started increasing their footfall on the ground the first time after August 5, 2019, when article 370 was scrapped.

Top sources indicate that the delimitation commission has completed its draft report of new and re-alignment of some old assembly seats in J&K. The commission is headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Ranjana Desai.

"The draft report is ready. It will now be shared with the associate members, including three Lok Sabha members from the National Conference (Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Akbar Lone) and the BJP`s Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma", top sources told IANS adding that the commission has already been communicated that there would be no further extension of its time period which ends in March 2022.

All major political players including leaders of the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Indian National Congress (INC), J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP), J&K Apni Party, Peoples Conference (PC) and other smaller groups have started public interactions through meetings and rallies.

Close on the heels of PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti`s visit to the Chenab Valley, NC Vice President, Omar Abdullah started his visit of the region on Saturday (November 27).

The BJP has already told its party cadre that the assembly elections would not be deferred further and these are being held next year before the annual Amarnath Yatra which begins in the last week of June each year but was called off due to the pandemic this year.

Sources close to the senior leaders of NC, BJP, PDP, Congress and others indicate that none of these parties believes that it could get the majority in the new assembly of its own.

"Whatever the senior leaders of these parties say in public or to the media, the fact is that none of them believes to get an absolute majority on its own", said a former bureaucrat believed to be close to the NC.

After the fresh delimitation, the assembly is likely to have 90 seats. In the previous assembly there were 87 seats, four of which belonged to the Ladakh region which is a separate UT now.

The Valley had 47 and the Jammu region had 36 seats. Sources indicate that at least 6 seats would be added to the Jammu region and 2 new assembly constituencies would be carved out of the existing ones in the Valley.

In addition to this, assembly constituencies would be reserved in J&K for tribals, scheduled caste etc which is likely to throw up a different political map for the UT.

In the last state assembly, PDP had 28, BJP 25, NC 15 and the INC 12 seats.

Both the PDP and the NC have lost a sizeable chunk of their public support in both the Valley and the Jammu region. The BJP is also not the same as it was during the 2014 assembly elections.

Most of its local leaders have disappointed their voters. None of the existing local BJP leaders can today claim unchallenged victory in the constituencies they comfortably won in 2014.

Sources in the central leadership of the party say this reality has already been taken care of by the BJP`s top leadership in Delhi.

"Don`t be surprised if most of the BJP leaders, who were fielded in 2014, find themselves out of the hustings.

"There are genuine emerging faces in the local leadership and the high command has decided to field majority of them in the 2022 assembly elections", said a source in the central leadership of the party.

In addition to the idea of doing a major overhaul in the list of candidates, BJP`s trump card, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is still the most popular leader in the Jammu region.

The persona of Modi is something the BJP rivals might not be able to dismantle despite the growing unpopularity of the party`s local leadership.

In the Valley, the NC and the PDP are likely to face challenges both from each other and other political parties like the PC headed by Sajad Gani Lone and the Apni Party headed by Syed Altaf Bukhari.

The PC and the Apni Party might still be far away from creating the type of ground level cadre as the NC and the PDP might have, but there is no doubt that these two parties can upset some of the hitherto foregone ground realities and thereby play as a very big spoilsport for the two traditional parties, the NC and the PDP.

The PDP has already lost most of its support because of many reasons. It used to be the unchallenged winner in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama.

"No longer today. Undoubtedly, because of her hectic recent political activities, Mehbooba Mufti appears to have gained some of her party`s lost ground, but it is still far below what the party could aim at in 2014", said a former PDP leader who left the party after the death of its patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

The NC has tried to maintain a very hard anti-BJP and anti-centre posture since the abrogation of article 370 and yet its best supporters do not believe the party could get enough seats to claim power after the 2022 elections.

The INC is smitten by an internal leadership feud between Ghulam Nabi Azad and G.A. Mir, the state president of the party.

Mir is supported by the senior party leadership including Rahul Gandhi, but Azad has far greater reach and support on ground in J&K.

If Azad continues to remain disenchanted with the central Congress leadership, as he is at present, the Congress would be the worst sufferer in J&K assembly elections.

If Azad is forced to leave the party, he is likely to form a dissident Congress party that would fight the 2022 assembly elections on its own.

There is no doubt that Azad is highly respected in the Chenab Valley region that includes the districts of Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and Reasi. His departure or disenchantment with the Congress would create a parallel political force that could become the `King maker` if the 2022 elections deliver a fractured mandate.

Given these realities, there is a strong possibility that 2022 assembly election results would compel major political parties to descend from their high pedestal and look for support from smaller parties to cobble up a political government.

The days of the unparalleled kingship seem to be over in J&K forever.



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Bengaluru: The new variant 'Omicron' has left the world panic-struck. While India hasn't reported the new variant yet, new clusters emerging in Karnataka have made the state government announce certain precautionary measures on Saturday (November 27). The state also said it has sought the Centre's permission to administer a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Some of the steps taken by the state include:

- Intensifying screening of international passengers at airports

- Heightened border checks

- Asking educational institutions to postpone their public events

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today (Nov 27) chaired a meeting with senior Ministers, officials, health experts and COVID advisory team regarding the current situation and precautionary measures to be taken. "Regarding administering booster dose, we have made a request to the central government. It will be administered to frontline workers on priority on getting approval. We may get approval in a week," Revenue Minister R Ashoka told reporters after the meeting.

He said RT-PCR negative report is mandatory for those travelling to state from Kerala and Maharashtra and authorities deployed at check points have to compulsorily check it.

Students who have travelled to the state from Kerala 16 days ago have to undergo RT-PCR test, despite them possessing negative test reports and those staying in hostels will also have to undergo tests once again after seven days, despite having negative certificates now, the Minister said. "We have asked to maintain high vigil along the Kerala and Maharashtra border, especially Kerala. Deputy Commissioners of districts bordering Kerala like Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Kodagu and Chamarajanagara have been alerted," he said. Other than police, Revenue and other department officials will be deployed at the checkpoints on a routine basis in shifts.

Noting that two doses of vaccination have been made compulsory for those working at government offices, malls, hotels, swimming pools and theaters, Ashoka said directions have been given to increase tests for students of medical and nursing colleges.

He said Deputy Commissioners have been asked to maintain extra vigil amid an increase in COVID cases at educational institutions and that schools and colleges have been advised to postpone events if not scheduled, and added that in the days to come, the government may consider prohibiting such events. "The Health department will also be issuing guidelines in this regard, he said, adding that educational institutions will also be advised to postpone seminars as well.

The government's announcement of measures come in the backdrop of schools and colleges turning into clusters in Dharwad, Anekal, Sarjapura and Mysuru. Pointing out that "careless behavior" such as not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing have been noticed at marriages and functions, the Minister said guidelines will be issued regarding wearing masks and other precautionary measures and will be issued in couple of days.

"We are currently in the advisory phase....Based on the COVID cases and scenario in the coming days, the government may take certain stringent measures," he added. Regarding Christmas and New Year celebrations, Ashoka said another round of meetings will be held under the CM's leadership and separate guidelines will be issued for it.

Clarifying that no new variant cases have been reported in the state so far, he said, experts have told the state government that the new Omicron variant spreads five times faster than the existing ones.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: A Kolkata-based married woman who had gone to Pakistan along with Sikh jatha to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sikhs first master Guru Nanak Dev ji reportedly embraced Islam and married a Lahore-based man.

As the luck would have it, despite embracing Islam and marrying Lahore man Muhammad Imran, the Kolkata woman Ranjit Kaur (name changed) couldnt stay in Pakistan and was sent back to India when Sikh jatha returned on November 26 at Wagah-Attari international border.

Notably, Ranjit Kaur and her husband Parmdeep Singh (name changed) are deaf and dumb and interestingly Muhammad Imran is also deaf and dumb.

Highly placed sources informed Zee News that Kaur was in touch with Muhammad Imran over social media which was also in knowledge of her husband, when in Pakistan she filed a petition in the office of Justice of Peace and also married Imran in presence of her Sikh husband. Sources also informed that Kaur rechristened herself as Parveen Sultana. Muhammad Imran is the resident of RajanPur of Pakistani Punjab.

On November 23, Ranjit Kaur and Imran performed Nikkah in Lahore after Ranjit Kaur reportedly got divorced from her Indian husband in a Pakistani court.

Intelligence sources here informed that the woman in question along with her husband were last to arrive back from Pakistan on Friday evening at Wagah-Attari. However, they didnt tell anything to us but our sources have confirmed that she embraced Islam and married a Muslim man but Pak officials didnt allow her to stay back in Lahore since she was traveling on a pilgrim which had also expired, she is back with her Indian husband and she might apply for Pakistan visa again, said sources.

While confirming that Kaur had embraced Islam and married Imran, a Lahore-based deed writer Rana Sajawal informed Zee News that he had sold the stamp paper to Muhammad Imran since Kaur didnt have any Pakistans identification. Muhammad Imran, a resident of RajanPur, along with a lady (Kaur) had come to purchase an affidavit of Rs 100 on November 24, he said.

While reacting to the incident, SAD(D) president Paramjit Singh Sarna who is also former president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee said, in wake of a Bengali Sikh pilgrim converging and remarrying in Pakistan, we have appealed to jatha members traveling across the border to restrict their activities to darshan and didar on holy Gurdwaras.

He further said that the incident involving the Bengali Sikh woman who had married in Pakistan had caused a huge embarrassment and gave birth to a controversy.

Such acts can even lead to a ban on Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan, he apprehended.

(Disclaimer: All documents related to the incident are in Zee News' possession)

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The new Omicron or Covid B.1.1.529 variant has send alarm bells ringing across the world and Indians are also a worried lot. And with the government deciding to restart international flights from December 15,2021 - barring 14 countries classified as at risk - the apprehension is only growing.

As per a survey by LocalCircles, one of India's leading community social media platform, 2 out 3 citizens want the government to reconsider its decision to resume international flights from December 15. 72% Indians want the government to implement mandatory RT-PCR test for COVID at boarding as well for international travellers coming from countries with high test positivity rate.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has categorised international countries into 3 categories  not "at risk", "at risk", and air bubble, with separate restrictions and bubble flight arrangement, which will continue as is with some capacity changes.

As per the new guidelines, Hong Kong and South Africa, where cases of the new variant are rising, will resume flights at 50% of the pre-pandemic capacity. Many Indians are starting to fear that the country may see the rise in COVID cases propagated by new variants.

THe World Health Organization (WHO) designated this variant as a variant of concern and named it Omicron within an unusually short window of 48 hours after several scientists and epidemiologists around the world raised the red flag. Data suggests that the variant has 32 mutations and a 500% advantage over the base or alpha variant of COVID.

Here are some major findings from the survey:

The first question asked citizens if the Government of India needs to reconsider starting international flights from December 15, 2021. In response, 64% of citizens said Yes, better to be safe than sorry. Only 25% of citizens said that it is important to restart international flights and 11% couldnt say. 64% of citizens want the Government to reconsider its decision about restarting international flights from December 15 in light of the new B.1.1.529 variant of COVID.

Meanwhile, 72% citizens want Government to implement mandatory RT-PCR at boarding and arrival for travellers coming from countries with high COVID test positivity rates. The question in the survey asked citizens, Given the new variant B.1.1.529 and a recent major increase in Covid cases in many countries around the world, what should be Indias approach towards travellers from these countries? In response, 51% of citizens said, Continue with current rules and permit them without quarantine but require an RT-PCR test within 24 hours before boarding and upon arrival.

Breaking down the poll, 21% said Permit travellers from these countries but implement RT-PCR at boarding and arrival and implement a 14-day mandatory quarantine. Further, 14% said the Government of India should Continue with current rules and permit travellers from these countries without quarantine, and 12% said Temporarily suspend all existing flights from countries with TPR of 2% or higher while 2% did not have an opinion.

Survey demographics

The survey received over 16,000 responses from citizens resident over 309 districts of the country. 66% respondents were men while 34% respondents were women. 49% respondents were from tier 1, 33% from tier 2 and 2% respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.

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Mumbai: Police in neighbouring Thane city on Friday recorded the statement of former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in an extortion case. He also appeared before a local court which cancelled a non-bailable warrant issued against him.

Singh reached the Thane Nagar police station along with his lawyer around 10.30 am and was questioned for nearly seven hours, officials said.

Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Avinash Ambure was present at the police station to supervise the probe, sources said.

READ | Param Bir Singh was forced to take back complaint against Anil Deshmukh, claims his lawyer

Advocate Puneet Bali, who is representing Singh in the Supreme Court, alleged that his cl

A case of extortion was registered against Singh and 28 others at the police station on the complaint lodged by builder and alleged bookie Ketan Tanna in July. As per the complaint, when Singh was Thane police commissioner between 2018 and 2019, he and other accused extorted Rs 1.25 crore from Tanna and Rs 3 crore from Tanna's friend Sonu Jalan.

Apart from Singh, retired inspector Pradeep Sharma, inspector Rajkumar Kothmire and DCP Deepak Devraj are among the accused. Two accused have been arrested in the case so far with one of them getting bail two days ago. Singh is facing a total of five extortion cases in Maharashtra, two of them in Thane.

The Thane police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe these two extortion cases. Singh, who was recently declared an absconder by a court, arrived in Mumbai on Thursday after remaining untraceable for over six months. He was questioned by the Mumbai police's crime branch in another extortion case on Thursday. He had been shunted out as Mumbai's top cop earlier this year after the Antilia bomb scare case. The Supreme Court granted Singh protection from arrest a few days ago.

Singh's lawyer Rajendra Mokashi said he remained present before the Thane court on Friday in between his questioning by police, and the warrant issued against him for non-appearance earlier was cancelled. He also provided a surety of Rs 15,000, the lawyer said.

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Washington: The pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech on Saturday issued a statement stating that they are not sure whether their vaccines would be able to help in the treatment of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. The companies also promised to develop a new vaccine against the variant in about 100 days, Sputnik reported.

This came after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it identified a new COVID-19 strain, the B.1.1.529 that was initially found in southern Africa. WHO named the variant with the Greek letter Omicron.

"In the event that vaccine-escape variant emerges, Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval," they added in the statement.

In pics: New Covid variants creates panic, Karnataka sees new cases

As reported by Sputnik, Pfizer and BioNTech said they expect more data on Omicron within the next two weeks and noted the variant significantly differs from previously observed ones, according to the statement.

The pharmaceutical companies underscored that they started working on making their vaccine adaptable to new possible variants months ago, adding that their vaccine is currently able to adjust itself within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days, the statement said.

In similar developments, amid the spread of the Omicron variant, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Saturday postponed the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), that was set to take place in Geneva.

As precautionary measures to contact the spread of the new variant, India on Friday added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing for infection. The US along with European Union and other major destinations have also moved to block flights from several African countries, CNN reported.

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New Delhi: Amid the fear of Omicron gripping the world, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (November 27) requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop flights from countries hit by the new coronavirus variant.

Kejriwal said all measures should be taken to prevent the new COVID strain from entering India.

I urge the PM to stop flights from those countries which are affected by new variant (of COVID-19). With great difficulty, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent this new variant from entering India, the Delhi CM said in a tweet.

The Delhi government will hold a meeting of the Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday (November 29) to discuss steps to handle the new variant. In view of the threat from new COVID variant from African countries, we have requested experts to make a presentation to DDMA on Mon and suggest what steps we shud take. We will take all steps necessary to protect u and ur family, the Delhi CM had tweeted on Friday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday labelled the new strain, first detected in South Africa, as a "variant of concern" and assigned the B.1.1.529 variant the Greek letter Omicron.

As preventive measures, India has added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the wake of the detection of COVID variant 'Omicron'. These countries include South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, countries in Europe including the UK.

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a review meeting on COVID-19 situation and vaccination with top government officials. Cabinet Secretary Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM Modi, PK Mishra and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan were persent during the meeting.

(With agency inputs)

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Bihar police personnel on Friday took an oath to ensure the implementation of liquor ban in the state.

State Director-General of Police (DGP) SK Singhal administered an oath to all Police personnel at the Police Head Quarters to ensure implementation of liquor ban in the state, and personally abide by the ban too.

Speaking to the media, Singhal said, "To implement a liquor probation law, every police personnel is committed about this."

"Society has witnessed the positiveness of prohibiting liquor. We will try our best to implement the law," the DGP said.

He also said that along with prohibiting liquor "we are also committed to working on drugs."

He further said that "if any police personnel come into notice for having liquor will be suspended from his job."

#WATCH | Patna: Bihar DGP SK Singhal administers an oath to all Police personnel at the Police HQ to ensure implementation of liquor ban in the state, and personally abide by the ban too. pic.twitter.com/DTXloFSJXb  ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2021

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New Delhi: MECON Limited, a government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Steel, has invited applications for the recruitment of candidates to Executive posts.

A total of 78 vacancies have been notified for Managerial posts in various disciplines. Even freshers can apply for several positions.

Interested candidates can apply on the official site of MECON Limited at meconlimited.co.in. The company will provide travel allowance (TA) to outstation candidates.

The candidates will be selected on the basis of Personal Interview.

MECON Recruitment 2021 - Age Limit:

Grade E1 - 30 Years

Grade E2 - 32 Years

Grade E3 - 36 Years

Grade E4 - 40 Years

Grade E5 - 44 Years

Grade E6 - 47 Years

Grade E7 - 52 Years

Age relaxations will be provided as per the government rules.

MECON Recruitment 2021 - How to apply:

Interested candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria can apply on the Career page of meconlimited.co.in.

Go to meconlimited.co.in -> Careers -> Career Opportunities -> Click here to apply Online. Fill up the application form and submit. Pay the application fee online.

The list of candidates who qualify the screening process would be published on the company website to be called for Personal Interview.

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Dharwad: As many as 116 medical college students were tested COVID-19 positive in Karnataka`s Dharwad on Friday, taking the tally of confirmed cases in the campus to 182.

SDM College of Medical Sciences in Karnataka`s Dharwad has become a COVID-19 cluster after students infected with coronavirus went up to 182 today from 66 a day before, officials said.

The students had attended a function held on November 17 in the college campus. Patients have not shown serious symptoms associated with the virus due to the fact they have all taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

As a preventive measure, a holiday has been declared in educational institutions in a radius of 500 meters near the college till Sunday.

Nitesh Patel, the District Collector said, "We are doing RAT and RTPCR tests of around 3,000 people inside the campus. College administration has been directed to not allow any visitors inside the campus. Attendees will be not allowed inside the hospital where the patients are undergoing treatment."

Karnataka reported 402 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths on Saturday. As per the state`s health department, the state has 6,611 active cases of infection. Karnataka has recorded 29,94,963 infections since the onset of the pandemic last year.

With 277 recoveries reported in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries climbed to 29,50,130. The death toll is 38,193. Of the six deaths reported on Friday, one each was reported in Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwada, Hassana, Kodagu and Raichuru.
New Delhi: In its yearly list, the Reserve Bank of India has published a list of holidays for the year 2021. All public and private sector banks in India would be closed for up to 12 days in December, including weekends, according to this. During the month of December, the RBI list mentions up to seven holidays, including Christmas.

Christmas, on the other hand, falls on the fourth Saturday of the month, which is a bank holiday. As a result of the overlapping bank holidays, banks will have 12 days off this month. The RBI's list of holidays is divided into three categories: state-specific holidays, religious holidays, and festivals.

On that topic, keep in mind that they are state-wide holidays, so you shouldn't be too concerned. For this reason, just a few bank branches in each state would be closed on the above-mentioned days. Except for a few days, they are usually not uniform in nature. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier in Goa, for example, will be observed as a bank holiday on December 3, although services will be available in other regions of the country. As a result, bank customers are typically recommended to contact their local branch to obtain a complete list of bank holidays.

The RBI has designated December's holidays as a 'Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act.' 'Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act,' 'Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday,' and 'Banks' Closing of Accounts' are the additional classifications for the RBI listing. However, according to the requirement of leaves, the other two groups do not apply to this month.

Even if Christmas had not fallen on a weekend, banks across the country would have been closed. Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thiruvananthapuram are among them.

The majority of the bank holidays set aside this month under the Holidays under Negotiable Instruments Act are for Shillong, Meghalaya's capital. Apart from weekend leaves, Shillong enjoys as many as four bank holidays in December.

According to the RBI list, the first holiday of the month under the same act falls on December 3, but it would only be relevant to banks in Panaji. As a result, as a bank customer, you should keep these dates in mind as the month progresses. Make sure to thoroughly organise your next trip to the bank in order to have a seamless banking experience.

On that topic, let's have a look at the list of holidays during which banks will be closed in December so that you can plan accordingly.

The following is the complete list of holidays for the month of December 2021, as mandated by the RBI: (Counting begins on December 1st.)

List of Leaves

December 3: Feast of St. Francis Xavier  Goa

December 18: Death Anniversary of U SoSo Tham  Shillong

December 24: Christmas Festival (Christmas Eve)  Aizawl, Shillong

December 25: Christmas  Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram

December 27: Christmas Celebration  Aizawl

December 30: U Kiang Nangbah  Shillong

December 31: New Years Eve  Aizawl

Apart from the state-by-state variations in holidays. On select weekend days, the banks will be closed. In this regard, it should be mentioned that weekend leaves are uniform in character throughout India. The following are some of them:

December 5: Sunday

December 11: Second Saturday of the month

December 12: Sunday

December 19: Sunday

December 25: Fourth Saturday of the month and Christmas

December 26: Sunday

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New Delhi: The Employees Provident Fund, or EPF, is an important aspect of any corporate employee's working life, and there are a few things to know about it. Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), a government-backed retirement agency, is a programme that saves a portion of an employee's pay as well as a portion of the employer's contribution and distributes it after retirement.

On that topic, you should be aware that linking your Aadhaar card with your EPFO-issued Universal Account Number is critical. The UAN is a one-of-a-kind number that is assigned to each employee and remains with them indefinitely.

The EPFO has extended the deadline for linking UANs to Aadhaar numbers. The deadline has been pushed back to November 30, 2021. The old deadline for connecting the numbers was August 31, 2021.

The EPFO announced the most recent date on November 15 of this year. The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) account must now be linked to the Aadhaar card, thanks to a recent revision in section 142 of the Code of Social Security 2020. The EPFO had stated that it would take effect in June of this year.

In partial modification of the Circular No. WSU/15(1)2019/ATR/529 dated 15.06.2021 under reference, it is informed that the date of completing the seeding and verification of Aadhaar with UAN, is hereby extended till 30.11.2021 and accordingly, the date in Para 1 of the referred Circular dated 15.06.2021 mentioned as 01.09.2021 may be read as 01.12.2021," the EPF said in a circular.

However, if you do not link your UAN to your Aadhaar number, you may face a number of repercussions. For starters, if you don't link the accounts, you won't receive the employer's contribution.

The filing requirements for the Electronic Challan Cumulative Return have also been amended by the retiring authority (ECR). EPFO stated that the company can only submit for employees who have linked their Aadhaar to their PF UAN. "After the Aadhaar seeding procedure is completed, the employer can file a separate ECR for non-Aadhaar seeded UAN," the regulatory authority stated.

Employees will also experience a payment delay until the accounts are linked and the data is approved by the employers and authorities. Furthermore, they will be unable to withdraw PF funds from their accounts. Employees are also ineligible for COVID-19 advances and insurance benefits tied to PF accounts, which were announced earlier this year.

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New Delhi: Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi Corp will build a plant that can produce 300,000 vehicles annually in Beijing for its electric vehicle unit, authorities in the capital said on Saturday.

The plant will be constructed in two phases and Xiaomi will also built its auto unit`s headquarters, sales and research offices in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, the government-backed economic development agency Beijing E-Town said on its official WeChat account.

Beijing E-Town said it anticipated the plant reaching mass production in 2024, a goal announced by Xiaomi`s Chief Executive Lei Jun in October.

In March, Xiaomi said it would commit to investing $10 billion in a new electric car division over 10 years. The company completed the business registration of its EV unit in late August. Also Read: IRCTC Update: Indian Railways launches Rampath Yatra Express from Maharashtra to Ayodhya

The company has been opening thousands of stores to spur domestic sales growth for its smartphone business but eventually intends to use these shops as a channel for its plans to sell electric vehicles. Also Read: Samsung quietly announces Galaxy A03 with 48MP camera, check specs, features

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Amsterdam: 61 people onboard a flight from South Africa to Amsterdam tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Dutch health authorities said. Further tests are being conducted on the patients to check if they are infected with the new Omicron variant of coronavirus, which was first detected in South Africa, Reuters reported.

The cases were reported among the 600 passengers who arrived in Amsterdam on two flights on Friday, just before the Dutch authorities stopped flights from omicron affected countries.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in South Africa, has been classified as a 'variant of concern' by the WHO. The resistance of virus to vaccines is yet to be ascertained.

Dutch health authorities have assured that they would contact travellers who had arrived from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe since Monday and urge them to take a test as soon as possible.

Those who tested positive for COVID in the flight have been put in isolation.

A spokesperson for KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France, said the airline was trying to determine what rules were in place as of Friday morning to prevent people with COVID-19 infections from boarding the flights, which departed from Cape Town and Johannesburg.

On the other hand, passengers onboard complained about the COVID management by the airline.

According to Paula Zimmerman, a Dutch photographer who was on board the flight said that the rules on the company`s website were that a passenger has to present a negative COVID-19 "rapid antigen" test result taken 24 hours before departure but were not required to show proof of vaccination.

Zimmerman further told that she had tested negative for COVID 18 hours after landing in Amsterdam, but said she then found out she was standing right next to a man who knew he had tested positive for an infection.

"It was really weird. There was no coordination. There were too few people and there really wasnt anybody who took control."

"Ive been told that they expect that a lot more people will test positive after five days. It`s a little scary the idea that youve been in a plane with a lot of people who tested positive."

The Dutch government on Friday announced the closure of bars, restaurants and most stores as it tries to curb a record-breaking wave of COVID-19 cases that is swamping its healthcare system.

(With inputs from Reuters)
New Delhi: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a new turn with the emergence of the new and highly mutating Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The variant was first detected in South Africa with the scientific name B.1.1.529.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday convened a meeting to access the current situation and spread of the variant and classified the strain as variant of concern.

With the UK being the latest to report the variant case, the global health body urged nations to conduct vigilant screening of international travellers and follow COVID appropriate behaviour.

As the new Omicron variant continues to pose threat, here are the countries that have so far reported the strain.

South Africa

South Africa was the first country to report the new strain of coronavirus on November 24. The emergence of this omicron variant has sent South Africa from a period of low transmission to rapid growth.

Hong Kong

Soon after South Africa, Hong Kong also reported two cases related to the new coronavirus variant omicron. The country has banned flights and travellers from Southern African countries.

Israel

Israel, which has one of the worlds highest vaccinated populations, also reported its first omicron cases on Friday.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom on Saturday reported its first two cases of omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Belgium

Belgium has also reported its first case of the omicron variant on Saturday.

Botswana

Botswana has also detected the presence of the new variant

Germany

According to media reports, Germany has also reported suspected cases of omicron variant of the virus.

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency in the state due to a spike in new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, according to her executive order.

"Whereas, New York is now experiencing COVID-19 transmission at rates the State has not seen since April 2020. Whereas, the rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions has been increasing over the past month to over 300 new admissions a day. I do hereby declare a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York through January 15, 2022," the executive order said on Friday evening.

The state of emergency will increase hospital capacity in New York and support vaccination efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease. Hochul issued the state of emergency amid concerns over the new Omicron coronavirus variant detected in southern Africa.

READ | Pfizer, BioNTech not sure on vaccine effectiveness on new Covid variant Omicron

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and many European countries imposed new restrictions on foreign nationals travelling from countries in the region due to the new strain

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New Delhi: The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said early on Saturday it launched air strikes on military targets in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, asking civilians not to gather around or approach the targeted sites, Saudi state TV reported.

The coalition, which intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted the Saudi-backed government from the capital, has ramped up strikes on Houthi sites in Sanaa in recent days.

The Houthis have repeatedly launched cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia using drones and missiles.

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New Delhi: In 2019, the Sri Lankan government had sanctioned 50 lakh rupees to conduct research into the claims of King Ravana being a skilled aviator who had Pushpak Vimana to take him places.

Many people in the country, including historians, believe that Ravana was not just a mythological figure but was a real person who ruled Lanka.

The research was, however, put on hold due to the threat of COVID-19 pandemic. Now, that things are gradually going back to normal, the government has decided to move ahead with the study, which is expected to resume in early 2022.

Shashi Danatunge, former vice-chairman of the Sri Lankan Civil Aviation Authority has said that the Rajapaksas-led Sri Lankan government has shown keen interest in the research. He said the study will resume early next year.

Sri Lanka also wants India to be a part of the study given the story of Ramayana, which entails Ravana and his Viman, is interlinked with both countries.

Danatugne said that he believes Ravana had aircraft and airport and that he travelled to India. He added that Sri Lankans and Indians had access to superior technologies like aviation.

The research was first approved after a conference of civil aviation experts, historians, archaeologists, scientists and geologists held in Colombo two years ago. The participants agreed that Ravana was indeed the first person to travel via air. They said he travelled to India and back.

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